Candy Apple Pie

My sister-in-law made this pie awhile back using apples she had frozen over the summer. Just another reason I'm glad I froze plenty of apples!


I made these two pies for a cake and pie auction we are having tonight at church. It's a fundraiser for one of the young men getting ready to start a missionary trip.

(This recipe is for 1 pie)

Candy Apple Pie
Pie
6 cups sliced apples
2 Tbsp. lime juice
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
Deep dish pie shell
Pastry roll
2 Tbsp. butter

Topping
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
Toss apples in lime juice. Combine dry ingredients, add to apples. Fill crust with apple mixture. Dot top with butter, cover with pastry roll. Flute edges and cut steam vents. Bake at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes.
For the topping: Melt butter in saucepan, add brown sugar and whipping cream, bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat then add pecans. Pour over crust and bake 3-4 minutes longer.

PRINTABLE RECIPE


I have already told my husband that he is forbidden to bid on these pies because if I bring one of them home with us I will eat way too much of it!


I also baked this Mandarin Orange Cake (also known as a Pig Lickin' Cake).

Peppermint Deliciousness!

A friend of mine had me buy a package of those peppermint Hershey Kisses the other day while we were shopping and I must admit I ate half the bag (or more!) I decided to go on a peppermint candy making expedition! I made a few batches before I got what I think is very close to the Hershey Kisses peppermint goodness. I got this mold for free when I bought some Jell-O earlier this week and decided to use it!


Here's the recipe I ended up using...
Peppermint Goodies
1/2 block Gulf Wax paraffin
2 packages white chocolate chips
1/2 package almond bark
20 peppermint candy disks (chopped into a very fine powder using a food chopper or processor)
1 tsp peppermint extract

Melt your gulf wax in a saucepan. You can use a double boiler but I didn't. Next add your chocolate chips and broken up almond bar on low to medium heat. Stir constantly until melted. Pour in peppermint candy powder, stir, then add peppermint extract. Stir well and make sure everything is melted.
Pour into molds or into a wax lined cookie sheet. I used the Jell-O mold and this recipe filled it twice. I just remelted after the first batch firmed up in the fridge and filled it again. They fell out of this mold with no oiling required.


The details turned out great! They are thick so I'm trying to figure out a way to add Popsicle sticks to them.


I wrapped them in basket wrap and added some twine to some and little red ribbon to others.


I will be making these for the kids in Jake and Luke's classes next year.


They are fun, cute and delicious!


Here they are all dressed up and ready to go to the Christmas party tomorrow night! I am adding baskets of these to my "homemade gift baskets" for next year.

Hot! Hot! Hot!

I think I'm going to live now! I am recovering from the worst summer cold I have ever had! It started as a sore throat Friday night and by Saturday morning it was a full blown head cold then moved into my chest. If you know me when I say I haven't wanted or had a cup of coffee since Friday then you know I have been SICK!! I know I'm getting better because I'm drinking my first cup this afternoon.

Shannon, your magazine is ordered. You should receive the first one in 4 to 6 weeks. I hope you enjoy it. That give away was so much fun, I think I'll have another one soon!

It is so hot here right now. Here's the latest post from our weatherman, Kyle, a few minutes ago.

WPSD-TV It's a new weather record! The high temperature at the Paducah National Weather Service made it to 104º this afternoon. This ties the record high temperature for the date. At 4 PM, temperatures range from 98º to 102º, with heat index values of 113º to 123º! -Kyle

The poor chickens are so hot right now. I took a fan to the barn for them this morning and watered down a spot of dirt for them to wallow in and they hopped right in it. The goats are hanging out in the shade and the dogs run outside, use the bathroom and run right back in. Tomorrow is supposed to be the same. I think the only thing thriving in this heat are the hot peppers!

There's a few rumbles of thunder coming from the East. I'm hoping and praying it brings some much needed rain this way.

While I'm waiting on the rain, I think I'll make some
Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream
1 can Eagle Brand milk
1 gallon chocolate milk
1 lg. container of Cool Whip
1/2 cup sugar

Mix Eagle Brand milk, Cool Whip and sugar in a large bowl and pour into 4-quart ice cream freezer. Fill to fill line with chocolate milk. Stir and follow freezer instructions for making ice cream.

Pear Custard Bars

I have noticed that some of my print pages are not printing right so I've decided to redo most of them. It may take a while and will be a work in progress for the next few days but eventually they will all be like the printable recipe below. You can click Printable Recipe and then use the print option in your browser toolbar to print the page. Hope this works better for everyone. If you have any problems just let me know.

