choco-nut coffee frappe

i may have mentioned before that i worked as a barista at a local cafe for 4 years during grad school and part of doctoral school.  one of the things i loved doing was experimenting with different frappe flavors, and i still like doing this at home.

when i have free time, i like to brew a large batch of my favorite decaf coffee and put it in the fridge for myself for quick-access iced coffee.  i brewed a large batch last weekend since i knew i had a busy week in the theater and at the pavilion.

i often whip together a drink when i'm running out the door, so i don't have time to snap a photo.  however, one evening last week when i had a few free moments at home, i used some of the brewed cold coffee for a frappe.  i grabbed what i had on hand in the kitchen to make a delicious frappe treat.  this frappe combines chocolate, peanut butter, and almond for a great choco-nut flavor!

choco-nut coffee frappe
total time: 5 minutes
yields: 1 large smoothie

ingredients:
1 cup cold coffee
2 teaspoons half-and-half cream
2 teaspoons natural chocolate syrup
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 tablespoon powered peanut butter
6-8 ice cubes

directions:
blend all ingredients together in a blender until smooth

enjoy!

love, laurie

peanut butter banana bread

goodness gracious!  i truly cannot believe that the last time i posted a recipe on the blog was all the way back in july and here we are on the first day of march!  that's a record.  it's not that i haven't been making all sorts of delicious things in the past 8 months, it's just that i've been so incredibly busy that i haven't had a chance to take a single picture of anything that i've made.  sad, for sure.

on sunday i was looking around my kitchen and sighed as my eyes fell on 3 overly ripe bananas sitting on the counter.  i love bananas and had high hopes for this bunch when i bought them at the grocery store last weekend, but the weather was so back-and-forth that i think those silly bananas got confused and turned ripe too fast.  sure, we'll blame it on the weather.

what does one do with ripe bananas?  make banana bread, of course.  i absolutely love banana bread in every format.  there is something nostalgic about banana walnut muffins, and something cozy about a slice of banana bread from a loaf.  i knew i wanted to make a loaf of banana bread, but i wanted to change it up a bit and do something different from the traditional chopped walnuts in it.  thus, peanut butter.

peanut butter and banana is one of those classic combinations that i go back to again and again because it never lets me down.  march 1st is national peanut butter lovers day, by the way!  this was the first time i added peanut butter to the batter of my banana bread and let me tell you, it did not disappoint!

as soon as you slice into this loaf it has such a wonderful peanut butter smell.  the taste of the peanut butter is subtle and gives the banana bread a nice little added something.  it's a surprisingly light and fluffy bread too!

ps: the cute place mat that is under the loaf was made by ryan's aunt sandy.  she sure is great when it comes to sewing projects!

peanut butter banana bread
prep time: 10 minutes
baking time: 1 hour
yields: 1 loaf
adapted from love and olive oil

ingredients:
6 tablespoons salted butter, softened
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

directions:
preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar.  add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each.  beat in the vanilla and mashed bananas.  in a microwave warm the peanut butter for 45-50 seconds until slightly melted.  add the peanut butter to the batter and beat well.  sift the dry ingredients into the batter and mix just until incorporated.

pour the batter into a loaf pan that is greased lined with parchment paper.  bake for 1 hour until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the bread comes out clean.  allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing the loaf from the pan and transferring it to a wire rack to finish cooling.

enjoy!

love, laurie

chocolate, peanut butter, and date cereal bars

let's talk about a few ingredients that i love . . . my love of peanut butter has been well documented on this blog.  it's also no secret that i love dark chocolate too, but did you know that i'm a huge fan of cheerios as well?  i love all types of cheerios, especially multi-grain cheerios.  i also just love medjool dates.  they are so versatile, and i love how they are naturally sweet.

the combination of these things i love (chocolate, peanut butter, dates, and cheerios) leads to some seriously delicious dessert bars.

