Ginger Shortbread

This is a recipe out of Company's Coming 150 Delicious Squares - it is so simple that my 8 year old made it on her own and we finished the pan in two days over Thanksgiving!

1 cup butter (do not use margarine)
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 - 1/2 cup candied ginger
1 tsp powdered ginger (if desired for a stronger ginger flavor)

Measure all ingredients in bowl except chopped ginger.  Cut butter into flour and sugar, ending with mixing with your hands as for pie crust.  When mixture will hold together, work in ginger.  Press in ungreased 9 x 9 inch pan.  prick with fork through to the bottom of the batter (we had a hard time with this as it seemed pretty crumby so we skipped this step).  Bake in 300 degree oven for 50-60 minutes until a delicate golden brown color.  Cut while warm into 36 squares (easiest to cut without crumbling while it is warm).

Nutella Banana Oat Muffins

• This one came from a site called Chef in Training.  These muffins have been a huge hit in my house!
• 
  
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 bananas, mashed
• Nutella

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir until ingredients are well combined.
3. In a large bowl, beat egg. Add milk, oil, vanilla and mashed bananas. Sir to mix ingredients until well combined.
4. Add flour mixture to the banana mixture and stir until ingredients are incorporated, do no over stir.
5. Line a 12 muffin pan with 12 muffin tins or spray muffin tin generously with cooking spray.
6. Divide batter evenly among the 12 muffin tins.
7. Add a teaspoon of Nutella to the top of each muffin and gently cut Nutella into batter with a knife or toothpick to produce pretty swirls.