Tag: oats

Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars

I love painted furniture. I know it’s not for everyone, but our house would be filled with painted pieces if not for self-control. They fit into our little country house well.

I have painted several pieces over the years. Most of which is in our house today. One of my all-time favorites is our old entertainment center. At one time, everybody that was anybody had an entertainment center. But like everything else, their day in the sun ended.

We ended up removing the center section that held our television. Greg pulled the backing from the other two pieces and added barn wood from the farm instead. Then he connected the pieces, making one long piece, and I painted it a beautiful Annie Sloan Old White. It served as a coffee bar in the kitchen for a while but has finally found a home in the dining room as a beautiful display for all my blue and white treasures, some of which I inherited from my mom.

The furniture pieces I love the most are those I painted in neutral colors. In fact, everything I painted in other colors has either been painted over, or I no longer own them, which leads to my dilemma.

I have been trying to get my mom’s dark cherry China cabinet moved to my house for over a year. Her favorite color was blue, and I planned to paint the cabinet a beautiful blue with white or cream on the inside. This would be a great way to honor my mom with a piece she loved. But now that I have it here and am ready to work on it, I’m starting to doubt my choice.

I’m afraid it will be too much. I’ll get it painted, and it will simply be more than I want. I don’t know why I am second-guessing myself. Stay tuned for future developments. I will share pictures of the pieces I have painted and get your opinions.

One thing I am not second-guessing is these incredible peanut butter bars from www.houseofnasheats.com. I loved these and am not even a huge peanut butter lover. I recently took two trays of these bars to a church luncheon, bringing both platters home empty! That’s a good sign!

These delicious bars are called Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars, and they taste like the tasty treats I remember having at school. Back when school lunches were actually good.

This recipe makes a large 13 x 18-inch pan and bakes quickly. In fact, because the first dessert I made was not good, I started these at 11 PM, and by placing the pan in the freezer to cool, I was in bed at a decent time.

The peanut butter bars are soft, chewy, and incredibly addictive!

Print Pin

Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars

Course Dessert
Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

BARS

  • 1 cup salted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter divided
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour scooped and leveled
  • 2 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt

FROSTING

  • 1/2 cup salted butter softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350℉. Spray a half-sheet baking pan (13 x 18-inch) pan with a rim, with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and 1 cup peanut butter in a mixer until creamy and light.
  • Add eggs and vanilla extract, then beat again, scraping the bottom and sides of bowl.
  • Add the flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Mix just until combined. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan with spatula.
  • Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and barely set in the center. DO NOT OVERBAKE!
  • Remove from oven. While bars are still hot, melt the remaining 1 1/2 cups of peanut butter in the microwave for 1 minute. Drizzle over the top of bars and spread into an even layer. Cool completely. (The freezer helps!)
  • Make the chocolate frosting by beating the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk and vanilla with an electric mixer, until smooth. Spread in an even layer over cooled bars. Cut into squares.

Banana Oat Pecan Waffles

Banana Oat Pecan Waffles

My mother is an amazing lady. All of my life, she has mostly been a very joyful person, loving life and laughter. That does not mean her life has not had its share of heartbreak.

She grew up one of seven children in the household of a poor farmer. She lost two brothers before she graduated high school. She met the love of her life (my dad) and married him at 17 years old. Before she was 24 years old, she carried two babies to almost full-term. When they were born, each of them lived two days.

Her life has been littered with stories like this. She has had more sorrow in her life than I have ever faced. Yet, after the sunset, her choice was always joy.

Mama thinks I have always been a daddy’s girl. In some ways, she is right. Mama is the one I call when I need a shoulder to cry on or a friend to talk to. She is the one I have called for advice. Sure, daddy was my hero, but mama has been my role model and my biggest supporter. She loves me unconditionally and has prayed for me since before I took my first breath. I am thankful beyond words for this God-loving woman that I have been able to love my whole life.

Mother’s Day is the most popular day of the year in the United States to dine out at a restaurant. Aren’t crowds what we avoid these days?  Pamper mom at home with breakfast in bed. These Banana Oat Pecan Waffles are not your everyday wimpy waffles. They are substantial and seriously filling. Pair them with fresh fruit and bacon for a tasty breakfast treat.

Listen up, dads out there; kids love to help in the kitchen! Make this an extra special treat for mom by getting the kiddos involved. She will love it, but please, remember the clean the kitchen!

 

Banana Oat Pecan Waffles
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Banana Oat Pecan Waffles

Makes 8 waffles
Course Breakfast
Servings 4 people
Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
  • 2 brown bananas peeled and mashed
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 - 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

  • In a large bowl whisk the flour, oats, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together. Set aside.
  • In another bowl whick together the mashed bananas, vanilla, buttermilk, and egg.
  • Pour the wet ingredients in the dry ingredients and stir to combine, just until combined, but do not overmix.
  • Stir in pecans.
  • Heat the waffle iron according to manufacturers directions. Spray with nonstick cooking spray when the waffle iron is ready. Drop batter onto iron, close lid and cook until waffles are golden brown.
  • Serve warm with butter and maple syrup.

Notes

For an extra-special treat sprinkle top of cooked waffles with powdered sugar and ground cinnamon.  

Caramel Blonde Brownies

caramel-blonde-brownies-3

I really hate to admit to you guys that I have started yet another diet.  You know from following me that I have been a yo-yo dieter all of my adult life.   When the cook in the house is on a diet though, the whole family goes on a diet.  We have been eating healthier for 3 or 4 weeks now, so that is an accomplishment!  With my track record, I am taking it one day at a time.

While looking through old recipes, I found this in my drafts.  I had the recipe and picture on here with the description of the recipe but nothing else.  So, this is for those of you that are not counting calories or carbs or anything at all.  Here is a terrific brownie recipe!

The word “brownies” alone makes my mouth water. These Caramel Blonde Brownies are extremely easy and marvelous! The melted caramel combined with chocolate and the brown sugar oat crust and topping is simply fantastic!  Cool completely for easy cutting.

Caramel Blonde Brownies
 
Author:
Serves: 32
Print
 
Ingredients
  • 1 (13-oz.) pkg. vanilla caramels, unwrapped (about 48 caramels(
  • 3 tbsp. milk
  • 1⅔ c. all-purpose flour
  • 1⅔ c. old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1¼ c. packed brown sugar
  • ¾ tsp. baking soda
  • 1 c. butter, melted
  • 1¼ c. semi-sweet chocolate pieces
Instructions
  1. In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the unwrapped caramels and the milk. Cover and cook the mixture over low heat for about 15 minutes or until caramels melt, stirring the mixture occasionally.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and butter until well combined. Reserve about 1 cup of the oat mixture. Press remaining oat mixture into bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan to form an oatmeal crust.
  3. Bake the crust in a 350° F oven for 8 minutes. Remove pan from oven.
  4. Spread the melted caramel mixture evenly over crust in pan. Sprinkle with chocolate pieces. Sprinkle with reserved oat mixture.
  5. Return to 350° F oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until the top is golden.
  6. Transfer pan to a wire rack and cool well. Cut into bars.