Chocolate Oat Squares

This has been on my list of recipes to try for a long time now. It is officially one of my personal favorites! I retrieved it from one of my favorite crafty websites beckyhiggins.com.

Chocolate Oat Squares

1 c. plus 2 tbsp. butter or margarine, softened, divided
2 c. packed brown sugar
2 eggs
4 tsp. vanilla extract, divided
3 c. quick oats
2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1 tsp. baking soda
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 c. semi sweet chocolate chips
1 c. chopped walnuts

Cream 1 c. butter and brown sugar. Beat in eggs and 2 tsp. vanilla. Combine the oats, flour, 1 teaspoon salt and baking soda in a separate bowl; stir into creamed mixture. Press 2/3 of oat mixture into a greased 9" x 13" pan.

In a saucepan combine milk, chocolate chips and remaining butter and salt. Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat; stir in walnuts and remaining vanilla. Spread over the crust. Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool. Cut into squares.

Yield: 4 dozen.

Confessions of a Terrible Horrible Rice Krispie Treat Maker

I can make and bake just about anything. Amongst my favorites are ooey gooey cookies, moist cakes, and the ever so challenging pie. However, my nemesis is the marshmellowy, buttery, just perfectly sweetened, any six year old can make it bar the "Rice Krispie Treat."

I am not sure what goes on during the process of me following the recipe for Rice Krispie Treats right off the box. Somewhere after the melting and the mixing I find my treats to be the consistency of...umm...well peanut brittle. Possibly glass which is the best description since if you slam them up against the counter they will shatter into a million pieces.

My first thought is that it's a genetic problem, of course. My mother has the same problem with her Rice Krispie Treats. She always blamed it on the altitude (this is what she always says upon a cooking disaster- but I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt on this one). Beings that I am at sea level that theory is now out the window. Perhaps it is an ingredient blunder. So, I have made certain that all whopping three of them are as fresh as they can be.

Therefore, it shall remain a mystery unless one can oblige me in mastering this tasty little treat.

Special K Bars

Along with feeling that everyone should share in my Holiday cheeriness I also feel that this is the time of year that nobody should be counting calories, fat or how many treats they have scarfed down. These bars do include Special K cereal which is supposed to help one lose weight, right? Food is one of the few simple pleasures in life so enjoy! Last time I made these bars my husband hid them on top of the fridge so he could have them all to himself.

Special K Bars
1 c. sugar
1 c. white syrup
1 1/2 c. peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
6 c. Special K cereal
2 c. chocolate chips

Boil sugar and syrup then stir and add remaining ingredients. Place in a 9x13 inch pan.
Top with 2 c. melted chocolate chips (melt chips for 30 seconds then stir). Top off with some sprinkles just because the kids LOVE them!