Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

Ingredients:

Bars

• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Frosting

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º F and line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper or grease and flour it.  I used Pam with flour ... happy baking.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, oatmeal and baking soda, and set aside.

In a large bowl or mixer, cream together peanut butter, butter and sugars until fluffy and lightened in color. 3-4 minutes.

Beat in egg and vanilla extract, then gradually mix in dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
Press dough/batter into baking dish and even out into a smooth layer.

Bake for 13-14 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool completely.

In a bowl or mixer, beat together butter, peanut butter and vanilla until combined, and smooth and creamy.  Alternate adding powdered sugar and milk until mixture is fluffy and desired consistency is reached.

Once bars have completely cooled, from baking dish, cut into squares, frost liberally and enjoy!

Myrtle's Note:  First, the frosting is so spectacular that it should be used in ALL instances where peanut butter frosting is needed.  Second, I think it is so incredible because I, obviously, switched one ingredient: milk to heavy cream!  Frosting aside, this is a very tasty recipe, one which I highly recommend if you are, like me, a fan of peanut butter.  And, speaking of peanut butter, I used Peanut Butter & Co.'s The Bee's Knees Honey Peanut Butter.  Anyway, the base is like a combination brownie and cookie, with a bit of oatmeal texture to it; the frosting is like fluffy ambrosia clouds atop the base.  You will, however, have enough frosting left over to almost frost a cake.  I froze the rest for later and did not bother trying to reduce down the frosting recipe.  It is perfection.  You simply do not mess with perfection!  

Yield:  12-16 bars

Source:  http://12tomatoes.com/2015/04/for-the-ultimate-pb-lovers-peanut-butterfrosted-oatmeal-peanut-butter-bars.html/?utm_source=social&utm_medium=12t&utm_campaign=for-the-ultimate-pb-lovers-peanut-butterfrosted-oatmeal-peanut-butter-bars&utm_term=20150710

Creamy Lemon Crumb Squares

Ingredients:

• 1-1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar (lightly Packed)
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces)
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• zest of 1 Lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Directions:

Mix butter and brown sugar until well combined.  Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.  Add oats and flour to butter/sugar mixture and mix to combine.

Press half of crumb mixture into the bottom of an 8 x 11 inch pan.

Mix together condensed milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Spread onto the bottom layer of the crumb mixture. Top with the other half of the crumb mixture, but don't press.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Allow pan to sit on counter for 30 minutes after baking. Cut into squares and refrigerate for a couple of hours or until cool.  Serve cool.

Myrtle's Note:  The perfect lemon square, in my opinion.  PERFECT!  I just love, love, love the idea of a lemon square with an oatmeal crisp instead of that shortbread type crust.  Having the crisp on top or bottom works just as well.  

Yield:  12-16

Source:  http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/03/creamy-lemon-crumb-squares/

Blueberry Lime Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rolled oats 
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon lime zest
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.


Directions:

Grease a muffin pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the sour cream and oats so that the latter will soften.  Beat the eggs and set aside.  Zest a table spoon of lime and set aside.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and set aside.

Add the butter, oil, eggs, sugars, vanilla extract. and lime zest into the sour cream and oat mixture until thoroughly mixed.  Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredient and mix until the batter just comes together. You don’t want to over work the batter as this will affect the muffin’s rising in the oven so it’s okay if it’s lumpy. Gently stir in the blueberries (if using frozen, do not thaw them first).

Divide the batter into the muffin pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned on top and when a knife inserted into the muffin comes out clean.  Best when served warm.


Myrtle's Note:  I didn't feel like cleaning an extra pot, so I just used really softened butter.  The only changes I made to the recipe was to rework the directions a bit to remind myself how to make them next time.  They are not sweet at all, but full of oat flavor.  I think they would be great for breakfast or an afternoon snack.


Yield:  12 muffins

Source:  http://www.homesicktexan.com/2012/08/blueberry-lime-oatmeal-muffins.html

White Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 tablespoon cream
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 12 oz white chocolate chips
• 10 oz dried cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Directions:

In a small bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, salt cinnamon, and nutmeg and set aside.

