Oatmeal Fudge Bars

First of all, let’s accept that chocolate is a super-food and so that makes it healthy for us! Please ignore the naysayers that try to convince us that there is a negative effect when we add sugar and butter.

My counter attack on that comment is that these delectable gems of mouth and mind-loving fudgy cookies have oatmeal and nuts so I think we are just fine. This recipe uses semi-sweet chocolate so I conclude we will get at least 1/2 of the following benefits.

The benefits of eating chocolate may include:

• Dark chocolate contains a natural substance that creates a sense of euphoria (we know this).
• Dark chocolate contains magnesium that can help alleviate PMS symptoms!
• Dark chocolate contains the same type of antioxidants found in red wine and tea, which have been shown to boost brain activity.
• Chocolate may prevent cholesterol from sticking to your artery walls, reducing your risk of heart attack and stroke.
• The saturated fat in dark chocolate isn’t the same as the artery-clogging stuff in hamburger. It’s a unique variety called stearic acid, much of which gets converted in the body to oleic acid, a heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acid.

Lessons learned: Eat dark chocolate but don’t combine it with a hamburger!

Enough of this, let’s get to the most important part of this blog post which is all about these cookies.

If you actually share these cookies, which I don’t advise, people will love you.  (Just kidding on the no sharing…. send us some :))

Oatmeal Fudge Cookies
Makes 60 bars (or you can make 31 – 1/2 of the pan cut into 30 pieces and the other half for you alone! :))

1 cup margarine or butter
2½ cups flour
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups rolled oats
1½ cups semisweet chocolate pieces
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

In a mixing bowl beat the 1 cup of margarine or butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 30 seconds. Add half of the flour, the brown sugar, eggs, 2 teaspoons of the vanilla and the baking soda beating until combined. Beat in the remaining flour. Stir in the oats.

In a medium saucepan combine chocolate pieces, condensed milk and the 2 tablespoons of margarine or butter. Cook over low heat until chocolate melts, stir occasionally.  Remove from heat and add the chopped nuts and the remaining 2 teaspoons of vanilla.

Press two-thirds (about 3½ cups) of the dough mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 15- x 10- x 1-inch pan. Spread chocolate mixture over the dough. Using your fingers, dot the remaining mixture over the chocolate. You may need to butter your hands a bit to keep the dough from sticking to them.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned (the chocolate will still look a little moist).

Cool on a wire rack (or get a spoon and start scooping – just don’t burn the roof of your mouth!)

Enjoy!

Very best wishes for a grand and delicious holiday season!
~ Denise
 

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