Chess Cake

My mother made this sweet treat for as long as I can remember.  I recently made them for a party and noticed a step that seemed foreign to my memories.  You can read about that HERE.

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 cups sifted, plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

• Heat butter and brown sugar on low heat in a saucepan.
• When a thick liquid forms, remove from heat and add other ingredients in order listed.
• Put in a 9"x13" baking dish that has been greased and floured.
• Bake for thirty minutes at 300 degrees.
• Cut and roll in powdered sugar while still hot. (Obviously, this step is optional and you can just wait till they cool and cut them into squares and sprinkle with powdered sugar!)

As Mama's recipe accurately states, "This is quick and easy and very good!"

Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Cookies

2 cups sugar
½ cup milk
4Tablespoons cocoa
½ stick butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 Tablespoons peanut butter
3 cups minute oats

• With a wooden spoon, mix together sugar and cocoa in a 2-quart saucepan trying to work out lumps in cocoa.

• Add milk.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, till mixture comes to a boil.
• Boil one minute, continually stirring.
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, butter, and peanut butter.
• Stir till mixture is smooth.
• Add oats, one-half to one cup at a time.

• Drop onto wax paper and allow to set up.

Makes three dozen medium sized cookies.  Store in a cool dry place - if there are any left!

These are probably my very favorite cookies! 

Pecan Pie Brownies

This recipe is one I adapted from a Southern Living Magazine. 

1 family sized brownie mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup coffee or water
1 frozen pecan pie, thawed

• Cut pie into cubes and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray 9" x 13" baking pan with vegetable spray.
• Blend eggs, oil, and coffee.
• Add brownie mix and half of pie cubes.
• Stir well to mix ingredients thoroughly.  Batter will be thick and lumpy.
• Gently fold in remaining pie cubes.
• Spread batter into baking pan.
• Bake for 40-50 minutes or till brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan.
• Cool brownies completely on a wire rack.
• Cut into small squares or triangles and serve.

For chocolate lovers this one is ooey, gooey, goodness!