OH MY CHOCOLATE....

Okay... so I am no longer on my "competition diet" so although I still plan to keep my fitness journey blog alive I figured that I had better find other "normal" things to write about. I have had all kinds of cravings since the show. One of which is my mom's chocolate bars that I grew up eating. They are insanely good. Not so insanely good for you. Sooo.... being the way I am I took it and tried to make it a little healthier or at least a little more guilt free and they turned out AWESOME! Had to share the recipe... and a photo of the beautiful CHOCOLATE.



Ingredients

3 cups quick cooking oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened (you could use Applesauce... I didn't... this time)
2 cups packed SPLENDA brown sugar
2 Eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (I used the fat free one)
1 1/2 cups SUGAR FREE chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, beat together 1 cup butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla. In another bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt; stir into butter mixture. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla.
Pat 2/3 of the oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread chocolate mixture evenly over the top, and dot with remaining oat mixture.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in preheated oven. Let cool on a wire rack, then cut into bars.

For Michelle

This is my contest winning recipe (the contest that I never recieved my winnings from)... humph! Anyway, here it is for you Michelle!

Banana Bars

1/4 C Butter (or substitute with Applesauce)
1 1/2 C Sugar (I use baking splenda)
1 Egg
3 ripe bananas mashed (I heat mine for about 30 seconds in the microwave and blend with mixers to get them nice and smooth)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 C flour (I use 1 1/2 C oatmeal, blended into flour consistency and 3/4 C vanilla protein powder)
1 C sour cream (I use light of fat free)
1/2 c walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 325

Cream butter, and sugar. Add egg, banana, and sour cream. Mix well. Add vanilla, and cinnamon. Mix in dry ingredients. Add nuts. Pour into baking dish that has been sprayed with PAM (13 x 9). Bake for one hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

For the topping: It is realy good with cream cheese frosting. Like REEEEEAAAALLLLY good. However I opt for this...

2 tbsp butter melted, 2 tbsp splend brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, and a handful of oatmeal. Crumble over the top. YUM!

Bake for 1 hour