peanut butter

Marshmallow Peanut Butter Cookies

~ lk529 ~ 21 Comments

A long time ago I made these peanut butter cookies studded with chocolate chips and marshmallows.

I took some photos.

Those photos stayed on my camera.

Those photos that stayed on my camera got deleted by my toddler. (You can read about that story here.)

I’d already signed up to share said cookies with my blogging friends in celebration of National Peanut Butter Day.

The real bummer silver lining here, is that I had to make these cookies again.

I remember wishing the cookies had more marshmallow and less chocolate, so I did just that.

These cookies are delicious.

I made them massive. No particular reason. Just because I could.

If you like peanut butter cookies, whip up a batch of these bad boys as soon as you have some marshmallows on hand. (Evidently not all grocery stores have marshmallows, but that’s a story for another day?)

Marshmallow Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 stick butter, softened
  • 1 C creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 C brown sugar
  • 1/2 C sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 C flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2/3 C mini marshmallows

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and vanilla until fully incorporated.
  3. Add in the flour and baking soda. Mix until combined and a cookie dough forms. Fold in the marshmallows with a wooden spoon or spatula.
  4. Roll cookie dough into balls and place onto the prepared cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes, until cookies are browning and marshmallows melted. Let cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.

*This recipe is adapted from Julie at https://www.tablefortwoblog.com/fluffernutter-cookies/*

Marshmallow Peanut Butter Cookies for #NationalPeanutButterDay from Sew You Think You Can Cook | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

Be sure to check out these other recipes for National Peanut Butter Day:

3 Healthy Peanut Butter Smoothies by Bear & Bug Eats

Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce by Everyday Eileen

Marshmallow Peanut Butter Cookies by Sew You Think You Can Cook

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls by The Freshman Cook

E.T. Cookies by Karen’s Kitchen Stories

Easy Peanut Butter & Chocolate Swirled Fudge by Cookaholic Wife

Easy Peanut Butter and Banana Croissants by Jonesin’ For Taste

Fluffernutter Macaron by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures

My Family’s Favorite Peanut Butter Cookie (recipe remake) by Family Around the Table

No Bake Peanut Butter Cup Pie by Soulfully Made

Nutter Butter Ice Cream Cone Cookies by Amy’s Cooking Adventures

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Granola Squares by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice

Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie Bowl by Simple and Savory

Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oatmeal by Frugal Pantry

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Sheet Pan Pancakes by Kate’s Recipe Box

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Spread by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Peanut Butter Mocha Cupcakes by Strawberry Blondie Kitchen

Peanut Butter Mousse Parfaits by The Redhead Baker

Honey Peanut Butter Popcorn by The Gingered Whisk

Peanut Butter Snowballs by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Peanut Ginger Pasta by Jolene’s Recipe Journal

Thai Inspired Noodles by A Day in the Life on the Farm

 

Food Bloggers Recipe Swap: Peanut Butter & Nutella Brownies

~ lk529 ~ 1 Comment

I am back with a Food Bloggers Recipe Swap assignment! By opting in for March, I committed myself to being assigned a blog, finding and recreating a recipe from that blog, and then sharing it with all of you, my dear readers.

I don’t think the assignments are a secret either, and should I choose, I could search through the assignment list and figure out who is digging through my recipe index, but I won’t spoil the surprise. 🙂 (Because my assigned blogger already posted her recipe, I can share that Sarah of Cook at Home made my Balsamic Glazed Beef Roast with stunning photography.

I love the posting leniency afforded in this challenge. As long as I get my post completed by the end of the month, life is peachy! I definitely used that to my advantage this month! It seemed like a busy blogging month for me and my posting of today’s deliciousness just had to wait.

This month I was assigned the blog The Olive Blogger written by Melissa. Melissa started blogging as an outlet for her creativity and to keep her “brain happy.” She has a fabulous balance of savory and sweet recipes on her site and my secret Pinterest board was a perfect split. From Kale and Breadsticks to Brownies and Mug Cakes.

