OH MY CHOCOLATE....

Okay... so I am no longer on my "competition diet" so although I still plan to keep my fitness journey blog alive I figured that I had better find other "normal" things to write about. I have had all kinds of cravings since the show. One of which is my mom's chocolate bars that I grew up eating. They are insanely good. Not so insanely good for you. Sooo.... being the way I am I took it and tried to make it a little healthier or at least a little more guilt free and they turned out AWESOME! Had to share the recipe... and a photo of the beautiful CHOCOLATE.



Ingredients

3 cups quick cooking oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened (you could use Applesauce... I didn't... this time)
2 cups packed SPLENDA brown sugar
2 Eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (I used the fat free one)
1 1/2 cups SUGAR FREE chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, beat together 1 cup butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla. In another bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt; stir into butter mixture. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla.
Pat 2/3 of the oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread chocolate mixture evenly over the top, and dot with remaining oat mixture.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in preheated oven. Let cool on a wire rack, then cut into bars.