Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons cocoa (I used 2 unsweetened chocolate squares)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (I used all natural peanut butter)
3-3 1/2 cups dry quick-cooking oats
2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

1.) Add the first four ingredients into a 4-quart sauce pan.
2.) Bring to a rolling boil and hold for 1 minute.
3.) Remove from heat.
4.) Stir in the next 3 ingredients and drop by tablespoons onto wax/parchment paper.
5.) Place in refrigerator and let cool until set. (about 1 hour)

These cookies are totally nostalgic for me. They always remind me of childhood and my dad. When I was younger, we used to make them at his house all the time. They are super easy and super delicious. I'm always amazed how well chocolate and peanut butter go together. Last night I made them for Ty because he had never tried them. Although he's not really a dessert guy, he liked them.

Your Daily Dose of Louie

Louie is going on 3 1/2 months this weekend! He went to the doc yesterday for a few shots and he got a clean bill of health. The vet said he's doing fantastic and is already 23 lbs. Here he is outside in his "natural" habitat.

Glazed Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

1 lg acorn squash
Dash of salt
2 tsp. orange marmalade
1/4 cup of butter
Brown sugar (as needed)

Directions:

Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds and strings.
Cut into slices and lay in pan with 1/4 inch of water.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place pan in over for 20 minutes and then turn flip slices and sprinkle with salt.
Add the butter and marmalade to pan and place back in oven for 15 more minutes (35 minutes total)
Take out of oven and serve hot with a sprinkling of brown sugar over the top.



Overall, this was a great dish and really easy to make. I know squash is typically a winter thing, but I got this one cheap and it makes for a good snack or side dish. Ty isn't crazy about the texture, but that just means more for me! :)

Other good news? Squash is good for you! It’s rich in beta carotene, a major antioxident, vitamins A and C, folate, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acid. Squash is an America original, first cultivated in Central America. Native Americans used to bury winter squash along with their dead, to provide them nourishment in the afterlife. Christopher Columbus brought winter squash back from the New World and its popularity was spread by Portuguese and Spanish traders and explorers. The hard peel of the squash meant that it stored well on long ocean journeys, and I bet the vitamin C helped ward off scurvy.