Black Bottom Banana Bars

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 medium bananas, mashed

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup cocoa

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla; beat until thoroughly combined. Blend in the bananas.(or put eggs, vanilla and banana in a blender and then add to butter and sugar)  Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide batter in half. Add cocoa to half; spread into a greased 9X13 pan. Spoon remaining batter on top and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until the bars feel done. Cool. Cut and eat!

Oatmealers (no bake cookies)

2 cups sugar
1 cube butter
3 Tbsp. cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 1/2 cups oatmeal (quick oats work better than old fashioned)
1 tsp. vanilla

Measure all ingredients and have ready. In medium saucepan start to melt butter over medium heat.  Add sugar, cocoa and milk and stir.   Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add peanut butter, oatmeal and vanilla and stir till mixed.  Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper (or right on to your serving plate).  Let cool.  Eat.

There are a couple of variations on this--for straight chocolate ones, leave out the peanut butter.  For peanut butter ones, leave out the cocoa.  Everything else is the same.  If you want really decadent chocolate ones switch the peanut butter for Nutella and use the cocoa as well.  

Cheese Pups (no clue who made that name up)

1 pkg. yeast (1 scant Tbsp.)
1/2 cup warm water
3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup warm milk
1 egg

20 pieces cheddar cheese (about 3 inches long and approx the size of a sharpie marker)

Soften yeast in 1/2 cup warm water.  Add 2 cups flour along with remaining ingredients and mix well.  Continue to add flour, 1/2 cup at a time till dough is soft but ready to knead.  Knead on a lightly floured board for 5-10 minutes.  Let rest about 20 minutes.  

Divide dough into 20 pieces.  Roll to shape each piece like a very fat, short snake.  Flatten slightly and place a slice of cheese on top, molding the dough around the cheese to completely seal it.  heat an electric skillet, fry pan or girddle (or all three if you want it done quickly) to medium/low heat and place rolls on hot pan, not touching each other.  As they start to brown on the first side, turn them to brown other sides.  I usually cook them on 3 or 4 sides depending on how well they balance.  Keep cooking till the dough is done all the way through (this means cutting one open at some point to check usually).