Chocolate Pretzel Bars

I have picked up a new hobby for when I’m bored. Instead of stalking people on facebook, as lame as it may be, I like to cruise through the internet, searching different baking blogs. The other day I came across Joy the Baker’s blog and her recipe for pretzel bars. They looked good, and it made sense that they would be a good mix of flavors since the sweetness of chocolate and the saltiness of pretzels is always a good combination. So, I decided to try then, and it turns out it was good just like I expected.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

Base-

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt


1½ sticks softened butter

1 cup light brown sugar


½ cup granulated sugar


2 large eggs


2 teaspoons vanilla extract


2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1½ cups coarsely chopped
 pretzels

Drizzle-

¼ cup chocolate chips

¼ cup peanut butter

¼ cup chopped pretzels

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a larger bowl, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, and finally beat in the eggs and the vanilla extract. Gradually add in the dry mixture until just mixed. Fold in the chocolate chips and chopped pretzels.

Place the bag in the microwave
for about 30 seconds &
then snip the corner.

Spread the batter evenly in the pan and press it down evenly with a spatula. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool completely.

In two sandwich baggies, melt the chocolate chips and peanut butter. Cut off a small corner on each bag and drizzle the chocolate and peanut butter over the top of the bars. Sprinkle the extra pretzels on top. Let the drizzle set and then cut the squares.

You don’t have do the drizzle on top, especially if you are baking these for someone with a peanut allergy, but it does make the bars look a lot more put together, and you can always leave out the peanut butter and just drizzle on chocolate if nuts are a concern.

Peanut Butter Brownies

Peanut butter + chocolate = yum.

I have made peanut butter and chocolate treats before but these bars are a little different since they are truly peanut butter, instead of chocolate with peanut butter. 

I added in chocolate chips, but you can make this recipe and completely omit all of the chip to just make peanut butter brownies (which would be great lightly iced).

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter

2/3 cup margarine, softened

11/3 cups white sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

2/3 cup peanut chips

2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.

In a bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and peanut butter. Add in the eggs and vanilla. Afterwards, gradually mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Once all these ingredients have been well mixed, mix in the mini semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Make sure to press down the batter evenly into the pan.

Pour this batter into your greased pan and sprinkle the 2/3 cup peanut chips and 2/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly over the top.

Place in the oven for 30-35 minutes and let cool before slicing into bars.

Right before entering the oven.

I made the batter for these during one of my free periods, but didn't have enough time to bake them so I left a sticky note for my mom for when she came home to pop them in the oven. When I came home from school, I went inside thinking I would be able to try them out, but it turned out that my mom hadn't even come home yet. 

Though I had to then wait some more time to preheat the oven and bake the brownies, it was worth it. These were peanut chocolate goodness in every bite. (The edges were my favorite.)

Peanut Chocolate Eggs

Though I do not celebrate the Christian holidays, when Easter comes around I kind of wish I did. All the cute animals, pastel colors, and not to mention treats look so fun to make and decorate. But who says I still can't bake for Easter? I know plenty of people who celebrate the holiday, so I decided I would just make these absolutely amazing chocolate covered peanut butter eggs.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 ¼ cup creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup graham crackers

¼ cup butter

4 tablespoons milk

1 ½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons butter

¼ cup heavy cream

Sprinkles (for decorating)     

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, ¼ cup butter, graham crackers, vanilla, and milk until well blended. Shape the peanut butter mixture into a bunch of tablespoon sized eggs and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place them in the freezer for an hour.

To prepare the chocolate coating, place the 1 ½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons butter, and ¼ cup of heavy cream into a saucepan over low heat. Constantly stir the mixture until smooth, making sure it does not burn.

Once ready, remove the eggs from the freezer and one-by-one, dip each egg into the chocolate. To make this easier you may use a fork to dip each egg in. Tap off the excess chocolate and place the eggs back onto the parchment paper.

Make sure to sprinkle the sprinkles on before the
chocolate hardens.

You may then decorate with sprinkles or other icing if desired.

Wait until cool before eating.

Wait for them to harden before removing them from the paper.

These came out soooooooo well. They are nice and fluffy on the inside- better than any store bought Reese's candy.

