Surprising No-Bakes...

Let me start off with, if I had known how cold it was going to be today, yesterday's no-bakes would have been a bake. And there is a good chance that I will be baking something ANYTHING to help warm the house up. Last night before I headed off to bed I opened my house up. Hoping that we could survive the unusually warm weather the following day. And true to Idaho weather, today's high is a forecast of 56 but the real feel is 53. I will say this for Idaho weather, if you don't like it, wait....it will change.
So back to the no-bakes. I am very fond of baking, not so much of cooking. I would not be able to tell you why I prefer the one to the other, I just do. And when it's hot the last thing I want to do is add to the heat by turning the oven on. So the no bake offers a wonderful option.
The sad thing is since I have moved here there has only been one successful batch of No-bakes, and it was not for lack of trying. Most of the no bakes are little drops of mushy mess. The only one that came out right was a batch that a good friend gave me. Including her recipe + all the ingredients. That batch was tasty, delicious and in cookie form. The rest I would have to scoop up with my fingers and eat quickly before it would drip all over. They tasted okay, but not as good as the actual cookies should be.
Glutton for punishment I decided to try again. I used a recipe off of pinterest.
Easy enough and I had all ingredients. So away I went.
Here is the recipe courtesy of "Lick the Bowl Good"

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 stick oleo, margarine or butter (I used butter)
• 3 Tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 cups oatmeal (old fashioned rolled oats, not instant)

Mix the sugar, butter, cocoa, and milk in a medium saucepan.* Boil for 1 minute.

Add the peanut butter and vanilla. Mix quickly until peanut butter melts, then add the oatmeal and mix til well blended.

Drop spoonfuls on tin foil, wax paper or parchment. Allow to set and cool completely.

She would place her oats in a bowl then pour the mixture over the oats. I followed suit thinking "It can't hurt!" 

I then dropped them on to wax paper (that I had placed on baking sheets.) And waited. Not patiently I'll admit it. I helped myself to a few mushy soupy cookies. They tasted good. I kept waiting...and waiting...and waiting...
The cookies remained "soupy." sadly disappointed I left the "mess" to be cleaned up later and went on to other things. Like bed. 

And then this morning, Surprise! In place of soupy little mounds, there were actual cookies! Like pick them up, set them down, pile them together, cookies! So when the author says "allow to cool and set completely' she means over night. When you have given up all hope of them ever being cookies, they will overnight become what you want. 

http://lickthebowlgood.blogspot.com/2010/09/summer-and-autumn.html

Don't eat the Cookie Dough!

Okay I'll say it. Sometimes I will bake cookies only for the purpose of eating some cookie dough. I said it but you know you do it. Now all you're thinking about is "I must tell her that raw eggs is SOOO bad for her!" I know, I know. I've heard the lecture from countless people over the years. My home ec teacher, various relatives, even a few friends. And still my secret pleasure will persist, I will still swipe a finger full of batter. It's just so good!

Now the one thing that has taught me more self control than anything, kids. And having my own kids is like a constant self-control check. So with temps upwards of the 70's today the craving for cookies...okay cookie dough came. That stove in NOT coming on. I'll swipe some dough from a batch that will be made into cookies. My self control drew the line at eating a whole batch of raw cookie dough.
Over to Google we go! I simply typed in "edible cookie dough" looked at a few sites until I got to "Willow Bird Baking." She had two recipes, I chose the Sugar Cookie one, honestly because brown sugar is running low in this house.

Here is the Recipe...

Safe-to-Eat Cake Batter Cookie Dough

Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking

Yields: about 1 1/2-2 cups cookie dough

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup yellow cake mix
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sprinkles
4-8 tablespoons water

Directions:
In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes until light, fluffy, and pale yellow. Mix in salt, flour, cake mix, sprinkles, and vanilla. Add water one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each, until you reach cookie dough consistency.

See those directions up there? Yah, I just dumped and mix. Seemed to turn out well.

Here is the finished product. Won't be gone in one sitting, so it can sit in the fridge till the next craving strikes... Most likely tomorrow. 

Mmmmmmm.....

http://willowbirdbaking.com/2011/03/20/three-safe-to-eat-cookie-doughs-chocolate-chip-sugar-and-cake-batter/