When I noticed that the days on the calendar were quickly passing by, I had to go with a quick recipe that didn’t use anything not currently in my kitchen. The brownies won out! (It wasn’t until just this moment that I realized this recipe was from one of Melissa’s Food Blogger Recipe Swaps. Oops! I recall seeing that when I checked out the recipe the first time and wouldn’t normally have pinned it to my secret board but I guess this one got past me.)

wesleyYou guys. These brownies are to die for! Unfortunately, even though I had a giant tub of Nutella in my pantry, I was a little bit shy of 1 1/2 C. I supplemented with some creamy peanut butter, Probably about about 3-4 tbsp worth. Peanut butter does have a strong flavor and made these brownies taste just like a Girl Scout Tagalong cookies. But in brownie form. Which makes them that much better!

I’ve remedied my lack of Nutella on my latest grocery trip. And I’m highly tempted to exhaust the entire jar on more of these brownies. They’re that good. (The photos… are not.)

Peanut Butter & Nutella Brownies

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 C flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/4 C Nutella
  • 1/4 C peanut butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 C miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease an 8″ x 8″ cake pan.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, Nutella, peanut butter, and vanilla with an electric hand mixer. Add the dry ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan.
  4. Bake 25 minutes.

*This recipe is adapted from http://www.theoliveblogger.com/2017/01/18/easy-nutella-brownies/

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#FantasticalFoodFight: PB&J

~ lk529 ~ 12 Comments

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This month’s Food Fight is PB&J. Recipe requirements were to share a recipe that had to include fruit and peanut butter. I love doing twists on the classic pairing and can’t wait to see what everyone else has brought to the fight. Be sure to scroll past my recipe to click on the link-up!

There’s a show on Cooking Channel called Food: Fact or Fiction that gives a fun history on food. One episode was about classic food pairings with PB&J being a big feature. It was quite fun to learn about how the two seemingly perfect ingredients came to be a match made in culinary heaven.

Peanut butter used to be an expensive food item while jelly was cheap and for commoners. It wasn’t until George Washington Carver developed an easier and more effect way of cultivating peanuts.

It took WWII for peanut butter and jelly to marry when both were provided in soldiers’ rations.

I’ve done PB&J muffins before. I’ve also made a smoothie before and quite enjoyed it. I decided to try developing a real recipe and am happy with the results. The oats in the smoothie provide the “bread like” quality that you get when enjoying a true PB&J sandwich. This smoothie is perfect for kids with a cold who refuse to eat.

wesley

My PB&J creations bucket list includes: cinnamon rolls, doughnuts, and oatmeal. Huh, looks like I’m on a breakfast kick. (I actually made PB&J pancakes for dinner tonight, too!)

I wonder if I could turn PB&J into something savory: perhaps a stir fry or a pizza?

An Original Recipe

This recipe makes 1 small smoothie.

PB&J Smoothie

Ingredients:

  • 4 strawberries
  • 1/2 C vanilla Greek yogurt
  • 1/8 C old fashioned oats
  • 1/8 C smooth peanut butter
  • splash of milk (as needed)

Steps:

  1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. The amount of milk needed will depend on the consistency of the peanut butter.

PB&J Smoothie for #FantasticalFoodFight from Sew You Think You Can Cook

To check out the other Fantastical PB&J inspired dishes click here:

If you would like to join our Fantastical Food Fight, you can learn more on our informational page.

Bonus cute kid photo: Firecracker wanted me to take a picture of him eating the strawberry.

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#FoodieExtravaganza: Pancakes

~ lk529 ~ 19 Comments

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It may be National Waffle Week but this month’s #FoodieExtravaganza is celebrating Pancake Day, which falls on the 26th. Thanks to Caroline of Caroline’s Cooking for stepping up and hosting today!

The Foodie Extravaganza is a monthly party hosted by bloggers who love food! Each month we incorporate one main ingredient or theme into recipes to share with you.

Conveniently, I was already sitting on a pancake recipe to share with you! These Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Pancakes were a huge hit! I mean, what’s not to love? We’re talking the classic combination of chocolate and peanut butter.

Thanks to the protein-packed pancakes, you don’t need to eat a lot of them to feel full and satisfied. In fact, upon seeing the batter, my husband nervously asked if it would be enough. I assured him that if it weren’t, I could easily whip up another batch. It wasn’t necessary.