we start off with the dates, which are just the right amount of sticky so they can act as a natural glue in recipes.  the dates are combined with peanut butter and a little vanilla for an added flavor.

that incredible mixture gets combined with multi-grain cheerios, and then the whole thing is covered in dark chocolate.  wow!

these bars make a great treat to satisfy your sweet tooth, but you don't have to feel too bad about them since they are relatively "healthy."  cheerios, peanut butter, and dates are all good for you.  the dark chocolate makes them just a little bit naughty.  (although there is a decent amount of research that argues that dark chocolate is good for you.  i'm with those scientists!)

you could use just about any cereal in these bars.  you could also use milk or white chocolate too.  this recipe is a great base recipe for you to personalize these bars and make them your own!

chocolate, peanut butter, and date cereal bars
prep time: 10 minutes
chill time: 2 hours
yields: 16 bars
adapted from half baked harvest

ingredients:
6 oz. medjool dates, pits removed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chunky all-natural peanut butter
3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 cups cereal
1 cup dark chocolate chips

directions:
grease the sides of a glass 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.  set aside.  add the dates and salt to a food processor and pulse until the dates form a thick paste.  add the peanut butter and milk.  process until smooth.  transfer the mixture to a microwave-save bowl.  microwave for 30 seconds, then stir.  repeat twice, or until the mixture is warm.  stir in the vanilla.  add the cereal to a large bowl.  slowly and gently mix the warm peanut butter mixture into the cereal until thoroughly combined.  gently press the cereal into the prepared baking dish in an even layer.

in a separate bowl, microwave the chocolate 30 seconds, then stir.  repeat until completely melted.  drizzle the melted chocolate over the cereal and use an offset spatula to evenly spread the chocolate over the top of the cereal.  cover the pan and refrigerate for about 2 hours until firm.  cut into 16 bars and serve.  refrigerate the remaining bars.

enjoy!

love, laurie

chocolate peanut butter mousse (vegan + gluten free)

i have an obsession with peanut butter.  it's a down right addiction to be completely honest.  i absolutely love it and i find a way to incorporate peanut butter into just about everything.  peanut butter is so versatile, you can use it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, and beverages!

without a doubt, chocolate and peanut butter are an amazing combination.  the two were made for each other.  over the weekend i had a craving for chocolate mousse and something with peanut butter, so i decided to make some chocolate peanut butter mousse for dessert.  instead of making a traditional mousse, i skipped the dairy and the eggs to make a vegan version.  the result was an incredible dessert that was just as light, fluffy, and flavorful as it's non-vegan counterpart.

this delicious mousse could be served as a stand-alone dessert, or it could be used as a dip or even as a frosting.  clever treat!  needless to say, i'm hooked.  who says vegan food isn't fun?  ;-)

chocolate peanut butter mousse
prep time: 5 minutes
chill time: 1 hour
yields: 4 servings

ingredients:
1 can (14 oz.) coconut cream, chilled
3 tablespoons all-natural smooth peanut butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon all-natural unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons agave nectar

directions:
in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the coconut cream until light and fluffy (about 1 minute).  all the peanut butter and whisk together until incorporated (about 1 minute).  whisk in the cocoa powder and agave nectar until incorporated.  add additional peanut butter, cocoa powder, and/or sweetener to reach desired taste.  to enjoy as a mousse, divide the mixture among 4 small cups and refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up before serving.  to use as a frosting, use immediately.

recipe notes:
be sure to use coconut cream instead of coconut milk.  there is a difference.  coconut cream is creamier and thicker than coconut milk and it has a different fat make-up.  my favorite brand of coconut cream is trader joe's.  also, my favorite all-natural peanut butter is smucker's because the only ingredients are peanuts.  i love both the creamy and the chunky.

enjoy!

love, laurie

mocha peanut butter banana smoothie

i had some left over black coffee in the refrigerator for a few days.  instead of just using it for iced coffee, i decided to make it into a smoothie.  in an effort to use up a few things in our kitchen, including a very ripe banana sitting on the kitchen counter, i threw a few ingredients together in the blender.

