Where's Sluggy Been? & A NomNom Recipe

I know, I know.....I've sort of been M.I.A. lately.

It all began a few weeks ago, when my hard drive fried.
Ever since then, I've been off kilter and off my game.

My Simplifying Christmas series posts?
My Christmas baking recipe posts?
Even my usual Grocery shops, Meal planning and Budget posts.......just haven't been happening.
Ugh.

Yep, just Ugh.
I am feeling so articulate lately, can't you tell? ;-)

December is always packed with goings-ons here.
We've got the high school band & chorus programs....and some years the school play if one of the teens is involved in that too, having to fetch #1 son from college, selling on eBay(since the Holidays is the busy time there for what I have!), blogging(or trying to), running to Rite-Aid for goodies and Daughter's birthday.
This year she turned 18!  I now technically have 2 adult children.
1 more to go. ;-)

Add in the brew-ha-ha surrounding the Holidays and December is anything but quiet and low-key.
Now is it any wonder why I am trying to simplify my Christmas?lol

Though I haven't been finding much time, with all that, for blogging, I have been keeping up with the baking this Christmas.   Instead of big massive one day BakeFest, I've been just wedging in a small session of cookie or pie making here and there since Sunday.
Here's what I've gotten accomplished to this point....

3 batches of Oatmeal cookies-1 without raisins.

1 batch of Coconut Macaroons in a festive lime green color.

1 batch of Coconut Macaroons regular color.  I added a dried cherry to each one after baking.  Didn't work out too well since they keep falling off.lol

1 batch of Double Chocolate Cookie Bars.  I added butterscotch chips to this recipe.

I also baked 2 Pecan Pies.  Christmas isn't Christmas in our house without this Southern favorite!

I've also got 1.5 dozen Chocolate Chocolate Chunk & Peanut Butter Cookies in the oven as I type.
Later today the pumpkin puree making and then the Pumpkin Pie baking commences....

If your gang loves chocolate and nuts, you need to try these Double Chocolate Cookie Bars.  They are easy-peasy.  Sort of a cross between Oreos, a fresh baked cookie and fudge.
I cut this recipe out of one of those Women's magazines ages ago.  I have no clue which one but it was over 20 years ago.

Double Chocolate Cookie Bars

Ingredients--
*2 cups finely crushed creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies(Oreos or Hydrox or any brand of similar), 24 cookies or 2/3 of a package
*1/4 Cup butter(or margarine), melted
*1 (12 oz)package semi-sweet chocolate chips
*1 (14 oz)can Eagle Condensed Milk(not evaporated milk!)
*1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
*1 Cup chopped nuts(I used walnuts but you can use whatever you like)

Preheat over to 350F.
Combine crumbs and butter, press firmly on bottom of 13x9in. baking pan.

In medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 cup of the choco. chips with the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.

Pour evenly over prepared crust.

Top with nuts and remaining chocolate chips.

(I also added butterscotch chips and didn't use the whole bag of the semi-sweet chips. You could also use vanilla chips, cinnamon chips or whatever your family prefers.)

Bake 20 minutes or until set.
Cool.
Chill if desired.  Cut into bars.  Store tightly covered at room temperature.(if they last that long!lol)
The recipe says it makes 24-36 'bars'.  Since it's just a 13x9 pan, the 'bars' are more like 1.5" squares. 8-)

So what has everybody else been baking up in the kitchen?

Sluggy