7 Layer Bars

There are a few items in the bakery category that are sure to give you a cavity upon consumption. These 7 Layer Bars are one of them. Using bittersweet chocolate and natural unsweetened cocoonut in place of semi-sweet chocolate and sweetened flake coconut makes my version a a little more grown up and a little less 3rd grade. These are really easy to make and you are sure to make some new friends with these gooey bars.

 7 Layer Bars

• 1 cup natural unsweeteded coconut
• 1 stick of butter melted 
• 9 graham crackers crushed
• 1 cup walnuts chopped fine
• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips 
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
• 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place your rack in the lower middle. 

Spray a 13x9 inch pan with cooking spray then line pan with foil or parchment leaving an overhang on all sides. Spray the foil/parchment with cooking spray. 

Spread your coconut on a baking sheet and toast in oven until it just started to turn light brown. About 8 minutes. Let cool.

Pour your melted butter into the bottom of the 13x9 pan then sprinkle your graham cracker crumbs over it. Toss the crumbs lightly in the butter until they are all coated. 

Sprinkle the next items over the graham cracker mixture:

• walnuts
• chocolate chips
• white chocolate chips
• butterscotch chips
• coconut 

Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly across the entire pan. 

Bake for 25 minutes and top is golden brown. 

Cool on rack for 2 hours then remove from pan using parchment/foil overhang and cut into bars using a sharp knife.

Friday Cookie Day - Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cookies

Every Friday here at Immortal Dog is "human cookie day". We always have snacks and cookies in the store for the pups I thought what a great way to treat my customers. It has worked so well that some of my customers have decided to shop on Fridays so they can get a cookie. 

Every week I search for a fun new cookie or opt for a classic. This week I went for the classic - Chocolate Chip. I decided to use the recipe off the back of the package of the Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips. When I am picking up chocolate chips I often ponder which brand to use. Do I buy what is on sale? Do I buy what I like? Do I try something new? I opted for the Ghirardelli Bittersweet and Semi Sweet chips last time. They look so much fancier than Toll House just by the way they are packaged. I have really been in to bittersweet the last few months. They give a more "grown up" taste to the cookie. The Ghiradelli Bittersweet chips are also bigger which I like. 

This recipe came right off the back of the bag. I used 1/2 bittersweet and 1/2 semi sweet. I also added over a cup of toasted chopped hazelnuts. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 4 dozen cookies

• 2 ¹/₄ cups unsifted flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¹/₂ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter softened
• ³/₄ cup sugar
• ³/₄ cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 bag Ghirardelli Chips
• 1 cup nuts chopped (optional)

Heat oven to 375ºF.

Stir flour with baking soda and salt; set aside.

In large mixing bowl, beat butter with sugar and brown sugar at medium speed until creamy and lightened in color.Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Mix on low speed until incorporated.

Gradually blend dry mixture into creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.

I have to say that I really liked these cookies and so did my customers. They have a nice brown butter flavor and remained chewy. They are very rich with the chocolate and the hazelnuts. I do think if you are in the mood to make a chocolate chip cookie these are worth trying and go bittersweet!

Note - I talk about/review products I love. I do not receive compensation for any name brand product I mention.