School Lunch Peanut Butter Bars

My sister and I wanted to make some friends something that would be easy, but also delicious, so we made these! They taste JUST like the ones you get from elementary school lunch!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C Flour

1¼ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Baking Soda

¾ C Butter

¾ C Sugar

¾ C Brown Sugar

1 ½ tsp. Vanilla

1 1/2 C Creamy Peanut Butter (split)

2 Eggs

1 ½ C Quick Oats

Frosting:

½ C Butter (1 stick)

3 ½ C Powdered Sugar

2 T Cocoa

¼ C Milk (I use whatever I have in the fridge)

1 tsp. Vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugars, 3/4 C peanut butter, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add dry ingredients, just until incorporated. Then, stir in the oats. Spread onto a greased 11 x 15 Jelly Roll Pan (cookie sheet). Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes.

The frosting is a two step process. First, whip the remaning ¾ C Creamy Peanut Butter until it becomes lighter colored and fluffy. Carefully spread the whipped peanut butter over the pan cookie.

Then, add butter to a small sauce pan and melt the butter. Add the milk and cocoa. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Heat just until boiling. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Then, gradually add the powdered sugar. Stir until thickened. Pour over the peanut butter and gently spread over the cookie. Cool completely, and slice into bar cookies

Texas Sheet Cake

This recipe is one I got from a good friend. It was her grandma's recipe, and it is so very yummy!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup sour milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp baking soda.
• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 Tbs cocoa
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, vanilla, sour milk, eggs, and baking soda. Set aside.

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat melt butter, water, oil, cocoa, and salt. Add to the flour mixture and blend. Pour into a greased cookie sheet/sheet cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

For the Frosting:
Ingredients:

• 1 cube butter
• 3 Tbs cocoa
• 5 Tbs milk
• 3 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Directions: Melt butter and  cocoa over medium heat in the pan you used for the cake, or a small pan. Add the milk and powdered sugar.
*Frost cake while still hot*

Homemade Twix

These are even better than the real Twix!


For shortbread:
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar

To make the shortbread layer preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 9x13 pan with parchment paper. In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir with fork and set aside. In an electric mixer beat butter and sugar on medium until blended about 1-2 minutes. Add dry ingredients. Put in prepared pan, and press evenly. Bake 15-18 minutes or until golden. Cool completely

For caramel:
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
4 tbsp. light corn syrup
2 (14oz) cans sweetened condensed milk

For caramel combine butter, sugar, corn syrup, and condensed milk in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until butter is melted. Increase heat to medium high and brig to a boil. Simmer on reduced heat and stir constantly until about 248 degrees Fahrenheit. Or a firm ball. It will be a soft caramel layer. Poor over shortbread, smooth and cool.


For ganache topping:
1 12oz package (or 2 cups) dark chocolate chips
1 cup whipped cream or half and half

Put both ingredients in small sauce pan over low heat and stir constantly until chocolate is melted. Poor over caramel and if desired sprinkle with salt. Let cool completely before serving.

lemon bars

lick them bowls!  (no spatulas were licked in the making of these lemon bars.)

Reicipe:

Crust

• 1 cup soft margarine
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups flour
• dash of salt

Combine margarine, powdered sugar, flour, and salt.  Mix well.  Press into a 9"x13"x2" pan, push up sides a little

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Filling

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 4 beaten eggs
• 6 Tablespoons lemon juice

Combine sugar and flour, and pour into beaten eggs.  Add lemon juice.  Mix well and pour into slightly cooled crust. 

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Cool slightly and sprinkle powdered sugar on top.