Easy double apple bars

There are times when you want something sweet and home baked for dessert, even if you worked all day and have no intention of going out shopping for baking ingredients at 6:30 at night. If you flip through a copy of Betty Crocker's Ultimate Cookie Book, you'll find this great and easy recipe for Double Apple Bars. It requires only a few ingredients, it doesn't make you fuss with softened butter, and you don't even grease the baking pan. If you're lucky enough to have some baking essentials plus applesauce and a fresh apple on hand, you're ready.

After-work double apple bars

• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 chopped apple, cored but not peeled

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Mix the brown sugar, applesauce, oil, and egg in a large bowl. Stir in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the apple.

Spread the batter in an ungreased 9 x 9 x 2 pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired (the bars are sweet without it).