No Bake Cookies (aka Chocolate Oatmeal)

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbs peanut butter
3 cups Old Fashioned Oats

Combine sugar, milk, cocoa and butter in a pan on the stove top. Bring to a boil over medium heat (I usually keep it about a 6 and when boiling turn to a 5). Boil for 4 minutes exact! It is important to follow the directions to a T for these to be cooked just so, so that they set up. Remove from heat and add peanut butter, vanilla, stir to mix and then add oats and stir again. Drop onto wax paper to harden.

A few tips, put paper under the wax paper to avoid having the heat from the cookies leaving wax on your countertops. You can use more peanut butter, but we have found that if the pb is even a little bit "oily" it can cause the cookies to not set up. We like them super chocolaty so we just use the little bit. As soon as the cookies harden transfer to an air tight container or big ziploc bag to keep them from drying out too fast.

Snickerdoodles

1/2 cup butter- room temp
1/2 cup butter flavored shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Cream butter, shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Add flour, tartar, soda and salt. Mix well. Roll into balls about the size of a walnut and then roll in mixture of cinnamon and sugar. I have a bowl of this made up and really let the dough get coated really well. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes.

Spaghetti Sauce (or for Lasagna)

1- 28 oz can crushed tomato
1- 8oz can tomato sauce
3-4 cloves of garlic minced
1 Tbs. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. basil
ground pepper- I just do a few shakes from the shaker
Ground Beef- browned (Optional)

Mix everything but the ground beef in pan, bring to a boil and then turn heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add beef anytime after it boils. Add to spaghetti or into Lasagna. Great simple home made sauce. Thanks to my sister in law Kendell for sharing this one, my family loves it and it is easy and cheap to make! (My recipe is slightly different from hers but she makes it this way too and she is a great cook!)

Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter- room temp
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour

Cream butter and sugar until well blended. Add milk, egg, baking powder, soda, salt and vanilla. Gradually add flour, mix well. Chill for at least 3 hours. Roll out on floured surface until about 1/4 inch thick, cut out desired shape. Bake at 400 for 5-7 minutes. Cool and frost.