Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Scones

Do you realize that I went the entire month of January without posting a single recipe containing chocolate?

A shocking statistic that must be corrected quickly.

So…how about a Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Scone?

I love making these in the morning – kind of like eating a chocolate chip cookie for breakfast. The oatmeal lets you pretend it’s healthy!

The original recipe called for raisins – but of course I substituted chocolate chips – for obvious reasons. 🙂

I’m thinking some craisins or dried cherries would also be yummy.

Just don’t forget some chocolate.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Scones

1 cup flour
3 tablespoon brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup butter
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and baking powder.

Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture looks like pebbles.

Stir in the oatmeal and chocolate chips. Set aside.

Combine the beaten egg and milk. Add it to the oatmeal mixture and stir until just moistened. It will be sticky.

On a lightly floured surface, pat dough unto a 7 inch circle. Cut into 12 wedges. Place a cookie sheet. Brush with milk.

Bake 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars

We had some eggs in the fridge that needed to be used, so I asked Dagmar to make something yummy.

She could make anything she wanted – just use up some of the eggs!

She buried herself in cookbooks and the recipe file looking for that perfect recipe.

I walked through the kitchen later and saw her busy at work with pans all over the counter and wonderful smells saturating the house.

She finally pulled the masterpiece out of the oven – warm and gooey and full of wonderful chocolate peanut butter goodness.

I asked her how many eggs she used.

She looked at me blankly. “Eggs?”

Oops. She hadn’t used any. 🙂

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars
(recipe from Pillsbury Baking Cookbook)

2-1/4 cups oatmeal
1-1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped salted peanuts

Beat together the oatmeal, brown sugar, flour, baking soda, and butter until crumbly. Reserve 2 cups for topping. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 greased pan. Set aside.

In another bowl, mix condensed milk, peanut butter, and vanilla until well blended. Pour over the base. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and peanuts. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs. Press down gently.

Bake 25-35 minutes or until golden brown (the center will not be set). Cool completely, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

World’s Greatest Peanut Butter Cookies

World's Best Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies This recipe has some history!

I originally got it from my oldest sister Becky, who got it from a friend. I made them often for my adorable nephews when I lived with them my last semester of college.

I took the recipe with me when I moved into my first apartment and would take them to school to treat my students.

They were my “never-fail- go-to cookies”.

So – of course – it was these cookies that I made for a certain good-looking blond guy in the singles group that I wanted to impress.

And of course – they failed. Miserably. (To this day I wonder what – in my twitter-pated state – I left out when I made them!)

Would you believe that he ate them anyway and declared them them to be the best cookies ever.

Of course I married him – and the cookies have never failed since! 🙂

World’s Greatest Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
12 ounces chocolate chips

Cream together the margarine, peanut butter, white sugar and brown sugar.

Add the flour and baking soda.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop by teaspoonful on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for about 10-12 minutes.

Note that these cookies don’t have eggs! That means you can eat as much dough as you would like with no worries – I know we do!

Some day I might just mix up the dough and not bake it – just leave it in the fridge and eat it!

Enjoy!

I’ve linked this post up with Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed With Grace, Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, and Tuesdays at the Table at All the Small Stuff.

Ho Ho Bars

This recipe has been my nemesis.

My good friend Lorine first served us a batch of these yummy bars several years ago – and even shared the recipe.

I’ve been trying ever since to duplicate them – but my filling never got to the heights of fluffy wonderfulness that hers did.

Until now. 🙂

I made these beauties for our 4H Pizza Party and sent all the kids home in a sugar induced frenzy. I’m sure their moms love me.

And – considering the fact that they contain a whopping pound of butter and a full 4 cups of sugar – I’m sure that you all will love me too!

One more warning – these made a large pan – so either have a 4H Club of kids waiting to help you eat these or half the recipe!

Ho Ho Bars

Brownie Layer:

1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup water
4 Tablespoons cocoa
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda

Filling:

1 – 1/2 cup milk
5 Tablespoons flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup utter or margarine, softened
1 cup Crisco
2 teaspoons vanilla

Frosting:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup milk
1 cup chocolate chips

Start with the brownies. In a saucepan bring the butter,cocoa and water to a boil. Remove from heat and add flour, sugar, and salt, mixing completely. Add eggs, milk, vanilla, and baking soda, stirring thoroughly.

Pour into a greased 12 x 18 inch jelly roll pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.

As soon as the brownies are in the oven – start the filling by whisking the flour and milk together in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until it forms a thick paste. Cool.

Beat the sugar, margarine, Crisco, and vanilla until creamy. Add cooled paste and continue beating on high for seven minutes – yes that’s 7 minutes.

Spread on the cooled cake and refrigerate for 1 hour.

After an hour, move on to the final step – the frosting. In a saucepan, heat the the sugar, butter and milk to boiling. Boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips. Stir until melted and quickly pour over the filling and refrigerate.

I would recommend keeping these in the fridge – the filling just stays firmer there. I would also cut these into small bars – there’s a reason my kids have nicknamed them “Diabietic Coma Bars”!

Enjoy!

