Peanut Butter Popcorn with Honey

Yesterday was a peanut butter popcorn kind of day, but my other recipe calls for marshmallows and brown sugar which we are trying to avoid at all costs on this side of the world. I wondered if I could find some way to make it with honey. Well, where there is a will there is ALWAYS a way. This popcorn was so good and it made A LOT but it was all gone with in just a few hours of me making it. Perfect substitute for what we loved before!

Peanut Butter Popcorn with Honey

1 1/2 C honey
1 1/2 C peanut butter
3 T butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 C unpopped popcorn kernels

Pop the popcorn. This makes a lot of popcorn. We filled up two very large bowls.
In a saucepan heat the honey, peanut butter and butter until it is smooth and runny.
Remove from the heat and add the vanilla.
Drizzle the peanut butter mixture over the popped corn. Stir to coat.
Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups!

What is it with combining chocolate and peanut butter that makes magic ensue? Last night was girl's night and we were all supposed to bring desserts. I decided on these. They take a little time, are easy to put together and are so incredibly rich that they don't disappear too quickly.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Chocolate cups:
9 oz semi sweet chocolate, melted (We decided that milk chocolate might be even better!)

Peanut Butter mousse:
One 8 oz pkg of cream cheese
1 C creamy peanut butter
1/4 c sugar
2/3 C heavy cream
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 C semi sweet mini chocolate chips

For the cups- I just put the melted chocolate into a piping bag and using a mini muffin tin squirt the chocolate into the cups and then spread thin with a spoon. Although last night as I was thinking about it I thought it might be more effective to turn the muffin baking pan upside down and make chocolate lattice patterns on the cups and then freeze. I use the plastic muffin baking pan for this so they come off really easy after frozen.

For the Mousse- Blend together the cream cheese, peanut butter and sugar until smooth. In another bowl whip the whipping cream with the vanilla until stiff peaks form. Then fold the whipping cream into the peanut butter mixture. After that fold in the mini chocolate chips.

You can either put the mousse in a piping bag to squeeze into the cups or you can spoon it in to the chocolate cups. Chill for 30 minutes before serving. This makes about 24 mini peanut butter cups.

Peanut butter chocolate chip chewy granola bars

The other day, while picking up my high school daughter and some of her friends one of those friends gave her a chewy granola bar. She took a bite and declared that it tasted 'chemical' but she was hungry and ate it anyway. When she said that I remembered that I had copied off several chewy granola bar recipes from a website and there determined I would make her some. I made them last night and I am pretty sure I dreamed about them. :) She found them this morning and has eaten three already. I can honestly declare that these granola bars are rub-all-over-your-face good! I am going to have to double the recipe next time.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Chewy Granola Bars

4 T butter
1/4 C packed brown sugar
1/4 C honey
1/4 C peanut butter
2 C old fashioned oats
1 C crisp rice cereal
1/4 C semisweet mini chocolate chips

Line an 8x8 pan with foil.
Combine honey and butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. Stir in the brown sugar when the butter starts to melt and bring mixture to a boil. Boil and then lower the hear and simmer for about 2 minutes.
Add the peanut butter and mix in until smooth. Remove from the heat.
Add the oats and crisp rice cereal and fold them in until evenly coated.
Quickly fold in the chocolate chips and then press into the pan.
Let sit for 15-20 minutes to set and then cut. If you need it to hurry along put them in the fridge for about 5-10 minutes to cool down.

Magic Peanut butter cookies

I wasn't sure how these would turn out but have seen recipes all over the place over the years for them. They are so simple. Only four ingredients. And they were so good that the kids ate every single one before I could get a picture so I had to make another batch. Enjoy!

Magic Peanut butter cookies

1 C peanut butter
1 C sugar
1 egg
1tsp vanilla

Cream the peanut butter and sugar. Add the egg and sugar. Put on cookie sheet in 1 T balls and press tops with fork. Bake in a 350 degree preheat oven for 10 minutes. And then just see if you can get one eaten before the kids find them!

Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups 2!

