Labor Day Cooking

Sending you off for your Labor Day Weekend of fun with a classic treat- Magic Cookie Bars. 

They are easy to make and always a hit no matter the age. So what are Magic Bars? The name really says it all. Magic bars are a rich, delicious dessert bar with a buttery graham cracker crust and layers of chocolate, butterscotch, pecans, coconut, and sweetened condensed milk to make everything gooey and extra sweet.

These company-worthy bars are perfect to take to a potluck, party, picnic, or to make for your family. I believe in magic! Do you? You will after one bite:) Basically, dessert heaven with these bars.  
Cook's Notes: One thing I appreciated about this recipe is that most of the ingredients are easy to remember and follow using a one-cup measurement. A personal opinion: for me, the bars seem to taste better when chilled. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2- 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (use a food processor) 
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling on bars, optional

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray generously with nonstick cooking spray a 9×9-inch pan, set aside.
• Place the butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 60 seconds or until butter is melted. Remove from the microwave and add the graham cracker crumbs to the bowl. Stir with a fork until crumbs are well moistened with butter.
• Pour the crumbs into the prepared pan. Press them tightly into an even layer with your fingers. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press down on the crumbs to make sure they are firmly in the pan.
• Sprinkle the semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly over the graham cracker crust. Next, add the butterscotch chips and then the chopped pecans.
• Add the ½ teaspoon of vanilla to the sweetened condensed milk can and carefully stir. Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the chips and pecans. Gently spread with a spatula to make sure the bars are covered.
• Top with shredded coconut and gently press down with the palms of your hands to make sure the coconut sticks. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the coconut is slightly toasted.
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, about 1 teaspoon. Let the bars cool completely in the pan.
• When cool, cut into squares and enjoy!
  

And one more crowd-pleaser: BLT Pasta Salad 

A pasta salad that's perfect for your Labor Day Weekend entertaining. Who doesn't love a classic BLT! Closetcooking.com was the starting point for this recipe, as I put my own spin on it. The ingredients below are enough for four servings, but you can easily increase them to serve more. A word of caution: add diced avocados to the salad just before serving to keep them fresh and prevent browning. The salad can stand alone as a meal or be served as a side dish or an accompaniment to a BBQ or grilled entree. A prepared Lite Ranch or Lite Caesar dressing works well for this salad. If I had had seasoned croutons, I would have added them to the top.

Salad Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried small pasta (use your favorite kind). 
• 5 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 cups shredded Romaine lettuce
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup diced cucumbers
• 1/3-1/2 cup diced red onions
• 1 avocado, diced
• Optional croutons and grated Parmesan cheese

Pasta Salad Directions:

• Cook pasta until al dente, drain, and rinse.
• Cook bacon and drain on a lined paper towel plate.
• Shred the Romaine.
• Dice tomatoes, red onions, and cucumbers.
• Toss the salad ingredients with dressing and refrigerate to chill before serving.
• Top with diced avocados and croutons.
  
  Check back on Monday for a Steak Kebab Dinner