Beat together brown sugar, butter, and white sugar in large bowl until creamy.  Next, beat in the eggs, cream, and vanilla extract until a bit fluffy.

Gradually stir flour mixture into the butter mixture until well combined.  Then, add oats, white chocolate chips and dried cherries. Mix together until these are pretty evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Drop tablespoon sized portions of the cookie dough onto a stoneware baking sheet (or a greased metal one).  Bake for approximately 11-13 minutes. Keep on eye on them.  Undercooking them ever so slightly keeps them nice and chewy.  Allow to cookies to cool on a rack and enjoy!


Myrtle's Note:  All I changed was half-and-half to cream, because why would anyone use half-and-half when cream is available?  These cookies are DIVINE! My photo shows them a bit squished because I was impatient about moving them to the cooling rack.  But should photography matter when such tastiness is before you?

Yield ~60 cookies


Source:  http://www.foxnews.com/recipe/white-chocolate-cherry-oatmeal-cookies

Dr Pepper Oatmeal Cake

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 1 1/4 cups Dr Pepper (not diet)
• 1 cup rolled oats (not instant)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of ground allspice
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For the icing:

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup buttermilk or half and half
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.


Directions:

Grease a 9x9 cake pan and set aside.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and kosher salt and set aside.   Pour the Dr Pepper over the oats and let it sit for 10 minutes or until the oats are hydrated.  Beat the eggs and set aside.

Cream together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until well blended. Add the beaten eggs and vanilla and stir until fluffy.  Add in flour mixture and then Dr Pepper and oatmeal to the creamed butter and eggs and stir until a thick batter is formed.

Pour the cake batter into the pan and bake uncovered for 35-45 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool.  On low heat, melt the butter, and then stir in the brown sugar, buttermilk, cinnamon, and salt.  Allow to simmer until it begins to look sticky.  Then pour over cake and put the cake back into the oven under a broiler for approximately 30 seconds so that the icing will become crispy.

Allow cake to cool again before cutting.


Myrtle's Note:  I do not like nuts or coconut in desserts, so I completely left them off of the icing.  In the original recipe, there is the suggestion to use a different icing in that case, but I stuck with the other ingredients.  I went ahead and put the cake back in the oven, per the directions, and the icing turned into something that looks like cinnamon toast.  Nice a crispy.  Except for the one spot that was a bit thick.  However, there recipe calls for putting the icing on a warm cake and I think it would work much better on a cooled cake, because my icing basically soaked into the top and sides of the cake.   Since there was no instruction to let the cake cool before cutting, I tried to cut it as soon as the icing cooled a bit.  The cake was still quite warm and crumbled into a million—albeit tasty—pieces.  Basically, I've changed the recipe to fit my tastes.  If you are a nut sort of person, follow the link to the original one.


Yield: 12-16 servings

Source:  http://www.homesicktexan.com/2012/01/dr-pepper-oatmeal-cake-coconut-topping.html

Strawberry Oatmeal Bars

Ingredients

• 2 sticks salted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for greasing pan
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cup oats
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• One 10 to 12-ounce jar strawberry preserves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch rectangular pan.

Mix together the butter, flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Press half the oat mixture into the prepared pan. Spread with the strawberry preserves. Sprinkle the other half of the oat mixture over the top and pat lightly. Bake until light brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely, and then cut into squares.

Note:  I added cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract to this recipe.

Yield:  24 bars


Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/strawberry-oatmeal-bars-recipe/index.html#?oc=linkback

Maple Oatmeal Bars

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raw sugar (or granulated sugar) 
• 1/4 cup butter 
• 1/4 cup applesauce 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1 egg 
• 1/2 cup maple syrup 
• 1 cup whole rolled oats 
• 2/3 cup flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and blend. Add maple syrup and applesauce. Mix oats, flour, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Fold into the mixture. Bake in a greased 8x8 pan for 30 minutes.

Yield: 9


Source: Facebook post