Magic Cookie Bars

By MARY GREENE

These bars have been a favorite in my family for many years. I have brought them to many a potluck meal and there are never any on the plate when I depart. This is a wonderful recipe to make with children because the method is fun and simple and does seem to produce magical results. These rich bars are festive enough for the holiday table and also make a great gift when packaged in a pretty holiday tin or glass jar.

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 six-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate drops

1 13½-ounce can flaked coconut

1 cup finely chopped nuts

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (or 325 degrees for a glass pan). Place butter in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish, and let it melt by placing dish into the warm oven. When butter is melted, swirl evenly over the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs evenly over the butter. Pour milk evenly over the crumbs. Top with chocolate drops, coconut and nuts and press down gently. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.