On Monday, I was craving chocolate no bake cookies! I don’t feel guilty about eating them and going off my diet because they have so many healthy ingredients. They have to be good for you! My next dessert will be pumpkin pie sometime. Another healthy recipe.

Here is my recipe:

INGREDIENTS

2 cups white sugar
3 Tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
3 cups quick cooking oats

DIRECTIONS

Have peanut butter and oats, measured in separate bowls and ready to add after mixture boils!

Combine the milk and butter or margarine in a saucepan. Turn on medium heat. Add the sugar and cocoa. Stir more than occasionally until it reaches a ROLLING BOIL. (It will continue to boil as you CONSTANTLY STIR.) Start timing at the rolling boil. After it boils for a good minute, turn off heat and immediately add vanilla, then peanut butter and stir some more. Add oats and stir until mixed and all peanut butter is melted. The trick really is the rolling boil and constantly stirring so the sugar doesn’t burn.

Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Allow cookies to cool for at least 1 hour. Store in an airtight container.

Mine didn’t make it into a container - I only made half the recipe and we ate all of them instantly. Also I like the chunky peanut butter the best for these cookies, but some might prefer the smooth type.

Personal life

Cooper was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and grew up in nearby Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. His mother, Gloria, is Italian-American, and his father, Charlie, is Irish-American. After graduating from Germantown Academy in 1993, Cooper attended Villanova University for his freshman year, then transferred to Georgetown University, from which he graduated with a B.A. in English in 1997. Later, he studied at the Actors Studio Drama School at New School University.

Career

He began his professional acting career on the television series Sex and the City in 1998. He also served as the host of Lonely Planet’s Treks in a Wild World in 2000, and made his film debut in Wet Hot American Summer in 2001, before landing his best-known role as Will Tippin in the successful television drama Alias. He returned twice to Alias as a guest star after leaving the show in 2003, and he also guest-starred on the short-lived TV series Miss Match in the same year.

He played the popular villain Sack Lodge in the hit comedy Wedding Crashers and appeared in the film Failure to Launch as a friend of Matthew McConaughey’s character. Cooper played the lead role in the Fox sitcom Kitchen Confidential, based on a memoir by chef Anthony Bourdain, which debuted in September 2005. However, Fox announced in late 2005 that the series was canceled because of low ratings.

In March 2006, Cooper starred in Three Days of Rain on Broadway with Julia Roberts and Paul Rudd at the Bernard B Jacobs Theater.

In 2007, Cooper starred in Season 5 of Nip/Tuck as Aidan Stone, a television star on the fictional show Hearts ‘N Scalpels in which Christian and Sean give their advice on “real” plastic surgeries in order to give credibility to the show and gain popularity for their new practice in Los Angeles. Cooper also starred in Yes Man with Jim Carrey.

On February 7, 2009, Cooper hosted Saturday Night Live with musical guest TV on the Radio. Cooper impersonated Christian Bale in a fake commercial for a DVD featuring celebrities yelling at movie crew members called, “No, Bruce! Let Me Finish! The Best of Celebrity Tirades.”

In 2009, Cooper starred in the film He’s Just Not That into You together with Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Connolly, Ginnifer Goodwin, Justin Long and Scarlett Johansson.

I saw Cooper in Yes Man and saw him in All About Steve starring Sandra Bullock when I went with my daughter Christina to a movie on her birthday.

CONGRATULATIONS TO BRADLEY COOPER FOR BEING DIANE’S HOTTIE OF THE WEEK!

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I’m at Shawna Williams’ blog today! She’s a fellow author with Desert Breeze Publishing. I’m so happy to know her, and I’m looking forward to her May release. My post is right after her great one explaining the unique and clever title of her blog! Please visit me and leave a comment. THANKS!

Anyone with a birthday in September?

Our family has three. My sister-in-law Mary’s birthday was a couple of weeks ago. Our daughter Emily was born at 11:49 pm on September 24th. She was due on September 15th which worried our daughter Christina because of her birthday being on the 25th. But I told Christina not to worry that our new baby wouldn’t be born on her birthday. I felt confident that Emily wouldn’t be late because she was our fifth child. Wrong! I couldn’t believe it when I went past my due date by 9 days.

