Can't Leave Alone Bars

During my second year of teaching, I had the privilege of tasting these little gems, while celebrating a student's birthday.  I immediately requested the recipe and have been baking them ever since.  Today they will be dropped off at a friend's home along with Barefoot Contessa's Turkey Sausage Lasagna, salad and garlic bread to celebrate the arrival of their second child.  If you are looking for a new lasagna recipe to try and are a fan of goat cheese, I highly recommend this rich and satisfying recipe!  Now, back to bars...

Ingredients:

1 package Yellow Cake Mix (I favor Betty Crocker's yellow butter recipe.)

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup butter

1. In a bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, and oil.  Press 2/3 of the mixture into a 9x13 pan (that has been sprayed nonstick spray). Set remaining aside.

2. In microwave, combine condensed milk, chocolate chips and butter until melted. 

3. Pour chocolate mixture over crust layer, and drop remaining cake mix over top.  (I like to take small pieces of the batter, flatten them, and lay them gently over the chocolate layer.  It bakes more evenly.)

4.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned.

The gooey chocolate center is divine, and will have people guessing what exactly it is.  And, as the name suggests, these bars will plague you with temptation until the last crumb has been eaten.  Go ahead.  Tempt yourself today.