Gooey Rice Krispie Treats

No matter what I did to prepare during the week, last Friday was chaotic. I planned on having a small group of girls over from church to work on a few little projects. I cleaned the house, kept baby happy and had everything set out for them. But for some reason that afternoon everything fell apart. Baby decided to cry every 10 minutes and didn't want to be set down, I hadn't showered or gotten dressed, and 20 minutes before the girls were to arrive, I realized that I had completely forgotten to make the treat. 

Nut Lovers Rocky Road

Rocky road is one of my go-to recipes! We make it for ourselves and to take to parties & activities. The thing I love the most about it is how easy and delicious it is! It comes together in just 5 minutes and then gets tossed into the refrigerator to chill until you're ready to serve it. Sometimes I like to substitute some of the semi-sweet chocolate for bittersweet, making these intensely rich and dark! You can definitely play around with what goes inside- today we did a nut lover's version. They're crammed full of peanuts, almonds, walnuts, and of course marshmallows. If you're feeling extra adventurous, I think chocolate chunks or even some kind of chopped up cookie would be tasty too! Our batch is going quickly- if they last over the weekend these effortless treats will be perfect for the holidays!

Nut Lovers Rocky Road

Ingredients

1 (14-oz) can Eagle Brand® sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp. butter
2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. dry roasted peanuts
½ c. roasted almonds
½ c. walnuts
1 (10-oz) bag miniature marshmallows

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large glass bowl (big enough to fit in your microwave), combine chocolate chips, condensed milk and butter. Microwave on medium heat for 3 minutes. Remove from microwave and allow to cool enough that the marshmallows won't melt (a couple of minutes or so).
2. Fold in nuts and marshmallows, making sure to coat evenly with chocolate.
3. Pour mixture into a 9x13 pan, lined with wax paper. Press mixture firmly down into the pan.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool for 2-3 hours before serving.
Life Made Simple Family Recipe | Gluten Free | Makes approximately 24 bars

No-Bake PB Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Ahh, the perfect on-the-go treat. These little guys only take 15 minutes to make, start to finish! They're great if you don't have a lot of ingredients around and there is absolutely no need to turn on your oven. Awesome, right?! Another thing I love about this recipe is that you don't have to have chocolate chips on hand. For me it seems like I always think I have chocolate chips on hand when in reality I don't... wishful thinking perhaps? However, you can substitute the cocoa powder for them if you really want to. Anyway, I'm really glad I made these and that they tuned to be so tasty! I'm always looking for yummy no-bake recipes and this one is definitely a keeper.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
4 tbsp. (¼ stick) butter
¾ c. sugar
¼ c. milk
2 tbsp. cocoa powder (natural or Dutch process)
¼ c. peanut butter, heaping
1½ c. quick cooking oats
¼ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. vanilla

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add salt and sugar, cook for 2-3 minutes or until sugar has dissolved (for the most part).
2. Add milk and cocoa powder, whisk until smooth. Bring mixture to a low simmer. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and pour in vanilla. Then add peanut butter. Mix until smooth. Add oats and mix until completely coated with the peanut butter chocolate mixture.
3. Using a small cookie scoop, place balls of dough onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Pat down with the palm of your hand to flatten (if desired). Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes or until cookies are set.
Adapted from Morgan Moore, Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Cookies | Makes approximately 12 cookies