One of the best things I remember about school lunches, was the no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies. Come on, besides sitting next to Connie and Stephanie (and giggling over Tommy and Allen) and mashed-potatoes and yeast roll day, you know this was your favorite, too!

This easy, no-frills, zero complications morsel is forgiving, too. You can jazz it up with sun flower nut butter, brown butter, or all brown sugar, but the result will always be like a long-lost friend!

Chocolate No-Bake Cookies

• 1/2 c butter
• 1 c granulated or raw sugar
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/2 c milk
• 4 T cocoa
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 1/2-1 c peanut butter (less if using crunchy peanut butter more for smooth)
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 3 c quick cooking oats (unless you like a bit of “chew” then use old fashioned)

Add the first 6 ingredients to a large pan. Bring to a low boil, stirring occasionally for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat; add in remaining ingredients and stir, stir, stir! Drop by mounded spoonful onto waxed paper-lined baking sheet; cool (or, you know, sample with a spoon for flavor correction 😉), eat and reminisce!

**if you don’t already have these, do yourself a favor and get 5hem! They’re useful for accurately filling muffin/cupcake pans, cookie dropping, meatball making, etc.**

May you only remember the good times and no-bake cookies from your school days!

Love, good health, simple days and full bellies, my friends!