Oatmeal Fudge Bars

This recipe makes enough to feed a large crowd! They are delicious but not too sweet. They are also known as Mrs. Larson Bars and very similar to the oat fudge bars found at Starbucks.

Side Story:
My 4 year-old son loves to help out in the kitchen. As soon as he hears me rummaging through my pans he is running into the kitchen and grabbing our little step ladder so he has a good view of whatever recipe is about to come to life.

Most weekends we bake something up - cookies, bars, muffins etc and he loves stirring, beating, picking flavours, measuring ingredients ...pretty much everything except cleaning up :)

Anyways, last week his preschool teacher told my husband that when my son was asked what his Mom did...he replied "she's a chef!" And while I really work in the non-profit sector, in his eyes I'm a chef...and, according to him, a pretty good one at that. And isn't it great that not only am I chef, I happily share my "office" with him where we bake up special treats and create memories that will hopefully last forever.

Ingredients
Base:
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
3 cups oats
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

• Cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.
• In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
• Combine the butter mixture and the dry ingredients.
• Mix in oats.

Topping:

12 ounces chocolate chips (this is 1 pack plus about 3 oz).

1 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk (I use Eagle Brand)
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup peanut butter (optional)

• Melt butter in large sauce pan over low heat.
• Add rest of ingredients.
• Stir constantly until melted.

Putting it all together:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spread and press 3/4 of oat mixture into a jelly roll pan (or two 9 x 13 pans)
• Spread chocolate mixture on top and spread until even.
• Sprinkle remaining oat mixture on top of chocolate.
• Bake for approximately 22 minutes until oats are golden brown.

Enjoy!