I recently went to a wedding shower and had these pear custard bars and they were delicious! My cousin tracked down the recipe from the friend who made them and mailed it to me last week. I thought I would share with my blogging buddies.

Pear Custard Bars

Bars:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Filling/Topping:
1 pkg. (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 can (15 1/4 ounces) pear halves, drained
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in flour and vanilla until combined. Stir in nuts. Press into greased 8-inch square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack.

Increase heat to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.
Add sugar, egg and vanilla. Mix until combined. Pour over crust. Cut pears into 1/8 inch slices. Arrange in a single layer over filling.
Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over pears.
Bake at 375 degrees for 28-30 minutes (center will be soft set and will become firmer upon cooling).
Cool on wire rack for 45 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting. Store in refrigerator.

Yield: 16 bars.
For 13 x 9 inch pan double the filling recipe.
I also use chopped pecans when I don't have macadamia nuts.

Twix Cake

Simple, rich and delicious!

No pics today, my sister has borrowed my camera!

Twix Cake
1 box chocolate cake mix (eggs and oil per instructions on box)
1 can Eagle Brand milk
1 can caramel ice cream topping
1 large bowl Cool Whip
1 package Twix candy bars (or other favorite brand)

Bake cake in 9x13 inch pan following directions on cake box, let cool.
Punch holes in cake.
Pour 1 can Eagle Brand milk over top of cake and let soak in.
Pour most of the caramel ice cream topping over cake.
Add layer of Cool-Whip
Crush and sprinkle candy bars on top.
Drizzle with remaining caramel icing.

Yum!

Banana Nut Roll

I promised this to one of my readers awhile back and never got around to posting it because I lost the recipe. I got it from our pastor's wife and she had hand-written the entire thing for me and I didn't have the heart to ask for it again! I was going through a box of papers yesterday and found it! So here it is....

BANANA NUT ROLL
3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
Dash of salt
1 tsp. lemon juice
2/3 c. mashed bananas
1 c. pecans, chopped

Mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. Add eggs, salt, lemon juice, bananas and pecans. Pour batter into greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. When done, flip onto dish towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll up into towel and place in refrigerator to chill. Unroll when chilled and spread with filling.

FILLING
1 c. powdered sugar
1/2 stick softened butter
3 oz. cream cheese or more ( I use the whole 8 oz. block)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients together until smooth and spread on baked roll. Re-roll, place in aluminum foil and chill before slicing to serve.

This recipe is a lot like the Pumpkin Roll recipe. It's hard for me to pick which is my favorite. If someone asks me which I like better I always answer, "Whichever I'm eating at the time!"

Honey Bun Cake

While we're waiting on Spring and the big give away, I thought I'd post a recipe! I don't have any pics of this cake because I haven't actually made it myself yet BUT I have eaten it many times. My aunt makes it for all our family get-togethers. Plus, I'm trying to stay in the jeans I'm in now and I made (and ate half of) an apple pie last night. I've been rendering some lard over the past few days using Suzanne McMinn's (Chickens in the Road) crock pot method for Make Your Own Lard. I just had to try a pie crust using REAL, fresh lard (just substitute it for the Crisco) and I wasn't disappointed! It was flaky and delicious. So no, I won't have any pics of this cake (at least not for a day or so when my sweet tooth gets the best of me and I decide that bigger jeans are not always so bad!)

Honey Bun Cake
1 box yellow cake mix
4 eggs
2/3 c. oil
1 c. sour cream
1 c. brown sugar
3 tsp. cinnamon
2 c. powdered sugar
3/4 c. milk
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix cake mix, eggs, oil and sour cream together. Beat well. Pour half of mixture in a 13 x 9-inch, lightly greased pan. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together. Sprinkle over batter in pan. Spoon rest of batter around on top of mixture. Bake at 325 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes. Punch holes in cake. Mix powdered sugar, milk and vanilla together. Pour over cake. (My aunt says she likes a lot of "icing" on her cake so she usually doubles the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla mixture and then uses as much as she likes on hers. You can always save the leftover for homemade cinnamon rolls.

Enjoy it!!

Mandarin Orange Cake

Christmas was great here with the kids! Santa was very generous this year. I even got another cast iron skillet but it's still going on! My mom had to have surgery on the 23rd and was in the hospital until the 26th so Christmas with my side of the family was postponed until last night and Joe's family will be coming in from Tennessee tomorrow so we still have 1 more gift opening to do!

