Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter/margarine, melted
- 1 1/2 cups red and green M&M's, divided (*NOTE)
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
Directions
- Combine first 6 ingredients, stirring well. Add butter, and stir or beat at low speed with an electric mixer until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture; press remaining crumb mixture into a lightly greased 13x9 pan. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350.
- Place 1 cup chocolate pieces in a microwave-safe bowl, microwave at High 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after 30 seconds. Press chocolate pieces with the back of a spoon to mash them (the candies will almost be melted with pieces of color coating still visible). Stir in condensed milk. Spread evenly over crust in pan, leaving 1/2inch border on all sides.
- Combine reserved 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture and remaining 1/2 cup of M&M's; sprinkle evenly over chocolate mixture, and press lightly.
- Bake at 350 for 25 to 28 minutes or until golden; cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.
*Take advantage during the year of other holiday colored M&Ms - Valentine's Day, Easter, etc.
I like to use the plastic top you get when you buy the aluminum pans as sort of an ingredient apron. All my measuring is done in there, messy bowls set down inside - you see where I"m going. A quick tap and dump or a wipe and back in the cabinet it goes until the next time.
