A bit ironic with yesterday’s post on high fructose corn syrup that this email pops in to my Blackberry at 7:22am while I’m on my way to work:
You want to make some brownies or cookies tonight for the bake sale? If not, I should probably pick something up at the store.
Love,
Me
That would be my husband. Less than 24 hours notice for a bake sale at his work. Isn’t Mr. P one lucky guy that I responded happily with a, “Sure! No problem!” And I think his co-workers are lucky he asked, too. Store bought baked goods can’t hold a candle to homemade! 😀
No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies adapted from My Wellnest and originally from Cooks.com
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter 50/50 Smart Balance Butter Blend
1 cup sugar
1/4 skim milk
1/8 cup cocoa
1/2 cup all-natural peanut butter
1 1/2 cups quick oats or old fashioned oats
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
Combine butter, sugar, milk, and cocoa in saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter, oats, and vanilla until thick. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Cookies will harden as they cool. Yield: 16 large no-bake cookies.
Nutrition Information (per cookie): 146 calories; 7.6 g. fat; 10 mg. cholesterol; 58 mg. sodium; 18.4 g. carbohydrate; 1.5 g. fiber; 2.9 g. protein
Result: Ohhhh my! I should’ve stayed a no-bake virgin…these things are DANGEROUS!!! They taste so rich and just melt in your mouth. For that reason, I find the nutrition stats to be pretty wonderful. The fat in the cookies is primarily heart healthy MUFA’s and PUFA’s from the Smart Balance and trans fat-free peanut butter and they contain fiber from oats. And calorie-wise, I think they’re a great bargain for the size of the cookie. YUM! Added bonus: most people have every ingredient on hand, so when your hubby or kid pulls a bake sale out of left field, you don’t have to add grocery shopping to your to-do list, too 😉
Since the kitchen was already messy, I decided to make another recipe for the bake sale…
Basic Cookie Dough Recipe from Kitchen Daily
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 50/50 Smart Balance Butter Blend, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined.
With the mixer on low speed, beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in any goodies (i.e. chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit, etc.). Tear off two sheets of waxed paper, each about 12 inches. Spoon half the dough lengthwise down the center of each sheet of paper forming a strip about 8 inches long. With your hands, roll each strip into a log about 2 inches wide, and 1 inch thick. Wrap the logs up in the paper. Freeze several hours until firm or freeze up to 3 months.
To bake: Preheat oven to 400° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap frozen dough and with a sharp knife, slice 1/4-inch thick. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden around the edges, rotating baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back. With a wide, thin metal spatula, remove from baking sheets to wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 3 1/2 dozen cookies.
Nutrition Information (per cookie, dough without goodies): 54 calories; 2.2 g. fat; 8 mg. cholesterol; 51 mg. sodium; 8 g. carbohydrate; 0 g. fiber; 0.6 g. protein
Result: I made 1/2 of the batch into standard chocolate chip cookies by adding 1/3 cup chocolate chips and the other half into white chocolate chip cranberry cookies by adding 1/3 cup white chocolate chips and 1/4 cup dried cranberries. I love the versatility of having a simple dough recipe, especially since you can stash a batch in the freezer for up to 3 months! This was your classic, yummy cookie!
OIAJ or LTIAJ (Lily’s tongue in a jar)? LTIAJ sure occupies her, so I went with that… 😉
Other than baking last night, I dragged my tush through a 3 mile run on the treadmill. I don’t know why, but my legs felt like lead…certainly one of my worst runs in awhile. However, after watching Biggest Loser last night, I don’t think I can complain!! Jillian is MEAN!!
Question: Are you going to be watching The Biggest Loser this season?
Half way to Friday,
And now I want cookies. LOL
No, I am definitely not watching The Biggest Loser this season. I’ve got better things to do with my time. Plus, I have no clue when it would come on here if it even does. 😉
I usually turn it on in between commercials. I don’t like it as much as I used to.
HA! Yes, he is very lucky, because I would have written back “Yep, go ahead and buy some!” Although no-bake cookies are pretty darn easy, and they just so happen to be my FAVORITE cookie of all time 🙂
Nope, not watching the Biggest Loser this season, or ever again. Too many commercials, and it gets worse every season in my opinion. I can’t stand Jillian Michael’s.
Oooh, I love no-bake cookies!! So tasty! Your husband (and his co-workers) is a lucky guy 🙂
Those chocolate chip peanut butter cookies look delicious! (But then again when isn’t chocolate + peanut butter delicious?!) I wish I could bake these for my brother’s 5th grade class, but they have a peanut allergy.
