Maple Chocolate Chip Bars

I know it's been a while since I've posted any cooking or food. When you're 9 months pregnant and it's 112+ degrees outside, the creativity to come up with something to cook isn't always there. A lot of what I've made lately has been regular stuff and has been last minute. However, tonight after I got home from work I wanted cookies...after dinner of course :) I made a little twist to the recipe and actually made bars instead of cookies. Who says you can't have dessert first?!

Also, I'm linking up with my good friend and fellow blogger {bouffe e bambini} for her linky party the handmade hog. She hosts this almost weekly, if not more often, and I've been wanting to link up for a while!

Enjoy!

Maple Chocolate Chip Bars
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon maple extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 cups flour
12 oz chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixer (this is the method I used) cream together sugars and shortening. Next, add eggs, vanilla and maple extracts. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer. The batter will be pretty sticky. Mine stuck to the mixer paddle. Add in chocolate chips.

From here, you could make cookies on a cookie sheet if you prefer. I thought bars sounded better. I spread the batter into a 9x13 ( i think that is the size?!) casserole pan/enchilada pan/cake pan. Get the idea? Put in the oven for about 15 minutes, check after 10-12 minutes to make sure not to burn, after all every oven is different.

Man oh man were these good! I bet they would be good with some ice cream on top too :)