In the Kitchen...

I love how Fall pulls me back into the kitchen.  When turning on the stove no longer increases the temperature inside to the mid 90's, I actually enjoy cooking.  This week has been especially fun since I planned out all my meals ahead of time and know exactly what I'm doing when I head in there.  (If you haven't tried planning meals ahead, I highly recommend it.  It has made my life more peaceful, is saving us money and is actually pretty fun!)

Avoiding the 4 pm "oh now, its almost dinner time and I have no plan" crisis has afforded me a bit more time to play around and actually enjoy my time in the kitchen.  So yesterday I pulled out a recipe that my friend Keisha sent me, something I hadn't had since childhood:  The Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookie.

More candy than cookie, these are so rich and delicious!  At first I contemplated doubling the recipe, but I'm glad I didn't - just a couple of these things more than do the trick.  One batch yielded about 3 dozen, more than enough to share with Grandma and Grandpa.

Try out the recipe below to make your very own No-Bake cookies.  And tell me - what is your favorite thing to make in the kitchen in the Fall?

Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies

1/2 C Butter
1/2 C Milk
2 C Sugar
3 TB Cocoa

Combine above in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil and stir while boiling for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add:

1/2 C Peanut Butter
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Salt
3 C Oats

Stir together and drop tablespoonfuls onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper.  They will harden as they cool, but you may want to pop them in the fridge to speed up the process!  *note: if the mixture is too dry and not sticking together, try adding a few drops of extra milk.

Enjoy!