My Mother's Kitchen: Helen Crocker Squares

I spent some time this evening surfing the internet, searching for information about a television show called “At Home with Helen Crocker”, or maybe “The Helen Crocker Cooking Show” that I remember from my childhood. I managed to find two or three references to Helen and her show, but details were vague. What I remember about Helen Crocker was that mom and I watched her on T.V. in a time when television shows were black and white and we had the choice of two channels for our viewing pleasure.

The recipe I’m including in today’s post is one that mom copied down from Helen Crocker’s television show, hence the name “Helen Crocker Squares”. Because this recipe contains bright red and green glacé cherries, mom usually included them in her pre-Christmas baking spree, along with her dark and light fruit cakes, mincemeat and pumpkin pies, and shortbread cookies.  Quick and easy to make, these squares don’t even need to be baked; just cover them and store in the refrigerator.

Thanks, Helen Crocker, for introducing mom to these squares, and thanks, mom, for introducing these squares to your family.

Helen Crocker Squares

30 graham wafers crushed fine

30 large marshmallows cut small

½ lb. Red and green glace cherries cut small

½ cup chopped nuts

1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

 

Directions

Mix altogether. Grease 8” x 8” pan with butter. Sprinkle bottom of pan with desiccated cocoanut. Press in mixture. Sprinkle cocoanut on top. Place in refrigerator until firm. Cut in squares. Enjoy.

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