the result was a refreshing smoothie.  the cold coffee paired perfectly with the banana, peanut butter, and cocoa.  a splash of half-and-half cream and agave nectar gave it a great flavor.  it really hit the spot!

mocha peanut butter banana smoothie
total time: 5 minutes
yields: 1 large smoothie

ingredients:
1 cup cold coffee
2 teaspoons half-and-half cream
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon agave nectar
1 banana
3 ice cubes

directions:
blend all ingredients together in a blender until smooth.

enjoy!

love, laurie

peanut butter chocolate chip waffles

we wrapped up one show this weekend and moved right onto the next show on monday.  to celebrate surviving another successful show, we made waffles for breakfast.  why not?

we are huge fans of both peanut butter and chocolate, and we love the two combined.  so, peanut butter and chocolate in a waffles?  yes, please!

the peanut butter gives these waffles an awesome flavor, and the mini chocolate chips make them extra special.  surprisingly, they are not sweet at all.

we topped our waffles with slices of banana, roasted peanuts, mini chocolate chips, and warm maple syrup.  they certainly were a wonderful treat!

peanut butter chocolate chip waffles
prep time: 5 minutes
cooking time: 5 minutes
yields: 2 large servings
adapted from annie's eats

ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
2 large eggs
1 cup almond milk
1 tablespoon salted butter, melted
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

directions:
preheat your waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions.  in a large bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, sugar, peanut butter, eggs, and milk.  whisk well until combined.  stir in the melted butter.  fold in the chocolate chips.  pour enough batter into the waffle iron to just barely cover the waffle grid (usually about 1/2 cup of batter per waffle).  cook 4-5 minutes, or until the waffles are golden brown.  once cooked, transfer the waffles to a cooling rack while you prepare the remaining waffles.  serve warm, topped with sliced bananas, peanuts, mini chocolate chips, and warm maple syrup.

enjoy!

love, laurie

chocolate peanut butter pretzel cake

i was really excited when i learned that joy wilson was releasing her second cookbook in october.  i immediately put it on my christmas gift wish list, then proceed to patiently wait for two months. i was thrilled when i unwrapped this cookbook from ryan's parents at christmas.  as soon as i saw the cake on the front cover, i knew it was the cake i wanted for my birthday this year.

a thirtieth birthday requires an epic birthday cake, and this cake certainly fits the bill.  a three-layer chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting, crushed pretzels, and chopped chocolate pieces between each layer.  the whole thing is covered in peanut butter frosting, and then then the top is decorated with chopped roasted peanuts and more chopped chocolate pieces.  as if that's not enough, the sides of the cake are totally covered in mini pretzel twists.

ryan and i made this cake for my birthday celebration this weekend, and it was absolutely delicious.  it was the perfect blend of sweet and salty.  we have been enjoying leftover slices of cake for dessert each night since then.

chocolate peanut butter pretzel cake
prep time: 10-15 minutes
baking time: 25 minutes
yields: one 3-layer 9-inch round cake (approximately 20 servings)
adapted from joy the baker homemade decadence

cake ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
1 cup granulated white sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
2 cups buttermilk

frosting ingredients:
2 cups (4 sticks) salted butter, softened
1 1/2 cup all-natural creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
6 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons cream

extra ingredients:
1 cup crushed salted pretzels
4 oz. chopped 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup chopped unsalted roasted peanuts
63 mini salted pretzel twists

directions:
to make the cake: preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  grease and flour the sides of three 9-inch round baking pans, and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper.  in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter.  add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes).  add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  mix in the vanilla.  in a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and espresso powder.  add half of the flour mixture and beat until incorporated.  with the mixer on low, add the buttermilk in a slow stream and beat until thoroughly combined.  add the remaining flour mixture and beat just until combined.  divide the batter among the 3 pans.  bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  once baked, allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 15 minutes before removing the cakes from the pans and allowing them to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.

