Okay, so it’s not really the fountain of youth, but chocolate always makes me think of being a kid so I was hoping they were connected. Here are a couple of recipes to get us in the mood for Joy’s upcoming Chocolate round-up.

CHOCOLATE OATMEAL LOGS
4 cups oatmeal
2/3 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 bag milk chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Melt butter and honey together. Add vanilla.
• Mix oatmeal, salt and brown sugar together.
• Toss chocolate chips in the oatmeal mixture.
• Pour butter mixture all over oatmeal mixture and toss until well coated.
• Press into a 9×13 pan.
• Bake 25 minutes.
• Cool 20 minutes and then cut into logs.

BROWN VELVET CAKE
1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 Jumbo egg
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder.
• Stir sugar into the buttermilk.
• Whisk the egg until beaten and add to the buttermilk.
• Add chocolate and vanilla to the buttermilk mixture.
• Add in the dry ingredients slowly, blending well.
• Spread into a 9×13 pan or 2 round layers.
• Bake 35 minutes.
• Top it with Mocha Caramel Frosting or Chocolate Butter Cream Icing.