Toasted Oats, Peanut Butter, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

My morning today was all about back to school!  Made coffee the night before, set everything for 6 a.m., got Emma up and rolling and we were off!   Once back home in the quiet and peaceful house, I settled in at the desk to check my emails, foodbuzz, blogs, etc.   On foodbuzz I noted a great blog post from Erin at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts; the Hershey's Double Peanut Butter Bar.   What a great idea - so I ran into the kitchen but ended up making modifications for a slightly different After School Snack!   Check out Erin's food blog at www.dinnersdishesanddesserts.com for more of her wonderful recipes and thanks for the inspiration!

Toasted Oats, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Ingredients:

• 1/2 C butter, softened
• 1 C crunchy peanut butter
• 1 C brown sugar, packed
• 3 eggs
• 1 T molasses
• 1 t vanilla
• 2 1/4 C flour
• 1 C rolled oats, toasted
• 2 t baking powder
• 1 t salt
• 1 1/2 C chocolate chips

Directions:   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Grease a 13x9 inch baking pan.   Toast oats in a saute pan over medium heat and set aside.   Mix butter and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl until combined.   Add sugar, mixing well.   Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one then add molasses and vanilla.   Sift together flour, baking powder and salt and stir into wet peanut butter mixture.   Add toasted oats and chocolate chips and mix well.

Spread batter into greased baking pan evenly and bake for about 22 minutes.   Cool, then cut into desired sizes.

No Bake Peanut Butter Balls

This is a delicious and quick snack for children of ALL ages!   Emma wants to be able to make healthy snacks for her and her friends and this is one we all enjoyed.   With the start of summer right around the corner, it's important to have nutritious yet tasty snacks ready available - a grab and go - that will satisfy them.   It's too easy to grab a bag of chips.   These no bake peanut butter balls store easily in the frig and were gone in a day!

No Bake Peanut Butter Balls

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 C Old fashioned rolled oats (oatmeal)
• 1 1/2 C nonfat dry milk
• 1 C creamy peanut butter
• 1 T cocoa powder
• 4 T butter
• 2 T honey
• 1 t vanilla

Directions:   Toast the oatmeal in a saute pan over medium high heat until light brown, making sure it doesn't burn.   Turn into a medium mixing bowl.   Add the dry milk, peanut butter and cocoa powder to the oatmeal and combine all the ingredients.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter.   Stir in the honey and remove from heat.   Add the vanilla, mixing well and pour over the peanut butter mixture.   Stir well to incorporate and refrigerate for 30 minutes to cool.

Shape the mixture into balls and place onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Serve plain or have fun rolling the peanut butter balls through crushed nuts, cocoa powder, chocolate jimmies or any other fun topping.