Granola Bars

4 1/2 c rolled oats (regular, not quick)
1 c flour (I used whole wheat flour, but white would work too)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 c butter, melted
1/2 c honey
1/3 c brown sugar, packed
1/2 c mini chocolate chips (raisins, craisins, other dried fruit, whatever you like!)

Combine all ingredients but the chocolate chips (or whatever you are putting in). Mix and then add the chocolate chips in and mix again. Press into a greased pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 18-22 minutes. Enjoy!!

I used a jelly roll pan and they were a little thinner than we wanted. So, adjust to how think you want them. Also, 18 minutes allowed for crispy edges and soft center. However, I think I would cook it for less for a softer bar.

Trent's Easy Soda Syrup

2 cups sugar
1 cup water
2 packages of Kool-Aid

Stir sugar into water until dissolved. Bring sugar and water to a rolling boil.  Remove from heat.  Stir in Kool-Aid packets and let cool. 

Use 1/2 cup of syrup with 1 liter of carbonated water to make flavored soda.

Refrigerate remaining syrup.

Snappy Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients:
20 Cherry tomatoes
2/3 C cheddar cheese, shredded
½ C whole kernel corn (I use frozen)
1 pkg. of cream cheese, softened
2 green onions, sliced
½ tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:
1. Cut top off of each tomato. Using a spoon or melon baller, remove the seeds and pulp. (I pick bigger cherry tomatoes…it makes this step SOOO much easier!)
2. Combine cheddar cheese, corn, cream cheese, onions and cayenne. Mix well.
3. Fill tomatoes with cheese mixture. (I piped mine.)
4. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
5. Garnish with cilantro and green onions, if desired.


*These are super yummy! It won me a Magic Bullet at a Relief Society mid week meeting!

Kathy's Chocolate Bundt Cake

1 pkg chocolate cake mix (I absolutely think that Betty Crocker is the best)
1 pkg instant pudding (vanilla or chocolate)
4 eggs
1 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Mix all above ingredients together. Beat for 3 minutes. Grease and flour a bundt pan. Bale at 350 for 45 minutes (sooner if your oven cooks hot, you don't want it to be dry). Cool.
Frost with chocolate frosting or buttercream frosting with chocolate shavings.
(Kathy)
 
VARIATIONS:
 
Too Much Chocolate Cake
from AllRecipes
1 pkg devil's food cake mix
1 pkg (5.9 ounce) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
(Merideth)
 
Wendy's Variation
1 pkg chocolate cake mix
1 large package of instant chocolate pudding mix
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
 
Glaze:
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 T. butter
1 T. corn syrup
1 t. vanilla

Snickerdoodle Bars

2 1/3 Cup Flour
1 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Margarine (soft)
1 1/4 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup packed Brown Sugar
3 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla


Cinnamon Filling
2 T Sugar
1 ½ T Cinnamon


Glaze
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
2 T Milk
1/4 tsp Vanilla


Preheat oven to 350. Spray/ Grease 9x13 pan. Bottom only!
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. (set aside) Beat margarine until creamy, beat in sugars. Gradually add in eggs and vanilla. Then add slowly to dry ingredients.
Spoon 1/2 batter into pan- spread evenly then sprinkle with cinnamon filling.
Dollop teaspoons of remaining batter over the cinnamon filling.
Bake 20-25 min until golden brown.( the last 5 min go really fast don't overcook)
Cool completely then mix glaze and drizzle over bars.
Enjoy!

Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2 sticks softened butter
3/4 Cup granulated sugar
1 Cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 Tablespoons pure vanilla
1/4 Cup burnt caramel sauce (you can use any caramel sauce here)
3 3/4 Cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
12 oz bag mini chocolate chips
1 1/2 Cups chopped good quality chocolate

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars until well combined. Beat in the eggs and vanilla following the caramel sauce until well combined.
2. Place the flour, salt and baking soda into a large bowl; mix. Slowly add to wet ingredients then the chocolate chips. Save chunks for later.
3. Place 1/4 Cup of cookie dough and place into muffin top cups. Press down then sprinkle with a pinch or two of sea salt then press chocolate chunks over top. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until just golden around edges. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Serve with milk!!
18 Large cookies

Merideth’s note: I don’t have a muffin top pan, so I just made regular cookies on a sheet. They were plenty big. I also just used regular caramel ice cream topping.

Apple Dippin’ Peanut Butter Cookies

1 stick softened butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 Cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 Cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
3/4 Cup vanilla flavored granola clusters
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Cup diced apples, about 1/4 inch, I used fuji
1/2 Cup turbinado sugar, or other sugar of choice to roll cookies in

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer, cream butter and sugars until light mixed well. Beat in peanut butter until combined then add the egg and vanilla until well combined.
2. In a large bowl mix together the flour, granola, baking soda and salt. Slowly mix into the wet ingredients following the apples until just combined. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough, roll into sugar then place onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. With tines of a fork, press down slightly making an X on top of each cookie. Bake for 8-9 minutes, cookies should look somewhat soft inside when you take them out. Let cool/finish baking out of oven for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.
3. Grab some milk and dig in!

3 dozen cookies