Grandma's Best Creme de Menthe Bars

Creme de Menthe bars have always been one of my favorites. My mom used to make them every year at Christmas, and I still request it if I'm going to visit. Although these bars are a holiday cookie, they make a cool treat year-round and are especially delicious right out of the freezer.

First layer

• 1/2 cup margarine
• 4 Tbsp cocoa
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 well-beaten egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups chopped nuts
• 1 cup crushed graham crackers
• 1 cup coconut

Melt margarine and cocoa, then cool. Add powdered sugar, egg and vanilla to cooled margarine and cocoa mixture. Add crushed graham crackers, chopped nuts and coconut. Mix and press into a greased 9x13 pan. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours. Note: You may want to substitute 1/4 cup Egg Beaters for the whole egg to eliminate the risk of salmonella, since this is a no-bake recipe. We've always used regular eggs and never had a problem, but with food safety becoming more of a concern, I'll probably start using Egg Beaters when I make these bars the next time.

Second Layer

• 1/2 cup margarine
• 3 Tbsp creme de menthe
• 2 tsp dry vanilla instant pudding mix
• 2 C powdered sugar

Melt margarine and add creme de menthe, dry vanilla instant pudding and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Spread over crust. Refrigerate until set.

Third Layer

• 1/2 cup margarine
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Melt margarine and chocolate chips. Spread over top and refrigerate until hard. Makes 18 servings.