2 cups rolled oats

2 cupts all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

12 ounce package semisweet chocolate pieces

1.         Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.         Lightly grease cookie sheets.

3.         Combine oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

4.         Beat together shortening, sugars, eggs, and vanilla extract.

5.         Stir oat-flour mixture into butter-sugar mixture; stir in chocolate pieces.

6.         Drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned

4 cups all purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup sweet butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon extract

1.         Mix flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2.          Cream together butter, sugar, and eggs until fluffy.

3.          Stir flour mixture into butter mixture alternately with water.  Stir in vanilla and lemon extracts.  Chill dough several hours or until firm.

4.          Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

5.          Generously grease cookie sheets.

6.          Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured surface.  Cute with round cutter.  Carefully lift with spatula and place 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared sheets.

7.          Bake 6 minutes or until just beginning to color lightly.  Remove from sheets and cool on wire racks.

The “Bars” category was created specifically for this awesome recipe by Julie M.Crust:

• 1 cup Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 chopped toasted walnuts or pecans (I used walnuts)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

• 2 (8-ounce each) packages cream cheese, softened (The recipe I used said to use reduced-fat, but I used regular cream cheese.)
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Topping:

• 1 bag frozen berries
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Crust:

• Heat oven to 350º F. Lightly spray 13 x 9-inch metal baking pan with cooking spray.
• Combine oats, flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, nuts and baking soda in medium bowl; mix well. Add butter; mix until crumbly. (If you have raw nuts, first toast them at 350º F for 8-10 minutes in a shallow pan.)
• Press into a firm, even layer on to bottom of pan.
• Bake 10 minutes.

Filling:

• Beat together cream cheese, 3/4 cup brown sugar and flour with electric mixer in large bowl until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla, and lemon peel; beat well.
• Pour over crust, spreading evenly.
• Bake 20-25 minutes or until set in center. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Chill.
• To serve, cut cheesecake into squares and spoon topping over bars.

Topping:You can use fresh berries and berry syrup, but since I had a Trader Joe’s bag of frozen mixed berries, here’s what I did.

• Defrost the bag of berries. Empty two cups of berries into a bowl and set aside.
• Put the remainder of the berries in a saucepan with a little cold water—just enough to almost cover the berries.
• Bring them to a boil and stir so some of the fruit breaks down.
• Add sugar, stirring until it has dissolved. Remove from heat and cool.
• Add this mixture and lemon juice to uncooked berries; stir and chill.