Mom is recovering well and is feeling better than she has in a long time. I was thumbing through the cookbook looking for something to take to the dinner for dessert last night and saw the recipe for a Mandarin Orange Cake (better known as the "Pig-Lickin' Cake" to most people in this area). Thought I would share it with everyone.

Here's the one and only pic I got of it, and as you can see, the hounds got at it before I had a chance to take this one! Hounds meaning my brothers and brother-in-law!


Mandarin Orange Cake
1 box yellow butter cake mix
1 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 (11 oz.) can manadarin oranges with juice
1 (9 oz.) container Cool-Whip
1 lg. box vanilla pie filling
1 can crushed pineapple (drained)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cake mix, mandarin oranges, eggs and oil. Beat 2 minutes on highest speed the reduce speed to lowest setting and and beat for 1 minute. Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, remove layers and cool completely. Combine Cool Whip, dry pie filling and pineapple. Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed. Let stand 5 minutes or until mixture is to spreading consistency. Spread pineapple mixture between layers and on top and side of cake. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Store in refrigerator.

This cake is easy to make and delicious!!

Pumpkin Pie

I made this pie from the pumpkin I was freezing a couple of days ago. I will be making more of these on Thanksgiving! They were so good!

I have to give credit where credit is due. After searching several pumpkin pie recipes I found this one from Paula Deen and once again she did not let me down. I've thrown in a few side notes of my own.

Pumpkin Pie
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 cups of canned pumpkin (but please buy a pumpkin and make your own - it's so easy and it will make you feel so domesticated - you can brag that you made it from scratch using your own pumpkin).
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten (thanks to my hens I've been freezing 3 to 4 eggs at a time in little freezer containers for the winter when they decide to be lazy)
1 cup half-and-half (I didn't have half-and half - so I used goat's milk - I love having fresh goat's milk)
1/2 stick melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger, optional
1 piece pre-made pie dough (I admit I used bought on this one but next time I promise to make my homemade crust).
Whipped cream for topping (We prefer Cool-Whip!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place 1 piece of pie dough down in 9-inch pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Tug, pinch and crimp your edges to get a pretty pattern. You can put your pie shell back in the freezer for 1 hour to harden back up or I already had mine cold in the fridge so I went ahead and used it right then. I am trying to use the Paula Deen instructions because it's her pie but I always change a few things when I'm baking! Line the pie shell with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans (I used a microwave safe saucer to sit down in the pie shell and it worked just fine.) Bake for 10 minutes, remove foil and whatever you used to weigh it down and bake for another 10 minutes. This keeps the crust from getting all soggy.

For your filling, in large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with yolks, half-and-half and melted butter and beat until combined. Then add vanilla, cinnamon and ginger and beat until well blended.

Pour the filling into the warm crust and bake for 50 minutes (took mine a little longer) or until center is set. Place the pie on cooling rack and cool to room temperature. (I like my pumpkin pie cold so I let it sit for awhile to cool some and then put in refrigerator to finish cooling). Cut and top each piece with a big ole dollop of whipped cream or Cool-Whip topping and ENJOY!


This recipe is long and I think that tends to scare people away when they see a long recipe but it really is easy and the end result is awesome. I have shortened it a bit in the printed version. If you have access to pumpkins, try the homemade! If not, I bet the canned version is awesome too!


Speaking of two....well I doubled, made two and sent one to my mom and dad...they loved it!
Thank goodness I got pics of then because they were gone...fast!


I love pretty pies all lined up on the counter cooling!

Keylime Fudge - OH MY!

I changed my mind about the soap and decided to go with making fudge! Forgive the awful pic. It doesn't do the beautiful fudge justice. I was under fluorescent lights and didn't get a good focus and then my batteries went dead and all the AA batteries had been used in the boys Leapsters, so this is the best I could do!

When my internet sisters were here visiting, we went to the chocolate factory and sampled and tasted and oooooo'd and ohhhh my'd over all kinds of fudge but my favorite from that day was keylime fudge! I made some peanut butter fudge using goats milk last Thursday and I would show you some pics but ummmmm, it's all gone already.