Christina and April were present at Emily’s birth while Sara and Bart stayed home with Grandma Craver. Because I had children present at the birth, I was required to have an adult there in case they decided to leave. My plan was to have either Mary or another sister-in-law, Denise there for support for the girls. Both Mary and Denise attended Emily’s birth. I hated that the nurse asked my weight in front of them. I had gained 60 pounds. I tried to whisper my weight.

I baked Christina’s birthday brownies before I left for the hospital, and had her birthday bags ready for her third grade classmates. At her school the kids were allowed to bring a birthday treat. After Emily was born, my husband teased Christina and said, “You’ll get the leftover birthday cake each year.”

Amanda was excited to buy presents for both sisters with her own money she earned from her summer job.

So we are celebrating birthdays plus have a bridal shower tomorrow for Lea, our future daughter-in-law! We are certainly blessed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHRISTINA AND EMILY!!!!!

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Two places to vote for my book cover and video!

I completely forgot about my book trailer contest. The voting ends tomorrow
night. WHITNEY IN CHARGE is #12.

Here is the link: http://yougottareadvideos.blogspot.com

My book cover is one of the entries at The New Covey Awards Contest. The voting ends October 3rd. If you like my Whitney in Charge cover the best, please vote for it here: http://www.thenewcoveycoverawards.blogspot.com/ The ballot is on the left side and my entry is # 23. Hope you vote for my cover and video!

Last night we watched two hours of NCIS! I liked the Season Premiere. Tony (Michael Weatherly) looked even hotter than last season! I also liked the new NCIS,Los Angeles starring Chris O’Donnell. I think the story line with him being an orphan and the fact he goes by G (he never knew his first name) is touching. I liked the character Hetty (Linda Hunt) and she’s the gruff office manager with a big heart.

Both Michael Weatherly and Chris O’Donnell were my past hotties here! Click on their names if you missed my blog posts about each actor!

Monday I watched all the half hr. sitcoms on CBS. I liked the new one, “Accidentally on Purpose” with Jenna Elfman (Dharma and Greg) and at 10 pm I watched “Castle” which made Amanda unhappy. She wanted to watch her “CSI Miami” instead. Geez, she could have moved to another room. We do have more than one TV.

Have a good hump day! We are going to an appreciation dinner tonight for Amanda! They are honoring the kids who worked in the summer at various jobs in the county. Her employer has already asked her back for next summer’s work!

Saturday night I received a Coffee Time Romance review of my new release, WHITNEY IN CHARGE.

RATING: 4 cups

Whitney Benson left New York, and her life as a TV producer, to care for her cancer-ridden mother. After her mother’s death, her two sisters think she needs some spice in her life.

Jack Hensley is a paramedic who happens to meet Whitney after a minor accident.

Ben Spencer is a new neighbor, divorced with a little son, Adam.

Whitney lost her husband, Rob, twenty-two months ago after a bomb killed him while reporting in Iraq. Three weeks ago, she lost her mother to cancer, which opened wounds of Rob’s death. Her sisters, Shannon and Regan, believe Whitney needs to come out of her shell, so they book her on a skydiving event. Whitney cannot get over the fact that not only have they booked the gig, but found someone for her to meet. After meeting Whitney, Jack and Ben eagerly vie for her attention. The sisters are determined to find a way to fill the emptiness in Whitney’s heart. After spending time with Whitney, will Ben or Jack be the one to carry her heart always?

Whitney in Charge is a delectable read. I found the sisters fun as they try to put some life back into Whitney. I love their interactions, as it reminds me of a tight knit family. By placing the handsome Ben, as well as Jack, into the story, the plot only thickens and makes this story a page-turner. I like the way the children come into play in this fast moving read, taking the reader by storm. Ms. Craver sketches the importance of family in this delightful tale that definitely stands out. She instills even the nit-picking that comes along with siblings. I love the way she allows the sisters to come to the aid of Whitney. This read was entertaining from beginning to end.

Cherokee
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More