Holiday Baking

Here is some quick holiday baking for you, that does not require any baking! Easy peasy is what these recipes for holiday squares are. There are no bake, and only require a pot or a bowl to make, and are literally ready for the fridge in minutes. For the confetti squares, if you can’t find coloured mini marshmallows, you can use the white ones, and now there are so many new flavours of chocolate-type chips, that you can even try out the peppermint chocolate one instead of the butterscotch chips.

No Bake Chocolate Oat Squares

1 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 cups quick cooking oats

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

Line an 8” x8” pan with parchments paper or wax paper. In a medium pot melt the butter and brown sugar, and cook until the brown sugar is fully melted. Stir in the oats. Press half of the oat mixture, while still warm into the bottom of the pan. Evenly spread the chocolate chips. Drizzle and spoon on the peanut butter. Cover with the remaining oat mixture, and spread out and lightly press down. (optional) They can be drizzled with melted chocolate for a pretty finish before cutting. Chill until firm.

No Bake Crunch Bars

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

3c1/2 cups rice crispies

Line an 8” x8” pan with parchments paper or wax paper. Melt the chocolate chips and peanut butters in a large glass bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir, and then cook for another 30 seconds and stir. Stir in the rice crisp cereal. Press the mixture evenly into the pan and chill until firm. Pull the mass out of the pan, using the paper, and cut into squares.

Chocolate Drop Cookies

1/2 cup butter

1/2 milk

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

3 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

1 cup unsweetened coconut

In a saucepan with a heavy bottom, mix together the butter, milk, sugar, and cocoa. Spread out wax paper on your counter the length of one and a half cookie sheets. Heat the mixture over medium low heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Do not have the heat too high or the mixture can burn. From the time when the mixture comes to a boil, continue cooking while stirring occasionally for at least 3 minutes and no longer than 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and quickly stir in the coconut and oats. Also working quickly, drop by tablespoons onto wax or parchment paper. Allow to cool before serving.

Confetti Squares

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup peanut or almond butter

1 6-ounce package of butterscotch

baking chips

1 bag of multi colored mini marshmal-

lows

In a heavy bottomed pot, low heat, melt the butter, nut butter and baking chips, stirring until smooth. Allow to cool slightly, and then stir in the marshmallows, and pour into a buttered or lined 8 x 8 inch or 9 x 9-inch square pan. Chill before slicing.