Chocolate Trifle

Perfect dessert to top of any meal! (Can you tell I like chocolate?!?!)

INGREDIENTS
1 (18.75 ounce) package Ghirardelli brownie mix
1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1/2 cup water
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
1 (12 ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
2 or 3 (1.5 ounce) Skor chocolate candy bar (crushed)

DIRECTIONS
Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and cool completely. Cut into 1 inch squares.
In a large bowl, combine pudding mix, water and sweetened condensed milk. Mix until smooth, then fold in 8 ounces cool whip until no streaks remain.
In a trifle bowl or glass serving dish, place half of the brownies, half of the pudding mixture and half of the 12 ounce container of whipped topping. Repeat layers. Sprinkle crushed candy bars on top. Refrigerate 8 hours before serving.

Lacy Oatmeal Cookies

Happy New Year everyone!! I can just feel that this year is gonna be a good one! While visiting the Gruwell family in New Orleans, Missy mentioned she'd been looking for recipe from her childhood for lace (oatmeal) cookies. As soon as she said it, I craved them really bad!! So has soon as we got home - I found 3 very different recipes on allrecipes.com - one that needed heavy cream, another needed corn syrup... So I pretty much chose the recipe that needed all the ingredients I already had at home. I liked this version - they were thin, crispy, and somehow just chewy enough! I held this cookie in front of the sun, so you can see how it looks like lace. So Missy, if you're out there give this one a try... (or I can email you the other 2 versions as well). Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup quick cooking oats
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Cover baking sheets with foil, then coat the foil with a non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, salt, and baking powder. In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Mix in the flour and oat mixture until just combined. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, 2 1/2 inches apart.
3. Bake at 325 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges turn golden. Cool, then peel cookies off with your fingers. Be sure to re-spray baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray between batches.

home-made oreos

A yummy and easy Sunday treat!










Cookies:
1 box devil's food cake mix
3/4 cup oil (I didn't add all of the oil)
2 eggs
Mix well. Roll into small balls. Place on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool.

Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoons vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla together. Add powdered sugar and mx together. Spread filling on top of cooled cookie, and then top with another cookie. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.