I have lived in Texas for 10 years and inevitably at some point during the seemingly interminable summer, I start to lose it. This slow descent into humidity-induced madness is fortunately usually arrested by the arrival of a cold(ish) front right around my birthday (fingers crossed).
Until that point, my faculties become increasingly fuzzy and my relationship with my oven, fraught. Sophisticated inner monologue: Oven, you make yummies. But when you do, you also make warmies.
At the end of last week, I had pumpkin puree to spare and wanted to use it in cookies but couldn't bear to turn on the oven. So, this is what happened and testimony to the fact that just because you can't stand the heat, you don't have to get out of the kitchen.
No-Bake Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
½ cup butter
½ cup milk
½ cup pumpkin puree
2 cups sugar
4 cups rolled (not instant) oats
scant handful leftover M&Ms
Directions
1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Stir in milk, pumpkin puree, and sugar.
3. Increase temperature slightly and keep stirring until mixture comes to a boil.
4. Remove from heat and add oats and M&Ms.
5. Shape into small scoops and place on cookie sheet. Cool in fridge about an hour before eating.