Oatmeal Bars

I got this recipe out of the July issue of Family Circle.  This month's cover cracks me up.  It has a picture of delicious looking fried chicken, and then on the side it says, "Our thin-for-life fitness plan."  Anyway, my daughter, Emma, saw this recipe in the magazine and asked if we could try it, and I'm glad we did.  It is DELICIOUS and so very easy to make!! 

Oatmeal Bars

Ingredients: 

• 
  
  1 cup all-purpose flour
• 
  
  1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 
  
  1/4 teaspoon salt
• 
  
  1 cup light brown sugar
• 
  
  3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla
• 
  
  1/4 cup milk
• 
  
  2 cups quick oats
• 
  
  1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips 

Directions:   

1. 
   
   Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Coat a 8x8x2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. 
   
   In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt together. In a large bowl, beat sugar and butter on medium-high speed until fluffy.  Beat in vanilla.  Reduce speed to low and beat in milk, then flour mixture.  Stir in oats and 1 cup of the chocolate chips.
3. 
   
   Spread batter into prepared baking pan.  Bake for 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean (for me this happened at 30 minutes).  Cool completely on wire rack (when they say let it cool completely, DO IT.  We cut into it too early and it fell apart, but was still delicious).  Microwave remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips for 30 seconds; stir until smooth and drizzle over bars (I had to put it into a baggie, cut the corner, and pipe it on, the drizzling didn't happen.).  Cut into squares. Eat. Yum.