Before Baking

I am a kid at heart.  I also have a definite affinity for things with chocolate and pecans in it.  I have been making seven layer or magic cookie or magic cake bars for years. But mine are a little different.

I will share two of my variations with you.  One is brand new, being  road tested  today.   Sometimes with both, I may toss mini marshmallows in the mix.

Red Velvet Magic Bars

1 box Red Velvet Cake Mix (pre-packaged dry cake mixes are generally 18.25 oz)

1 stick of butter, melted (1/2 cup)

1 12 oz package of dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup of oatmeal (Quaker plain quick cooking NOT flavored or Irish Oatmeal)

1 can sweetened condensed milk ( 14 oz – use Eagle brand – it is the best)

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

Combine cake mix and melted butter until well-mixed (do by HAND, do not use mixer unless you want a crumbly mess all over your kitchen).

Press crumbs into greased rectangular cake pan (mine is about 13 inches x 9 inches).

Sprinkle nuts evenly over crumbs. Repeat for coconut.  Repeat for oatmeal.  Repeat for chocolate chips.

Open your condensed milk and drizzle evenly over entire mixture – use a gentle back and forth motion until can is empty.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 22-25 minutes depending upon your oven.

Cool completely before cutting.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Magic Bars

1 box Vanilla or French Vanilla Cake Mix (pre-packaged dry cake mixes are generally 18.25 oz)

1 stick of butter, melted (1/2 cup)

1 12 oz package of peanut butter chips*

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup of oatmeal (Quaker plain quick cooking NOT flavored or Irish Oatmeal)

1 can sweetened condensed milk ( 14 oz – use Eagle brand – it is the best)

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

Combine cake mix and melted butter until well-mixed (do by HAND, do not use mixer unless you want a crumbly mess all over your kitchen).

Press crumbs into greased rectangular cake pan (mine is about 13 inches x 9 inches).

Sprinkle nuts evenly over crumbs. Repeat for coconut.  Repeat for oatmeal.  Repeat for peanut butter chips.

Open your condensed milk and drizzle evenly over entire mixture – use a gentle back and forth motion until can is empty.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 22-25 minutes depending upon your oven.

Cool completely before cutting.

* = NOTE if you don’t want peanut butter chips, you can also use butterscotch chips