Peas and Thank You

Hello Dolly Bars

Well, Hellooooo Dolly.

I would personally like to kiss whoever came up with the idea of bar cookies.

Especially these bar cookies.

 

Because, you see, no one notices if you cut an extra little sliver from the pan for the chef.

And I always do.

 

I would also like to give a shout out to my poor knife skills.  Represent!

Okay, probably not for the mishap chopping apples for pancakes this morning (nothing a little Super Glue and a Hello Kitty Band-Aid wouldn’t fix).

But I have the uncanny inability to cut a straight row if my life depended on it.

 

And so I always have to “even” said row out.

It’s the responsible thing to do.

 

See, look how uneven that is!

Totally unacceptable.

 

I have high standards to uphold.

And so, I even the row out.  Again.

I cut a little sliver.  Again.

I make a second pan.

Goodbye, Dolly.

 

Hello Dolly Bars

Adapted from Cooking Light.com

Makes 20 squares

Print this recipe!

***View Nutrition Facts***

• 1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs (about 9 cookie sheets)*
• 2 T. vegan margarine (i.e. Earth Balance) or organic butter, melted
• 1 T. water
• 1/3 c. semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 c.butterscotch morsels*
• 2/3 c. flaked unsweetened coconut
• 1/4 c. chopped roasted pecans or cashews
• 1/2 of one 15-ounce can fat-free sweetened condensed milk (approx. 1/2 c.) or 1/2 c. homemade dairy-free sweetened condensed milk (recipe follows)

*To make these bars gluten-free, you can substitute crushed gluten-free graham crackers, or even gluten-free pretzels.  To make these bars dairy-free, you can substitute an additional 1/3 c. of chocolate chips in place of the butterscotch morsels

Preheat oven to 350°.

Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper; cut off excess parchment paper around top edge of pan.

Place crumbs in a medium bowl. Drizzle with vegan margarine or butter and tablespoon of water; toss with a fork until moist. Gently pat mixture into an even layer in pan (do not press firmly). Sprinkle chips and morsels over crumb mixture. Top evenly with coconut and nuts. Drizzle milk evenly over top.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly around edges. Cool completely on wire rack.

To make your own sweetened condensed milk, in a saucepan, combine 1/2 c. of non-dairy milk of your choice (i.e. almond, soy, etc.) with 1/3 c. of organic sugar or sucanat. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  To a small bowl, add 1 T. of cornstarch. When milk has come to a boil, remove about 1/4 c. and whisk it together with the cornstarch before returning it to the pot.  Bring to a boil until thickened.  Allow to cool slightly before using.