Monkey Poop Cookies

I've been really getting into doing fun and creative after-school snacks for my kids lately, because not only have the snacks been very well received the last couple of weeks, but I think my children deserve something extra special after a long day of school.  After all, it's not always easy being a kid. I've learned as a mother that they can be pretty exhausted and emotional when they walk through that door at the end of the day, and sometimes a warm welcome and a fun snack is exactly what those little guys need.

On Mondays we do waffles, pancakes, crêpes, or something of that nature, because I always have some leftover from Sunday {we have a long-standing "breakfast for supper" tradition on Sundays in this house}.  Every other day though, I have to get creative.

Their favourite so far was my half-healthy, half-not-so-healthy monster faces.  I just couldn't resist all the newly stocked shelves of halloween candy they had at the dollar store!  Halloween candy is so much fun to get creative with!

Last night for Family Home Evening we had Gorilla Poop Cookies, which I grabbed the recipe for last minute, because I was a little rushed.  I was looking for the no-bake cookies like the ones my mom and my mother-in-law make, the ones I remembered eating as a kid.  I knew the recipe I was imagining had coconut, and no peanut butter, but I tried this one anyway.  They were yummy, but not what I had been imagining...so today I called up my sister and got the "real" recipe for "Monkey Poop Cookies", because c'mon, let's face it, these cute little things are way too adorable to have come from a gorilla.  So here it is...

In a small saucepan, combine: 

1/4 c. butter

3 T. cocoa

1/4 c. milk

1 c. sugar

Bring to a rolling boil...

Remove from heat and add:

1/2 t. vanilla

1 1/2 c. oats

1/2 c. coconut

Mix well...

Drop by teaspoonfuls on cookie sheet, lined with wax paper...

Let cool in the freezer for 10-15 minutes
{I keep mine in the freezer always, because they are deliciously chewy straight out of the freezer}

Makes 20 monkey poops!

I doubled the recipe, because I am going visiting teaching tonight and wanted to make a plate for each of the sisters I visit {hence the two cookie sheets full}

So now it's time to set the stage...meet my little culprit.  This is "Long-Tailed Snow Monkey" {my son Wilson is very original when it comes to naming his stuffies}, he's a long time member of the gang here at the Michel home.  Today however, he's looking a little more sheepish than monkey-ish on the time-out chair there, because he knows he's done something naughty ;)  As far as I'm concerned, he can sit there until the kids get home from school and think about what he's done!

After-School Update:

Good joke Mom!  Now you can spend the rest of the night reminding us not to use potty words and un-doing the situation you created for yourself!  On second thought...maybe we should just call them no-bake cookies...?