Back in March I was experimenting with raw foods and made my first attempt at raw chocolate peanut butter cups. They were all right but I wasn't completely satisfied with the chocolate part. It didn't set up as well as I wanted it to and well, I thought I should try again.

Yesterday I was experimenting some more and made a chocolate syrup that I really liked and when I put it in the fridge it set up completely. Hooray! So today I made these and they are pretty dang good.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Chocolate syrup-
1 C melted cacao butter
1/4 C cocoa powder
1/8 tsp salt
3 T agave nectar

Combine all ingredients well with a whisk.
To make cups- put a little of the syrup in a the bottom of 8-10 mini muffin cups. Put in fridge or freezer to set, but not completely. Add a small scoop of all natural peanut butter on the chocolate and then pour more syrup on to cover the peanut butter. Let set in fridge or freezer again and enjoy!

Huge Breakfast Cookies

I decided to try something different this morning and made these HUGE breakfast cookies and do you know what.....my kids would not eat them! What is this world coming to? They tasted really good too. I guess the concept of eating cookies for breakfast doesn't mesh with their upbringing. Where as I say- Bring it on!!!
Anyway, these are really good. Not any healthier than pancakes or waffles covered in syrup though. But something different I suppose.

Huge Breakfast Cookies
1/2 C butter
1 C peanut butter
1 1/3 C brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/3 C water
1 C white flour
1 C wheat flour
2 C oats- I used old fashioned
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1 C raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butters and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add all the dry ingredients and mix well. Then add in the raisins. Scoop onto baking sheets by using a 1/3 C measuring cup. Bake for 18-20 minutes. This makes approximately 14 huge cookies.

Peanut butter kissed cookies- healthified a little bit!

I have been wanting to experiment with coconut oil in place of shortening and butter. The first attempt was horrible. I tried to healthify my brownie recipe. I will never do that again!
These turned out much, much better. The Hersheys kisses were on sale after Easter for $.99 so I got some.

Peanut Butter Kissed Cookies
1/2 C coconut oil
3/4 C organic peanut butter
1/3 C organic sugar
1/3 C brown sugar
1 egg
2 T milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 C whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Cream together the oil and peanut butter. Add the sugars and mix until smooth. Add the egg ad milk and combine. Put in the dry ingredients and mix well. Roll in to balls and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. They try to fall apart so roll gently. Once cooked press a kiss into the top and cool.

Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

If you need a chocolate fix this will do. It is VERY rich and has a dark chocolate taste. Enjoy!

Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

1/2 C cacao powder
1/8 C coconut oil, melted
1/8 C cacao butter, melted
1/4 C agave nectar
Adam's all-natural peanut butter

In a bowl mix the coconut oil, cacao butter, and agave until smooth. Add the cacao powder and whisk until smooth. Spoon into mini muffin cups about 1/2 way full. Put about a 1/2 tsp of peanut butter in the middle and then cover with more chocolate. Freeze until firm and then eat immediately or store in the fridge. Makes 8 peanut butter cups

Peanut Butter Granola

Yesterday I was re-immersing myself into the foodie blog world again and I came across this recipe. I decided to try it for breakfast and am so glad I did. If you click on the recipe title it will take you to the blog I lifted it from. My husband loved it and one of the kids tried it and really liked it too. It was the child that hates Oatmeal Tuesdays- so now I will give her the choice of granola or oatmeal. I will definitely make this one again and again and again.....

Peanut Butter Granola Cereal

• 5 cups rolled oats- I used Bob's Red Mill 5 grain cereal
  
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup flax seed
• 1 cup wheat germ
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup honey
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
2. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients.
3. Heat coconut oil, honey, and peanut butter on medium heat until smooth.
4. Evenly pour honey mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until completely combines
5. Spread mixture over two large cookie sheets.
   

Bake for 20 minutes until oats and nuts are toasted. Let stand until cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Peanut Butter and Banana Nutella Muffins

When I first saw the recipe I remembered my new unrequited love for Nutella and figured it would be worth a shot. These are time consuming, but totally worth it. Unless you are the picky eater who enjoys his plain banana muffins above all other creations...sigh! Cake for breakfast anyone?

