Oatmeal Thumbprint Cookies~A Christmas Tradition

When I was growing up Christmas was a much awaited holiday.  Santa always brought toys, and socks, and an orange in our stockings.  We were allowed to open one present on Christmas Eve and it was always pajamas!  My Mom made Chocolate Butter Fudge; a recipe I have only made successfully one time!  It is the best and I am going to try it once again this year.  She also made these delicious oatmeal shortbread thumbprint cookies...with yummy mint frosting tinted pale pink and mint green.  It can't be Christmas without them.

Oatmeal Thumbprint Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 T. vanilla
Cream this together until fluffy.

Add:

2 cups flour

1/2 t. salt
1 c. old-fashioned rolled oats

Mix well and rolls into small balls, about the size of a walnut. Press your thumb into the center. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Mint Frosting

3 T. butter, softened
2 C. powdered sugar
4 T.  heavy cream
1/8 t. mint extract
1/4 t. vanilla

Red or green food coloring

Mix all butter, powdered sugar, and cream together till well mixed. Add the mint extract....it should be very subtle and the vanilla. Tint the frosting very PALE pink or green.

Chewy Granola Bars~A Family Favorite !

I LIKE granola.  Crunchy and yummy!  I LOVE granola BARS....crunchy and yummy. BUT....I ADORE these Chewy Granola Bars. I totally thought I had posted this recipe....ages ago.

   I can't remember where I got the recipe for these. They are easy to make, no-bake, real food...ok except for the rice crispies,  full of oatmeal goodness.  They even have a little bit of chocolate on top.  You can also add-in any favorite you have like raisins, craisins, nuts, peanut butter, more chocolate, dried fruit.

Chewy Granola Bars

2/3 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. honey

1 stick of butter

pinch of salt

1 t. vanilla

If you like peanut butter, add 2 T.  and melt with the rest of the ingredients.

Place in a saucepan and melt together everything but the vanilla. When it comes to a boil, let it go for 2 minutes. Add the vanilla off the heat.  Stir into the following ingredients that have been mixed in a big bowl.

4 c. rolled oats.....

I take out 2 cups and pulse it in the food processor until it is a little finer.  5 pulses. Add back to the bowl.

2 c. Rice Krispies

Any add-ins you like.

Mix and mix and mix until it is all coated with the honey mixture.

Pour into a greased half-sheet pan and spread evenly.  Take another 1/2 sheet pan and put it on top of the granola mixture and press firmly to compress the bars.  Sprinkle 1/4 c. mini chocolate chips on top and smash again.

Cool for at least 2 hours at room temp. or 15 minutes in the freezer. Cut into bars.

I wrap them in plastic wrap or put each bar in a snack-size ziploc. 

Makes 24 bars.