Hello. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. I love the smells of baking cookies throughout the house. Don’t you?

In the kitchen this week I saw a recipe Gary Hollon shared. Now, Gary says this is a perfect way to make no bake cookies, which are my favorite. The only person who can make them perfect is my friend Melanie Anderson. And it’s been a while since she brought me any.

Gary’s recipe he shared says it is the secret to making the perfect chocolate and peanut butter no bake cookies. We will see as I am going to make them and no one else will make them for me — hint, hint. I hope Melanie reads my column. LOL.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

4 tablespoons cocoa

1 cup creamy peanut butter

3 cups instant oats

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

In a medium sauce pan, add butter, sugar, milk and cocoa. Place on medium heat.

While you wait for the mixture to begin to boil, measure out your peanut butter and oats and have your vanilla jar handy (once this process gets started you have to work quickly).

Bring the mixture in the sauce pan to a rolling boil. Once it is at a full boil, boil for 1 minute and 15 seconds.

Remove from the heat immediately.

Add in the peanut butter. Stir. Add in the oats. Stir. Add in the vanilla. Stir.

Drop by tablespoons onto baking sheets lined with wax paper.

Let cool for 30 minutes or until set.

Enjoy!

Sharon Hughes is the advertising manager at The Times-Gazette. She is also a mother, grandmother and chef.