to make the frosting: in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, cream the butter.  add the peanut butter and and vanilla, then beat well until combined.  add 2 cups of the powdered sugar and beat until combined.  add another 2 cups of sugar along with 3 tablespoons of cream.  beat well until combined.  add the remaining 2 cups of sugar and beat until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.

to assemble the cake: place one layer of the cake on a cake stand and cover it in frosting.  sprinkle half of the crushed pretzels on top of the frosting along with one third of the chopped chocolate.  place the second layer of the cake on top of the first and repeat.  place the third layer of the cake on top and cover the entire cake with an even smooth layer of frosting.  sprinkle the remaining chopped chocolate around the top rim of the cake along with the chopped peanuts.  press the mini pretzel twists into the sides of the cake.

note: a 3-layer 9-inch round cake will accommodate 21 columns of 3 pretzels.  if you stack three pretzels on top of each other in a straight vertical line, it will make it easy to slice the cake, rather than offsetting each row of pretzels.

enjoy!

love, laurie

mini chocolate peanut butter chip cookies

this week.  oh, this week.  *insert a dramatically long sigh here*

we had a power-packed schedule this week.  our work days were crazy, and our evenings where packed full of all sorts of stuff (most of which was not fun).  we're exhausted and tired of running like nuts.  we need a vacation.  i think i hear a tropical island calling our names.

sometimes i get to travel for work.  on wednesday evening, i had to take a trip to give two presentations at a not-so-nearby university.  three hours in the car in heavy rush-hour traffic is not glamorous.  anyway, i got to take ryan with me.  after the presentations were over, we grabbed a bite to eat for dinner and the waiter called us twins . . . so there was that.  my dad always says "the longer you're married, the more you start to look like one another" . . . but twins?  come on.

on the drive home we found ourselves dreaming about taking a winter vacation: "can we squeeze it in after christmas? . . . sure! . . . rates are cheaper in the winter . . . let's go!"  did i mention we need a vacation?  :-)

at least there are cookies to make crazy weeks better.  thank goodness for cookies.

last night after work, before running to another commitment, we headed home to quickly whip up a batch of cookies for a co-worker's birthday today.

we had been talking about the glorious cookies at levain bakery in nyc.  the dark chocolate peanut butter chip cookies at levain bakery are insanely good.  then again, all of their cookies are crazy good.  so, we made some levain-inspired cookies of our own.

if you've ever visited levain, you know that their cookies are ginormous.  since quarter-pound cookies are not work place friendly, we made mini bite-sized versions.  perfect for our co-workers to pick up on the run.    

these mini chocolate cookies with peanut butter chips were so easy to make.  they came together in no time and baked super quick.  just the kind of recipe you want when you have a packed schedule.

the cocoa power gives the cookie a wonderful deep chocolate flavor, and the peanut butter chips are such a great added bonus.  (if you're wondering, our favorite cocoa powder to use is hershey's 100% cocoa natural unsweetened cocoa powder, and our favorite peanut butter chips are trader joe's peanut butter baking chips.)

these cookies smell really great too.  you just can't beat the combination of chocolate and peanut butter.  yum!  so, if you've had a crazy week, or even if you haven't, i highly recommend these cookies to make you smile.  and remember, it's friday!  have a great weekend!

mini chocolate peanut butter chip cookies
prep time: 5-10 minutes
baking time: 15 minutes
yields: 34 mini cookies
adapted from annie's eats

ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened
1/2 cup plus 1/8 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/8 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
dash of salt
1 1/4 cup peanut butter chips

directions:
preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  cream the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  add the granulated sugar and beat well until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).  beat in the egg.  scrape down the bowl and mix in the cocoa powder until completely combined.  add the flour, salt, and baking powder and mix until incorporated.  fold in the peanut butter chips with a spatula.  scoop 1 teaspoon-sized balls of cookie dough onto the cookie sheet.  gently press the cookie dough balls down into discs.  bake for 15 minutes.  once baked, allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

enjoy!

