Joan's STRAWBERRY/OATMEAL BAR COOKIES

1-1/4 cups room-temperature butter 
1-1/4 cups light brown sugar 
2-1/2 cups flour 
5/8 tsp. baking soda .)
5/16 tsp. salt
2-1/2 cups old fashioned oats 
16 oz. fruit-only strawberry jam (or sub your favorite flavor--I used 2 pints of home made strawberry jam that hadn't quite set up) 

Heat oven to 350º. Grease a 10 x 15 x 1 pan (aka--a jelly roll pan). Mix all the ingredients together except the jam. Press 5 cups of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the jam to within 1/4" of the edge. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the top and lightly press it into the jam. Bake 35-40 minutes and allow to cool on a wire rack before cutting.  Eat entire panful before the children find you.

Here's a fun dessert recipe, for those of us with twisted senses of humor! [Mary notes:  This is NOT my recipe, LOL, although I do have one for something called Puppy Chow, so I guess cat litter can't be all that far behind.]
CAT LITTER DESSERT
2-3 oz. boxes instant chocolate pudding mix
3 1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. butter or marg.
1-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 c. powdered sugar
1-12 oz. container Cool Whip
1 large pkg. vanilla cream cookies
Tootsie Rolls

Mix pudding & milk in large bowl; place in fridge. Blend butter, sugar& cream cheese. Mix well, then fold in Cool Whip. Add chocolate pudding to cream cheese mixture. Chop cookies into fine crumbs. Layer cookie crumbs and creamed mixture alternately in a 13x9x2 pan, ending w/cookie crumbs. Chill. Just before serving, add a few Tootsie Rolls for that real cat litter effect! If you microwave the Tootsie Rolls for a few seconds just until they bend easily, the effect will be more realistic.

Pineapple Hoo-Hah:

1 box instant pistachio pudding (do not "make" the pudding)
1 reg. size tub whipped topping
1 tall can crushed pineapple
1 jar maraschino cherries
Drain pineapple and cherries, rinse cherries. Mix all ingredients together. Serve chilled.

OK....here is the recipe for homemade Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies.

Cookies:
1 c. margarine
3/4 c. dark brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. molasses
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 c. 1-minute oats

Creme Filling:
2 tsp. very hot water
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. marshmallow creme ( 7 oz. jar )
1/2 c. shortening
1/3 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In large bowl cream together margarine, sugars, molasses, vanilla and eggs.

3. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, soda and cinnamon.

4. Combine dry with wet ingredients, mixing all by hand, then stir in the oats.

5. Drop by *T. onto an ungreased baking sheet. (I would add here to be sure and leave enough room between them, as they nicely spread out to big round circles, the size of the store-bought cookies).  Bake for 10-12 minutes or just until starting to darken ~ they will look moist in the center ~ do not overcook.  (and I would also add here, you will have to experiment to find just the right consistency.  My first batch was too moist and it was hard to remove them from the cookie sheet in nice round circles, they mushed.  Also, let them sit just a minute before trying to remove them, that helps..but not too long, then they get stuck  on the sheet and break when trying to remove.  It IS possible to get it just right.)

*Note, I use my small or medium scoop from Pampered Chef to make cookies even and uniform in shape. Great time saver too!

6. While cookies are baking, make filling.  Use a small bowl to dissolve the salt in 2 tsp. of very hot water.  Set aside to cool.

7. Combine marshmallow creme, shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl and mix on HI with an electric mixer until fluffy.  Add the cooled salt water mixture and combine well with mixer.

8. Assemble each pie by spreading filling over one flat side of a cookie and pressing another cookie on top, making a sandwich.

I must confess I went a bit too heavy on the creme per cookie and ran out of filling with about 10 single cookies left.  So, go lighter OR....make more filling.  :)

The recipe says this makes 2 dozen, but, mine only made 12 complete cookies, plus the 10 single cookies, which would have been almost 1 1/2 dozen if I'd been able to fill them.  I do think next time I will make them a bit smaller.

Caveat:  Most of the information on this site comes from back issues of The MOMYS Digest, an email-only forum for mothers of many young siblings. It is offered in good faith and is not intended to replace medical advice, pastoral counsel, your husband's opinion, or your own good sense.

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