• 1 cup Oreo crumbs 
• 1/4 cup melted butter (approx)
• 8 oz (one brick) of cream cheese
• 1 cup thawed cool whip
• 3-4 oz melted semi sweet chocolate
• 1-2 Skor bars, smashed

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Mix Oreo Crumbs and melted butter until it is like wet sand and forming clumps.
3. "Smoosh" Oreo mixture into the bottom of your tins (if you plan on removing them make sure you grease the bottom)
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes, let cool
5. In a separate bowl combine the cream cheese, cool whip and melted chocolate and mix well
6. Spoon cream cheese mixture over Oreo base
7. Sprinkle with Skor bits and give them a bit of a pat so they stick.
8. Chill for at least three hours in the freezer

I have been making these blondies since 2007. My mom and I went on a trip to New York and I was obsessed with Sex & the City. We took the Sex & the City tour of New York which included a stop to Magnolia Bakery and I fell in love.

Since these blondies have been on my menu  for years, always with a few variations, I depend on the same core recipe. The original recipe comes from the Magnolia cookbook. I'm a little more free with the recipe than they are. You can mix up the add ins for a different bar (white chocolate cranberry blondies anyone?).

I made them for Valentines Day and gave half of them away so that we would eat them. For those of you following Weight Watchers these are 11 sp (which is why I gave a ton away).

Ingredients

•1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

•1 cup brown sugar

•1/2 cup white sugar

•2 eggs

•Vanilla extract (2 tsp or 2 dashes)

•1 1/2 cup flour

•1 tsp baking powder

•1/4 tsp salt

•4 oz dark chocolate chunks

•2 oz white chocolate chunks

How To

• • • Preheat oven to 350
    • Cream together the first three ingredients
    • Add the eggs and vanilla
    • In another bowl mix the next three ingredient
    • Gently fold the dry into the wet
    • Add the chocolate chunks
    • Spread into a bar pan (mine is stoneware from Pampered Chef)
    • Bake for about 30 minutes or until centre is set
    • Let cool slightly in pan and portion into 16 squares
    • Finish cooking on a wire rack
    • Enjoy!!

I had this dream of sitting down to a hot coffee every morning while my little guy napped peacefully in his crib. I'd enjoy my breakfast and prep for the day ahead.

That's not a dream it's currently a illusion and as anyone with a ten week old will tell you if you can't eat it with one hand you're not going to eat.

So, I wanted something that I could make ahead, control my sugar & fibre intake, and actually enjoy and feel full for an extended period of time. That's when I thought of baked oatmeal. I have always enjoyed oatmeal and tried to find healthy alternatives to the things that come in packages. I looked at several recipes online and crafted up these bad boys. I really enjoy the oatmeal and hope to post variations soon.

Baked Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Serves 8

(6 Smart Points for Weight Watchers)

   * 2 cups oats

   * 1 cup all bran buds (softened with about 1/4 or 1/3 cup boiling water)

   * 2 cups skim milk

   * 1 egg

   * 1/3 cup brown sugar divided (or Splenda)

   * Vanilla extract (a dash to a splash)

   * 2 tsp cinnamon

   * 1tsp pumpkin pie spice

   * 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

   * One Apple diced (leave the skin on for fibre)

Directions

   * Preheat oven to 375.

   * In a small bowl mix half the brown sugar with half the cinnamon and set aside.

   * In another bowl mix everything else together (yeah - it really is that easy).

   * Spoon mixture evenly in a pan. Note: I use this Pampered Chef stoneware bar pan for mine. Because of this I don't need to use oil to grease my pan - if you're using something other than stoneware I'd give it a little spray down.

   * Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over the top.

   * Bake for 25 minutes (or a little more or less depending on your oven and what kind of dish you use). Oatmeal should appear solid and dry.

   * Enjoy!!

What are some of your go to recipes for breakfast? How do you like to start your days?

Every year we do a cookie exchange at work. In mid November we send an invite out for people to participate and then select a date in mid December to do the exchange.

This year there were 6 of us who participated (so we had to make 5 dozen cookies, a dozen for each person) and due to the generosity of those who bake I am now set for the holidays.

I thought I would share the holiday baking with all of you,via the recipes.

Peanut Butter Clusters (top row left)

In a double boiler slowly melt 3 cups of chocolate chips & 2 cups butterscotch chips. Add 2 cups unsalted peanuts. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto parchment paper.

Chocolate Macaroons (top row right)

Mix: 3 cups rolled oats, 1 cup sweetened coconut and 6 tbsp cocoa. In a pot mix: 2 cups white sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup butter, bring to a boil. Add dry ingredients and mix, remove from heat. Spoon onto wax paper to set.

Twix Cookies (middle row left)

• 40 Ritz crackers
• 20 Rolos
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 360
2. Place 20 crackers, salt down on a baking sheet and place a Rolo on top
3. Place in oven for about 15 minutes or until glossy
4. Press a Ritz ontop of each, salty side up
5. Slowly melt chocolate chips in the microwave and dip Ritz sandwich cookies in melted chocolate to cover. Place on wax paper to set

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies (middle right)

For the full recipe visit Miss Martha Stewart's website at:

www.marthastewart.com/316240/peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-oatmeal-coo

Chocolate Chow Mein Clusters (bottom left)

In a microwave melt the following (takes about 3 minutes but don't forget to stir)

• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter

Add:

• 2 cups dry chow Mein noodles (the Orange ones)
• 1 cup salted peanuts

Mix until coated evenly and drop spoonfuls onto wax paper. Refrigerate until set.

Christmas Shortbread (bottom right)

This one was my contribution - you can find the recipe here.

• 1 pound butter
  
• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup corn starch
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• DECORATIONS!!!!!!
  

• Preheat oven to 325
• Whip butter and sugar together until fluffy
• Fold in other ingredients- don't over mix!!
• On a parchment lined baking sheet roll out small truffle sized balls
• Roll some in coloured sugar or add a cherry to the top
• Gently press the top of the cookie so it is more of a patty than a ball
• Bake for 10-15 minutes (until they're slightly brown) - don't over cook!!!
• Let cool for five minutes on the tray before transferring to a cooling wrack to cool completely