Reese's Mini Cup Brownies

It has been a while since I baked for work. I should have baked over the winter more. That is what winter is for, right? Baking to keep the house warm. Maybe I was too tired to bake after all of the snow shoveling this winter.

 

I found a recipe that I decided to try. A rich, chewy, chocolatey, peanut butter brownie. I baked a batch along with a batch of mint chocolate chip cookies, packed them up and 

 My mother was over when I was packing them up and she said, "Leave at least one here." I did. And I ended taking a couple of the left overs home too, my son Loved them. :)
took them into work.

Well, I guess they were a hit. :)

They only thing is that no matter how hard I thought I pressed the toppings into the mixture a lot of it ended up in the pan while I was cutting them. Although, I didn't hear any complaints. I would say this recipe was tested and was a huge success.

Ingredients

1 box brownie mix (I used family size 9x13)
2/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
2 2/3 cup powdered sugar
2-4 Tbsp milk (to make it spreadable)
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
6 Tbsp butter
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup Reese's mini's chopped


Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350F degrees
Make brownins as directed on the box, cool for at least 1 hour. (Until the bottom of the pan is cool to the touch)

With an electric mixer add together 2/3 cup butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar and milk. Beat until smooth.


In a microwave safe bowl combine chocolate chips and 6 Tablespoons of butter. Microwave in :30 intervals until the chocolate chips and butter are melted, stir until smooth. Let cool for about 10 mintues.

Spread the peanut butter mixture over the brownies.

Spread the chocolate mixture over the peanut butter.
Pour and press the chopped Reese's minis and the peanut butter chips over the top. 
Refrigerate the pan until it is set.
Cut and serve.

 

original recipe here

Enjoy, Michelle

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

Really now, who doesn't love the taste of chocolate and peanut butter? huh? who? I found this recipe and thought I would give a try. Oh, it is so rich and creamy. I cut it into small bite sized pieces because it is so rich. It has a brownie layer on the bottom and a creamy peanut butter layer on the top with chocolate drizzle. 

I really like the way they turned out. Happy Baking.

The recipe is from an older cookbook magazine and it calls for 1 square of unsweetened chocolate. Well, the newer Bakers chocolate come in these easy to break squares. So 2 'squares' equals 1 ounce. I like the new easy to break style.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies
recipe from 2003 Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients
1 ounce  unsweetened chocolate baking bar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Filling
1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter, softened
2-3 Tablespoons half-and-half or milk

Glaze
1 ounce semisweet baking chocolate baking bar
1 Tablespoons butter

Directions

In a small saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over low heat; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar until light and pale-colored. Add flour and melted chocolate; stir well. Pour into a greased 9-inch. square baking pan. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool.

For filling, beat confectioners' sugar, peanut butter and butter, in a mixing bowl. Stir in cream until mixture reaches desired spreading consistency. Spread over cooled brownies; cover and chill until firm.

For glaze, melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan, stirring until smooth. Drizzle over the filling. Chill before cutting. Store in the refrigerator.

~Michelle

Peanut Blossoms

These are my hubby's favorite cookie of all time. This is the classic recipe and should be on your list of Christmas cookies to make.  It is a nice recipe because you toss it all in one bowl and mix. The most complicated part is unwrapping the kisses. lol The texture is amazing soft and tender with a traditional Hershey milk chocolate flavor. Perfect combo.

Peanut Blossoms

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 Tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

   Sugar

48 Hershey kisses (or how many cookies you make)

Directions

Heat oven to 375F. In large bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, shortening, peanut butter, mild, vanilla and egg; blend at low speed until stiff dough forms. Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately top each cookie with a candy kiss, pressing down firmly so cookie cracks around edge; remove from cookie sheet.

Cool completely and let kiss harden before storing.

makes about 4 dozen.

recipe from Pillsbury The Complete Book of Baking

~Michelle

Peanut Butter Graham Cracker Bites - No Bake

Peanut butter and chocolate are always a wonderful combination. Here is a pretty simple no bake recipe.  The most challenging part is always the dipping in the melted chocolate. Try this and wow your friends this Christmas season. 

 recipe found on Pinterest; here

Peanut Butter Graham Cracker Bites

Makes: 25-27 balls

 Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups graham crackers crumbs - I used Keebler crumbs
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate

Directions:

Add graham crackers crumbs to the 1 cup of peanut butter. Mix it up good. You want the mixture to be dry enough to be able to form balls. Add a little bit more peanut butter or cracker crumbs to achieve this consistency if need be.

Form even sized balls with your hands and place on a wax paper covered plate, cutting board or baking sheet. Freeze for 30-60 minutes.

I used a double boiler to melt the chocolate; stir chocolate until melted. Place the mini chips in a small bowl. Note: You can use whatever topping that you would like including nuts, crushed Oreos, Heath bars…etc.

I used two forks to dip the peanut butter balls in the melted chocolate, one at a time, and then I sprinkled the chips over the balls. Refrigerate or freeze until firm.

~Michelle

No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

I found another great recipe to try. I love granola bars. I really don't know why I haven't tried to make some before now. Maybe I thought they would be difficult or complicated, I really don't know why they were not on my radar before. Boy, I'm glad I gave these No-bake bars a try. YES, so good. 

I think that these granola bars are very delicious, chewy and have a great texture. The taste is wonderful the peanut butter really add a great flavor. And of course, the chocolate is always a necessary addition. Great mix of salty and sweet. It is so great eating and giving the kids a snack that is homemade and doesn't have any preservatives. They get enough of that sometimes.

recipe from twopeasandtheirpod

No-Bake Granola Bars

Ingredients

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups quick oats

1/2 cup crispy rice cereal

3/4 cup chopped pretzels

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

Cut out an 8x8-inch square of parchment paper. Place the parchment paper in the bottom of an 8x8-inch baking pan.

In a large sauce pan, add butter, brown sugar, honey and peanut butter. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture starts to bubble. Once bubbling, cook for 2 minutes while stirring.  (keep time). Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Stir in the oats, crispy cereal and pretzels. Stir until well coated. Pour into the prepared pan. Press the mixture evenly into the pan. Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips over the top and gently press into the granola bars with your hands or a spatula.

Place the bars in the refrigerator and let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting.

I ended up cutting them into bite sized pieces.

~Michelle

There are so many wonderful baking/cooking blogs out there, cookbooks and old recipes that I have, and I wish I could just bake everything, at least once. :)