No-Bake Chocolate Cookies

Here's what you need:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup milk 
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (Note: not hot chocolate powder, but the unsweetened cocoa powder)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats

Here's what to do:

1.  Put butter, sugar, milk and cocoa powder in a large sauce pan.  Bring ingredients to a rolling boil while stirring continuously.  Boil for one minute and remove from heat.

 When my daughter saw the whole stick of butter and 2 cups of sugar

being added in this step she commented, "This isn't really a healthy recipe is it, Mom?"

(No, sweetheart, but sometimes mommies 

like a yummy chocolate-y treat to make it through a rough day!)

2.  Stir in peanut butter and vanilla and mix until blended.  Add quick oats and stir until combined.

3. Line a baking sheet with wax paper.  Drop mixture by tablespoon-full onto the waxed paper.  The cookies will harden as they cool.  (I often pop them into the fridge for a bit to speed up this process)