A new baker in the house...

You know it's been a long time since you've done some serious baking when you get to the bottom of your flour bin and your brown sugar container and you don't have any back ups.  How do I not have flour?  Brown sugar?  Aldi is all of 5 minutes away - but I told Andy I would make due.  We were heading up the next day to Wisconsin to the big summer family party and I promised to bake something.  That something was going to be regular chocolate chip cookies, but no brown sugar and the flour embarrassingly low?  Quick Pinterest search of my pins turned up these cookie bars.  What do you need?  Cake mix - check!  Chocolate Chips - Check! (Well I had enough - certainly not many.)
Since I promise Bronwyn she could help - she did.  She loves to bake.  Ok, she loves stirring things together and scooping them out, the waiting for things to bake part is a work in progress.
I love baking together, they are fun memories to make.  Maybe one day I will get a panicked tear-filled phone call that she used a tablespoon of salt instead of a teaspoon - just like my mom got.  Oh yeah, I was that frequent caller during the summer when my mom was at work.  My weird childhood issues aren't the topic for today... let's just say I was dramatic.
These bars? Pretty dang yummy.  Especially with the mini M&Ms I added.  Bake them up when your cupboards are bare or full - no judging here.

Cake Mix Cookie Bars

1 Box yellow cake mix
1 Small box instant vanilla pudding mix
1/4 Cup water
3/4 Cup vegetable oil
2 Eggs
1/2 cup mini M&M's
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips.

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Combine cake mix, pudding, water, vegetable oil, eggs and chips or M&M's in large bowl.
Pour the batter (it's going to be thick) into a greased 9x13 baking dish. I lined mine in parchment paper.
Bake your bars for 20-30 minutes.