I made one batch with a previous recipe I had but it wasn't as good as what I had back in August so I decided to change a few things and here's the final "make your sister-in-law extremely jealous, she'll just have to have this recipe at the Christmas dinner" keylime fudge recipe. I say that because that's what my sister-in-law Ta' did to me with her dreamsickle fudge recipe. So, it's payback time of course! (Love ya, Ta'!) You can use evaporated milk but if you have goat's milk, PLEASE use it. I love the creamy richness it gives the fudge.

1 cup goats milk (or evaporated milk)
1 2/3 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 T. butter
12 marshmallows
2 cups white chocolate chips
2 tsp. lime extract (more if you like it really tart!)
Green food coloring

Mix milk, sugar, salt and butter in a large saucepan over med-high heat and bring to a boil. Continue boiling for 8 minutes stirring constantly or it will burn and stick. After 8 minutes, reduce heat to low and add marshmallows chocolate chips and lime extract. Turn off heat and stir until completely melted. Remove 1 cup of mixture and set aside, pour rest in a well-buttered 8 x 8 dish. Add green food coloring (a few drops) to 1 cup of mixture and stir. Pour on top of other fudge and use a butter knife to swirl it and give it a marbled effect. Place in refrigerator to cool. When hardened, cut into 1 inch pieces and ENJOY!


The first recipe I tried was with lime zest and lime juice. I just couldn't get that "keylime" tartness and I couldn't find extract in the store so I bought an 8 oz. bottle online and it's worth every penny I paid! I plan on making this and Ta's dreamsickle fudge (and maybe a few other kinds) and wrapping some up in cute boxes and giving them to the girls at the clinic for Christmas.

Apple Pie

My edges aren't very pretty. My bottom crust needed to be a bit longer but I was in a hurry!

Apple Pie
6 tart apples peeled
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 T. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 T. vinegar
4 chunks butter
2 9-inch pie crusts

Peel and slice apples. Soak apples in water with 1 tablespoon lemon juice to prevent darkening. Mix sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt and vinegar in a large bowl. Drain water off apples and mix with spices. Dump apples into a 9-inch pie crust. Place about 4 chunks of butter on top of apple pie filling. Place other crust on top and seal edges. Poke a few holes in the top crust before placing in oven. (I like to do the lattice from time to time because it reminds me of my Aunt Gracie. I always loved her apple pies!) Cut a few long strips of tin foil to cover the edges of your pie to prevent them from burning. Remove these strips of foil during the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking. Bake at 400 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes.

Paula Deen's Banana Pudding (Almost)

Ina have always made this with the Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies that Paula Deen's recipe calls for. Well our local super market does not carry Pepperidge Farm cookies so I was stuck with using the old stand-by, Nilla Wafers. Now if I had my choice, I would choose Nilla wafers over Chessman cookies anyway so this worked out well. One of the men in our church passed away and it's tradition to take food for the family for after the funeral so I cooked several dishes this morning and decided to make banana pudding as the dessert. Shhhhhhhhh, I used Nilla Wafers instead of Chessman cookies and you know what.....it is soooo much better, at least I think so. To the point that I keep sticking a spoon in the fridge and sampling it and we haven't even had supper yet!

So here's Paula Deen's awesome banana pudding recipe (using Nilla wafers instead of Chessman cookies).....
Banana Pudding
1 1/2 (12 oz.) boxes of Nilla wafers
6 to 8 bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 (5 oz.) box instant French Vanilla pudding
1 (8 oz.) package sour cream, softened
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 oz.) ctn. Cool Whip, thawed

Line the bottom of a 13 x 9 x2-inch dish with 1 box Nilla wafers. Layer bananas on top. In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a hand-held mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the wafers and bananas. Crush half a box of Nilla wafers and Sprinkle over the top of pudding mixture. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Homemade Orange/Pineapple Sherbet

1 can Eagle Brand Milk
1 can crushed pineapple, drained (I prefer mine without the pineapple.)
1/2 cup sugar
1 (2-liter) bottle Orange Crush

Mix milk, pineapple, sugar and half of Orange Crush in a large bowl. Pour into 4-quart ice cream freezer and finish filling to the fill line with Orange Crush. Follow ice cream maker directions for making ice cream.

Cool and Easy Strawberry Pie

2/3 c. boiling water
1 (4-oz.) pkg. strawberry Jell-O
Ice cubes
1 (8 oz.) tub Cool Whip
1 c. chopped strawberries
1 graham cracker crust
1 c. fresh sliced strawberries

Stir boiling water into Jell-O. Mix in a large bowl at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Add enough ice to cold water to measure 1 cup. Add gelatin, stir until slightly thickened. Remove any unmelted ice. Add Cool Whip. Stir with wire whisk until well-blended. Stir in chopped strawberries. Refrigerate 20 to 30 minutes until very thick. Spoon into crust. Refrigerate 6 hours. Top with sliced strawberries.

