Katie Richey's Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

Here is a great recipe from a friend in our BYU 93rd Ward... where Mary and I attended while newly married.  Celeste was less than a year old at the time.  This easy-to-make treasure is from a friend of ours, buried in our Ward Cookbook all of this time.

Although the recipe calls for a chocolate cake-mix, it has the consistency of brownies, similar to most other "bar" confectioneries you may have tried.

Ingredients:

• 1 Chocolate Cake Mix
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup Chocolate Chips (semi-sweet)
• 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 cup Chunky Peanut Butter
• 1/4 cup Water

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix together cake mix (dry), eggs, and oil.
3. Mix in Peanut Butter
4. Stir in Chocolate Chips
5. Pat the mixture into a 9" x 13" pan.
6. Bake 14 - 17 minutes or until golden brown!

Please note that I added water to the mixture, which the original recipe did not ask for.  Depending on elevation, cake mix, and size of your eggs, this may not be necessary.  If you don't like how it turns out, try dropping/altering the amount of water you use.

Thai Peanut Noodles

These noodles are quick and easy to throw together in a pinch and a BIG hit in our house! The recipe comes from the Our Best Bites blog (two awesome Mormon chicks).

Boil 12 oz package linguine noodles. Meanwhile, prepare and whisk sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Sauce:
1 c. chicken broth (1 tsp. chicken bullion granules + 1 c. water = broth)
6 TBSP creamy peanut butter
1-4 tsp. Sriracha chili paste (a worthy staple in our fridge; WARNING: the more you use, the hotter it gets)
3 TBSP honey
6 TBSP soy sauce
3 TBSP fresh ginger (adjust amount if powdered)
4-6 cloves garlic (use a garlic press or squish and mince with knife)

Drain aldente noodles and add sauce. Mix in some steamed vegetables (we prefer the frozen California medley - broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower). Serve in bowls as there is plenty of sauce. Slurp it up!

Completely optional garnishes include freshly chopped green onions, cilantro, and peanuts with a squeeze of lime.

Alison's Late Night No-Bake Cookies

One of my favorite and fairly quick cookies to make late at night when the chocolate cravings hit hard and can't be easily satiated are No-Bake Cookies. They're a relatively healthy and filling cookie due to the quick oats and are easy to pack for a school day snack for dear hubby the next day. I won't tell you the nickname we've given them until after you've tried them for yourselves! (Thayne says if you can't seem to guess what it is, then you don't know me well enough.) This recipe comes from an old ward compassionate recipe book. 2 cups sugar 1/2 cup baking cocoa 1/2 cup milk 1 stick margarine 1/2 cup peanut butter (chunky or creamy is just fine) 3 cups quick oats Combine the sugar, cocoa, milk, and margarine into a saucepan. Put on medium heat, stir often and bring to a boil. Take off of heat and stir in peanut butter and then the oats. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheets covered with wax paper. Cool in refrigerator. Eat up!