With the move to Ohio we experienced a variety of changes to the daily routines of living. These changes were not simply because we were in Ohio, but because we were in a new state, a new city, a new house, doing different things. One of the changes has been my emerging interest in cooking - beyond grilling and the morning cereal bowl.
For the last week or so, I've had the craving for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. It must have been the subliminal messages being sent to me having just bought a huge tub of Quaker Oats with the cookie recipe on the bottom of the lid. At any rate, the craving took control of me during the most unfortunate time this weekend... ever tried to use a gas stove without gas? Yes, with the move, we inherited a gas stove operating from a propane cylinder outside of the house. In time, we knew that the tank would become empty. With the urgent need to fulfill the cookie craving- the time had come.
After doing a Google search, I stumbled upon the following recipe worthy of repeating and sharing below:
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2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup condensed milk
dash salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla
1 heaping tablespoon peanut butter
1.5 cups uncooked oatmeal
Microwave the butter in a microwave-safe bowl for 15-30 seconds, until the butter is melted. Add 1/4 cup cocoa and blend until the cocoa is dissolved into the butter.
Add the sugar, milk and salt. Blend well.
Microwave on high for 1 minute 10 seconds to bring to a full boil. (Should you need to microwave the batter some more, do so in 10 second increments.) You want a full boil, but because it will continue to cook for awhile once it's removed from the microwave, heating it too long can cause the mixture to scorch.)
Add the vanilla, peanut butter and oatmeal. Stir well. Drop by tablespoon-full on waxed paper and allow to cool.
Makes 12 cookies.
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Because we didn't have any condensed milk sitting in the cupboard, I substituted coconut milk in our recipe. Doesn't everybody have coconut milk sitting around? Also for the sugar, I used part white and part brown.
Despite their looking like gooey warm brown piles, the no-bake cookies were tasty and satisfied the oatmeal cookie urge for the moment. We did find it necessary to refrigerate. Doing so allowed them to firm up. As soon as the propane arrives later in the week, I'm looking forward to experimenting with cookie dough and flames.
