Butterscotch Brickle Bars

I just made this recipe from the Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog. I followed exactly except I omitted the salt from the topping and used salted cashews instead of pecans or walnuts. Pretty dang good. Im freezing a ton of them for Kelseys wedding along with the butter tarts!

Cookie Layer:
1-1/2 Cups sifted all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup softened butter
3/4 Cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 13 X 9 inch pan lightly and dust lightly with flour. (* I lined mine with foil and sprayed with pam. It lifts out effortlessly and is a real time saver!) Sift together flour and salt. Cut in butter with pastry blender. Add sugar and mix well. Press dough evenly into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly.

When cookie layer has less than 5 minutes left to bake, start preparing the topping:
Butterscotch Topping:
1- 6oz. package of butterscotch chips
1/4 Cup light corn syrup
2 Tablespoons shortening
1 Tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Cups coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

Combine all ingredients except nuts in a microwaveable bowl and heat at 30 second intervals on full power stirring well after each 30 second heating until smooth. (It took me 3 - 30second intervals) If you prefer you can do this step over a double boiler. Stir in nuts. Spoon mixture evenly over slightly cooled cookie layer. Bake an additional 8 minutes. Remover pan to a wire rack. Cool until slightly warm and then cut into 1-1/2 to 2 inch squares. Cool completely before serving. Makes 24-38 squares.