Dreamsickle Fudge

My lovely SIL Tammy makes this fudge at Christmas and it is delicious. Hi Ta'! If your reading this, I need some dreamsickle fudge, please! It's a long time 'til Christmas.

3 c. sugar
3 sticks butter
3/4 c. heavy whipping cream
1 pkg. white chocolate chips
1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow cream
3 tsp. orange extract
5 drops red food coloring
12 drops yellow food coloring

Combine sugar, butter and whipping cream in large pan. Bring to boil. Boil for 4 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Mix in chocolate chips and marshmallow cream. Stir until melted. Set 1 cup aside. Pour remaining mixture into 9 x 9-inch dish. To the 1 cup of mixture, add orange extract, red and yellow food coloring, stir well. Drop on top of plain mixture and swirl with butter knife giving it a marbled effect. Refrigerate. When hardened, cut and enjoy.

Chocolate Ding-Dong Cake

This is a totally-awesome-bad-for-you-watch-your-hips-spread-with each-bite cake.

2 boxes Devil's Food cake mix
1 c. powdered sugar
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 (8 oz.) Cool Whip
2 containers Sour Cream Chocolate (or) Milk Chocolate Homestyle Icing

Mix boxes of Devil's Food cake mix as on box. Will make 3 layers. Cool completely. Mix powdered sugar, softened cream cheese and tub of Cool Whip together in a bowl. Spread between cake layers. Put chocolate icing on top and sides of cake.

Pumpkin Roll

I am making this for the girls in Medical Records tomorrow. Gotta kiss butt on the new job ya know! Plus I haven't had it in a long time and I want some!


Loaf
3 eggs
1 c. sugar
2/3 c. mashed pumpkin
Dash of salt
3/4 c. self-rising flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 c. pecans

Beat eggs and sugar together. Mix in pumpkin. Stir in salt, flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and pecans. Pour into a well-greased cookie sheet with sides. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. While baking, sprinkle a clean dish towel with powdered sugar. Remove loaf from oven, loosen edges and flip onto dish towel. Roll dish towel and pumpkin together. Chill for 20 minutes.

Filling
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. powdered sugar
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1/2 c. butter

Blend vanilla, powdered sugar, cream cheese and butter together. Unroll pumpkin loaf and spread filling on top. Roll tightly and place dish towel around roll. Place in refrigerator to chill. Slice and serve.

Lazy Peach Cobbler

1 stick butter
1 c. self-rising flour
2 c. sugar, divided
1 egg
3/4 c. milk
1 qt. peaches
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter in a 9 x 13-inch pan. Mix flour, sugar, milk and egg. Pour over the melted butter. Dissolve 1 cup sugar in peaches and add vanilla. Spoon over batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour until golden brown.

Old-Fashioned Raisin Cake

This is a totally delicious cake that my grandmother has made for as long as I can remember. Most people will say that her banana cake is their favorite but the raisin will always be my first choice!
So make it and enjoy!
Old-Fashioned Raisin Cake
1/2 c. butter or margarine
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 c. buttermilk
1 (15-oz.) box raisins
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. all-spice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla
4 c. self-rising flour (approximately)

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, buttermilk, raisins (can use more than 1 box if you prefer more raisins in your cake), cinnamon, all-spice, nutmeg and vanilla. Add flour until cake batter consistency is reached. Pour into 2 (9-inch) cake pans and bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes.

Carmel Icing
1 2/3 c. sugar
1 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. butter
Mix sugar and milk and cook, stirring constantly, until it begins to thicken a little. Remove from heat. Beat until cooled a little. Stir in the vanilla and butter. Cool slightly and spread on cake.



(Use a lot of vanilla flavoring? Here's a recipe to make your own over on Chickens in the Road. Homemade Vanilla: The Big Bottle Method)

Butterfinger Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
1 can Eagle Brand milk
1 jar butterscotch ice cream topping
1 lg. tub Cool Whip
3-4 Butterfinger candy bars, crushed

Bake cake as directed on the box. While cake is hot, punch holes in top. In a small bowl, mix Eagle Brand milk and butterscotch topping. Pour over cake. Let cool. Top with Cool Whip and sprinkle with crushed Butterfinger bars.