Once a month baking

Did a bit of easy baking today. Needed something to take along with us to Game Club - a local Asperger's support group event that happens once a month. The boys really look forward to going, and I don't blame them! Board games, video games, card games, snacks and pizza, and a showing of a new DVD on a big screen complete with popcorn are all great, but having a group of other kids who are all at a similar social skills level is even better. Most kids with Asperger's have a difficult time making friends due to problems picking up on social cues, added to the fact that many of these kids do a lot of things that seem a bit odd as well. So a night like this means pretty much guaranteed success, which is huge. Parents get to hang out and talk and generally get a very well deserved break, so everyone wins. Each family brings a snack (hence the baking) and a $5 donation that helps go towards games and upkeep. Well worth it.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
makes 24 - 36 bars

These may look like just another ho-hum cookie bar recipe, but give them a try - they're quite addictive. You can play with it quite a bit, too - add other extras, leave some of mine out, it's all good. The whole wheat flour is mainly there so I can delude myself into thinking that these are marginally healthful, so feel free to leave it out and use all regular flour instead.

1/2 cup melted butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour (or use all regular flour, or 1/2 cup whole wheat and 1 cup all purpose)
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup coconut, unsweetened
1/3 cup quick oats
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or other nuts
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13 inch pan. If the pan is glass or Pyrex, turn the oven heat down to 300.
2 Mix butter, sugar and eggs together well. Add salt, flours and baking powder and stir until thoroughly mixed. Add coconut, oats, and nuts and mix to distribute evenly. Spread over the bottom of buttered pan (the batter is really thick). Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Bake for around 25 - 30 minutes, or until dry on top and almost firm to the touch. Let cool until chocolate chips are solid again, then cut into small squares.