Week #6- Lawrence (and the applesauce spice bars)

So far I've been pretty lucky with the Give and Bake Project in that I've met some neat people with quite interesting stories.  But I suppose it's bound to happen that I'll have a week when the person just doesn't feeling like talking very much.  Getting my new friend Lawrence to have a conversation was just a tad like pulling teeth (appropriate because I found him outside my dentist's office).  Oh well, we can't all be chatterboxes!

Lawrence was pretty excited to have my applesauce spice bars, so he scored points in my book just for that.  I couldn't take another s'mores kind of day!  He did tell me that he is homeless and stays at the shelter in the Loop.  He is homeless because he doesn't have income- he said he can't work because of a hand injury. He's from Chicago and his family is still here but they can't help him because they are struggling to support themselves.  He uses the money he collects on Washington Street for food and to wash his clothes.  He is trying to tuck a little away to eventually save for an apartment. 

Lawrence may not have the gift of gab, but doggoneit, he did have the good sense to wear snowpants in May (which he got a great chuckle out of), so that makes him a-o-k in my eyes!




Applesauce Spice Bars
- 1/4 c butter, softened
- 2/3 c brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 c applesauce
- 1 c flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg)

Mix together butter, brown sugar, and egg. Stir in applesauce. Add flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Blend until smooth. Bake in 9x13 greased pan on 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes. 

Despite the name of the recipe, this didn't end up tasting like applesauce to me.  The taste and texture was much more like spice cake, but they were very thin like bars. You could use a smaller pan and adjust the bake time if you wanted it to come out thicker like cake. Be careful not to overdo the nutmeg- a little goes a long way here.  You can top with frosting, powdered sugar, or leave plain.  I whipped up some frosting with a couple cups of powdered sugar, a few splashes of milk, and a drop of vanilla.