Peanut Butter Brownies

Today was Jordan's first day of second grade. I got a little sad. And then I realized something.

She's gone! At school all day! I kinda felt like that lady in the empty-nester commercial, the one who redecorated her kid's room as soon as he left for college?

It's amazing the difference that happens to a kid between kindergarten and second grade. Ginormous difference between then and now. And I know she's only going to grow up even more in the next few months.

She'll probably think she's ready for her driver's license by the time she ends second grade.

And she's still super excited still about her braces. She made sure to seek out her old teachers, her principal, and parents of several friends to show them her NEW BRACES! and NEW EARRINGS!

{Shy my child is not.}

So, what did I do to celebrate today?

Remember last year? How a bunch of us moms started walking after drop off? We kicked it off again today.

My friend told me it was "about an hour walk."

We did over seven miles. SEVEN.

So I'm not sure if my friend is a friend or if she's out to kill me? The jury is still out on that one.

After I walked SEVEN miles this morning I think I deserve a treat.

And luckily, unlike most of the treats I share with you, I still have some of these babies in my freezer.

I was going to take them to school this week.

They might not make it.

Remember those Very Vanilla Bars I made you a few months ago? You know, the ones for that unmentionable party? Well, they were actually called Very Vanilla Brownies...a fact I realized I messed up on only after photo editing. Anyway, they were made with white chocolate chips.

As I stood at the stove making them, my mind wandered and I began to wonder if I could make them with other kinds of chips. Like peanut butter chips.

You know, make Peanut Butter Brownies.

Sometimes I astound even myself.

Because these are amazing.

Of course, I had to do more than make brownies with frosting. I added a crust.

Because I'm me.

Pretzel crust. Peanut Butter Brownies. And Peanut Butter Frosting (which totally makes them; do not skimp on the frosting!)

You could add chocolate. I almost did. But this way the peanut butter is the total star. She doesn't have to share the limelight with her pesky BFF, chocolate, throwing her perfect hair around or strutting her stuff in her milk chocolate stilettos.

Nope, peanut butter is the star here.

~Read More~

S'mores Brownies {Sundays with Joy}

{Yeah. I'm a little late. It's Tuesday, not Sunday. Life. Whatcha gonna do?}

It became uncomfortably apparent to me a few weeks ago that I am one of those people.

You know, the kind that "pack" for a trip to the store.

{In my defense, the store was Wal-Mart. Which means at least two hours. And I was going to the gym first.}

It started out innocently enough, with my list. A full sheet of notebook paper.

Then I needed to get my gym bag ready. Wallet, book, water, socks for Jordan so she can play in the playscape and I don't have to hear about how she "couldn't play with her friends and it was the WORST DAY EVER" because she was in flip-flops.

But, since I hate going anywhere sweaty, I needed a change of shirt. And my own flip-flops because it's 100 degrees and I ain't wearing tennis shoes until noon.

Okay good. Ready? Nope.

Gotta bring my purse for the shopping part. Pack that next to the gym bag.

Oh, and since Jordan is coming shopping, she'll need a snack.  Come to think of it, so will I. Two granola bars into the purse.

Better bring some peanut butter crackers in case the granola bar isn't what Jordan is "in the mood for."

Oh yeah, she'll want water too.

Then I have to pack Jordan's wallet. She likes to bring her own money. Because she treats her stuff like crap and has to buy herself new headphones because who knew that you can't step on headphones?

Before I knew it I had enough stuff I could have spent the night in the Wal-Mart.

Which, I guess, is likely because by the time I shop, rearrange the cart four times, get Jordan three snacks, let her look at clothes, fight that no we cannot buy the Lego house, and get through the line, I feel like I'm never going to get home.

So yeah, I'm now that person. If you see me at Wal-Mart, you can bet I'll have extra snacks. All you have to do is ask.

