11 July 2012

Monster Magic 7-Layer Bars

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Let's talk Summer for a min, shall we?

I really love the lazier days of the school's out season. No making lunch at night. No homework. No rushing in the morning. Being able to go on a day trip on a whim. Swimming and the general do-whatever-you-want attitude. I can even handle the heat, because I know that it only lasts a few months. Plus, there's A/C. So pretty much, summer is all great.

Except for the dishes.

And the clutter.

And oh my god the attitude.

Let me explain.

About a week ago I found myself with a full dishwasher for the second time in two days. I was confused.

Then I looked at the kitchen table, where there sat a juice glass, a plate, a bowl, and empty string cheese wrapper, and a wadded up napkin from lunch three hours before.

Beyond the dishes, into the family room, Jordan sat, on the couch, headphones on, using the iPad. Around her was a tornado of pillows and blankets, all strewn around the floor because these items are not allowed to share her air, obvi.

On the coffee table was a full art kit, open, with pens all over the table, paper spread out to every corner. When I looked behind the couch I noticed an upended bottle of glue sitting on the carpet and scissors strewn about.

And I had an epiphany.

Summer is work. It's 24 hours a day, all day, every day, seven days a week for two and a half months.

Or, 35 runs of the dishwasher.

And my sanity.


To calm myself, I made you some 7-layer bars. But not just any 7-layer bars. Magical monster ones.

Last week, Heather, at French Press made Peanut Butter and Chocolate 7-layer Bars. The second I saw that post, and I mean the second, I knew had to make these. I dreamed about them all night long, got up, and made them at 7am the next day.

{And...I was probably channeling Ashton who made these awhile ago...}

I had Nutter Butters in my pantry (are you surprised?) I had earmarked them for another recipe, but, I kid you not, Shelly at Cookies & Cups made almost the exact recipe I had been planning. So I wanted to find a new use for my favorite cookie.

That's layer one: a Nutter Butter crust. Layers two through seven include chocolate and peanut butter chips, nuts, pretzels, M&Ms, and, of course, the best thing in the entire world, sweetened condensed milk.


These are very rich bars. You can eat more than one, but you may want to pace yourself. Believe me, I know. Serve them up with a glass of milk.

With a side of sanity and a dash of prayer that school starts soon.



Monster Magic 7-Layer Bars
by Crazy for Crust 


Ingredients
  • 20 Nutter Butters or other peanut butter sandwich cookie
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1 cup nuts (I used pecans), coarsely chopped
  • 1 package chocolate chips
  • 1 cup peanut butter chips
  • 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pretzels
  • 1 cup M&Ms
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9x13” pan with parchment paper.
  2. Finely crush cookies in a food processor. Mix with melted butter and press into prepared pan.
  3. Sprinkle chocolate chips, nuts, peanut butter chips, pretzels, and M&Ms evenly over the top of the crust. Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top of the bars.
  4. Bake for about 25 minutes, until edges begin to brown. Cool Completely before cutting.
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Enjoy, and thanks for reading!




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50 Comments:

At July 11, 2012 at 6:08 PM , Anonymous Robyn said...

Yum ... Can't wait to make these bars. I even have the Nutter Butter cookies on hand!

 
At July 11, 2012 at 6:08 PM , Blogger Christina @ Still Lucky said...

I haven't had anything like these in a very long time. What a great treat!

 
At July 11, 2012 at 6:12 PM , Blogger Crunchy Creamy Sweet said...

Oooh, yes, please! I love magic bars and your monster version makes me want to whip them up ASAP!

 
At July 11, 2012 at 6:26 PM , Blogger Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust said...

Oooh...have fun! :) Thanks Robyn!

 
At July 11, 2012 at 6:28 PM , Blogger Susan said...

I love 7-layer bars and these are over the top! It's like an explosion of color and flavors and in one--brilliant:-D XOXO

 
At July 11, 2012 at 6:44 PM , Blogger Michael said...

Oh my they look good!

I hear ya on the summer time is work. It's also a difficult time to live on a food budget. These kids must eat 5 times the amount in the summer, it's like they are purposefully storing up for the school year. UGH.

 
At July 11, 2012 at 6:47 PM , Blogger Ikhlas said...

Thanks for describing what Nutter Butter cookies are! We don't have them in Canada, so I was contemplating how to make this recipe what I saw that they were peanut butter filled cookies...hopefully I can find some!

They look delicious! I'm kind of tempted to throw pretzel M&Ms on top to up the pretzel flavour. Call me crazy!

