Seven Layer Bars

My friend Lindsay was coming to visit me one week in June. Since I had been baking non-stop for about 4 months by this point, I told her she was going to be used to help me bake something delicious. Until it was requested at Physical Therapy I had never tasted a 7 layer bar. People (Lindsay being one of them) have raved about them to me many times, but I never was given one to try and never really cared to make them on my own. Until recently. I decided this would be the dessert Lindsay and I would make. I needed to see if they're as amazing as everyone makes them out to be. Conclusion: they are!

Seven Layer Bars
Adapted from Eagle

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs *
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup butterscotch flavored chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts**

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 325 degrees for a glass pan.

In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter; mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly on bottom of 13x9 inch pan. Next, layer evenly with remaining dry ingredients adding coconut last; press down firmly with fork. Pour condensed milk over coconut topped mixture.

Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Chill if desired. Cut into bars. Store leftovers covered at room temperature. Enjoy each layer!

*Use graham crackers and crush them yourself. Don't buy graham cracker crumbs
**You can substitute pecans, however some people say they are too sweet with the rest of the ingredients.
***Some other recipes say to pour the condensed milk over the crumb mixture, I've noticed the bars hold together better when it's poured on last and it also toasts the coconut on top nicely.

Lemon Bars

So, I finally got tired of making things filled with chocolate. I just felt like everything I had been making prior was so filling and rich. This made me decided I needed something light. What's light and delicious? Lemon bars! It helped that it was another request at Physical Therapy. So, instead of searching all over for a great lemon bar recipe I asked my mother if she had one because she has thousands of recipes. Of course she had a lemon bar one lying around! Let me tell you, it's a winner. This is one dessert I could eat every day and never tire of.

Lemon Bars

Ingredients

Bar
1 box lemon cake mix
1/3 cup Crisco shortening
1 egg

Filling
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon lemon peel
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix cake mix, shortening, and 1 egg until crumbly. Take out 1 cup of mixture to set aside. Put remaining mixture in 13x9 inch ungreased pan.

Bake for 15 minutes in preheated oven.

Mix remaining ingredients until frothy. Pour on top of baked mixture.

Bake additional 15 minutes. Sprinkle Confectioners' sugar on top. Devour!

Cookie Crunch Brownie S'Mores

These sound delicious already, don't they?!

I remember the first time I had a s'more. I was about 7 years old and was a Girl Scout. Being a Girl Scout you attend many, and I mean MANY campfires, singing songs, telling stories, and roasting marshmallows for S'Mores. The thought of a s'more disgusted me. First of all I was never one of those girls who ripped open a bag of marshmallows and stuffed them in my mouth trying to see how many I could fit while saying marshmallow. Gross! I also hate my food burning or turning black. Why in the world would I want charcoal on my food? I know, apparently I'm crazy. I do love chocolate and graham crackers though. Anyways, this recipe is one that makes me enjoy the fluffyness of a gooey little marshmallow. It's like stuffing a miniature pillow in your mouth. Who wouldn't want to do that?! Plus with the added bonus of a brownie base, you can't say no to more than one of these treats.

Cookie Crunch Brownie S'Mores

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 box Ghirardelli brownie mix
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup Nilla wafers
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup caramel topping
1/4 cup chocolate topping

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour melted butter over bottom of 13x9 inch pan. Sprinkle brownie mix over butter. Top with mini marshmallows, vanilla wafers, chocolate chips, and peanut butter chips. Drizzle with sweetened condensed milk, stopping 1/4 inch from edge of pan.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until edges are bubbly. Cool thouroughly. Drizzle cooled dessert with caramel and chocolate toppings. Cut into bars, share with others, and enjoy!