These toffee cookie bars have a brown sugar oat-nut crust with a baked on sweet glaze of melted butter and sweetened condensed milk and topped with a layer of chocolate.

Toffee Bars

8 tablespoons butter or margarine - divided use

1 cup quick-cooking or old fashioned oats, uncooked

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup ground or finely chopped walnuts

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup (6-ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan; set aside.
2. In medium saucepan, melt 6 tablespoons butter; stir in oats, sugar, flour, nuts and baking soda.
3. Press mixture firmly onto bottom of prepared baking pan; bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
4. Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, combine remaining 2 tablespoons butter and sweetened condensed milk. Over medium heat, cook and stir until mixture thickens slightly, about 15 minutes.
5. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour over baked crust. Return to oven; bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until golden brown. Remove from oven.
6. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes to soften chips; spread while still warm. Cool to room temperature and then chill thoroughly. Cut into bars. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Makes about 36 bars.