½ cup butter or soy margarine
¾ cup sugar
½ cup milk, dairy OR soy
4 large Tab.
peanut butter OR any nut butter ¼ cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 ½ cups oatmeal
1. Place first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring up to heat slowly, stirring occasionally, then boil for 3 minutes without stirring.
2. Remove from heat and add the last 4 ingredients in order, stir to incorporate.
3. Line an 8x8 pan with foil or wax paper. Pour the mixture into the pan, letting it sit to firm up. You might need to place the pan in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or the freezer for 10 minutes.
4. Once mixture is firm, slice into skinny inch- long bars.
5. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week.
For a variation, cover a cookie sheet with foil or wax paper and drop batter by spoonfuls, then let them firm up in the refrigerator.