Two Great Recipes for the Chocolate and Oatmeal Lover!

Here are two great recipes from my niece Amber's cooking blog. We have sampled them both this past week (extra walking next week) and loved them.


Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Bars



1 1/2 C. butter, softened

1 C. sugar

1 C. brown sugar

2 eggs (large)

1 Tbsp. vanilla

1 1/2 C. peanut butter

11/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

2 C. flour

3 C. oats



Frosting:

2 C. semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips.



Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13x9x2 inch pan. Beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter and beat until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Press mixture evenly into pan and bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned. (Note: Will be underbaked.) While still warm, evenly distribute chocolate chips. When chips have melted spread into a thin layer.DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CUT THIS WHEN IT IS WARM!



Lion House Oatmeal Fudge Bars



Ingredients:
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats (or old-fashioned)
Fudge
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)


Directions
1. Grease a 9x13 baking pan; set aside.
2. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar; add eggs and vanilla.
3. In a small bowl, sift flour, baking soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture. Mix in oats.
4. In a heavy saucepan, mix sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, and butter; heat just until melted. Stir in vanilla and nuts if using.
5. Spread 2/3 of the oatmeal dough (will be stiff) into prepared baking pan. Spread with chocolate mixture. Drop remaining 1/3 of dough on top by spoonfuls.
6. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely (if you cut them while they are still warm at all they will be gooey and fall apart), then cut into bars. These also taste better if you wait several hours before eating them.