I’ve linked this post up with Tasty Tuesday over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday over at At the Well, and Tuesdays at the Table over at All the Small Stuff.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Everybody has a signature cookie – the go-to recipe that never fails.

This one is mine.

The original recipe “Oatmeal Crispies” came from my Grandma Griner and were a staple in her kitchen when my mom was growing up.

Later they were a staple in my mom’s kitchen. She added chocolate chips and would often bake them as bars.

Now that I’m the mom – I did some more substituting to make them my own.

I added peanut butter in place of some of the margarine and I added baking powder.

The result is my signature cookie – and it is a staple in my kitchen!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (aka Auntie M Cookies)

1 cups peanut butter
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
6 cups oatmeal
2 cups chocolate chips or M & M’s or combination

Cream together the peanut butter, margarine, white sugar and brown sugar.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add the vanilla.

In a separate bowl mix the flour, soda, baking powder, salt and oatmeal. Add to the creamed mixture and mix well. The dough will be very thick.

Stir in the chocolate chips and M & M’s.

Drop by teaspoonful on ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes or until just starting to brown.

You can grind the oatmeal in the blender before you add it to the flour mixture. It gives a great oatmeal flavor without the extra chewiness.

These travel well and keep really well in the freezer.

Enjoy!

Velvet Almond Fudge Cake

This recipe is one of the original recipes in my very own recipe file.

Back in junior high I began clipping recipes from magazines and experimenting with them. Some were keepers, some were not.

This was a keeper.

I don’t remember what magazine I copied it from, but it is hand written in pencil in my junior high handwriting. (That brings back memories!)

It was just as good today as it was back then!

The Velvet Almond Fudge Cake

1 – 1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped
1 package chocolate chips (12 ounces)
1 package (2 layer) chocolate cake mix
1 package (4 serving) instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond

Grease a 10 inch tube or Bundt cake pan.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of almonds on the bottom. Set aside the cake pan and the remaining almonds.

In a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, water, oil, vanilla and almond extracts.

Beat at medium speed for 4 minutes. Stir in the chocolate chips and the set aside almonds.

Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 70 minutes or until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool in the pan 15 minutes. Remove and continue to cool on a rack.

To serve, garnish with whipped cream or (my favorite) serve with a large scoop of ice cream and drizzled with chocolate syrup.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Toffee Bars

We’ve had a change of plans tonight.

We were going to some friends to enjoy homemade pizza – but since the snow plow hasn’t been by yet, and the snow keeps falling, we’ll stay at home.

It’s going to be another one of those snowy – stay – in – and watch a movie – kind of family nights.

Perfect for cuddling, and quilts, and of course – chocolate!

But then – every night is perfect for chocolate!

These yummy treats were fast and easy to make – and won’t last long!

Chocolate Toffee Bars

Crust:

1 cup flour
1/2 packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine (softened)

Topping;

1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts (we used walnuts)

For the crust: Mix together the flour and brown sugar. Cut in the butter until crumbs are formed. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9 x 13 inch pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Let the crust cool slightly while mixing up the topping.

Mix the brown sugar, flour, eggs, and baking powder until well-blended. Stir in the chocolate chips and the nuts.

Pour the topping evenly over the crust. Bake at 375 degrees for 18 – 20 minutes longer or until it is a deep golden brown and the center is set.

Cool completely before cutting and indulging!

Enjoy!

Chocolate – Chocolate Chip Cookies

What’s more wonderful than a chocolate chop cookie?

A double chocolate chip cookie of course!

My sister Sandy made these as part of her Christmas baking this year and shared some with me. (You’d think she liked me or something!)

You really don’t want to know how many I ate. To be honest – I think I lost count. But at least I didn’t hide them from the children! 🙂

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter or margarine (softened)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup baking cocoa
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup pecans or walnuts
1 cup chocolate chips

Combine flour and baking soda and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add vanilla. Beat in the egg.

At low speed beat in cocoa followed by the milk.

Carefully stir in the dry ingredients with a spoon until just blended. Stir in the chips and nuts.

Drop by rounded teaspoonful on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-13 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before removing to wire racks.

Enjoy!

Banana Split Muffins

I love it whenever I can sneak chocolate into the breakfast menu – and these muffins are a great way to do it!

This recipe came from my mom – it’s on page 57 of the family cookbook she put together for us several years ago. I think it’s the most stained and well-used page in my cookbook. (The Liver Creole page looks pristine however!)

When bananas are cheap, I buy a bunch and freeze them. Then I thaw out the number I need to make these and treat us all to these family favorites.

If your kids don’t like the cherries or nuts – or if you don’t have them – just leave them out. I’ve made the basic recipe with just chocolate chips and it was wonderful!

Personally I love the extras, and it does taste a little like my favorite banana splits!

Banana Split Muffins

1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed bananas (about 2)
1/2 cup maraschino cherries (snipped)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup nuts, chopped (I’ve used peanuts, walnuts, and pecans)

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, blending completely. Add flour, soda, salt, bananas, and mix well.

Mix in the cherries, chocolate chips, and nuts.

Pour into greased or lined muffin tins.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.