Peanut Butter Bars

So in honor of National Peanut Butter Day yesterday I made the amazing no-bake Peanut Butter Bars! You only need 5 ingredients and they take about 10 minutes to make! They are yummy by themselves but even better when you chop them up and sprinkle over vanilla ice cream! (Wow, that is for sure not healthy but totally yummy!)

Ingredients:

Filling:

2 cups crushed graham crackers

2 sticks butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup peanut butter

Melt butter and peanut butter in microwave together. Add graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar, thoroughly combine. Spread into an 13x9 inch pan and set aside.

Topping:

1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
4 tbs peanut butter


Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter in microwave at 30 second intervals stirring after each so the chocolate doesn't burn. Once completely melted pour over the peanut butter mixture and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving! Enjoy!!

Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Bananas

I have been going NUTS for peanut butter and chocolate lately and it's sure not helping my "healthy eating" resolution. Most people give them up by the end of the first month anyways, right? Well here is another quick little snack that has my favorite combination and takes no time at all to make. Enjoy. :]

Ingredients:
2 large bananas
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
2tsp powdered sugar
1tbs milk

Cut bananas into about 1/2 inch thick pieces and place on wax paper. 

Combine peanut butter and powdered sugar in a small bowl, place a small dollop of the peanut butter mixture onto each banana slice.

Next place the chocolate chips and milk in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 20 second increments stirring occasionally so the chocolate won't burn. 

Once the chocolate is a dipping consistency, use a fork to dip the peanut butter covered bananas into the chocolate. (It may help to also use a spoon to pour chocolate over the bananas.) Place back onto the wax paper and freeze for about 2 hours. 

Make sure to store them in the freezer as they melt easily. :]

French Vanilla S'more Crescents

I have to admit that S'mores are my biggest guilty pleasure. I especially crave these warm  delights in the winter time but it is a little hard to have a campfire in the middle of a northern Minnesota winter, SO I decided to find another way to make them. 

I saw something similar to these on Pinterest but they made them with just chocolate chips and peanut butter, so I figured I would change it up and substitute some french vanilla marshmallows for the peanut butter!

Ingredients:
Original Crescent  Rolls
French Vanilla Marshmallows
Milk Chocolate Chips

Roll the crescents out of the tube and place a small handfull of chocolate chips and a few marshmallows on top. 

Roll the crescents up from the base of the triangle to the point making sure all of the edges are pinched together so the filling can't escape.

Bake at 375° for about 10 minutes (until yummy and golden brown!). :]

 Sprinkle with a little powdered sugar and enjoy!!

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

    I'm not sure what it is about the combination of peanut butter and chocolate but I can
    NEVER seem to get enough. 

     Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are always an option but I feel like they have no flavor,  

     another option is to go to a gourmet candy store and buy Peanut Butter Cups but why   

     would you do that when you can make them at home from stuff you probably already     

     have in your kitchen cupboards?! These homemade Peanut Butter Cups are 

     inexpensive and taste SO much better than anything you can buy at a store. Somehow 

     they all disappear in one day. :]

     Ingredients:

   For the chocolate:

   1-cup semisweet chocolate chips

   1/2-cup milk chocolate chips
   2 tablespoons peanut butter
   Pinch of salt

   For the filling:
   3/4-cup peanut butter
   1/3-cup powdered sugar
   Pinch of salt

   Prepare a standard muffin tin with 12 paper liners.

  Using a double boiler, combine chocolate chips, peanut butter and salt stirring continuously

  to avoid burning the chocolate. (If you don’t have access to a double boiler you can place    

  ingredients into a microwave safe bowl and heat in 1-minute intervals stirring occasionally

  until all ingredients are combined.)

  Place about 2 teaspoons of the melted chocolate mixture in each cupcake liner and  

  carefully spread around with the back of a spoon at the bottom and about 1/4 to 1/2 of the 

  way up the liner. Repeat with all 12 liners. Place the muffin tin with all 12 chocolate liners 

  into the freezer for about 5 minutes to harden.

   While the chocolate liners are hardening, prepare the filling: Combine peanut butter, 

   powdered sugar and salt together. (I found it easiest to combine these ingredients by also 

   melting them in a double boiler.)

   The chocolate liners should be hard by now. Scoop 1 heaping teaspoon into each of the 

   12 liners pressing down gently to make sure the peanut butter mixture spreads evenly.

   Place in the freezer again for another 5 minutes to let the peanut butter harden.

   Top with 2 teaspoons of the melted chocolate mixture, spreading carefully so that none of 

   the peanut butter can be seen. Place cups in freezer once more to allow the top layer to 

   harden.

   Just make sure to store them in either the fridge or freezer, as they tend to melt easily. 

   Enjoy!