MY Seven Layer Bars

What is your signature dish (or dessert) everyone knows, loves and wants HAS to have?

My family expects me to bring Seven Layer Bars a.k.a. Magic Cookie Bars to our family functions.  I called my Step-mom, while on the way to Easter dinner, to tease her by saying I thought I was supposed to bring beans.  Beans?!? Hee-hee!  (She forgave me when I showed up with my Seven Layer Bars in hand.)

I could make these babies with my eyes closed and my hands tied behind my back, ok...not really, but they are INCREDIBLY simple to make. The ingredients compliment each other perfectly! The buttery graham cracker crust and CHOCOLATE (insert angelic choir), richness of the butterscotch and coconut (you can almost taste them, can't you? ) and the healthy walnuts (What?!? Healthy?  I hope the nutritional info doesn't ruin it for you, lol!).  

So, I have this thing... I believe it's called a "bad habit"?   I feel the need to tweak recipes. The link above is the original version of Seven Layer bars, following is MY version of "Seven Layer Bars".....

Ingredients:

2 sleeves of graham crackers
1stick butter
1 c coconut
1 c walnuts
1 c chocolate chips 
1 heaping c butterscotch chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk (I prefer Eagle Brand)

Here we go!!!

I zip my graham crackers in my mini-chopper or you can crush them by putting them in a plastic bag and work out some frustration with a rolling pin?.  Melt the margarine and mix well with the graham cracker crumbs. 

Transfer the cracker crumbs, spread and press in the bottom of a 9x13, I prefer a glass pan.  

I use a heavy glass with a flat, smooth bottom to tamp the crumbs evenly into the bottom of the pan (because that's the way Mom taught me).

Add your layer of nuts. 

Next, I sprinkle the layer of coconut. Adding your nuts and coconut before the baking chips and sweetened condensed milk will keep the coconut from falling off the bar (and they look much prettier this way, too). 

I add a cup of semi sweet chocolate chips...

followed by a heaping cup butterscotch chips (I know, the recipe only calls for a cup.).

Slowly, drizzle a can of sweetened condensed milk over the bars. Stay about an inch from the edges to avoid hard, burnt edges (yuck!). 

Bake @ 350* for about 25-30 minutes, or until the sweetened condensed milk is bubbly. 

Allow bars to cool (my family enjoys the bars if they are just a little warm). Serve with milk and ENJOY!!! ;)