No Bake Cookies

 

Almost like candy, these cookies are an all time favorite.

The other day, a couple of friends came by to make some at my house.  We adjusted the recipe and loved the outcome.  Be sure not to boil the chocolate mixture past 230F degrees. It becomes clear and at the moment it starts to turn milky looking, it has gone too far.  If that is the case, the mixture will begin to harden before you can get your cookies on the paper.  The recipe actually says, boil one minute, but my experience has been that the sugar must all be dissolved before you start your timing.

But a candy thermometer is the best way to perfectly measure the progress of the candy.

We did not have a candy thermometer, but I find that a meat thermometer works fine too.

No Bake Cookies

 

Measure:

1/4 cup peanut butter

3 cups oatmeal

(optional 1/4 cup dried or flaked coconut or nuts or both)

into a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Then put the following into a boiler or a non stick wok:

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder raw or dutch processed

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup butter

boil till dissolved and then to the 230 F degree point. Turn off the stove.

Pour very quickly – and carefully- into the already prepared oat mixture.

Stir till peanut butter is just dissolved.

Then quickly drop onto wax paper

you can use a teaspoon, tablespoon, melon scoop or ice cream scoop for different shapes. The spoon cookies will look more like cookies and a bit flat, the scoops will make more bon, bon type cookies.

They will harden in a few minutes and will be good to eat.

I like to put the cookies in pretty muffin papers and store in bags of six.

Have fun making these!  Definitely a great activity! 🙂

 

 

Stir Fry Granola

Easy Granola

 

You can stir this granola in a wok!

This recipe saves time (oven methods could take up to two hours) and money (the gas or electricity used by the oven.)

 

1. Put together in a bowl:

4 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup non fat dry milk powder

1 cup dried fruit (I used cranberries)

½ cup walnuts or almonds ground fine or chopped (my kids are picky about nuts but if I grind them up fine in the blender, they will eat them.

½ cup dried coconut ground fine or chopped (optional)

¼ cup wheat germ (optional)

1 T. Cinnamon

 

2. In a wok, melt:

1 cup brown sugar

¼ cup water

1 t. vanilla

 

3. Stir the brown sugar syrup into the oat mixture.

 

4. pour ½ cup olive oil and heat in the wok.

(you could use melted butter)

 

5. Add the oat mixture to the oil and butter

Stir until mixture is all mixed and starts to brown.

 

6. Put out on cookie sheet to dry.

 

7. Keep in airtight container.

 

Yields 8 cups and is 111 calories per ¼ cup.