 
At July 11, 2012 at 7:27 PM , Anonymous Averie @ Averie Cooks said...

love baking with nutter butters (or oreos) - they blend up into crusty perfection and all these layers...hubba hubba!

 
At July 11, 2012 at 7:47 PM , Blogger Unknown said...

These look so good. The nutter butter crust sounds fantastic, as do all the other layers!

 
At July 11, 2012 at 8:06 PM , Blogger allisamazing said...

Oh yumm, they look delicious :)

 
At July 11, 2012 at 8:26 PM , Blogger Jocelyn said...

Seriously...I had the same thought process this week. So many messes, meals, and whining to handle...then I went to Meijer and smelled crayons. It was the most welcome smell of all. School is just around the corner! Don't get me wrong, I love my kids with all my heart, but some days...the clothes everywhere, the cups and plates that don't get rinsed, and the huge pile of Barbies on the living room floor are enough to make me go postal:-) Ok, sorry, rant over!!!

These bars...holy cow...are they awesome or what??? A bar this full of goodness might help me make it through the next 5 weeks of summer and kids:-)

 
At July 11, 2012 at 8:44 PM , Blogger Rachel @ Simple Girl said...

OK, all I can say is that with all this baking, no wonder you are running the dishwasher like a gazillion times a day! :-) But these bars look amazing. I'm sure it's worth the dishes! (BTW - my four kids now have assigned dishwasher days, including the 7-year old :-)

 
At July 11, 2012 at 8:52 PM , Blogger Mindy said...

Woman, you are INSANE! And I mean that in the best possible way. :o)

 
At July 11, 2012 at 9:17 PM , Blogger Kristin said...

Pacing=no such thing. It's all or nothing, lady :)
Oh, and have fun having your kid at home for another month and a half. We get them, like, for 9 months. It's only fair.
You should totally make her do the dishes she makes.

 
At July 11, 2012 at 9:18 PM , Blogger Back for Seconds said...

I love these so much I want to marry them. Best. Bars. Ever. You are awesome!

 
At July 11, 2012 at 10:01 PM , Blogger Angie@Echoes of Laughter said...

YUM-MO! They look so good! My kids would love these! Angie xo

 
At July 11, 2012 at 11:40 PM , Anonymous Bonnie@Simply this and that said...

Oh my goodness, these look so yummy! I love monster cookies so I know I'll love these! Can't wait to try them out!

 
At July 12, 2012 at 3:45 AM , Blogger Tanya-Lemonsforlulu.com said...

I totally had visions of making these! But I don't think mine would have turned out so wonderfully delicious looking! I mean these are perfect!!! I love Nutter Butters! I don't buy them because I know I will eat them all! As for summer work, I am the meanest mom because I insist my kids do chores right along with me and they have to read daily. They hate me. But I'm happy!

 
At July 12, 2012 at 4:06 AM , Blogger Val said...

This is a perfect bar filled with so many yummy things. YUM

 
At July 12, 2012 at 6:31 AM , Blogger Sweet Twist - Meg said...

Oh these look seriously addictive!!

 
At July 12, 2012 at 7:25 AM , Anonymous sally @ sallys baking addiction said...

Very rich is right! But I don't think that would stop me from eating more than one! They have all of my favorites add-ins in them. Love this recipe Dorothy! It is so fun and the m&m colors make it scream summertime!

 
At July 12, 2012 at 7:55 AM , Blogger Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel said...

I don't know if it's worse or not (because I was a kid while my mom probably thought the same thing you are thinking now) but forreals, I think it's *kinda* sad that my family acts the same way as an excited summer-vacay seven year old. I mean, they're grown adults and they STILL leave trash and dishes and shoes EVERYWHERE, and don't EVEN get me started on the DVD collection when they decide it's viewing time. Gross. It was enough to make me go into a meltdown, and then you so graciously brought me some bars and alas, all was better in the world. These were awesome. The Nutter Butter crust was insane, and my favorite part was actually the nuts. I loved their unexpected crunch toward the bottom and dug them out with my teeth first :) so good! Sweetened condensed milk, you are my friend forever.

 
At July 12, 2012 at 8:42 AM , Blogger Jessica@AKitchenAddiction said...

Wow. These look amazing!

 
At July 12, 2012 at 9:21 AM , Blogger Unknown said...

Funny - our daughters sound like the same person:) love your bars !! Wait til Stella sees them, I may be making a trip to the store soon

 
At July 12, 2012 at 12:28 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

These were very good...notice the past tense? I just finished the last one!!! :}
Love, Mom

 
At July 12, 2012 at 12:51 PM , Blogger trump said...

