I would love it if you could lighten this recipe. It's delicious, but it's so rich and uses so much butter. I've tried and enjoyed so many of your recipes, and without exception, they have been delicious, healthy, uncomplicated to make and use ingredients that I usually have on hand. I believe you truly have improved the quality of my life and of those I cook for! Thank you many times over. I hope your column never ends! — Susan McDowell, Mesa, Calif.

BUTTER PECAN TURTLE COOKIES

CRUST:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 cup whole pecan pieces

CARAMEL LAYER:

2/3 cup butter

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup milk-chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 F. In large mixer bowl, combine all crust ingredients except pecans. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well-mixed and particles are fine (2 to 3 minutes). Press onto bottom of 13-by-9-inch baking pan. Sprinkle pecans evenly over unbaked crust.

For caramel, in 1-quart saucepan, combine butter and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until entire surface of mixture begins to boil. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour evenly over pecans and crust. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until entire caramel layer is bubbly. Remove from oven. Immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips; allow to melt slightly (2 to 3 minutes). Swirl chips, leaving some whole for a marbled effect. Cool completely; cut into bars.

Makes 3 dozen.

Dear Susan,

I am so glad that you enjoy the column and actually make the recipes. I try to make every recipe one that will be enjoyable to eat and as easy as possible to make. Some recipes cannot be revised and still be enjoyable; so in that case, eat a smaller piece, less often, and enjoy every bite. I thought this one might be one of those, but my tasters thought the revision was even better! I think we are all (hopefully) changing our tastebuds and learning that all the fat and sugar is too much!

REDUCED-FAT BUTTER PECAN TURTLE COOKIES

CRUST:

1/3 cup butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

CARAMEL LAYER:

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2/3 cup evaporated skim milk, chilled

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon butter

3/4 cup milk-chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, using a mixer or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour and brown sugar until the mixture looks sandy and there are no more large pieces of butter (rub them into the flour with clean fingers). Pat firmly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the pecans evenly over the crust.

3. For caramel, in a small, preferably heavy-bottomed saucepan, dissolve the cornstarch in the cold evaporated milk. Mix in the brown sugar and, stirring constantly over medium heat, bring to a boil. Add the butter and stir in. Pour over the crust, making sure to cover every bit of it (topping will not expand to cover bare spots). Bake for about 20 minutes, or until you see bubbles.

4. Remove from the oven and evenly distribute the chocolate chips over the top. After 2-3 minutes, spread the chocolate around to suit (the topping will be soft).

Makes 36 pieces.

Each of 36 pieces contains approximately: Original Recipe: 156 calories; 9 gm fat; 17 mg cholesterol; 68 mg sodium; 18 gm carbohydrates; 1 gm protein; 1 gm fiber. Revised Recipe: 93 calories; 4 gm fat; 6 mg cholesterol; 30 mg sodium; 13 gm carbohydrates; 1 gm protein; trace of fiber.

You can have lots of fun experimenting with the many different sizes and shapes of pasta available. My booklet "Pasta — Everyone's Favorite Food" is full of recipes for many different pasta varieties. To order, send $3 (check or money order made payable to King Features) and a stamped (61 cents), self-addressed, No. 10 envelope to Pasta, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.

Jeanne Jones is the author of 33 cookbooks, most recently "Cooking From the Cupboard" (Rodale Press). For more information, you can go to her Web site, jeannejones.com.

Send your recipe for revision to:

Cook It Light
(Name of Newspaper)
P.O. Box 1212
La Jolla, CA 92038

Please include a stamped (61 cents), self-addressed envelope.