New yEar neW yOu!

Ladiesssss, hey.

So Christmas break is coming to a close.  I was back in Nashville for a bit, one of my cousins got married so we went to North Carolina, and now I'm back up in DC.  We celebrated New Years in perfectly lazy fashion- cooking dinner, lasagna, salad, champagne, and chocolate oat bars- and stayed in watching bad tv and just hanging out.  [Sidenote: what on earth compelled the Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block to start performing together?]  I'm posting the chocolate oat bars recipe because I've made them twice now and they're de.ricious.  Whit found the recipe- props to her:

• 1 cup butter or 1 cup margarine, softened
• 2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine, softened
• 2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 large eggs
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract (divided)
• 3 cups quick oats
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (divided)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. In a mixing bowl, cream 1 cup butter and brown sugar.  Beat in eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla.  Combine the oats, flour, 1 teaspoon salt and baking soda; stir into creamed mixture.
2. Press two-thirds of oat mixture into a greased 15 x 10-inch baking pan.
3. In a saucepan, combine milk, chocolate chips and remaining butter and salt.  Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate is melted.  Remove from the heat; stir in remaining vanilla.
   Spread over crust.
   Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture.
4. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
   
   
   
   
   I love you all and miss you guys so much!  XOXOXOXO...hehe.Mary