No-Bake (One-Handed) Cookies

Maybe it is a southern thing but I grew up with these cookies. As soon as I was old enough to cook on the stove, my girlfriends and I would make these delicious no-bake cookies. So when Gracie was down for a nap today and I had Emily nursing on my left arm (well, she was nursing and I was holding her with my left arm) I wondered if I could make these using only one hand. Guess what? You can! Perfect mommy afternoon treat. So I made a little mess but I can clean that up later when I have two hands again.

In a sauce pan combine:

2 cups sugar (maybe less next time, these were a bit sweet)

1 stick butter

4+ Tsps cocoa (I used Scharffen Berger)

1/2 cup milk

after it has boiled for one minute add:

3 cups oats

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup+ peanut butter

use a 2tsp melon baller (if attempting this with one hand) to scoop onto wax paper or a silpat

let cool until hardened ~45 minutes

store in the freezer, in a ziploc so you don't eat them all in one sitting

or sit down on the couch, nurse your baby and eat as many as you please

Oatmeal Carob Walnut Cookies

You are what you eat? Well then I must be a huge oatmeal cookie this week!

Adapted from Feeding the Whole Family, one of my favorite family friendly cookbooks. Gracie doesn't care for chocolate too much, or metabolize it that well, so we used carob chips, which she said were still too chocolaty. Only walnuts next time. Or pine nuts? YUM!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

mix dry ingredients:

1 1/2 cups oats

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (plus a little bit if the dough is too wet)

1/4 tsp sea salt

mix wet ingredients then add to dry above:

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 melted butter (this must be why they are so good!)

1 tsp vanilla

then add the yummies:

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup carob or chocolate chips (optional)

Bake 15-20 minutes until edges start to turn golden brown

This made 20 cookies and I put them in the freezer to keep from eating them all in one day. I at least have to let them thaw for 10 minutes, okay one minute if my teeth are lucky.