Chocolate Oat Squares.

Isn't that a thrilling name? If they were just "oat squares", I'd never even look twice at them. But they're really yummy - delicious, buttery oat squares, filled with a creamy chocolate goop.

1 cup + 2 tbsp butter, divided
2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
4 tsp vanilla extract, divided
3 cups quick cooking oats (THIS DOES NOT MEAN INSTANT OATS. YOU CANNOT COOK WITH THOSE.)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp baking soda
1 can sweetened condensed milk (the 14 oz size can, in case you live on the moon or something and they come in other sizes)
2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips

Grease a 15x10 inch baking pan. Upon looking at that instruction, I realize that I have never actually seen a pan that size, so I use my regular rectangular pan. Ahem.

In a mixing bowl, cream one cup of butter and the brown sugar. Beat in the eggs and two teaspoons of vanilla. In another bowl, mix together the oats, flour, 1 tsp salt and baking soda and then mix into the creamed mixture.

Press two thirds of the oat mixture into your prepared pan. In a saucepan, combine the milk, chocolate chips, the 1/2 tsp of salt and the 2 tbsp of butter. Cook and stir over LOW heat until the chocolate chips are melted. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Spread over the crust, gently.

Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until nicely browned. Cool adn cut into squares. This makes about 4 dozen tasty little squares, which is handy if you're going to a potluck or something and WAY too much if you're not. I've been known to halve this recipe and make it in an 8" square pan. Your call.

Black Beans and Rice Burgers

I generally liven these up by throwing some diced jalapenos and a few drops of hot sauce in 'em. They're a big hit, even with my spoiled, spoiled children.

1 can of black beans, drained and mashed beyond recognition
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 small onion, really finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp + 1 cup salsa, divided
1/4 cup sour cream (low fat is fine)

In a large bowl, mix your mashed beans, rice, onion, and the 2 tbsp of salsa. Mix it together and rop by 1/2 cups onto a well-greased skillet. Flatten each burger until they're 1/2" thick. Cook over medium heat for 4 or 5 minutes per side or until it looks cooked.
In a bowl, mix together the rest of the sour cream and the salsa. Serve the burgers on buns with the sour-cream/salsa stuff, some lettuce and a slice of cheese, if you like.
Makes 4 burgers.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are very, very good - I can cheerfully serve them to unsuspecting guests, for example, and they even taste good after they've cooled, which is frequently a problem with traditional chcoolate chip cookies.
That is not to say that they are without problems. They're fragile, for one, and wouldn't travel well in a lunchbox - but they have a lovely taste and would really cheer up a recently diagnosed kid. Or adult.

1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 egg
3/4 cup white or brown rice flour
1/4 cup potato flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 oz. package of chocolate chips

Cream the butter in a large mixing bowl until very soft.
Add the sugars, salt and vanilla and mix well. Add the egg and mix well.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Mix in the dry ingredients.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Drop by SMALL teaspoons on lightly greased cookie sheets and bake 8 - 10 minutes (watch carefully). Cool on pan briefly and carefully remove to a cooling rack.

Cheesey Meatloaf

3 pounds lean ground beef
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
8 ounces Swiss cheese or extra-sharp cheddar, grated
1/4 cup milk or beef broth
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
3 tablespoons ketchup

Preheat the oven to 350.
Line a 9x13 baking dish with a couple of thicknesses of foil.
Mush all of the ingredients except the ketchup together in a large bowl until well mixed. Mold the meat loaf mixture into a large flattish mound in the center of the prepared pan. Squirt a bunch of ketchup on top. This is a very gourmet food.
Bake the meat loaf for 1 1/2 hours or until it is browned and cooked through.

Barb's Jalapeno Garlic Tilapia
The Pioneer Woman's Favorite Sandwich and now Mine, Too.
Butterscotch Apple Crisp that you make in the slow cooker. I've made this dozens of times and it makes your house smell AMAZING.
Susanne's Taco Meatloaf. This is darn tasty, and it is gwooten-fwee and good for babies, as The Baby would tell you.
Suzanne's beautiful Hearth Bread
Megan's delicious San Francisco Salad