No Bake Cookies

I love these cookies because they are packed with peanut butter and oats!

 1 3/4 cups white sugar

 1/2 cup milk

 1/2 cup butter

 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

 3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter

 3 cups quick-cooking oats

 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Prepare 2 cookie sheets covered in wax paper.  In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa. Stirring frequently, bring mixture to a boil then cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately stir in peanut butter, oats, and vanilla. Quickly drop by spoonful onto wax paper. Let cool until hardened.  Makes around 30-35 cookies.

Soft Pretzels

Makes 6 – 8 pretzels
Prep (30 minutes) + Cook (12 – 15 minutes)

We originally got this recipe from a bakery called Just Cakes in Bethesda, Maryland, where a friend learned to make gourmet pretzels, cookies and breads, in addition to cakes, during a summer cooking camp.

2 packages active dry yeast
1 ½ cups warm water
1 tsp. sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for the counter)
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
Mustard, honey mustard, or melted butter or Cheddar cheese for dipping

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the sugar. Let it stand for about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 cups of the flour followed by the salt and the remaining 2 cups of flour.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spread a thin layer of flour on the counter or a pastry board (or on individual cutting boards or baking sheets if you have many little bakers). Transfer the dough to the counter and knead it for about 10 minutes, or until it becomes elastic and shinier. (This can also be done in a mixer for 4 – 5 minutes but that takes away some of the fun.)

Divide the dough into 6 – 8 equal parts.  Stretch each part into a long thin rope, about 2 feet long and about ½-inch thick, and then twist them into a pretzels shape (or whatever shape you like).

Place the pretzels a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make an egg wash by beating the egg with 2 tsp. of water. With a pastry brush, brush the surfaces of the pretzels with the egg wash.

Bake them for 12–15 minutes until they are golden brown.

Brush them lightly with butter.  Sprinkle them with a little kosher or sea salt or cinnamon and sugar, if desired.

Homemade Fruit Leather

I just fell in love!
I'd love to make a spiced apple cider, plum or kiwi strawberry next time!
What flavors do you like?

4 cups of fruit

1/2 c water

lemon juice

Options for flavor:

2-4 tbs. honey 

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/2 c sugar 

I added the honey and felt it needed a little more so I added half of the sugar amount as well and a little cinnamon to taste.

Prepare rinsed fruit, if using apples, peaches, plums or nectarines, peel and remove pit.  I used strawberries sliced in half.  Add 1/2 cup of water to pan and simmer fruit for 15 minutes.  Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Pour fruit mix into blender and puree.  Add preferred sweeteners to taste and make sure to add lemon or lime juice to prevent fruit from browning later.  Pour pureed fruit onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Place into oven for 25 minutes.  Without opening oven, turn heat off with the oven door shut for 8 hours.  Remove baking sheet from oven.  Leather is ready when the surface is no longer tacky.  Cut 12 even strips, lengthwise.  Roll each strip up(with or without paper) and store in air tight container.  

Jellin' Melon

They call it Mellow Jell-O...

quite rightly!

Cut two melons (like honeydew or cantaloupe) in half and scoop out the seeds. Place halves in bowls for support, then, using your favorite flavor of jell-O, follow the package directions for jigglers and pour into melon halves. Refrigerate a few hours until set.

Cut into slices and watch your kids scarf them down!

Gooey Rice Krispy Treats

1 10 oz bag of marshmallows
7-8 cups of Rice Krispy cereal. (7 cups for really gooey treat squares)
1/2 a stick of butter

First gather all of your measured out ingredients. The process is quick, so you must have all of your ingredients ready. Make sure your grease your pan first, so once you are finished mixing the ingredients you can pour warm mixture onto cookie sheets or pan.

Start by melting your butter or margarine into a large pot on low heat. Allow to mostly melt down. Add 1 10 oz bag of marshmallows to pot when butter is mostly melted. Mix the butter and marshmallows. Coat all of the marshmallows with the butter. Let the marshmallow melt slowly, but NOT completely. The melted marshmallow and butter should still have marshmallow lumps.
When marshmallows are mostly melted, turn off stove and immediately add 7-8 cups of Rice Krispy cereal. (7 cups for really gooey treat squares). Mix cereal into melted marshmallows. Mix from the bottom up, evenly coating the cereal with the marshmallows. Quickly pour onto greased cookie sheet. Spread out the mixture onto the cookie sheet evenly. DO NOT PRESS DOWN. Pressing down the mixture will result in hard square treats.

Allow to cool for an hour before cutting squares. The squares will stay soft and gooey for several days. Store in greased tupperware for freshness.