7 Layer Bars

So this is pretty much my favorite cookie ever! You've all probably had them in some form. They have a bunch of names such as: 7 layer bars, hello dollies, and magic bars. I've always called them 7 layer bars and Ben and Jerry's call them that too...just sayin'.

I'd like to conclude this blog post with the reasons that I love these bars. I love coconut and these deliver coconut plus chocolate and butterscotch! I love cookie bars because you can assemble it so much faster than scooping cookies. Finally I love how super easy they are to make!! Good luck!

7 Layer Bars
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 1 sleeve plus 5 or 6 more crackers)
1/2 cup butter (melted)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts work great)
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut (As I've mentioned before I use Baker's brand)
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

Crush graham crackers into crumbs. Combine crumbs with melted butter until coated. Press crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Cover crust with chocolate and butterscotch chips, nuts and coconut. Drizzle the entire can of sweetened condensed milk evenly over the rest of the ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Allow to cool and set for about 30 min. before cutting and eating.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

My kids love macaroni like most kids do. So over the last year or so I've been trying different recipe for homemade macaroni and this is the one I like the best. It's from Taste of Homes again and it was a big hit with the kiddos! Give it a try with your kids and take a break from the blue box :)

Baked Macaroni and Cheese
4 cups uncooked pasta (Penne is pictured above)
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk (the recipe calls for 2% but I've used all kinds)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. ground mustard
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Dash ground nutmeg
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup Velveeta

Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until it make a smooth paste. Gradually add the milk. Stir in salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in cheeses until melted.

Drain pasta; stir in cheese sauce. Transfer to a 9x13 in. casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly!

St. Patrick's Day Fun!

Here's a fun treat! A fruity rainbow complete with marshmallow clouds and chocolate treasure! It was very quick to put together and I could barely keep my 3 year old from eating it so that I could take a picture. My wonderful husband is sending me out for a girls weekend out of town with some friends...so I decided to make a few surprises that he could give to the kids for St. Patrick's Day tomorrow. But when you have 4 daughters rainbows can be a delicious snack any day of the year so I'm sure I'll be using this again! Have fun!

Fruity Rainbow Snack
1 carton strawberries (chopped)
4 clementine oranges (peeled and sectioned)
1 cup pineapple (I used canned but fresh would be delicious too!)
green grapes
1 small carton blueberries
red grapes
mini-marshmallows
Rolos candies (you can buy these in a bag or in the little candy bar rolls)

Arrange fruit in a rainbow. Strawberries on the outer rim of the plate and then follow the order of rainbow colors (oranges, pineapple, green grapes, blueberries, and then red grapes). Make a cloud (using the marshmallows) on one end of the rainbow and a pile of gold (using the Rolos) on the other. Watch your kids faces light up! Enjoy!