Monster cookie energy balls

If you like monster cookies, and who doesn’t, this is a great no bake snack that will satisfy your sweet tooth.

INGREDIENTS

2 ½ cups quick oats

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1/2 cup mini m&m's

DIRECTIONS

Combine oats, peanut butter, honey, chocolate chips and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Use a wooden spoon or a handheld mixer to combine. Add the mini m&ms and stir in.

Shape into one-inch balls and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This recipe will make about 36 balls. Store in a covered container in the fridge.

Notes: Resist the urge to add extra chocolate chips or m&ms. It will make these crumbly.

Chocolate cake mix bars

So rich and decadent! No one will believe how easy these are to make!

Ingredients:

1 chocolate cake mix

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter softened to room temperature

1 egg

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper & spray with cooking spray. Combine cake mix, butter, vanilla & egg in mixer bowl & beat until mix forms into thick dough.  Press 2/3 of the dough into the prepared baking pan (it will look like there isn't enough to cover the bottom, just keep working it into a thin even layer). Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of each type of chocolate chips. Pour sweetened condensed milk over the top in a thin, even layer. Separate remaining dough into balls & evenly distribute over the top of the chocolate chips. Press down to flatten a bit. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips. Bake 27­ 30 minutes. Cool completely before slicing. 

Banana Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

1.5 cups very ripe bananas (3 fresh bananas or 4 thawed, previously frozen bananas)

2 tsp lemon juice

3 cups all-purpose flour

1.5 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

¾ cup soft butter

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1.5 cups buttermilk (OR milk soured with one tbsp vinegar or lemon juice)

Icing:

½ cup softened butter

8 oz cream cheese, room temp.

1 tsp vanilla

3.5 cups icing sugar (also known as powdered sugar or confectioner's sugar)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 275 F, and grease and flour (or spray), a 9x13 cake pan.

Mash banana and mix with lemon juice and set aside.  In a med bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.  If you're making your own buttermilk, combine milk and vinegar (or lemon juice) in a small bowl, and set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.  Beat in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk.  Stir in bananas.

Pour into cake pan and bake 1 hour and 10 mins (or until knife comes out clean). *if need be, cook longer, checking every 10 minutes until cake is fully cooked.

Immediately place in freezer for 45 minutes. (if not completely cool upon removal from freezer, let cool further before icing).

Cream butter and cream cheese.  Beat in vanilla and icing sugar on low until combined, then high until smooth.

Frost cake and enjoy!

This is one of my favorite recipes I’ve made to date…and I’m not even a fan of bananas.  The banana flavor is mild, just adding a touch of sweetness.  The frosting is amazing.  The cake is super moist.  If you have some bananas that you need to use up, I would definitely recommend this! 

Monster Cookies

 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups creamy or chunky peanut butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup granulated white sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 1/2 cups quick cooking oats

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup M&M's plain chocolate candies

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray. In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter with the sugars and butter. Use an electric mixer to mix until well combined. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Mix in the oats and baking soda. Then stir in the chips and M&M's.

Drop the cookies by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets. If you'd like your cookies to look pretty, dot a few extra M&M's and chocolate chips on each mound of dough before baking.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheets until cookies are set. Transfer to wire racks; cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

No bake pumpkin oatmeal cookies

Guest blog by Stephanie Eyanson

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C. white sugar

1/2 C. brown sugar

3/4 C. butter

2/3 C. milk

3 ½ C. quick cooking oats

1 tsp. pumpkin spice

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 box pumpkin spice instant pudding mix

In sauce pan mix sugars, butter and milk. Bring to boil.  Boil 2 min. Remove from heat.  Add pudding mix until completely combined.  Add in pumpkin spice vanilla and oats.  Stir to combine then let stand for 5 minutes. Use a cookie scoop to put them on the wax paper. Store in airtight container.

The verdict?  Simple and amazing.  

Peanut butter pudding cookies

Review by Lyndee:

2 cups peanut butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 small (3-4 oz) package of vanilla pudding

2 cups reeses pieces

Mix together peanut butter and sugar.  Add the eggs, vanilla and pudding mix until completely combined.  Stir in Reeses pieces. 

Scoop out 1 tbsp balls and place on a lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake at 350 for 14-16 minutes. 

These were easy to make and made a huge batch! They are a “thick” cookie.  Pretty tasty if you like peanut butter…which, who doesn’t?