Recipe: Pecan Gooey Bars

"Gooey bars" have become a much-loved staple in my post as unofficial pastry chef at my family's annual 4th of July bash at the lake. This year's batch was extra wonderful because the gooey, buttery, cream cheese delights had come out of the oven just a few hours before we began munching on them after lunch, and they were gone in a little more than 24 hours. I found the recipe several years ago in my mom's collection of Southern Living Annual Recipes cookbooks, but I'm not sure which year it was.

Pecan Gooey Bars

1 box yellow cake mix

3 eggs

1 cup butter, melted and divided

8 oz. cream cheese

16 oz. powdered sugar

1 ½ cups chopped pecans

Mix cake mix, 1 egg, and ½ cup butter and press in bottom of greased 9x13 pan. Set aside. Combine 2 eggs, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and remaining ½ cup butter; beat at medium speed with a mixer until smooth. Stir in pecans and pour over cake mix layer. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until set, covering loosely with foil after 45 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.