Peanut Butter Bars

Let me tell you first, there were three things I loved in our elementary school's cafeteria when I was growing up: chicken fried steak, plain spaghetti noodles with shredded cheese on them (this is when I also realized my love for plain noodles and cheese), and the peanut butter bars.

I have tried many recipes trying to find the peanut butter bar recipe that tasted exactly how I remembered and lo and behold, I found it. Maybe all of you already have this recipe, but I've been in heaven all week devouring these things.

The only thing was they weren't thick enough, so next time I'll either double the recipe or make them in a 9x13 pan.

• 1/2 c. butter or margarine
• 1/2 c. white sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar packed
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c. peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/4 c. oatmeal

Cream together first 4 ingredients. Mix in vanilla and peanut butter. In separate bowl combine dry ingredients. If too sticky add a little more flour. Gradually add in the peanut butter mixture. Spread into ungreased 11x13 cookie sheet.. Bake 325 for approx 12 min. Make sure to NOT overbake. Cool slightly then spread thin layer of peanut butter over entire thing- cool all the way. Frost with favorite fudge frosting recipe. I just used the basic recipe out of the red and white checkered recipe book (what is that Better Homes and Garden?).

Confetti Bean Dip

I've had lots of requests for this recipe, so here it is! I don't have a picture of it though. So next time I make it, I'll take a pic and put it on here. You'll just have to trust that it is DELICIOUS, without seeing the pic! ;)

Confetti Bean Dip

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can shoepeg corn, no need to drain
6 roma tomatoes, diced
3 avocadoes, diced
Fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime

Mix above ingredients together, then mix:

1 pkg. dry Italian dressing mix
1/4 cup white vinegar

Add that mixture to the rest, stir, and enjoy!
Serve with tortilla chips.

Blueberry Muffin Mix Cookies

We almost always make a dessert on Sunday, and it's usually brownies. But I wasn't in the mood to put that much work into it and I didn't want something too heavy. Because of a sale on muffin mixes a while ago I had a couple left in our food storage. I didn't want muffins, but I thought maybe I could make something out of the mixes. After looking online and tweaking the recipe a tad we came up with these. They were so good and light feeling.

Sorry they are blurry, but I didn't want to take another one.

Two- 7 oz packages of bluebery muffin mix

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp melted margarine or butter

Mix well. Drop by teaspoonfuls on a sprayed cookie sheet. Bake 350 for 11-12 min or when slightly gold on edge. As soon as they come out flatten with the back side of a spatula. Cool on rack for 5 min. Frost with any frosting, we just happen to have a little cream cheese frosting left in our fridge so I used that. So easy. Any muffin mix will do.

Pear and Feta Salad

Dressing:
3 tbsp pure maple syrup
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp canola oil
salt/pepper to taste

Salad:
Lettuce of your choice
Feta Cheese crumbles (or blue cheese)
Dried cranberries
Toasted walnuts
Diced pear

Toss until combined.

Cookies & Cream Freeze

Here's another Kraft Foods recipe. I made this for a Summer Party last Summer and it was delicious. Marty also made this for my Mother's Day dessert. We tried it with Mint Oreos this time and both were yummy! Here's a good way to use all those Oreos you may be getting using a certain coupon off Facebook that I get the first Monday of every month! I've got to stop printing that coupon. :)

Cookies & Cream Freeze

4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

14 OREO Cookies, divided

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

Melt chocolate as directed on package; set aside until ready to use. Line 8-1/2x4-1/2-inch loaf pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Arrange 8 of the cookies evenly on bottom of pan. Crumble remaining 6 cookies; set aside.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in medium bowl with electric mixer until well blended. Stir in whipped topping. Remove about 1-1/2 cups of the cream cheese mixture; place in medium bowl. Stir in melted chocolate.

Spread remaining cream cheese mixture over cookies in pan; sprinkle with crumbled cookies. Gently press cookies into cream cheese mixture with back of spoon; top with chocolate mixture. Cover. Freeze 3 hours or until firm. Remove from freezer about 15 min. before serving; invert onto serving plate. Peel off foil; let stand at room temperature to soften slightly before cutting to serve.

Easy Pleasing Meatloaf

This recipe is from Kraft Foods. I posted this recipe on my personal blog probably about a year ago now, but I really liked it! I don't make it very often, but I enjoy it when I do. Pardon my pictures, they don't look very appetizing, but they are what they are!

Easy Pleasing Meatloaf

2 lb lean ground beef
1 pkg (6 oz) Stove Top Stuffing mix for Chicken
1 cup water
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce, divided

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Place meat, stuffing mix, water, eggs, and 1/4 cup barbecue sauce in bowl. Mix just until blended. Shape into loaf in 13x9 inch baking dish. Top with remaining barbecue sauce. Bake one hour or until done (160 degrees Fahrenheit).
All ready to mix together. Gotta love playing with raw meat. :)
Ready to cook
All done!

This recipe makes a ton. It makes a whole 13x9 pan. I make it with potatoes (any variety) and a vegetable and dinner is served!