No-Bake Cookies

Everybody loves cookies, and I have yet to meet someone who doesn't like no-bake cookies.

This recipe has been shamelessly stolen from my sister.  But seriously, you should check out her blog.

1/4 cup butter

1 1/3 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups rolled oats

Combine all ingredients, except the oats, in a saucepan.  Melt the mixture over medium heat.  Once the mixture is melted, increase the heat until it begins to boil.  Let it boil for a minute or two.  Take the saucepan off the heat and mix in the oats.  Let the mixture cool, then form it into balls on a cookie sheet lined with plastic wrap.  Put the cookie sheet in the freezer for 45 min - 1 hour.  Keep the cookies in the refrigerator.

Pasta from Scratch

Sometimes, I wish I had been born Italian.  Sometimes, I pretend anyway and make fresh pasta.  This is pretty quick to make, and you're always left with a bunch to freeze, ready for another meal at a moment's notice.

3 cups All-Purpose Flour
4 Eggs
Pinch of Salt

Measure flour into a large mixing bowl.  Create a well in the middle of the flour.  Crack eggs into the well.  Add the pinch of salt.  Mix the eggs together with a fork, then slowly start to mix in the rest of the flour.  Once the dough comes together, mix by hand for several minutes.

Separate the dough into smaller balls.  Roll out with a rolling pin or pasta maker.  Cut into whatever shapes your heart desires.

To dry the pasta, hang it on a clothes hanger for an hour or two.  It will keep frozen for a few weeks.

Hummus

Hummus is easy to make, and it goes with all kinds of things.  Usually, I eat it with carrots or tortilla chips.  Once you make it a couple times, you don't even have to measure things.  Just throw it all in the blender and mix it up!

1 15 oz can Garbanzo Beans
2 Tbsp Tahini
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 Clove of Garlic, chopped fine
Dash of Red Pepper Flakes
Hot Sauce (optional)

Put all ingredients, except hot sauce, in a blender.  Blend until smooth.  Add hot sauce to taste.