I greatly enjoyed these pancakes with a large dollop of whipped cream. (Which Firecracker called ice cream.)

chocolate-chip-peanut-butter-pancakes-toddler-sew-you-think-you-can-cook

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Pancakes

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/8 C flour
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 C peanut butter
  • 1 C milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 C chocolate chips

Steps:

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  2. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, peanut butter, milk, and vanilla.
  3. Combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  4. On a hot buttered griddle drop 1/2 C of batter into pancakes. Flip pancakes when batter starts to set and bubble form in the center of the pancake. Cook until both sides are golden brown.

*This recipe is adapted from Aimee at http://lmld.org/2014/09/10/peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-pancakes/*

chocolate-chip-peanut-butter-pancakes-for-foodieextravaganza-from-sew-you-think-you-can-cook

Be sure to check out these other pancakes:

Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes by Cooking With Carlee

Buckwheat Pancakes by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Caramel Apple Pancakes by The Freshman Cook

Caramelized Banana Topped Pancakes by cookinandcraftin

Churro Pancakes by Cookaholic Wife

Corn Panki / Corn Pancakes by Sneha’s Recipe

Heath Bar and Banana Pancakes by Our Good Life

Masala dosa by Caroline’s Cooking

Panqueques con Dulce de Leche (Argentinian Dulce de Leche Crepes) by Tara’s Multicultural Table

Peaches and Cream Crepes by Fearlessly Creative Mammas

Peanut Butter and Jelly Pancakes by Making Miracles

Silver Dollar Chocolate Chip Pancakes by Hardly A Goddess

Spring Onion Pancakes with Spicy Dipping Sauce by Food Lust People Love

If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you’re a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board! Looking for our previous parties? Check them out HERE.

#BundtBakers: Apples

~ lk529 ~ 21 Comments

4ae7b-bundtbakerspostCan you believe we haven’t had an apple themed #BundtBakers yet?! I can’t. I love using apples in baking, often using applesauce in lieu of oil. My very first post shared with this great group of bakers was my grandmother’s Fresh Apple Bundt Cake. I’ve used apple cider and even filled a bundt cake moat with apples.

#BundtBakers is a group of bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bundts with a common ingredient or theme. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme or ingredient. So who do I have to thank this month for picking a perfect theme? My blogging buddy Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm!

I thought about the ingredient. Apples. And I thought about one of my favorite afternoon snacks – apples and peanut butter! There are countless peanut butter cakes out there on Pinterest. I decided on this particular peanut butter cake and added some apple-ness to it. I used apple juice instead of coffee in the cake batter and folded in diced apples. For the glaze, I again used apple juice, this time instead of milk. The overall apple flavor is quite subtle, but the bites with apple in them are sublime.

I baked this cake while my husband was on a work trip. The consequence being that it never made it to his office to share with coworkers. I definitely started my mornings that week with a slice of Apple & Peanut Butter Bundt Cake! And I’m not even sorry about it.

Apple & Peanut Butter Bundt Cake for #BundtBakers from Sew You Think You Can Cook (3)

 

I stored this cake in the fridge, simply to keep it away from the fruit flies that keep frequenting my abode. Turns out a downside to no air conditioning combined with healthy (cake excluding) eating means there’s always a fruit fly or twelve finding their way back in through the screens on the open windows.

I quite enjoyed the cake eaten cold, but my husband preferred it heated in the microwave. Yes, I did save some cake for him. Though he likes to pretend that I didn’t. Not having told him what was hiding underneath the aluminum foil in the fridge. With all his complaining he sure enjoyed his fair share after the boys fell asleep!

Apple & Peanut Butter Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

  • 1 stick butter, melted
  • 1 C sugar-free apple juice
  • 1/2 C creamy peanut butter
  • 1 C sugar
  • 1 C brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 C flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 C buttermilk
  • 1 -2 Granny Smith apples, chopped

Ingredients for glaze:

  • 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
  • 1 C powdered sugar
  • 3-4 tbsp apple juice

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heavily grease a bundt pan.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the handle attachment, beat together the melted butter, peanut butter, and apple juice until combined. Add in the sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Mix until incorporated. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk until well combined. Fold in the apples.
  3. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Bake 50 – 60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted comes out cleanly. Allow cake to cool before unmolding.
  4. Make the glaze: Using a hand mixer, beat the peanut butter in a large bowl. Once softened, add the powdered sugar and half of the apple juice. Continue adding apple juice 1 tsp at a time until glaze is smooth and reaches desired consistency. Pour glaze over cooled cake. Note: Any leftover glaze goes very nicely with freshly sliced apples!

