Chocolate/Peanut Butter/Oat Candy

The weather where I live can't seem to make up it's mind. It switches back and forth between cool and hot.  This week it's been pretty toasty during the day.  When it's warm inside the house as well as the outside, I would rather not turn on the oven to bake. So, when the urge to make something sweet hit today, I made this candy.  I have never used a candy thermometer (too confusing with all the different markings - soft ball, hard ball, etc.).  You can make this candy without one of those, because the only "cooking" you do is a quick two minutes on the stove.  To make it a little more fancy (and portable), I used a cupcake tin with the liners.

 Ingredients:

1/2 cup margarine
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups old fashioned oats

In saucepan put margarine, sugar, milk and cocoa.  Bring to a boil slowly, stirring constantly.  Once it comes to a rolling boil, stir occasionally for two minutes.  Remove from heat and carefully pour mixture into large bowl.  Add peanut butter and vanilla extract and stir until creamy.  Last, add the oats, one cup at time.  Stir until well combined and pour evenly into cupcake tins.  If you prefer not to use the cupcake tins, you can drop by tablespoonfuls or teaspoonfuls on a cookie sheet covered with waxed paper.   Put in refrigerator at least one hour until the candy gets hard.  These have to be stored in the fridge and will stay good up to two weeks :)