No Bake Cookies

Recipe From: A FACS teacher I used to work with.

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups oatmeal


Directions:

1. Bring sugar, cocoa, milk, and butter to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan.
2. Cover, boil for one minute.
3. Remove from heat. Add peanut butter, vanilla, and oatmeal. Stir until mixed and thick.
4. Drop by spoonful on waxed paper and allow to cool/harden.

Rating: Delish!
Notes:

• I used reduced fat peanut butter, skim milk, and unsalted butter.
• Recipe says this will yield about 4 dozen. I got 39 today. The size of your cookies would determine your outcome.

WW PointsPlus*: as prepared, 3

Cookies, Cookies, Cookies...

Sorry I have not been posting lately, I guess the holidays kept me busier than I thought they would. :)
Below this post are two new recipes that I had / tried during that time. Please enjoy!

Speaking of the holidays...my mom and I spent a day baking A LOT of cookies. We made five kinds of cookies and two types of bars (one is below). I don't remember ever spending a day like that with my mom before, it was really fun, and we got to enjoy our work when it was done.

One of the types of cookies we made was an idea I got from a friend at a different cookie baking event this holiday season. (She got the idea from one of her parenting magazines.) When the cookie is done it looks like a cute reindeer.

Form your favorite peanut butter cookie dough into a rounded triangle-like shape and bake the cookie. Put chocolate covered pretzels for the antlers (this is important because the chocolate melts and acts like a glue to keep the pretzel on) and use a dollop of frosting to place mini M&Ms for the eyes and a regular M&M for the nose. Super cute and super yummy!

Kit-Kat Bars

Recipe From: my mom, who got it from a friend

Ingredients:
2 sticks of butter
1/2 c white sugar
1 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c milk
1 packet finely crushed graham crackers (about 2 cups)
Club style crackers

1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c butterscotch chips
2/3 c peanut butter

Directions:

1. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray.
2. Line bottom with single layer of crackers.
3. Combine butter, sugars, graham cracker crumbs, and milk in a saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly and watching carefully.
4. Spread half of the sauce over the crackers.
5. Place another layer of crackers over the sauce.
6. Spread the rest of the sauce over that layer of crackers.
7. Arrange a third layer of crackers on top. Set aside.
8. In a saucepan combine both kinds of chips and peanut butter over low heat. Stirring constantly until smooth.
9. Spread melted peanut butter mixture over the top layer of crackers, covering completely.
10. Refrigerate until sauce is hardened. Cut carefully in to bars with a sharp knife.

Rating: Delizioso! Probably my new favorite sweet, but not for everyday eating. :)

Notes:

• I layed the middle layer of crackers opposite direction from the other two layers, so cutting wouldn't just be on the cracker lines.
• Could make this healthier if you used reduced fat crackers.