Peanut Butter and Banana Nutella Muffins

Makes 24

~1.5 cups all-purpose flour

~1 cup whole wheat flour

~1 teaspoon baking soda

~1 teaspoon salt
~1/2 teaspoon baking powder

~1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

~1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

~1/2 cup ground flax seed

~3/4 cup sugar

~1/2 cup plain yogurt

~1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

~1 cup peanut butter

~3 large eggs

~1 tablespoon vanilla extract

~4 ripe bananas, peeled and coarsely mashed

~Nutella, about 6 Tbsp, enough for 3/4 tsp per muffin

1. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners, or spray with baking spray such as Baker's Joy. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, wheat germ and ground flax seed in a medium bowl to blend. Beat the sugar, applesauce, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the banana. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until blended.

3. Fill the bottom of each muffin cup with one heaping scoop of batter and spread with the back of the scoop to cover the bottom. Drop about 3/4 tsp of nutella onto the center of each cup. Follow with another heaping scoop of batter, making sure to surround the heart of nutella with batter. Bake the muffins on the middle rack until the tops are golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out with no crumbs attached (but maybe a little streak of nutella!), about 20-25 minutes. Transfer the muffins to a rack and cool slightly. The muffins are great warm, but if they are saved for later, a few seconds in the microwave should bring back the the warm gooey heart.

Nutritional Information (...ready?): Calories - 176; Total Fat - 6.1 g; Sat. Fat - 1.7 g; Cholesterol - 30 mg; Sodium - 158 mg; Carbohydrates -27g; Fiber - 2g; Sugar - 10 g; Protein - 4.6 g.

TWD: Chunky Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters

It Tuesdays with Dorie- YAY!!! Today was a great recipe that went together quickly and baked up perfectly. There was A LOT of cookie dough here so I froze half of it for later and can't wait to try it again in a month or so.

I did make some changes to the recipe. I used all whole wheat flour instead of white, creamy peanut butter instead of chunky, and I used organic sugar in place of white sugar. I will definitely be putting this one in my favorites file to use again and again!

Note: No cookies were harmed in the construction of this delectable tower!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Magic Milk Shakes

It hasn't been that I haven't been cooking. I did make some Pumpkin Bread pudding with caramel sauce but I just can't post it because well...I can't stand soggy bread. I have tried and tried to like bread pudding. It is officially off my list.

This next recipe however is a keeper. I am going to try some different variations with it, but this is what we did:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Magic Milk Shakes

1-1/2 to 2 cups ice water- had to use more because it was too thick to blend!
1-1/2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/4 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 1-1/2 trays of ice cubes, as much as you can spare
2 tablespoons corn oil plus a 5-second squirt of non-stick spray for emulsification purposes

Place all of the ingredients into the blender, including the oil and the non-stick spray. Use less water for thicker milk shakes and more water for shakes that are easy on your blender motor. The blender should be about 3/4's full. Place the lid on. Process for a full 2 minutes. Pour into cups and serve. Makes 4 - 12oz servings.

Original recipe courtesy of http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/index.htm

Chocolate Reese's Blossoms

I was talking to one of my many sisters on the phone while I was making these and she asked if I spent all day in the kitchen and how I had time to post so many times on so many blogs. Well, I guess you find time for what you love and blogging is an outlet for me. Not to mention making yummy things and stuffing my face with them! It's all about priorities! LOL
Don't these pictures make you drool?

Chocolate Reese’s Blossoms
¾ C sugar

8 T butter, cut in pieces

1 egg
2 T milk
½ C creamy peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 ¾ C Flour (once again- I use 1/2 white/1/2 wheat)
1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt
1 C mini chocolate chips- regular works fine too!

36 mini Reese’s peanut butter cups

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream together the butter and sugar. Mix in the peanut butter, vanilla, egg, and milk until combined. Add dry ingredients until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Roll dough into 36 one inch balls. Bake 2 inches apart for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
After taking cookies from oven immediately press one peanut butter cup in the center of each cookie. Enjoy, but use caution- these are highly addictive!

Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

It's muffin Wednesday again and this one is so good. Even my pickiest eater loved it. But once again I just have to tease you with the picture and my description because it is copyrighted. This one comes from Jessica Seinfelds book- this is recipe #2 that we have tried- and it did not fail to please. Could be because of the 1 c of brown sugar in them, but I digress!

The combination of peanut butter, banana, and carrot puree is amazing. They are moist and filling- which might be from them using only 100% whole wheat. They wouldn't win a contest for best pictured muffin, but don't let looks deceive.

I wonder...if you really want the recipe either buy her book or call me and I will dictate it over the phone for you. That isn't infringing, is it?

Chocolate Peanut Butter Doodles

Here is my recipe for the day- I didn't make this today, but it is one of our favorites! Enjoy!!!

Chocolate Peanut butter Doodles-
Makes about 32 cookies depending on how small or big you make them.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Chocolate cookie dough:
1/2 c softened butter
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c peanut butter
1 egg
1 T milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
Peanut butter filling:
1/2 c peanut butter(you may need abt 1 T more to get it to go together)
3/4 c powdered sugar
For cookies: mix the wet ingredients together than add the dry. Dough will be sticky but you can put it in the fridge for a few minutes to make it easier to handle. Then roll into 32 chocolate balls of goodness.
For filling: mix it together to form a stiff dough and roll into 32 small balls.
Add one lil' pb ball to the middle of the chocolate ball and 'cover' up the 'lil' guy' as Makenna says. Then roll in sugar. Press down lightly with the bottom of a cup so they are kinda flat- don't worry they will puff.
Bake for about 8 min (10 in Alaska!:)) or until they start to crack. Cool or just eat warm- whichever you prefer!

Honey Butterscotch Crispies

I have been experimenting with honey as a sweetener and although this one does have refined sugars in the butterscotch and chocolate chips, it was well worth sharing. Not good for people who are addicted to sugar- like me!!!

Honey Butterscotch Crispies

1 C butterscotch chips

1/2 C honey

1/2 C peanut butter

5 C crispy rice cereal

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Melt the butterscotch, honey and peanut butter in a sauce pan until it is melted. In a large bowl add the crispy rice cereal and pour the honey mixture over it, stirring to coat the cereal. Place all in a 9X13 in pan. Melt the chocolate in the microwave and spread on. Let cool and cut into squares. Makes 24 yummilious servings!

Chocolate Mouthful of Peanut butter bars

Haven't cut these yet as they are for the picnic tomorrow at our friends house. I bet they will be good though. I mean, how can chocolate and peanut butter not be good?

Chocolate Mouthful of Peanut Butter Bars

6 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 sticks butter
1 1/4 C flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 C sugar
4 lg eggs
3 T corn syrup
1/2 C buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 C peanuts
1 C creamy peanut butter

Melt chocolate and butter in microwave. Cream together sugar, eggs and corn syrup. Add chocolate/butter mixture. Mix in dry ingredients until combined. Add buttermilk and vanilla. Fold in peanuts. Put in a greased and floured 9x13 in pan. Top with melted peanut butter, running a knife through it to stir it into the chocolate a little. Bake @ 325 for 35 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes before serving.

Update: These were not gooey brownies, but very solid and cake like!

Nutter Butters

I made these cookies for Sunday afternoon and they were gone within an hour or so. The kids LOVED them and so did Matt!

Nutter Butters

Cookies:
1/2 c shortening(I used butterflavored crisco)
2/3 c sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
3 T peanut butter
1/2 C old fashioned oats
1 c flour

Filling:
1/2 C peanut butter
3/4 C powdered sugar (this needs to be 1/2 c because I had to add milk to get the filling to stick together enough to put in the cookies)

Preheat oven to 325
In large bowl cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, salt, and peanut butter and beat well. Put the oats in a blender and blend until it is oat flour (I forgot this step and so we just had regualar oats in the cookies and they turned out great). Add oats and flour and blend well. Roll dough in 1 in balls and place on cookie sheet flattening with the back of a cup. Bake for 8 to 10 min or until edges start to brown.
While cookies bake mix filling. Once cookies are cooled put the filling in the cookies and enjoy! They are super yummy!