PB Graham Chocolate Squares

Yesterday we had no school on account of the torrential rain the night before that inundated the entire town. Literally, I went for a run and I fell in a newly formed lake of water in the middle of the road that went past my belly button. The power even went out on Sunday, and it got me thinking of no bake recipes (recipes that don’t require an oven). Since peanut butter and chocolate is a classically good combination, I decided to make no bakes with that in mind.

Recipe:

Ingredients

¾ plus ½ cups peanut butter, divided

Action Shot!

6 tablespoons softened butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 2/3 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup plus ¾ cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Grease an 8 by 8 inch baking pan. Beat ¾ cup peanut butter and the butter in a large bowl until creamy. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar. Afterwards, mix in the graham cracker crumbs and 1/3 cup of the chocolate chips. Press this mixture evenly onto the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Making sure to smooth the top.

Melted chocolate before hardened

Melt the last ½ cup peanut butter and ¾ cup chocolate chips on low heat in a saucepan. Stir constantly until the whole mixture is smooth. Then, spread this mixture evenly over the mixture already in the pan. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour until chocolate if firm.

Cut into bars and store in a container in the refrigerator. 

Reese’s Cup Brownie Bites

I was at the local grocery store today which can often have very expensive prices, but behind the counter I saw a special for ½ off holiday candy. I’ve been meaning to bake something with reese’s cups, so when I saw them on sale I quickly snatched them up and whipped up something easy and bite sized that makes great peanut butter cups even better.

Who cares about holiday wrappers
when you're taking them off anyways?

Ingredients:

3/4  cup butter, melted


3/4 cup white sugar


3/4 cup brown sugar, packed


2 teaspoons vanilla extract


2 eggs


3/4 cup all-purpose flour


1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/8 cup chocolate syrup

½ teaspoon salt


40 mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Directions:

The syrup makes them super moist.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease mini cupcake pans and set aside.  In a medium bowl mix the melted butter, sugars and vanilla, and then beat in the eggs and chocolate syrup. Slowly add the flour, cocoa, and salt and mix everything together.  Fill each cupcake spot until it is about 2/3 of the way full. Finally, insert a peanut butter cup into each cupcake until it is basically in line with the chocolate batter.

Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes and then allow them to cool before removing them from their tins.

The inside was soft and gooey but the top had a light crispiness that tasted soo good. Good for any peanut butter and chocolate lover.

Monster Cookies

I always make baked goods for the girl’s track team and the boys get mad if I don’t have enough for them too. My one friend in particular has on multiple occasions tried to steal them away, though I have never failed to find them stashed near his stuff. This time though, I’m making him his own bucket of cookies so I don’t have to listen to any more complaining from him.

I thought it would only be appropriate to make “Monster Cookies” for him. The original recipe came from Paula Deen, but I changed it around just a bit.

Ingredients:

1 egg

½ cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup white sugar

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon corn syrup

¾ teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons butter

½ cup creamy peanut butter

¼ sweetened coconut flakes

1 ½ cups rolled oats

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup M&M's

I give you permission to
taste the batter.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease cookie sheets. In a bowl, combine the eggs and sugars and mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter, and then finally the unsweetened coconut and baking soda. Stir in the M&M's, chocolate chips, and oats.

Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, and do not over bake. Let the cookies cool for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. 

A bucket of cookies he can hoard for himself.

Doggie Treats

Lucy is usually not this obedient.

Treats in an air tight container will last for much longer.

Now we always focus on making treats for ourselves, but what about our pets? For a while now I have been giving my two small dogs cookies I bake at home, and that way I know exactly what they’re eating (no fake ingredients here). I found this recipe for small dog ankle biter peanut butter drops courtesy of Robin’s FYI:

Ingredients:

3/4  cup flour 

1 egg 

1 tablespoon honey 

1 teaspoon  peanut butter 

1/4  cup  butter 

1  teaspoon  baking soda 

1/4  cup rolled oats 

1/2  teaspoon vanilla 

Directions: 

Heat honey and peanut butter in microwave until peanut butter is melted (about 20 seconds) 

Mix add remaining ingredients  

Drop by 1/2 teaspoonful onto cookie sheet  

Bake at 350 F for 8 to 10 minutes

Fenway enjoying her treat.

I can't really comment how these taste but I can tell you for sure that my dogs definitely enjoy them.