Oatmeal Bars

I get emails from Mr. Food. When I saw this recipe I decided to try it and loved it. I added raisins both dark and light, toffee bits with the chocolate chips. These would be great for kids lunches and to take for snack on any outing.

Oatmeal Bars

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. allspice
2 cups large flake oats
1 cup unnbleached flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup each of chocolate chips, raisins, toffee bits and golden raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven 350º.
Lightly grease 9 X 13" baking dish
In small sauce pan melt butter and syrup over low heat.
In large bowl, combine butter mixture, baking soda and allspice; mix well and let cool.
In medium bowl combine flour, oats, sugar and chocolate chips, raisins, toffee bits.
Add the flour to the butter mixture and mix well.
Press dough into prepared baking dish.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let cool for 10 minutes then immediately cut into bars; then let cool completely then cut again.
Do not miss this step as they will be to hard to cut after.

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Chocolate Chip Cookies with Ganache Stuffing

This is the second cookie I have made with a filling and I think this one was much better. The recipe can be found on Food and Wine. The chocolate chip cookie was also really good just on its own. The Ganache part made enough for another batch, so I will be making more of the cookies to go with it. The other cookie is Triple Chocolate Chip Sandwich Cookie.

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Ganache Stuffing

Ingredients:

1 cup + 2 Tbsp. unbleached flour
1 tsp. Baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

Ganache:
4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
5 tbsp. heavy cream
2 1/2 tbsp. light corn syrup
2 tbsp. crème fraîche or sour cream


Directions:

Preheat oven to 375º.
On a cookie sheet spread nuts and roast for about 8 minutes.
Let cool; then chop; set aside.
In small bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt; whisk.
In mixer bowl cream butter, sugars and vanilla; for about 1 minute.
Beat in the egg.
On low speed add flour mixture, and mix until just mixed.
Remove from mixer and add nuts and chocolate chips.
Spoon 1 tablespoon full onto un-greased cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
Put in frig for 30 minutes to chill dough.

Make ganache:
Put chocolate in medium bowl.
In a small sauce pan bring cream and corn syrup to a boil; pour over chocolate and let stand for 1 minute.
Whisk until smooth.
Whisk in crème fraîche.
Refrigerate for about 1 hour and stir occasionally until thick and spreadable.

When dough has chilled.
Remove from frig and bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Let cool on cookie sheet and then transfer to cooling rack.
Cool completely.
Take one cookie and spread ganache onto the bottom and then place another cookie on top.
Makes 18 cookies.

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