Chewy Fruit and Oatmeal Bars -- The Lazy Mom Way!

I needed something in a snap yesterday. I just didn't have the time to go rummaging through recipes and mix all my ingredients together. Like all Lazy Moms I keep a stash of boxed bakery items in the pantry. I much prefer Betty Crocker's cookie mixes over Pillsbury's slice and bake or even, gasp, Nestle's. Betty's are that good. So good really, that you could pass them off as home made! Not that I have tried... Well, no one asked!

These cookies can be made and baked in 20 minutes. Can't beat that! And when I am feeling super lazy and really in a rush I make bars instead of cookies. No dropping and measuring cookies to ensure that each and everyone of them is the same size because Godforbid one is bigger than the next! I added dried fruit and coconut for a decadently sweet snack that was an immediate hit! You have to try these!

Ingredients:

1 package Betty Crocker oatmeal cookie mix
3/4 cup of raisins
3/4 cup finely chopped dried apricot
3/4 cup dried cherries
1 cup shredded coconut
2 Tbs water (package says 1 but the additional fruit and coconut require the extra tbs of water)
1 egg -- per directions on package
1 stick of butter -- per directions on package

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a large mixing bowl add mix, egg, butter and water and mix til well blended. Slowly fold in dried fruit until well blended. (You can take out or add other dried fruit if desired.)

Lightly grease (I use a non-stick spray) a brownie pan and add cookie dough to the pan. Evenly distribute mixture to all sides.

Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before slicing. Let cool another 10 minutes or so before removing bars.

These bars are the perfect combination of crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside.

Cherry Ricotta Muffins

This recipe was totally inspired and borrowed upon from Giada deLaurentis' Nonna's Lemon Ricotta Biscuits


Ingredients

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 cup of sugar
* 1 stick of butter, room temperature
* The zest from 1 lemon
* 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
* 1 large egg
* 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
* 1 Cup + of dried cherries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Sift together flour, baking powder and soda. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl cream together butter and sugar, add egg, mix well. Add almond extract, lemon zest and ricotta. Mix well.

Add flour mixture to batter and blend well. Fold in dried cherries.

Line muffin tin with 12 liners and scoop batter into the liners.

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes.

Let cool 5 minutes and enjoy!

Note: The Tipsy Housewife would most definitely pour a good swig of Limoncello into the muffin batter to enhance the lemon flavor from the zest prior to baking! And then she might take a swig herself ;)