Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

Chocolate + peanut butter + quick and easy recipe = what's not to like?

Ingredients:

- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1 cup (6 oz) chocolate chips

- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13" pan.

In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugars, and peanut butter with an electric mixer, until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Gradually beat into the creamed mixture. Mix well.

Spread into the prepared pan. Sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips.

Bake for 18-23 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

For icing, combine powdered sugar, peanut butter, and milk, adjusting proportions as necessary to yield the appropriate consistency. Drizzle over bars. Cool completely before slicing.

Parmesan Creamed Corn

Becky actually kind of liked this one.

Ingredients:

•  1/3 c Swiss cheese
  
•  1 1/2 cups half and half (original was heavy cream but doesn't have to be that rich)
  
•  24 oz (can put at least half of it in the blender)
•  3/4 teaspoon salt, to taste
•  1 teaspoon sugar

•  2 tablespoons butter, melted 
  
•  3 tablespoons flour (2 T gluten free flour with 1 T cornstarch)
•  1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle Swiss over the bottom of a 9x9 pan. 

Heat half and half until it begins to boil. Add the corn, salt, and sugar. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is almost boiling.

In the meantime, make a paste out of the remaining melted butter and flour. Stir the paste into the mixture in the saucepan. Cook until thickened and the liquid comes to a boil.

Remove the pan from heat. Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 cup cheese.

Bake until bubbling and golden brown, about 15 minutes at 375 + 5 min at 425 degrees.