That sure is a sugar fix for someone! Richard from the Amish settlement of Lebanon,pa

 
At July 12, 2012 at 4:11 PM , Blogger Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust said...

I hope you can find something similar! I do not understand why Canada doesn't have them! Thanks so much for your comment!

 
At July 12, 2012 at 4:12 PM , Blogger Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust said...

Yes, that's so true! Thanks Averie!

 
At July 12, 2012 at 4:12 PM , Blogger Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust said...

Yeah..except there is never room for my baking dishes, lol! :)

 
At July 12, 2012 at 4:12 PM , Blogger Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust said...

Thank you, I hope you love them!

 
At July 12, 2012 at 4:13 PM , Blogger Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust said...

I'm sure they would! And yes, I have eaten the leftover!! Thanks so much Tanya!

 
At July 12, 2012 at 4:13 PM , Blogger Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust said...

They are! :)

 
At July 12, 2012 at 4:13 PM , Blogger Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust said...

Thanks Sally! I ate way too many of them...

 
At July 12, 2012 at 4:14 PM , Blogger Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust said...

Oh god, the DVDs. Another annoying thing!!! I'm glad you liked them. :)

 
At July 12, 2012 at 4:14 PM , Blogger Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust said...

Thanks Jessica!

 
At July 12, 2012 at 4:14 PM , Blogger Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust said...

LOL Heather! Thanks!

 
At July 12, 2012 at 4:14 PM , Blogger Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust said...

Yes it surely is!

 
At July 12, 2012 at 7:39 PM , Blogger Delightfully Curious Designs said...

THESE LOOK INCREDIBLE, I MIGHT HAVE TO TRY THEM BEFORE WE HEAD TO ALABAMA TO SEE MY LITTLE TROLLS. THANKS FOR SHARING, DOROTHY!! DEANNE@DELIGHTFUL CURIOSITY

 
At July 12, 2012 at 7:58 PM , Blogger Recipes We Love said...

These look incredible!

 
At July 12, 2012 at 8:36 PM , Blogger Michelle Day said...

Dorothy,
Tell me about the attitude! One would think the kids were on vacation from LIFE too not just school. lol I can't wait for August 17th and NO MORE LIP!
On a happier note, these look like just the thing to keep me calm too. Can't wait to try them. Thanks so much for linking up to Creative Thursday this week. I can't wait to see what you link up next. Have a great weekend.

Michelle

 
At July 12, 2012 at 9:29 PM , Anonymous Allie said...

Ahhh yes, I can relate!!! Being with children 24/7 is enough to drive me straight to the pantry! These look incredible. Can't wait to try them. Hey, I live close enough... maybe you could just drop some off at my house ;)

 
At July 13, 2012 at 5:50 AM , Blogger Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust said...

LOL, I will need to remember that! :)

 
At July 13, 2012 at 10:07 AM , Blogger Heidi@OneCreativeMommy.com said...

Oh, my goodness! Those look so yummy! I'm hosting a linky party "One Creative Weekend" at OneCreativeMommy.com. I'd love for you to visit and link up this idea and/or anything else you'd like to share.

 
At July 13, 2012 at 12:24 PM , Blogger Cindy said...

We must be kindred spirits--it's all about the peanut butter! This looks delish.

 
At July 13, 2012 at 4:02 PM , Blogger Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust said...

Thanks so much! :)

 
At July 14, 2012 at 10:29 AM , Blogger Pam said...

I'm definitely gonna have to make these! Everything good in one place. About summer...I was also a "mean" mommy and made my girls pick up and do dishes, etc. But it's all worth it because now that they are grown up they tell me "thank you" and "I'm glad you were "mean" because I have it more together than most of my friends. Definitely all worth it!!

 
At July 15, 2012 at 6:50 AM , Blogger Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust said...

I know Pam! I need to keep working with her. I just feel like I'm banging my head against the wall, lol! Thanks so much for reading!

 
At July 15, 2012 at 11:08 PM , Blogger Meaningful Mama said...

Oh my! These look absolutely fabulous. Great work. Thanks for the recipe. Jodi @ www.meaningfulmama.com

 
At July 16, 2012 at 3:18 PM , Blogger Unknown said...

Those will be perfect for my daughter's late night!

 
At July 18, 2012 at 3:05 PM , Blogger Trish - Mom On Timeout said...

You are killing me Dorothy! These could not possibly be any more decadent and delicious! So gorgeous too! Thanks so much for sharing at Mom On Timeout!

 

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