Those no-bake chocolate pb cookies look sooooo good! Another great way to get in my oats! 😉 Love the pic of Lily with the jar…she has good taste! 🙂 I actually haven’t watched The Biggest Loser in about 3 years…I really don’t know why…
I love no bakes. My mom has made them all my life. My dad and my favorite way to eat them is when they are hot still in the pan. Yum. Although, portion control gets a little skewed doing this! Seldom done=worth it!
haha the biggest loser forces me to get to the gym, too. I told my husband last night, if this show doesn’t make you want to work out, nothing will!
I was so excited to go for a 6 mile run outside yesterday because the whether was so beautiful. 2 minutes into it my legs felt like lead too. I felt like I was trying so hard and getting no where. And then I was out of breath after about 10 minutes. It ended up being the longest 6 miles of my life. I kept stopping to walk and by the end did more walking than running.
I HATE when that happens.
Mmmm….I LOVE, LOVE no bake cookies! They are great, too, for people with food allergies (like my nephew). I could easily eat 10 in one sitting! You are so sweet to do all that baking after working all day. 🙂
Glee interferes with the Biggest Loser, so…. 🙂 I do like BL, but it’s hard because the episodes are so long – and drawn out!
I love no bake cookies-these look awesome!
No bake cookies are so delicious – definitely a classic 🙂 I only watch the BL when I have some spare time haha, I don’t keep up with it, but yeah, Jillian is tough! Makes you wanna push yourself, even when your legs feel like lead 😉
Hope you have a great day beautiful 🙂
Meg
You’re a great wife. I would have been like–pick up some cookies on your way home from work. Ha ha.
No Biggest Loser for me. Last season was the first I’ve watched and while it’s entertaining, the fact that it’s one big commercial (Try Extra gum! Mysteriously forgot your lunch? Go to Subway! Hydrate–with Brita!) got on my nerves. I can think of 50 books that will be a better use of my time.
Your husband is a lucky man. I dont even like cooking for my boyfriend unless he buys the groceries. 🙂 But Im also kind of lazy that way.
I dont watch The Biggest Loser unless Im at my parents house. My mom watches religiously. I do like to watch the last episode though. Its the best one.
I work late on Tuesdays so I miss out on the Biggest Loser and Glee (two of the three shows I actually watch) but I will definitely be catching up with the help of my DVR! I really love that show.
Chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies have always been my favorite cookie!
No bake Chocolate peanut butter cookies look so yummy…. so this is what I am going to make tomorrow ..:)
Did you decide against the pumpkin bars then? I would still recommend trying them bc like I said…I loved em!! 🙂
ps. no bake cookies are ALWAYS a winner!
both sweets look equally tasty!! depends on the mood..more chocolate or less, and depends on the time, bake or no bake 🙂 YUMMSS
Those no bake cookies look amazing!! I think I better not make them though unless I have people coming over to share them with!! They look pretty addicting!! 🙂
I’m definitely going to be watching BL this season. It looks like they’ve come up with a bunch of new stuff, like the marines training them!
I remember thinking my mom was the best cook EVER when she would make us no-bake cookies. They’re still one of my favorites…and now I might just have to make a batch!
Oh Lily, you adorable doggle … how you make my heart melt every time I see you!! 😀
Nicole, those no-bake cookies are INSANELY delicious-looking! Mr. Prevention (and the bake sale patrons) are lucky ducks. Do you want to bake something for my bake sale? 😛 This recipe is going straight in my queue!
Have a great day, Nicole! 🙂
Bet your hubby is thankful you love to bake/cook!! I wonder if he said he made em at work!? Lol! And I agree, no-bake cookies are sure addicting!
Love no-bakes! (obviously, haha) and they are a good cookie when you’re short on time.
I thought about watching The Biggest Loser…I’ll have to check it out!
Yep, much to my husband’s dismay, I will watch BL again this season. He reminds me that is why we have four t.v.’s in our house so I don’t have to watch it with him! 😀
Almost the weekend – woot!
I love no bake cookies. They are so simple. The ones you made look just delicious. His coworkers probably adore you!
I haven’t tuned into Biggest Loser yet this season.
I hate runs like that but at least you got through it! Have a good day, Nicole!
Both cookies look good. Your husband is lucky…and so are his coworkers. Homemade is always better.