My almost two year old daughter Phoebe is quite a handful.  She’s really giving me a run for my money in a way that her two older siblings did not.  She has a very mischievous, get-into-absolutely-everything, help-myself-to-anything-in-the-pantry, try-to-run-into-traffic, jump-off-all-the-high-things, streak that I am quite certain comes from my Dad’s side of the family and that I am not quite yet certain how to properly contain. Can’t you just kind of tell by looking at her?

 

A couple of days ago, I left Phoebe and her big brother in the living room watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse while I went into the other room to work out.

Such a rookie move, man.  Such a rookie move.

When I came back in to check on them, I got an immediate “Soddy Mommy!!!” scream from Phoebe.  Upon my initial scan of the room, I wasn’t sure what she had done until my almost 5 year old said “Phoebe colored all over the couch.”  Sure enough, she had take a bright red crayon and drawn thick red scribbles all over the chaise lounge of the nicest piece of furniture I’ve ever owned- my sectional.  Naked baby didn’t do it. I checked.

All I can say is God bless microfiber, because with a little elbow grease, that crayon came right off, and God bless Toffee Chocolate Chip cookie bars, because I enjoy eating my feelings. (Plus, when you’ve just worked out, you are definitely owed a cookie bar.)

You guys, these bars are the bomb.com.  My husband wanted “something with toffee in it” for his birthday dessert, and so I’ve been experimenting.  I took my favorite chocolate chip cookie bar and added toffee chips into the batter and sprinkled them on top.  I felt so Billy Mack while I was doing it.

The result was a moist, fudgy, purposely-slightly-under-baked cookie bar that was so delicious that we couldn’t stop eating them.  Three days later, we are still eating them.  They are so good.

These bars are done when they are slightly golden brown around the edges.  They will look underdone to you, but they aren’t.  Trust me.  If you cook them until they look done, they will be overdone.    This is my baking philosophy with all bars, brownies, and cookies.  Err on the side of underdone.

Pull them out and let them cool in the pan to room temperature (they will continue to bake) and then if you want them to look pretty, chill them before you slice them into bars.

Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1 cup room temperature butter
1 cup of dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup of light brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate baking melts, chocolate chunks, or chocolate chips, plus half a cup more for sprinkling on the top
1 cup toffee chips – I like Heath brand (plus a half cup more for sprinkling on the top)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°.  Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper and spray liberally with non-stick cooking spray.

In a mixer, beat the butter and brown sugars for two minutes until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, vanilla, salt and baking powder, and mix on medium speed for another full minute, scraping the sides of the bowl if needed.

Turn the mixer onto the lowest speed and add in the flour.  Mix until just combined.  With a wooden spoon, add in the chocolate chips and the toffee chips.

Spread evenly into your prepared pan and top with a few additional chocolate chips and toffee chips.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly golden brown, and the center appears slightly underbaked.

Allow bars to cool completely before cutting.  Chill before cutting if you want them to look really pretty.