When I started thinking about how to make a "different" kind of S'mores Brownies, I immediately thought of doing a graham cracker crust; not the ground up kind, but an actual graham cracker. The marshmallow was perplexing to me because whenever I've baked with marshmallows they disappear in the oven. So I decided to do a sort of cheesecake filled with fluff.

The result? Well, they don't taste like your traditional s'mores. The graham gives it a slightly spicy base and the cheesecake tastes like cheesecake. The brownies are absolutely out of this world. I need to make Joy's brownies again, but by themselves. And then I'll hoard the pan and not share with anyone.

Oh, and this makes a ton of brownies. I know it's a 9x13" pan, but they seemed to multiply like Jordan's toys on my living room floor. I guess because they are very rich, thick, and chewy.

Didn't stop me from eating four. Or eight.

~Read More~

Olympic Gold Medal Brownie Batter Hand Pies

I hope you all had a wonderful Fourth of July! We had a relaxing, easy day filled with swimming, barbecue, and guacamole. And a delish new drink I can't wait to share with you soon!

America's birthday might be over...but the Olympics are around the corner! Now, I'm not a sports person. You know that. But I love the summer Olympics.

When I was a kid, Nadia was my favorite movie everrrr. Like, I watched it constantly. I practically had it memorized.

All of my friends loved it too. At least, I thought they did, because I made them watch it with me.

One of my favorite playtime activities was spreading out a blue tarp on my front lawn and practicing the floor routine. I would become Nadia...except that all I could do was a cartwheel.

I seem to remember making my friends wear their bathing suits while doing all of this play.

Which may have made them hate me...since our front lawn was literally at the busiest four-way stop in town.

Gymnastics used to be the only sport I thought was worth it's weight in Olympic gold. Now, as an adult, I appreciate more of the sports.

Like swimming. For the eye candy, of course.

Duh.

When thinking of an Olympic themed treat, my mind of course went to the gold medal; the symbol of success at the Games.

{Okay, side note: I will also never hear "The Games" and think of the Olympics anymore...am I right?}

And hand pies go so well with medals. I mean, they're round. Super perfect fit!

I was going to fill them with lemon curd or pie filling. Then I saw this post by Hayley and was intrigued. And then of course, there was brownie batter week...and my mind was made up.

The medals needed a strap, of course. I used Air Heads to mold some. You can use any colors...but I thought red and blue would be perfect.

You know, to root for America. But if you're, say, Canadian...you could just use red.

Just watching the gymnastic trials has gotten me in the mood. I wish I could set up a tarp and pretend to be Nadia.

But then I'd probably break something.

Instead I'll just sit and eat gold medals.

Way easier.

This post is proudly a part of the Olympic Party Roundup by Miss Candiquik!

Olympic Gold Medal Brownie Batter Hand Pies

by Crazy for Crust

Ingredients

• 1 cup brownie mix (dry)
• 1 tablspoon water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 box refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts)
• Cherry and Blue Raspberry Airheads (from a pack of mini Airheads)
• 1 package CandiQuik Candy Coating
• Edible gold spray

Instructions

To Make Hand Pies:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Unroll pie crusts and cut small circles, re-rolling pie crust as necessary. (Depending in the size of cookie cutter, you will get about 24 circles per crust.)
2. Mix brownie mix, water, and oil. Spoon ½ teaspoon of mix on 24 circles. Wet the edges of the pie crust and top with remaining circles. Pinch closed with the tines of a fork.
3. Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet for about 8-10 minutes. Cool completely.
4. To make the medals: Once hand pies are cool, melt your CandiQuik according to package directions. Dip each hand pie in the melts, covering completely. Tap off excess and place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Chill or freeze to harden. Once the candy is hardened, spray with edible gold spray. Chill to dry.

