Easy and Quick Recipes

Ingredients 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed 2 cups quick oatmeal 1 (16 ounce) bag chocolate chips 3/4 cup caramel ice cream topping 1 1/4 cups margarine 2 cups flour, plus 3 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt Directions Preheat oven to 350°. Cream brown sugar and margarine. Add dry ingredients reserving 3 Tbsp of flour and stir in the oatmeal. Press 1/2 of the mixture in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. Mix caramel topping with the reserved flour. Drizzle this over the chips. Sprinkle the top with the remaining crumb mixture. Bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Ingredients 1/4 cup water 1 cup sugar 2 whole star anise, finely grated (1/2 teaspoon) 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 4 to 5 pounds ripe, firm Bartlett pears (10 to 12 pears) 6 ounces mild blue cheese, preferably Fourme d'Ambert, thinly sliced (optional) 1 cup walnuts, toasted (optional) Directions Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Bring water and 3/4 cup sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook, swirling pan occasionally if sugar darkens unevenly, until mixture turns dark amber. Pour caramel into a 6 1/2-inch charlotte mold that's 3 1/2 inches deep, swirling mold to coat bottom and sides. (Caramel may crack as it cools.) Place star anise in a small bowl. Combine salt and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in another small bowl. Place lemon juice in a third small bowl. Peel 3 pears. Using a mandoline or a handheld slicer, slice each pear lengthwise 1/8 inch thick, stopping at the core and t...