Apple Walnut Squares

4 cups coarsely chopped and peeled apples
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup black walnut pieces

Combine apples and sugar and let stand until sugar is absorbed and moist, about 45 minutes. Beat eggs and vegetable oil together by hand. Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together; stir in alternately with apple-sugar mixture. Stir in black walnut pieces. Grease and flour a 13x9x2 inch pan. Bake in a 350º oven for one hour.

This recipe was sent to me by Lillian, who will be co-authoring my next book Think With Your Taste Buds - Desserts. She has some great suggestions for this dish.

Lillian - This was given to me by a friend from a 1976 cookbook that she had. This looks as though it would be very moist and is so simple to put together. Changes may be to use English walnuts or pecans instead of black walnuts, add a bit of coconut, use apple pie spices instead of just the cinnamon.

Martha - I made this dish and it is wonderfully moist! I did make a couple of changes. I found myself running short of flour so I used Cake Flour instead of all-purpose. I also used pecans instead of the black walnuts. For the apples, it takes about 5 small or 4 medium size and I used Granny Smith. This is one great dish to make.