Gooey Chocolate Chip Pecan Bars

It has recently occurred to me that I was a pretty fantastic babysitter way back in the day. Not only did I manage to keep a lot of kids from committing any felonies, I also took on the added mission of cleaning up many a kitchen and baking lots of good stuff before cleaning up the kitchen again.

I don't know why I did it, other than it was a good way to pass the time, especially after the kids went to bed. Right about now, I could super use a babysitting fairy who also cleans, especially one that charges $1 per hour per kid. No wonder I was busy every single weekend.

Between tackling piles of dishes, I often made a chocolate chip toffee bar thing. I think the recipe was in one of those little paperback recipe books that are sold at the checkout line at the grocery store. I've been trying to find it or replicate it somehow for YEARS. And yet, I've never managed.

I've come close, though.

Like, this is close. It's not quite right, but it's pretty darn fantastic in its own right.

Gooey Chocolate Chip Pecan Bars

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup butter (cold) 
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup pecan halves
2 cups chocolate chips, divided
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13" glass baking pan with nonstick spray.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour and brown sugar.

3. Toss the butter in the mixing bowl. Mash it together with the flour and brown sugar using your hands. You want it to stay crumbly.

4. Stir in the egg and peanut butter. It should still be crumbly.

5. Stir in the pecan halves.

6. I said you need 2 cups of chocolate chips, but right now you only want to use 1 1/2 cups of them. Stir them in and set the remaining 1/2 cup aside.

7. Scoop out 1 1/2 cups of the mixture in your bowl. Set it aside.

8. Place the rest of it in your baking dish. Pat everything down and make a nice crust.

9. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

10. Pull the baking happy stuff out of the oven and pour the sweetened condensed milk over it. Then sprinkle the remaining mixture on top. Then sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top.

11. Bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

12. Allow to cool completely before cutting, but make sure to score the edges after letting it cool for about ten minutes.

13. Say hello to your new little friend.