Chapter 16
From the pages of Josie’s Recipe Book
Josie’s Magic Amnesiac Seven-Layer Bars
Ingredients
⒈／⒉ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 ⒈／⒉ cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup finely chopped pecans (can substitute walnuts)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
⒈／⒉ cup butterscotch chips
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
When you really need to take your mind off someone, I highly recommend seven-layer bars. The taste is so intoxicatingly delicious that it is quite possibly the closest substitute for . . . Well, look—let’s just say these bars are some kind of sublimation.
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter; mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly on bottom of baking pan.
Pressing firmly makes me focus all my energy on cooking. Not on how much I’m looking forward to Chase coming home. Not on how much I’m enjoying living with him. Not on how much I liked rubbing his shoulders the other week. Gah. I messed up the recipe. Be right back.
2. Layer in remaining ingredients; press firmly with fork. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture.
Baking is therapy. It soothes me. The times when dating in New York City has been weird and frustrating and disappointing, at least there’s something I can do well.
I can mix and create, and turn ingredients into something tasty.
Something that makes people happy. Honestly, I suppose that’s all I really want in life.
To make someone happy. Even better if that someone makes me feel that way, too.
3. Bake twenty-five minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars.
Serve to your roommate with a straight face as if you didn’t just imagine him grabbing you, touching you, sliding into you, and pounding you hard under the hot stream of water in your shower.
No, I swear I didn’t fantasize about every naked inch of him, and he’s not the reason I had to bite my lip to keep from screaming out his name.
4. Have a second helping.
Well, I did say the bars were sublimation.