White Chip Lemon Streusel Bars

For our final Lemon Week post (sniff), I tried another recipe from the Hershey's book Kris bought me for my birthday. When I flipped to the page and saw the name (White Chip Lemon Streusel Bars), I thought, "Say no more! I am sold!"

I made them for a potluck party one of Mike's co-workers is having today. I had already been asked to make one dessert (they specifically requested another round of the Ricotta Cookies I made a few weeks ago).
Then they realized they were still going to be a little short on the desserts. Mike, knowing full well that I've been a lemon-baking fiend this week, told them not to fear. He was sure I could come through with an extra treat.
These bars are really good. They're sweet and a little tart. I was afraid the white chocolate taste would be a little overpowering (and I'm not a huge white chocolate fan), but it wasn't. It was a really nice compliment to the lemon flavor.

Ingredients
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel
2 cups (12 oz package) white chips, divided
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups regular rolled or quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup toasted pecans*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon shortening

*To toast pecans: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pecans in thin layer in shallow baking pan. Bake, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes or until golden brown; cool.

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Combine sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and lemon peel in medium bowl; set aside.
Measure out 1/4 cup and 1/3 cup white chips, set aside. Add remaining white chips to lemon mixture.
2. Beat butter and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed in large bowl until well-blended. Stir together flour, oats, pecans, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture, blending well.

Set aside 1 2/3 cups oats mixture. Add egg to remaining oats mixture, blending until crumbly; press onto bottom of prepared pan. Gently spoon lemon mixture on top, spreading evenly.


Add reserved 1/3 cup white chips to reserved oat mixture. Sprinkle over lemon layer, pressing down lightly.


3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in pan on wire rack. Place remaining 1/4 cup white chips and shortening in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at medium for 30 seconds or until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred.
Drizzle over baked bars. Allow drizzle to set; cut into bars.

Source: Hershey's Recipe Collection