*This recipe is adapted from Monique at http://divascancook.com/peanut-butter-cake-recipe-peanut-butter-frosting-easy/

Apple & Peanut Butter Bundt Cake for #BundtBakers from Sew You Think You Can Cook (2)

You can see all our of lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about #BundtBakers, can be found on our home page.

And don’t forget to take a peek at what other talented bakers have baked this month:

Apple Almond Coffee Cake with Honey Glaze by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Apple and Toasted Pecan Bundt Cake with Rum Syrup by Patty’s Cake

Apple Crumble Bundt by Jane’s Adventure in Dinner

Apple French Cruller Bundt Cake by All That’s Left Are The Crumbs

Apple Honey Blossom Bundt by Living the Gourmet

Apple Sharlotka Bundt Cake by Spiceroots

Apple Spice Bundt with Salted Caramel Sauce by kidsandchic

Apple Streusel Bundt Cake by The Freshman Cook

Apple~Cream Cheese Bundt Cake by The Queen of Scones

Chocolate Chip Apple Cake by Making Miracles

Cinnamon Apple Streusel Cake by Tea and Scones

Cinnamon Pecan Applesauce Bundt Cake by Magnolia Days

Clotted Cream & Apple Spice Bundt by Baking in Pyjamas

Double Caramel Apple Bundt by The Crumby Cupcake

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy Apple Bundt by Food Lust People Love

Jewish Apple Cake by I love Bundt Cakes

Jewish Praline Pecan Apple Cake by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice

Lighter Jewish Apple Cake by Cookaholic Wife

Peanut Butter Crepes

~ lk529 ~ 1 Comment

Last month we went strawberry picking. Battling traffic for 2 1/2 hours (one way) for 50 minutes of picking time was absolutely worth it! These strawberries had the sweetest scent I’d ever sniffed. We had 4 1/2 pounds of strawberries making the road trip back home with us. Some green bell peppers, green beans, cherry tomatoes, and local honey hitched a ride, too.

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I’d put out a request to some of my local SoCal bloggers for their best strawberry recipes. And then, I didn’t use a single one! These strawberries barely made it a week. (To be fair, I froze about a third of them right away.) When something is just that good you almost don’t want to waste it as an ingredient. Instead, I decided to do crepes for dinner, filling them with our freshly picked strawberries.

I was quite hesitant with the crepe batter. It’s essentially all egg white and some peanut butter. I thought, “There’s no way!” But, I found the recipe from Natural Noshing’s Secret Recipe Club reveal of my dear friend Tara’s blog. I told myself that, if two people can succeed with these crepes, then it’s bound to work!

The first crepe is always a throw away – me, I ended up with a severely burnt crepe due to a child required my immediate attention. I told myself, “one more try”. And if it doesn’t work, I’ll throw in a bunch of flour and just make regular pancakes. Plan B was never needed. The only problem is that this recipe doesn’t make very many crepes! However, the use of peanut butter actually makes them filling and satisfying enough to feed 2 (and a half) people. You can always stretch out the crepes with whatever fillings you decide.

My crepes were filled with softened cream cheese, cinnamon sugar, and fresh sliced strawberries. Stuart filled his crepes with Nutella, fresh sliced strawberries, and honey. Firecracker had his with Nutella and fresh sliced strawberries.

Other filling options could include banana, jelly, chocolate chips, and/or maple syrup.

Peanut Butter Crepes

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole egg
  • 6 egg whites
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 heaping tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter

Steps:

  1. Using a hand mixer, whisk the egg and egg whites until frothy. Add in the vanilla, sugar, and peanut butter until smooth.
  2. Pour 1/4 C batter into a small greased skillet. (I used 1-2 tsp butter between each crepe) Swirl the pan around to create an even crepe. Once the surface bubbles flip and cook another minute. Remove, repeat with remaining batter.
  3. Serve with desired fillings.

*This recipe is adapted from Nora at https://naturalnoshing.wordpress.com/2015/07/26/peanut-butter-crepes-with-cinnamon-cream-cheese-filling-grain-free-src/*

Peanut Butter Crepes Sew You Think You Can Cook

And if you need an idea for all those leftover egg yolks, might I suggest chocolate frozen custard?

