Oatmeal Chip Peanut Squares

For Christmas I ordered another book I wanted Kevin to give me! It's called 1500 Best Bars, Cookies, Muffins, Cakes & More by Esther Brody, and there are so many recipes in it I want to try. This first one came about because Kevin was upset that I was making Nellie some more dog treats and he wanted a treat. So a quick look into this book quickly revealed many recipes he would love. So this is the one I made since some of his favorite things are peanut butter and chocolate.

Oatmeal Chip Peanut Squares
Preheat oven to 350.
Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup butter or margarine softened
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter

In a large bowl, beat brown sugar, syrup, butter and vanilla until blended and smooth. Stir in oats. Press evenly into prepared pan. Bake in Preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Place pan on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over top, then drop small spoonfuls of peanut butter over top of the chips. Let stand for about 5 minutes, until chips and peanut butter have softened, then run a knife through the topping to created a marbling effect. Chill for 15-20 minutes, until topping is firm, then cut into squares.

Chocolate Carmel Bars

My mother-in-law has 2 issues of the Taste of Home Cookbook and I made this with her for dessert one night. Well I started craving them and wanted to bake so I made them for me and hubby.

Ingredients:

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups cold butter, cubed
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans
1 jar (12 ounces) caramel ice cream topping

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Set half aside for topping.
Press the remaining crumb mixture into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips and pecans.
Whisk caramel topping and remaining flour until smooth; drizzle over top. Sprinkle with the reserved crumb mixture. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours before cutting. Yield: about 4-1/2 dozen.

Oatmeal Scotchie Bars

So I was heading to my sister-in-laws to help out with her newborn baby. I knew I wanted to make some things to take with me for dinner and snacks. I had a bag of butterscotch morsels by Nestle I wanted to use. So I made some Oatmeal Scotchies but made them in bar form and they were wonderful and the in-laws loved them as well!

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract or grated peel of 1 orange (I used the vanilla)
3 cups quick or old fashioned oats
11 oz package of Nestle Toll House Butterscotch Flavored Morsels

Preheat oven to 375.

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats and morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. (I used a jelly roll pan lined with parchmant paper).

Bake cookies for 7 to 8 minutes for chewy and 9 to 10 minutes for crip cookies. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about dozen cookies.

For bars; prepare dough as above, spread dough into prepared pan. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until light brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 4 dozen bars.
Me and my new nephew!

Pumpkin Pie Bars

Here is another allrecipes.com recipe. I had some leftover pumpkin from the pancakes so I was needing to use it up. These are really good. I will probably be making these for Thanksgiving this year.

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1/2 cup melted butter

3 eggs
3 cups pumpkin pie filling or canned pumpkin with 2 tbl pumpkin pie spice and 1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup milk (I used 1 12oz can of evaporated milk)
1/2 bag of chocolate chips (I added this)
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter
I also used 1/2 cup of pecans in my topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Grease the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan.
Pour one cup of yellow cake mix into a medium size mixing bowl; set aside.
Combine remaining cake mix, 1/2 cup melted butter and 1 egg; mix well.
Press into the baking pan.
Combine pumpkin pie filling, 2 eggs and milk in a medium size mixing bowl; mix until smooth. Pour evenly over the crust in the 9x13 inch pan.
I put enough of the chocolate chips over the pumpkin mixture to cover.
Pour the sugar and cinnamon and pecans into the mixing bowl containing the 1 cup of yellow cake mix. Cut in the butter until the mixture looks crumbly. Sprinkle this mixture over the pumpkin filling.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted into the bars come out clean. Let cool before cutting.
Store in fridge.

Halloween Goodies

Halloween P.B. Blondies
I doubled this recipe and made 2 8 in square pans. One for my work and the other for our party at my mom & dad's. The boys at my work gobbled them up!

It is from What's Cooking in the Orange Kitchen.


Peanut Butter Blondies with Halloween M&M's (I renamed)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 bag of Halloween colored M&M's

Preheat oven to 325F.
Grease and lightly flour and 8 inch square baking pan.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter with the peanut butter and the sugars until smoothm about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat well. Add the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Stir in the M&M's.
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted comes out clean with moist crumbs attached.
Do not overbake. Allow to cool to room temperature before cutting and serving.

The original recipe called for toasted pecans, chocolate chips and white chocolate, but I just did the Halloween M&M's.

Oreo Truffles



I used white chocolate and used orange and black sprinkles for the top. These are so easy to make and will def stay in my rotation! I am not sure whoose blog I got these off of since everyone has been making them.

1 package softened cream cheese (8 oz)
1 package Oreo cookies (I used the Halloween orange and black ones)
1 package white almond bark
sprinkles

Crush cookies in food processor. In large bowl mix together crushed cookies and cream cheese til smooth. Melt chocolate according to directions. Roll cookie mixture into 1 inch balls then dip in chocolate. Place on wax paper. Sprinkle with desired sprinkles.

Smore's Brownies

Pictures to come, I made these for a BBQ my husband's boss was having, when I spoke to the wife she advised I could bring stuff for Smores, but I really wanted to bake so I made these. They were great and everyone enjoyed them! This is from osuheatherk and she got it from the food network!

2 cups crushed graham crackers
1 stick unsalted butter melted
3 Tbl sugar
I used a brownie mix I was short on time to make homemade
1/2 bag miniature marshmallows

Mix together first three ingredients and press in bottom of 9X13 pan. Bake on 325 for 20 minutes. Meanwhile make brownies. Pour over crust. Bake according to directions mine was on 350 for 28 minutes. Sprinkle marshmallows over top and put under broiler on low for a couple of minutes, until golden.