I don't remember my Grandma Bauer as much of a cook…but, I do remember her as an excellent candy maker! She had a BIG sweet tooth (I come by it, honestly!) and she had some great recipes. This one is great for that can't-resist chocolate craving.
Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1-1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Save two tablespoons of butter and set aside.
Put remaining butter in mixing bowl with sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add flour and cocoa, mixing well.
Butter a 13" x 9" pan, and press mixture into pan. Flour your hands slightly to keep from sticking while you do this. Bake for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine reserved butter and sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan. Cook over low heat until mixture thickens slightly, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Mix together and pour over crust. Bake 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
Remove from oven and immediately top with chocolate chips. Let stand for a minute or so to allow chocolate to start melting, then spread while warm.
Top with nuts. Let cool. Cut into bars when ready to serve.