love, laurie

peanut butter pancakes

i absolutely love peanut butter.  it's one of my weaknesses.  i share my love of peanut butter with my dad who can eat peanut butter by the spoonful right out of the jar.  like father, like daughter.  i'm proud to have inherited his peanut-butter loving gene.

as much as i love peanut butter, i never really thought of putting peanut butter on pancakes.  i learned that trick from ryan when i met him.  that husband of mine loves to spread peanut butter on top of pancakes.  if we can put peanut butter on top of pancakes, why not put it inside?!

peanut butter pancakes are genius.  the peanut butter gives the pancakes a great flavor.  they remind me a bit of peanut butter cookies (but not as sweet).  the addition of the peanut butter to the pancake batter makes the pancakes extra thick.  they sure are a treat!

we topped our pancakes with a few honey-roasted peanuts and warm maple syrup.  i bet they would be great topped with banana slices and/or chocolate chips too!

peanut butter pancakes
prep time: 5 minutes
cooking time: 5 minutes
yields: 2 servings
adapted from joy the baker

ingredients:
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon salted butter
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

directions:
in a microwave safe bowl, melt the peanut butter and the butter.  whisk until smooth.  whisk in the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla.  add the dry ingredients and whisk until combined.  heat a lightly buttered griddle or frying pan on medium heat.  pour 3 tablespoons of batter onto the griddle for medium pancakes.  cook for 3 minutes, until small bubbles begin to form.  flip the pancakes when they start to bubble, then cook for 2-3 minutes, until they are golden brown and cooked throughout.  once cooked, transfer the pancakes to a baking sheet and place in a preheated 200 degree F oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining pancake batter.  serve warm with warm maple syrup.

enjoy!

love, laurie

chocolate peanut butter chia seed smoothie

i found a leftover banana sitting on our kitchen counter that was getting pretty ripe.  so, i decided to put it to good use in a smoothie.  into the blender it went with cocoa powder, peanut butter, soy milk, and chia seeds.  in my opinion, you just can't go wrong with the combination of chocolate and peanut butter and banana.  yum!

laurie, you put chia seeds in there?  yes!  now, i will be the first to admit that i was skeptical when i initially heard of chia seeds a few years ago.  it took me awhile to warm up to them, but now i'm a huge fan.  i didn't know what i was missing all this time, and who knew there were so many uses for those little seeds?!  we are totally on the chia seed bandwagon at our house now.

this smoothie is delicious.  it is like drinking liquid dessert.  you would swear it was a milkshake, but there isn't any ice cream in there.  in fact, there isn't any dairy at all.  soy milk all the way.

the chocolate and peanut butter give this smoothie an awesome flavor, and the banana acts as a great base.  the chia seeds make it super thick.  when chia seeds mix with liquid they expand and become gelatinous.  (it's like nature's version of gelatin.)  it's super weird, but it's super cool too.

you certainly could make this smoothie without the chia seeds, but you'd be missing out for sure.  chia seeds are rich in antioxidants, protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acid.  cheers to good health!

chocolate peanut butter chia seed smoothie
total time: 5 minutes
yields: 1 large serving

ingredients:
1 banana
2 teaspoons dark chia seeds
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
1 cup vanilla soy milk

directions:
blend all ingredients together in a blender until smooth.

enjoy!

love, laurie

healthy snack: apple slices with peanut butter and yogurt topped with granola

i share a lot of recipes here on the blog, and i thought it might be helpful to also share a few simple healthy snacks that we like to make.  so, i decided to start a new series called healthy snacks.  to kick things off, here's a healthy snack that is super easy to make and incorporates apples.  tis the season for apples!

