Carmelitos:

I read about these on a blog linked off Cristine's blog and had to try them. They are better than any ooohie gooie bar I have had.
2 cups oats
2 cups flour
1 and 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 and 1/2 sticks melted butter (this is not a typo it's a lot and I only use real butter)
1 package milk chocolate chips
1 jar Caramel (the person I got it from says it has to be Mrs. Richardson's but I have used Hersheys and if it is that much better then I would probabally sell a child for some)

Mix all ingredients except caramel and chocolate chips. Mix will be crumbly. Put 3/4 of the mix in a 9x13 pan . Bake at 375 degrees for 17 minutes. Take lid of caramel and microwave for 45 seconds - pour on top of baked mix, then pour bag of chocolate chips on. You can kind of mix them around a little if you want, careful not to dig up any of the baked portion. Use your hand to break up and sprinkle the rest of the crumbly mix over the top. You can use a spatula if you like to lightly pat it down. Bake 8 minutes more and voila! I like to make these the day before I actually need to serve them so they have plenty of time to set.

Air buns

This is Colletta Yerka's submition to the Hutchinson Branch cookbook given to me by my grandmother in-law. When I told Colletta that I was making them she said they were addicitive. She was right! They are different than any yeast bread I have made and she is right they are addicitve.

2 c boiling water
1 c sugar
1/2 c shortening
1 tsp salt
Stir all the above to melt shortening, then cool until warm.

1 1/8 tsp yeast
2 tbsp warm water
Dissolve these and add to water mixture. Then add:
2 eggs
7 c flour

Start at 4-5 PM. Knead ever hour until 9 PM. Grease pans. Make egg size buns. Grease tops or spray with Pam and cover with plastic wrap over night Bake at 6 AM at 375 for 20 minutes

Snickers Salad

I posted about the Sickkers Salad so I guess I should post the recipe. This one came out of my Betty Houston recipe but the one my friend made did not have has many candy bars. There were actually 2 submissions to the same book the other had a can of crushed pineapple and 1/2 c. peanuts. I guess it is all a matter of taste.
5 apples cubed
6 regular size Snickers bars cut in small pieces
8 oz cool whip
Combine all ingredients and chill until serving time.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 c. butter (room temp)
1 tsp vanilla
Add powdered sugar to desired consistency mixing with electric mixer.

Cristine's Sugar Cookies

1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs (room temp)
Cream together
Add:
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 c. buttermilk
3 c. flour
Refrigerate at least 3 hours. Roll and cut
**The dough for these is like a really thick cake batter. If it is cold it is easier to manage but it may be tempting to add more flour the warmer it gets. If I am making a lot I will take some dough and leave the bowl in the refrigerator. The more flour you add the tougher the final cookie.

Molten Chocolate Cake

I tore this recipe out of a magazine when I was waiting at the orthodontist because of the alluring picture. It is a individual cake that is cooked on the outside and gooey on the inside. The recipe was hung on the fridge for a month waiting for the holidays to justify buying the ceramic ramekins. We were not disappointed! I especially liked that I could make it a head of time and it was still hot out of the oven when it was time to serve dessert.
6 oz semi sweet chocolate (3/4 cup chips)
2 oz bittersweet chocolate (1/4 cup chips)
3/4 cup unsalted butter
3 egg yolks
3 whole eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup all purpose flour

Directions:
Butter 8 six-ounce ceramic ramekins and dust with flour. In a bowl over a double-boiler (or in the microwave) melt butter and chocolate, set aside and let cool. In a mixing bowl, use electric mixer to combine eggs and sugar until pale yellow batter holds is throughly mixed. Blend flour into egg-sugar mixture with the mixer for 3 minutes. Add chocolate mixture, being careful to incorporate everything.: mix for 2 more minutes. Pour about 6 ounces of batter into each ramekin and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. In preheated 475 oven, bake ramekins on a cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes, or until they are puffed up and don't jiggle when moved. Remove from oven and serve immediately. We served with vanilla ice cream.

Tomato Basil Soup

I made this for Halloween dinner this year and Judy asked for the recipe to share with her daughters. Enjoy!
1 onion cooked in olive oil or butter
2 cans tomato soup
2 can diced tomatoes
6 oz cream cheese
lots of basil
lots of garlic

After you cook onions (until clear) add the remaining ingredients. Warm and when cheese is soft use a hand blender and zip in pan to puree all the ingredients and mix in cheese. Do not boil just keep warm.