To make necklace:

1. Cut each Airhead into three strips. (If you are using regular sized Airheads, cut them in half first, so you get six strips.)
2. Heat one red and one blue strip in the microwave for 5 seconds. While warm, roll/stretch them to the desired length.
3. Overlap the two colors slightly and roll with a rolling pin to seal them together. Repeat with two more strips and then press the two strips together to make a necklace.
4. Place a small spoonful of white candy melts on the end of the necklace. Press a hand pie to the melted candy and hold until it sticks. Let dry before serving. Keep chilled, or they will stick.

**Other Hand Pie ideas: pie filling, cookie dough, lemon curd, chocolate chips, peanut butter, Nutella…

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How about you? Will you be watching the Olympics?

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Very Vanilla Bars {50 Shades of Grey Desserts}

Um...disclaimer. If you happen to be a young, impressionable teenager...maybe you skip this post? Thanksmuch, I really don't want to hear from your moms. ;)

A month or so ago, one of my girlfriends casually mentioned that a bunch of us should read 50 Shades of Grey and do a girls' night book club for it.

I heard "girls' night" and said "of course!"

Then, of course, I had to read the book.

Have you read the book? Undoubtedly, you've heard about the book. And what you've heard is spot on...and more. Way more. Like, eons more.

{I wonder...if I really talk about what's in the book...what will some of my Google Analytics keywords say? I mean, red pancake disease is already listed. And people, do not Google that. I did. Luckily I read some of the text before clicking on any photos. Yeah. Red pancake disease does not come from red velvet pancakes.}

Anyway...back to 50 Shades of Grey. So...there are some things in there I'd never heard of.

Like these. I guess you use them for ... exercise. At least that's what the Passion Party consultant said when she showed them to us at our book club meeting. Yes, the host booked us a Passion Party. Have you ever been to one of those?

Flippin' hilarious. Especially with cocktails. There's toys and stuff. Toys.

So these Ben-Wa Cake Balls are made with, well, cake. In the traditional cake ball way. I made the "strings" with white candy melts on a cookie sheet and let them harden before I dipped the cake balls. Once I dipped the balls I place the "string" on top the still melted candy and held it there for a second while it dried. Then I used my Wilton silver spray and sprayed them all silver. Let dry and you've got...balls.

{Hee, hee.}

So...my daughter was watching me make them. She kept asking what they were and I kept avoiding her.

She then asked, "Are they headphones?"

"Why yes, they are headphones," I replied.

"But why are you making headphones?"

"Well, honey...they listened to a lot of music in Mommy's book."

She keeps asking me if all my friends liked their headphones.

~Read More~

Nutter Butter Truffle Brownies

Seriously, you knew it was only a matter of time, right? Ever since I made these babies, I knew I was going to do it again with Nutter Butters. And now I have.

You're welcome.

I think I liked these even more than the Oreo version. Because, I mean, it's a Nutter Butter.

It's peanut butter and chocolate.

Is there anything better?

I actually bought a new package of Nutter Butters for this recipe. I have been working off a bag of the little bite-sized ones since January (impeccable restraint, I know). Now I have little ones and big ones in my pantry. Just calling out too me: make something else with me Dorothy...we love you as much as you love us!

Any bets on how long it takes me to give in to their siren song?

Not long, I can tell you that much.

And I know Canada doesn't have Nutter Butters. Which is weird to me. I mean, come on. How do they not have the best cookie in the world in a country that large? It's insane.

If you don't have access to Nutters, any peanut butter cookie will do. If you happen to have some Girl Scout peanut butter sandwich cookies in your freezer (or is that just me?) you could use those.

One of these days though, I'm going to do a Canada-only giveaway that will include Nutter Butters, Coconut Hershey's Kisses, and Biscoff.

Because you deserve it too, dammit.

Anyway, enjoy these. I know I did. And there is one lady at school who keeps talking to me about how good they were. Two weeks ago.

Enjoy!

~Read More~

Brownie Mud Hen Bars

Did you give up chocolate for Lent? (Seriously, I don't understand how you could do it, how you could survive it.)

Have you been jonesing for some ooey, gooey, rich chocolate for the last several weeks?

