Lori's No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies

                                                                           

These are delicious and easy and way different than other more popular recipes out there. There is no butter in this recipe, yet they are fudge-like and delicious.
I got this recipe from my 7th grade Home-Ec class as these are the cookies that the lunch ladies from Eastmoor Jr High school (Columbus, Ohio) used to make for dessert several times a month. They made a lot of homemade items for lunch, and this was one of them.
I love my grandma's no-bake cookies (posted on here), but I also love these and have been making them since I was 12 years old. These are the no-bakes my kids grew up eating.
These are not healthy. These are an indulgence that one would make on occasion. And these will quickly become a favorite of yours.

Lori's No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies

3 cups quick cook oats
6 Tbls unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 - 2/3 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla

In a bowl, combine oats and cocoa; stir to combine, then set aside.
In a 3 quart saucepan, combine sugar, milk, and vanilla; bring to a rolling boil and boil 1 minute. Add peanut butter (amount depends on how much you like peanut butter!).
Add oats and cocoa, stir well to combine.
Working quickly, drop by tsp or Tbls onto waxed or parchment paper.
Cool one hour before eating (if you can wait that long!).
Makes 32-40 cookies, depending on size.
*You must work quickly when dropping these onto waxed paper as they will set up hard in pan.

Honey-Wheat Bread

                                          

This is a delicious bread that is very easy to make. I originally got this off the back of a bag of King Arthur Whole Wheat flour, but I have been unable to find this exact recipe on their website, in their cook book, or on the backs of their bags of flour. I don't know why as it is a really good recipe.
I used to make this sometimes and keep one loaf plain as is, and to the other loaf I would add some dried fruit (look at tips below), and this made it especially good as a breakfast bread as it made excellent toast. Any kind of dried fruit would work, but I used Sun Maid Fruit Bits as they are just the right size and texture. Many people avoid sulphur added to dried fruits, but I don't eat these often enough that I worry about it.
If you love a good wheat bread, then you will love this recipe.

Honey-Wheat Bread
 Makes 2 loaves

1 cup water
1 cup milk*
2 Tbls active dry yeast
1/2 cup honey
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 large egg, beaten
2 tsp real sea salt
1/4 cup olive oil
3-4 1/2 cups unbleached white flour*

Heat water and milk to warm (105-115 degrees). Pour into a glass bowl. Add 1 tsp honey, yeast, and 3 cups whole wheat flour. Mix; cover and let rest 20 minutes (or all day~ but the dough will sour and take on a sourdough flavor).
Mix in honey, egg, salt, oil, and 3 cups unbleached white flour, till well-incorporated.
Knead dough and add more flour, as needed.
Knead 8-10 minutes, till soft and elastic.
Divide into two equal pieces.
Roll out and shape into loaves.
Place in two greased 9"x5"x2" pans.
Grease top of bread with lard or a bit of olive oil, if desired..
Cover; let rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees about 10 minutes before bread is ready.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until bread tests done by sounding 'hollow' when thumped.
Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool.
You can rub with some butter if you did not grease tops prior to baking.
Eat warm, or let cool and eat. This makes good toast.
Makes two loaves.
If you wrap very well you can freeze one loaf for future use.

Tips:
*Use whole milk for a richer loaf.
*You can use all whole wheat flour, if you want, but the bread will be heavier and denser.
*I sometimes add 1/2 - 3/4 cup dried fruits to one loaf and use this as a breakfast bread. Make sure
  these fruits are cut in small pieces.