Chewy Nut Bars

This recipe was originally from Woman's Day magazine a couple years ago. I ripped out the page and threw it in the "Some day I'd like to try" pile on top of the refrigerator but I just now got around to trying it out.

The original recipe called for using a Devil's food cake box mix for the crust but I didn't have one on hand so I improvised. Also, I didn't use hazelnuts for 1/3 of the nut mix and I cut back on the fat for the crust (which is funny considering how much is still there).

But the results were highly favorable here. The bars were gone in a day--I'd eat them with a fork if I were you.

For crust:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 sticks butter
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For topping:
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1/4 light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups chopped cashews
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Line a 15 X 10 inch baking sheet with aluminum foil and grease lightly. Leave the edges of the foil up like a fence around the pan because the crust tends to bubble over a bit and with the foil as a barrier you'll keep your oven cleaner.

Mix all the ingredients for the crust and spread in the pan. Bake for 15 at 350 degrees until it begins to puff up. Remove from oven and let it cool.

Mix all the topping ingredients and spread over the crust, baking for another 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool before serving.

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