Chocolate chocolate chocolate

Three cookie/candy (not sure which) recipes, all unhealthy, all simple, all non-Christmasy, all unapologetically chocolate

Eskimo Cookies

Once upon a time, approximately at age 11 or 12, my mom kept me home from school becuase I was sick - really can't remember what my specific complaint was. However, I wasn't too sick, and she left to run errands. I immediately went downstairs, made a batch of eskimo cookies, cleaned up the dirty dishes and consumed the entire batch, thereby eliminating all evidence of my criminal activity (sweets were closely monitored in our house). I was really sick by the time she came home. Moral of the story is that these cookies are so delicious that children will turn to subterfuge and dishonesty for them. So that's a win. Also, they are extremely easy to make and fun, like play-doh. And these days, I put some latex gloves on and mix the stuff with my hands.

1 and  1/2 sticks of butter
3 TBSP cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar

mix together well. Add:
2 1/2 cups oatmeal.
Do some more mixug until you can roll into little balls, sized 1 inch or smaller in circumference. Roll each one around in powdered sugar until covered. Refrigerate.

Boiler cookies, aka "No-bake"

This is a pretty popular recipe, but a little tricky. Don't cook enough, the cookies are soupy; cook too much, and they are crumbly.

2 cups sugar
4 TBSPs cocoa
1 stick butter
1/2 cup milk
1 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
2.5 cups oatmeal

 In a heavy saucepan bring sugar, cocoa, butter and milk to a boil. Let boil for 1 minute (at least - I boil for at least 2) then remove from heat and add peanut butter, vanilla and oatmeal. Drop mixture by the spoonful onto parchment or wax paper, then let cool til hardened.

 

Chinese Noodle Bars

These used to be on that back of every La Choy Chow Mein Noodles can, but inexplicably disappeared about 20 years ago. Now whenever I make them people always want the recipe. Your loss, my gain, La Choy. 

12 oz bag of semisweet chocolate chips
6 oz. bag butterscotch chips
can of chow mein noodles (don't know the weight, maybe two or three cups by volume?)
can of cashew pieces, about 8 ounces? obviously, I never wrote this recipe down

This is much easier with the advent of microwave cooking. Put the chocolate and butterscotch chips in a bowl. Microwave 30 seconds. Remove and stir. Microwave again for 20 seconds. Remove and stir. Microwave 15 seconds, and so on, until it is totally melted. Just be careful becuase microwaved chocolate can burn easily.

Dump the noodles and cashews into the melted choclate. Stir until coated.
Place parchment paper on a jelly roll sheet. Pour out the mix and spread onto the sheet. Using a very sharp knife, cut the mix into bars before the chocolate cools.