Why I chose this recipe:
My favorite Aunt and Uncle live in Wisconsin and every year they invite friends out to see them and to ski the American Birkebeiner race in Cable, Wisconsin. This race was established in 1973 and is an internationally renown 52 kilometer cross-country ski in northern Wisconsin. Before we had children, my husband and I used to join my aunt and uncle for this race. I will admit that my husband has been the brave one tackling 52 kilometers for many years, but I only opted for the 26 kilometer ski race, which was more than enough for me.
For breakfast before the race, my uncle loves to have something sweet, usually a chocolate chip cookie. However, that all changed when I started bringing these bars to the race in my luggage for my uncle to nibble on. They became so popular that even after we stopped attending the annual race, I would overnight the bars to my aunt and uncle to make sure they had my bars as a pre-race snack. Needless to say, the bars were quickly named my Birkie Bars.
This recipe is very easy and so delicious. Making this recipe will , for sure.
Ingredients
1 C butter (set aside 2 tbsp of butter for ganache)
2 C brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
4 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 C all purpose flour
3 C rolled oats
2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
Directions
Batter mixture:
Beat butter in a large mixing bowl for 30 secs.
Add brown sugar and baking soda.
Beat until combined.
Beat in eggs, one at a time and 2 tsp of vanilla.
Slowly add flour to mixture.
Then add rolled oats and 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.
Ganache: (do not begin until after batter is pressed into pan)
In a medium sauce pan combine 2 tbsp butter with 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk over low heat. Stirring frequently as chocolate will melt quickly. When mixture is melted, take off heat and stir in 2 tsps of vanilla.
Press 2/3 of mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 15x10x2 (ish) baking pan (glass works best). Spread ganache filling on top. Then place the remaining batter mixture on top of ganache in little disc-like shapes to partially cover the ganache. Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 25 mins.