i sliced a honeycrisp apple and removed the seeds.  i spread natural peanut butter on some of the slices and vanilla yogurt on the rest of the slices.  (almond butter or sunflower butter would be great instead of peanut butter too, and you could use any flavor yogurt you like.)  then i sprinkled some granola on top of the peanut butter and yogurt.  the granola adds a great crunch and balances the whole thing out.  yum!

happy snacking!

love, laurie

ryan's checkerboard birthday cake

for ryan's seashore themed birthday party over the weekend, we made a checkerboard cake.

in order to make the checkerboard cake, we made four layers of cake: two chocolate and two peanut butter.  once the cakes baked and cooled, we cut two circles into each layer of cake.  (we used the rim of a small plate and the rim of a small juice glass in order to make the cuts uniform.)

we carefully separated the three circles from each layer of cake, and then we put them back together alternating the chocolate and the peanut butter.  the cut-out circles fit together perfectly.

we stacked the layers on top of each other, alternating colors.  then, we put a thin layer of peanut butter frosting between each layer and covered the entire cake with the peanut butter frosting.

the peanut butter frosting was perfect for this cake because it looked like the color of sand.  we decorated the top of the cake with seashells that ryan made out of fondant to go with the theme of his birthday party.

after we cut into the cake and reveled that it was a checkerboard cake, my mom told us that she has a checkerboard cake pan set at home.  (now you tell us!)  we look forward to trying my mom's cake pan set to see how it works.

this was our first attempt making a checkerboard cake, and we can't wait to try it again.  however, the next time we make a checkerboard cake, there are two things that we will do different.

first, we will make the center cut-out circle larger, because when we cut the cake it was too thin and fell apart.  (you can see in the picture below that there are only two rows instead of three.)

second, we will put a thin layer of frosting inside of each cut-out circle in order to hold the the circles together better when cutting the cake.

have you ever made a checkerboard cake?  

if so, i'd love to hear how it went!

love, laurie

banana peanut butter oat smoothie

we had one lonely banana hanging out on our kitchen counter for several days.  neither of us wanted to put forth the effort to make a small batch of banana bread/muffins with it, so we decided to throw it in the blender to make a smoothie with it instead.

after debating what should accompany the lonely banana in the blender, the choice was clear.  some things are just made to be together . . . bananas and peanut butter are a match made in heaven.

we also threw some skim milk, ice, and old-fashioned oats in there too.

the result was an awesome smoothie that tasted just like a milkshake . . . and it's healthy too!  i call that a win-win situation.

i think this combination is my new favorite smoothie recipe!

banana peanut butter oat smoothie
total time: 5 minutes
yields: 1 large smoothie

ingredients:
1 ripe banana
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup skim milk
4-5 ice cubes

directions:
blend all ingredients together in a blender until smooth.

enjoy!

love, laurie

no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars

we are suckers for anything with chocolate and peanut butter in it.  (really, there are few other combinations as wonderful as chocolate and peanut butter!)  over the weekend, we made no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars. they are so simple to make, and the best part is that there is no cooking or baking involved.  this dessert would be perfect for a last minute dinner party or for a quick dessert on a week night.  you can whip up these bars in just a few minutes, and then let them sit in the refrigerator to harden until you are ready to serve them.

no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars
adapted from six sisters’ stuff

prep time: 10-15 minutes

yields: 9-12 bars

ingredients:
2 sticks salted butter (melted)
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

directions:

in a food processor, finely granulate graham crackers into crumbs.  in a bowl, mix together the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, and peanut butter.  stir together the ingredients with a fork until well combined.  press the mixture into the bottom of an ungreased baking pan.  (for thick bars use an 8x8 baking pan, and for thin bars use a 9x13 baking pan.)  in a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips in 30 second increments, stirring after every 30 seconds until completely melted.  spread the melted chocolate evenly over the peanut butter mixture.  cover and refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes before cutting into the bars.

enjoy!

love, laurie