Rice Crispy Brownie Bars

Ingredients:
For the Crust:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 + 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 + 1/3 cups flour
3 Tablespoons cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

For the toppings:
4 cups miniature marshmallows
1 + 1/3 cups chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter
3 Tablespoons butter
2 cups rice krispies cereal

Directions:
In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, coca, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in nuts if desired. Spread in a greased 15 x 10 x 1 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes, until the middle looks set. Sprinkle with marshmallows and bake 2-3 minutes longer, or until the marshmallows look melty. Remove from oven and place pan on a cooling rack. Spread the marshmallows evenly with a knife dipped in water. Cool pan completely.

Once the bars are cooled completely start the topping. In a medium sauce pan combine the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter. Heat slowly over medium heat and stir continuously until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in rice krispies. Spread over the bars immediately. Chill until set. Makes about 36 bars.

Time to Make: about an hour with cooling time
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Origin: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Deluxe-Chocolate-Marshmallow-Bars

Cheescake Bars

Ingredients:
2 (8 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup honey (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and vanilla. Beat with a mixer until smooth and sugar isn't grainy. Spread out one of the rolls of crescents across the bottom (not the sides) of the pan. Press the seams together so that it looks like a crust. Spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the rolled out rolls. Roll out the other package of crescent rolls and lay on top of the cream cheese layer (so that it looks like a crust on top of the dessert).

In a small bowl, combine the butter, 1/2 cup of sugar, and cinnamon. Stir until well blended. Using a spoon, drop small dots of the butter mixture all across the top of the dessert until all the butter mixture is gone. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes (until the top is golden brown and no longer doughy looking). Remove from oven and drizzle with honey (optional). Cool completely and cut into bars.

Time to Make: about 45 minutes plus cooling time
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Origin: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sopapilla-cheesecake-pie/

Brownies (Annette's Recipe)

Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
4 T. butter or margarine
1 + 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp. salt
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla

Icing:
3 T. powdered cocoa
2 dashes salt
3 cups unsifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
4-5 T. hot water
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a microwavable bowl, combine the shortening and butter and heat until melted in 30 second increments. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cocoa, and salt. In another bowl, beat the eggs until fluffy. Slowly add the 2 cups sugar, beating all the time until light and fluffy. Add 2 tsp. vanilla and melted shortening/butter mixture while beating. Add the flour mixture and combine. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes in a greased 9x13" pan.

While the brownies are baking, combine all the ingredients for the icing and mix until smooth. Once the brownies are done, spread the icing over them almost immediately after they come out of the oven so the icing melts into the brownies, then cool completely.

Difficulty: Medium
Time to Make: about 45 minutes
Recipe Origin: Annette Gardener

Rice Crispy Treats

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
40 large marshmallows
6 cups rice crispy cereal

Directions:
Butter a 9x13 pan well and set aside. In a large pot, stir the butter and marshmallows over medium heat until the marshmallows are melted. Once melted, add the rice crispy cereal and stir. Pour the mixture into the buttered pan and use a buttered fork to spread out the mixture evenly. Cool completely and cut into squares.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 15 minutes
Recipe Origin: unknown

Lemon Squares

Ingredients:

Crust:
2 cups flour
1 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Filling:
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
4 Tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp. baking powder
6 Tbsp. lemon juice

powdered sugar for garnishing

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the ingredients for the crust and press them into a buttered 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

While crust bakes, mix up the ingredients for the filling. Pour the ingredients on the hot crust and return the pan to the oven. Bake bars at 350 degrees for an additional 25 minutes. Cool bars completely and dust with powdered sugar.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 55 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

Lemon Bars with Almonds

Ingredients:
1 + 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine

2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 + 1/2 cups flaked coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Lemon Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. butter
lemon juice (enough to make the icing thin)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Mix together the 1 +1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and the 1/2 cup butter (or margarine) in a medium bowl. Press ingredients into a buttered pan and bake at 275 degrees for 10 minutes.

While crust is baking, mix together the remaining ingredients and stir until well blended. When crust is done baking, spread the mixture over the crust carefully. Change the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking the bars for about 20 minutes (until the top is golden brown). Spread lemon icing over the bars while they are still warm and cool completely.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 40 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

Congo Bars

Ingredients:
2/3 cup shortening
2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 + 3/4 cups flour
2 + 3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 - 12 ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup nuts (optional)
1 cup flaked coconut

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together wet ingredients in a large bowl. Add dry ingredients and stir till well blended. Press mix into a greased large 13" baking sheet (with a lip). Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top. Cool completely before cutting.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 40 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

Brownies (Mom's Recipe)

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 cup flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Spread evenly in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom