Turtle Cookie Bars

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

• 2 C flour
• 1 C brown sugar – firmly packed
• 1/2 C (1 stick) butter – softened to room temperature
• 1 C pecans – roughly chopped – not fine or dusty

For the Filling:

• 2/3 C butter
• 1/2 C brown sugar – firmly packed
• 1 C chocolate chips – semisweet, extra dark, milk, white – whatever you prefer

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease a 13″ x 9″ x 2″ baking pan with non-stick cooking spray – set aside

Make the Crust:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, brown sugar and softened butter
2. With an electric mixer, beat at medium speed until blended
3. Pat mixture firmly into prepared baking pan
4. Arrange pecans over crust

Make the Filling:

1. In a saucepan, over medium high heat, combine butter and brown sugar – bring to a boil  – stirring constantly
2. Once boiling, cook 3 minutes – stirring constantly
3. Pour mixture over pecans
4. Bake for 15 – 17 minutes or until golden and bubbly
5. Remove from oven
6. Sprinkle with chocolate chips
7. Let stand 2 – 3 minutes or until slightly melted
8. Gently swirl chocolate with a knife, leaving some morsels whole – do not spread
9. Let cool at room temperature until chocolate is set
10. Cut into squares