Chewy Almond Toffee Bars

I love flipping through magazines but I don't like to have too many sitting around because it makes me feel bad if I don't get to time read them.  Weird, I know.  Anyway, I just happened to pick up a Food Network Magazine while in line at the grocery store and found a delicious-looking recipe for Chewy Toffee Bars by Jamie Deen, who is Paula Deen's son (like you didn't already know that)!  I set out to make these one afternoon only to have a major baking fail.  :(  I was in the middle of toasting the pecans when I heard my little guy stirring in his room after one of those dreaded short naps.  I thought, "oh, the pecans will be fine while I run in there to check on him real quick".  Well, my visit to his room took longer than expected and then I began to smell a more than toasted pecan.  Burnt to a crisp is more like it.  Since I was already half way through the recipe, I raided my pantry looking for a substitution when I found slivered almonds!  Perfect!  And so, these Chewy Almond Toffee Bars were born. :)

Here is how I made them:

Chewy Almond Toffee Bars

Ingredients:

cooking spray

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

2 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

3/4 cup slivered almonds, chopped

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup toffee pieces

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.  Spray parchment with cooking spray.

2.  Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add the brown sugar and stir until melted.  Let cool 5 minutes.

3.  Meanwhile, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.  Toast the almonds in a medium skillet over medium heat, 6 to 8 minutes (watching carefully so they don't burn!); remove to a plate.

4.  Stir the eggs, one at a time, into the cooled butter-sugar mixture, then stir in the vanilla.  Add the flour mixture and stir until combined.  Fold in the toffee pieces and toasted almonds.  The batter will be very thick.

5.  Spread the batter in the prepared baking dish.  Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.  Let cool 15 minutes, lift out of the pan and cut into pieces.

* I wrapped each individually so they would stay fresh longer and I could easily take them to share at church on Sunday!

Enjoy!