A “Date Night” Potluck Party

~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

We had our final Recipe Club meeting last week. With most of us moving in the next couple of months the group looks like it’s fizzled to a stop. I had a great time with these ladies and met my best friend up here (and Firecracker’s best friend, too!) through this group and I am forever grateful. I couldn’t have imagined this assignment here in Ohio without these fabulous ladies and the clubs and groups that I joined while here.

For our last meeting I suggested “Date Night” as a theme, taking a cue from the holiday this Sunday. We had a very small gathering, only six of us! (There are seven items listed below because I brought two dishes.) I wasn’t surprised by the small turn out as most of our husbands are in hunker down mode finishing up their theses..thesii? I know I can’t wait for thesis defense to happen and the stress level in our life go down just a tad. So it’s no surprise that there was a good deal of chocolate on the menu during out meeting!

Date Night Recipe Round UpHere are the recipes that were brought to the “Date Night” potluck”

#SundaySupper: Big Game Day Recipes

~ lk529 ~ 18 Comments

Are you ready for the big game next weekend? I am! As an Auburn graduate I am a huge Cam Newton fan. Seriously, love that man (and his smile)! Not only is he an incredible athlete but he is a man making a difference in his community and in the lives of children. Even though he did leave Auburn to go to the NFL after taking us to a National Championship victory, he returned to Auburn in the off season to finish his degree. War Eagle, Cam!

But I digress.

If your team didn’t make it (my main team allegiance is the Chicago Bears) that doesn’t mean you can’t gather with friends and watch history in the making. Besides, there are always commercials and the half-time show if you don’t care about the game itself. And if none of that appeals to you, just show up for some good food! The Sunday Supper crew has a wonderful variety of recipes to create the perfect game watching menu. Thank you to T.R. Crumbley of Gluten Free Crumbley for assembling the team!

Today I’m sharing a recipe for chicken wings. To me, wings are the ultimate football watching food! (Well, that and some sort of dip.) Chicken wings aren’t hard to make at home either. Especially when you can do them in the slow cooker! Whaat? Yes, it’s true! The trick is popping them under the broiler right before serving to get them crispy. These particular wings are cooked in a Thai-inspired peanut sauce. I then garnish them with cilantro, lime wedges, and chopped peanuts. Delicious.

(P.S. Happy Birthday, Mom!)

Slow Cooker Thai Wings

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 C creamy peanut butter
  • 1/4 C soy sauce
  • 1/4 C brown sugar
  • 1-2 tbsp chili paste, to taste (I used Gourmet Garden stir-in paste)
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed (I used 1 tsp Gourmet Garden chunky garlic stir-in paste)
  • 2-4 lb chicken wings, tips removed and wings split
  • cilantro (I used Gourmet Garden lightly dried herbs), for garnish (optional)
  • limes, for garnish (optional)
  • chopped peanuts, for garnish (optional)

Steps:

  1. Lightly grease the bowl of your slow cooker.
  2. In a small bowl, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, chili paste, and garlic. Adjust chili paste to taste. Pour into slow cooker.
  3. Add the wings and toss to coat all the wings in the sauce. Cook on LOW 2-4 hours.
  4. Place cooked wings on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil on HIGH for 3-5 minutes, until crispy.
  5. Garnish with cilantro, lime, and peanuts if desired.

*This recipe is adapted from Rachel at http://followinginmyshoes.com/my-recipes/sweet-n-spicy-slow-cooker-wings*

Slow Cooker Thai Wings for #SundaySupper from Sew You Think You Can Cook

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8387592742_f6164fd5a8_oJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Copy Cat: Reese’s Cups

~ lk529 ~ 2 Comments

I can’t have a candy week without including the most popular piece of candy – Reese’s.

That chocolate and peanut butter combination has become a winning recipe in everything from cakes to ice cream.

Reese’s has been one of those candies I thought would be easiest to make as there isn’t any boiling of sugar involved. I couldn’t have been more right! Although slightly tedious, this was a chocolate product I managed to do without supervision.

I had enough chocolate to make 24 Reese’s cups – thank heavens for the invention of the spatula because I scraped that bowl clean to cover that final piece of candy. I had enough peanut butter to make probably 10-15 more chocolate peanut butter cups. (I saved that peanut butter filling for mixing into brownie batter – because, why not!?)

