Congo Bars

The only thing worse than being host of my monthly sorority (a.k.a. hen pecking) meeting, is being the co-hostess.

That's probably not true friends. Hosting is much worse. But since I am co-hostess tonight, it feels worse to me.

Co-hostess prepare food/drinks. We serve and clean. Basically waitress for the entire evening.

So, I was searching recipes via blog hopping. Trying to find something that would travel well, wouldn't require spoons and forks, and tasted yummy.

I stumbled across these beauties!!!!!!!! Good ole' Bakerella. I just love her!!!!!!

So, I made them.

Did you notice the name? Congo Bars!!! It was fate. My destiny to make these.

Right, Congo? My one brown eye, one blue eye cheetah kitty. Congo prefers salmon, so he will take my word for it that these are DA BOMB!!!

Here is the recipe, although you could pop over to Bakerella's site and find it also.

♥CONGO BARS♥

2 3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup butter, softened

1 pound light brown sugar (Oh my and thank you)

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

11.5 ounce package milk chocolate chips

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

By Mixer:

Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside

Combine butter and sugar using a mixer until blended.

Add eggs, one at a time to sugar mixture, mixing on low in between each addition.

Add vanilla and mix

Add flour and mix until combined

Stir in chips and then pecans.

By Hand:

Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside

Stir brown sugar into softened (not melted) butter in another large bowl until butter disappears. You can use the back of your spoon to help incorporate the two together. Add eggs on at a time to butter mixture and stir well after each egg.

Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts. Mix well.

Add dry flour mixture and stir until well combined.

Coat a 13 X 9" pan with non-stick spray and spread batter evenly into dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown. Make sure you don't over bake.

Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!

Mandy's notes:

I used peanut butter chips instead of pecans and I also added 1/2 of a bag of milk chocolate chips.

My baking time was 24 minutes, not 30. I'm sure it depends on the oven. Watch them close, these are too yummy to burn.

P.S. I found Mr. Rabbit in the garden today. His ears were missing.

Let me rephrase that. His ears weren't missing. They just weren't attached.

I have 3 suspects in custody. However, it is most likely a tall red-head, or a tall (nearly 12 year old) blondie. I will give a full report after I interrogate.