Fudge-Filled Oatmeal M&M Bars

I recently ran across this recipe from years ago. I used to make them frequently, but then over the years sort of forgot about them. I've made them a couple of times since finding it again. They're easy to make, and very good too!

Printable Recipe

2 cups quick oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

1 cup butter, melted

2 tbsp shortening
2 1/2 cups plain M & Ms, divided
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk

In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, soda and salt and mix well. Add the melted butter and mix thoroughly. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture and set aside. Press the remaining mixture into a greased 9 x 13" pan and bake 375 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt the shortening over low heat. Add 1 1/2 cups of the M & Ms and continue cooking over low heat, breaking the M & Ms with the back of a spoon as they melt. Remove from heat and add the sweetened condensed milk, stirring until well combined.

When the crust is partially baked, remove from oven and pour chocolate mixture evenly over the crust, leaving a 1/2" edge. Add the remaining 1 cup of the M & Ms to the remaining crumb mixture and sprinkle on top of the chocolate layer, pressing down lightly. It's ok if it doesn't cover it completely. Return to oven and bake an additional 20 - 25 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Do not overbake. Cool and cut into bars.

Iced Lemon Drop Candy Cookies

Printable Recipe

I found this recipe over at Barbara Bakes, and knew right away that I just had to try it. They are so very good! You can find the recipe from her site, right here. I took it up a little notch, and rolled them in granulated sugar before baking, to counter-balance the tartness of the icing. I think it gave them that little extra boost to make them even better. Edited to add that the next time I make these, I'd probably bake them a little longer, to make them a little more crisp.

3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
1  1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1 (4 oz) pkg Lemon Drop candies, crushed

Glaze
1  1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp lemon juice (use real lemon juice, not the bottled kind)

Place the candies in a heavy-duty plastic bag and finely crush them with a hammer or meat mallet. Set aside. In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt, mix well and set aside. In another large bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest and mix with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add the butter and mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, ab out 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and lemon extracts and beat until well combined. Beat in the four mixture, in thirds, beating only until combined. When you are ready to beat in the last third of the flour mixture, stir the crushed Lemon Drops into it, mixing until evenly disbursed. Beat this into the cookie dough, only until combined. Do not over mix.

Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper and roll the dough into small balls (I would say they were about the size of a quarter) and quickly roll in granulated sugar. Place on cookie sheets. With the size I made mine, I fit 12 on a sheet, but the cookies do spread out as they bake so if you are making them larger, place fewer on the cookie sheets. Bake 350 degrees, 7-8 minutes, or if making them larger, probably 9-10 minutes, OR just until they are lightly browned around the edges.

Meanwhile, mix together the powdered sugar and lemon juice and spread thinly on the warm cookies. allow icing to completely set before storing in a plastic container.