I was quite nervous that despite spraying them I wouldn’t be able to pull the candies out of the cupcake liners. I had nothing to fear and these tasted just like the real thing- maybe better!

Without the added chemistry type ingredients, these babies melt fairly quickly, so I suggest storing them in the fridge.

Copy Cat: Reese’s Cups

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag (11.5 oz) milk chocolate chips (you could use dark or white chocolate if you prefer)
  • 1 jar (10 oz) creamy peanut butter
  • 3/4 C + 2 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tbsp melted butter

Steps:

  1. Line a mini muffin tray with mini cupcake liners. Lightly spray with cooking spray.
  2. Melt chocolate over a double boiler.
  3. Spoon chocolate into liners and spread it up the sides. Place tray in the fridge for 10 minutes.
  4. In a large bowl mix peanut butter, powdered sugar, and butter with a hand mixer until smooth. Place in a piping bag. Pipe peanut butter mixture into chocolate lined cups. Flatten with spoon or finger.
  5. Top peanut butter filled cups with remaining melted chocolate.
  6. Chill at least 1 hour.

*This recipe is adapted from Jillee at http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/04/homemade-reeses-peanut-butter-cups.html

Copy Cat: Reese's Cups | Sew You Think You Can Cook

Copy Cat: Snickers

~ lk529 ~ 2 Comments

It’s Halloween week and that means I’ve got a theme. My very first Halloween blogging I did a week of Candy Corn inspired recipes and posts, including a pillow cover and pizza. The following year ghosts hit the scene so pancakes and cookies were created in adorable ghostly shapes.

I toyed with the idea of mummies, Frankenstein’s monster, or pumpkins this year but the opportunity to make candy couldn’t be surpassed. It was time to face my chocolate and sugar fears and try making trick-or-treat favorites at home. For the these 4 days I’ll be sharing some sweet treats all made from scratch!

To kick off “candy week” I am sharing a Copy Cat recipe for Snickers! And it was much easier than I ever thought it would be. I was definitely doing a happy dance after taking my first bite of homemade candy bar. It actually tastes like the real thing! I was nervous that the amount of chocolate looked too thin, but the ratios of chocolate to nougat and caramel is perfect!

This recipe makes a 9×13″ pan of layered goodness. That’s a cake’s worth of candy bars people! I hope you have friends to share these with. Throughout my weeks of candy making I’ve realized that homemade chocolate candy bars melt/soften fairly quickly and are best kept in the fridge. Keep that in mind if you plan on gifting some homemade candy – don’t leave it on someone’s doorstep… unless there’s a lot of snow and cold to keep the candy from turning into a delicious mess.

Copy Cat: Snickers

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 C milk chocolate chips, divided use
  • 3/4 C creamy peanut butter, divided use
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • 1 C sugar
  • 1/4 C evaporated milk
  • 1 container (13 oz) marshmallow creme
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 C roughly chopped salted peanuts
  • 14 oz caramel squares, unwrapped
  • 1/4 C heavy cream

Steps:

  1. Line a 9×13″ cake pan with foil. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In a microwave safe bowl, combine 1 1/4 C chocolate chips and 1/4 C peanut butter. Microwave 50-60 seconds, stirring every 20 seconds, or until completely melted and smooth. Evenly spread mixture into prepared cake pan. Place in fridge.
  3. In a large saucepan over medium heat melt butter. Add the sugar and evaporated milk. Stir and bring to a gentle boil. Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the mixture from burning. Add in the marshmallow creme, 1/4 C peanut butter, and the vanilla extract. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and fold in the chopped peanuts. Evenly spread the nougat over the chocolate layer. Return to fridge.
  4. In a microwave safe bowl, combine caramels and heavy cream. Microwave 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, or until completely melted and smooth. Evenly spread caramel over the nougat layer. Return to fridge.
  5. In a microwave safe bowl, combine 1 1/4 C chocolate chips and 1/4 C peanut butter. Microwave 50-60 seconds, stirring every 20 seconds, or until completely melted and smooth. Evenly spread mixture over the caramel layer.
  6. Return to fridge and chill until completely set. Cut into bars.

*This recipe is adapted from Alyssa at http://therecipecritic.com/2013/11/homemade-snickers-bars/*

Copy Cat Snickers | Sew You Think You Can Cook