Sunday Slow Bake: Butterscotch Crunch Squares

This recipe was light on actual baking, but the time away from screens rejuvenated my heart

The longer I practice my Sunday Slow Bake tradition, the more I’m convinced that our minds, hearts and souls need unplugged hours that allow us the time and space to actually process what’s happening in our lives and our world. 

For me, this weekly tradition of putting down the phone and making a recipe—no screens, no music or podcasts, just recipes from books I can hold in my hand or written or printed recipes I’ve collected. For this installment, I turned to a familiar cookbook, the Better Homes and Garden New Cookbook, the red plaid favorite generations of cooks probably have in their kitchens. There are countless versions (here’s a link to the most recent), so you, your mom and your grandma could all have one with slightly different recipes. 

Butterscotch Crunch Squares from Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook

I’ve had my copy for years. It’s probably one of the first cookbooks my mom ever gave me, but for some reason, it’s not one I’ve explored very much. But I picked it up a few weeks ago looking for a particular recipe and immediately thought, “Why don’t I use this more often?” 

One of the recipes that caught my attention was one involving ice cream called “Butterscotch Crunch Squares.” It’s a pretty simple recipe that actually involves very little baking, but it’s the height of summer here in the South, so there’s nothing wrong with that! 

Basically, you grab your favorite half gallon of ice cream (the recipe calls for vanilla, but I think a caramel- or cinnamon-flavored one would be delicious) and let it sit out on the counter so that it becomes spreadable. While you’re waiting, you make the “crunch” portion of the recipe: a mixture of pecans, flour, butter and a few other ingredients and seasoning (I’d add cinnamon if I were you, even though it’s not called for) that’s then baked in a 9x13 pan. While it’s still warm, you crumble the crust, which you then layer into a freezer-safe dish with butterscotch or caramel sauce, ice cream and top with the remaining crumbled crust. Then you pop it into the freezer until you’re ready to serve it, taking it out about 10 minutes before serving so that it’s not as hard as a rock. 

So while it’s a bit of a stretch to call this one a Slow “Bake,” since there’s very little actual baking, here’s a little of what I learned when I focused on making this recipe: 

• For the first time since I’ve begun this Sunday Slow Bake practice, I started singing while I was cooking. I used to sing a lot while I was working around the house, but realized I really hadn’t been doing that as frequently lately—mostly because I’m always listening to a podcast or a book while I’m working in the kitchen or doing laundry, times when my mind used to wander and I’d find myself singing old hymns and songs from my childhood.
  

• When I unplug and my hands are busy, my mind starts to scroll through recent conversations and interactions. On this day, I started thinking about a conversation with someone I don’t know very well who had been talking about a favorite recipe. Always interested in recipes and seeking to get to know this person a little better, I asked a few questions about the recipe, trying to find some common ground or a way we could connect on a deeper level. And all this person would say is, “It’s a family recipe. I’m not telling you.” I felt frustrated—because I didn’t want the recipe. I already have a recipe for this particular dessert that I love. I was just trying to get to know the person better!
  

• Which led me to a realization: I don’t really believe in “secret family recipes.” Maybe it’s because I don’t have children of my own, but I do hope that somewhere out there, even after I’m gone, people are enjoying some of the recipes I’ve shared. It may be silly, but it’s a simple way my legacy can live on long after I’m gone. 

While I’ll likely make a few adjustments when I make it again—and I will, soon!—I think the intentional practice of unplugging and focusing on one thing at a time was worth it. 

What will you learn, recognize or remember when you take the time to slow down and do something you enjoy, one step at a time? Tell us in the comments! 

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