Manic Monday - Chip

Welcome to my recipe edition of Manic Monday!!

Manic Monday is the brainchild of Morgen over at It’s A Blog Eat Blog World. For more information on participating in Manic Monday, visit Mo for the complete rundown.

This week’s Manic Monday word is chip. First, I thought I could easily write about the chip on my shoulder. But after my evil twin eclipsed my body last week, I’m sure you’ve all heard enough about the innocent bodies left in the wake of my PMS.

Instead, I will turn toward a chip that is very near and dear to my heart – chocolate chips. Oh yeah, baby!

Okay, this may go along with the PMS too, but it’s much more enjoyable.

Eric and I were actually having a discussion about chocolate chips the other day because he was reading his Rachael Ray magazine, and she listed all the staples you should keep in your pantry – among them, chocolate chips. Eric said, “Chocolate chips aren’t a staple.”

I’m sorry, what?! Apparently, he’s on crack. Of course chocolate chips are a staple. I asked him when the last time was that we didn’t have a bag of chocolate chips on hand. He responded, “Just because you always buy chocolate chips does not mean they’re a staple.”

Hmph. At least now, I have Rachael Ray on my side.

In celebration of the chocolate chip, I am posting my absolute favorite recipe using chocolate chips. They are Chocolate Highlander Cookie Bars. Dude! They are the best freaking things ever. There’s a layer of shortbread on the bottom, and a layer of rich gooey chocolate on top. Sweet Lord in Heaven!

Best. Things. Ever. Enjoy!

Chocolate Highlander Cookie Bars

Ingredients
2 sticks butter, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups flour, unsifted
4 eggs, beaten
2 sticks butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup flour, unsifted
2 ½ cups chocolate chips
⅓ cup powdered sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F., rack in middle position

FIRST STEP:
Cream butter with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and salt. Add flour and mix well. Pat it out in a greased 9- X 13-inch pan with your fingers (standard cake pan).

Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. That makes the shortbread crust. Remove from oven. (Don't turn off the oven!)

SECOND STEP:
Mix eggs with melted butter and granulated sugar. Add baking powder, salt, and flour, and mix thoroughly (by hand or with hand mixer).

Melt the chocolate chips in a small double boiler, a pan over hot water on the stove, or nuke them for 3 minutes in the microwave on high. (Be sure to stir—chips may maintain their shape even after they're melted in the microwave.)

Add the melted chocolate chips to your bowl and mix thoroughly.

Pour this mixture on top of the pan you just baked and tip the pan so it covers all of the shortbread crust. Stick it back into the oven and bake it for another 25 minutes. Then remove it from the oven and sprinkle on additional powdered sugar.

Let it cool thoroughly and cut into brownie-sized bars. You can refrigerate these, but cut them before you do. (They're pretty solid when they're cold.)