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Company’s Coming is a Canadian institution. They’ve published dozens of cookbooks over the years, starting with 150 Delicious Squares, published in 1981. That’s the only book I’ve got. And if you’re wondering if the book looks super dated – it does. Yowza. Still, there are some gems in this collection. Good, old-fashioned squares. And lots of ‘em.

When we woke this morning the rain was pounding the roof. It was dark and cold. So, as soon as the shops opened, I ventured out to get some ingredients for something sweet. Like, rot your teeth sweet. That is what one should do when one would rather stay in bed than count the hours before heading to work for the evening.

After baking the bottom layer(s) for this recipe, you lay down some marshmallows. All in a row like little soldiers. And they start to melt. And then you put the whole pan back in the oven for two more minutes, and the marshmallows get all gooey and stuff. And then you spread that goo all about the pan.

That’s the tricky/awesome part. Spreading the marshmallowy goodness. It gets all over the knife, and when you’re done with the spreading, you will have to lick the goo from the knife. You can’t just wash that stuff. It must be licked.

And once you’re done the spreading of the marshmallow layer, you cover the already wickedly sugary layers with a top and final layer of chocolate icing. You spread the icing on while the squares are still warm so it gets all soft as you spread it.

Yah. I know. AWESOME. The perfect treat for a rainy day. Even if the rain did stop mid-morning (and before you’d even finished making the squares).

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Marble Squares – from Company’s Coming 150 Delicious Squares

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup coconut
• 1 unsweetened chocolate square, melted
• 1 tbsp butter or margarine, melted
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 18 large marshmallows, cut in half

Beat eggs slightly. Add both sugars, flour, baking powder, vanilla and salt. Stir well. Divide batter into 2 portions. To 1 part add coconut and mix well. Spread in greased 9×9 pan. To other part add melted chocolate, butter and nuts. Mix and spread over first layer in pan. Bake in 350° oven for 30 minutes or until cooked. Remove from oven and cover with marshmallow halves, putting 6 one way and 6 along the other making 36 halves in all. Remove. Use point of knife to spread marshmallows evenly. While still warm, ice with chocolate icing.

Icing:

• 1 and 1/3 cups icing sugar
• 2 tbsp butter or margarine
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 5 tsp water

Beat all together in bowl. Add more water if needed so the icing will spread. Smooth over baked squares. Cool. Cut into squares.