Do you like your brownies kinda fudgy? Rich? Brownies that seem like they might be raw or ones that are liqidy in the centers?

(No? Not sure about our friendship. If you tell me you don't like peanut butter either I may just cry.)

If you answered yes to any of these questions, than these Brownie Mud Hen Bars are for you.

I first was introduced to Mud Hen Bars back before Christmas, when Kay shared them on a Crazy Sweet Tuesday post. I new immediately I would make them some day.

Fast forward to last week. I needed a gift for my neighbors and I wanted to make something new.

I wanted chocolate and I wanted brownies and I wanted them yesterday. (Yes, I know. I was making them for other people. But I have to taste what I give, right?)

It's brownies topped with chocolate chips, pecans, and a brown sugar meringue. The brownies cook but stay ooey-gooey in the center. The meringue gives a sweet crunch to the top.

These are, in a word, sinful. Delightful. Wonderful.  A whole bunch of -fuls.

They are good room temperature.

But if you heat them for 10-15 seconds in the microwave?

There. Are. No. Words.

Except "goddammit I gave them all to the neighbors!"

Brownie Mud Hen Bars

by Crazy for Crust

(Adapted from Cooking with K)

6021142

Ingredients

• 1 pouch (10.25 ounce size) brownie mix for an 8x8 inch pan, plus ingredients called for on the pouch (or you can use your favorite recipe)
• 1/3 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 egg whites

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line an 8x8” pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
2. Mix brownies according to package directions. Spread in pan. Top with chocolate chips and pecans.
3. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold in the brown sugar and spread evenly over the brownie layer.
4. Bake for 35 minutes or until the meringue is golden brown. If the top starts to brown too quickly, cover it with a layer of parchment paper. Let cool completely before cutting. (Chill in the refrigerator for quicker cooling.) Peel away the foil carefully before cutting. **Be sure to spray your knife with cooking spray before cutting. After each cut wipe away excess and spray the knife again.**

These are really good warmed for just a few seconds in the microwave!

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Enjoy!




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Tea Party Tuesdays at Sweetology, Talent Show Tuesday at Chef in Training, Trick or Treat Tuesday at Inside BruCrew Life, Cast Party Wednesday at Lady Behind the Curtain, Sweet Treats Thursday at Something Swanky, Chic-and-Crafty at the Frugal Girls, Tastetastic Thursday at A Little Nosh, Sweet Tooth Friday at Alli-n-sons, I'm Lovin' it Fridays at TidyMom, Sweets for a Saturday at Sweet as Sugar Cookies, A Well-Seasoned Life, Strut your Stuff Saturday at Six Sisters' Stuff, and all of these too!

Coconut White Chocolate Brownie Truffles

Never has a recipe fail turned out so good.

I hate having recipe failure. One, because it's a waste; of time, of energy, of ingredients and money. And two, because I'm not good at failing.

I dropped out of Honors English in High School after the first report card because I got a B. Because, to me, a B was failing. (This is one of those things I'm trying NOT to pass on to my kid.)

I'm also not good at being wrong, we've talked about that before. And being wrong is sorta like failing: it sucks.

Anyway, so when I got the brilliant idea to make White Chocolate Brownies by adapting one of my favorite brownie recipes, I knew there was a chance they wouldn't work.

And, as brownies?

They didn't work. Even though I greased the foil, they wouldn't come off. They were way too greasy too. But they tasted awesome. I knew I was in danger of taking the pan to the couch with a spoon and stuffing my face while I rotted my brain with The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. But I hated to throw them away. (Waste, and all that.)

So I did what any self-respecting blogger would do.

I crumbled them up and added some toasted coconut.

Rolled them into balls.

And made them into truffles. Covered in white chocolate melts.

Like I said before, best mistake ever. Instead of taking the pan to the couch and eating all the brownies with a spoon, I'm eating them all, but slower. Over several episodes of the Housewives. (Don't even get me started on Kim. Or Brandy's...chest. Does she own a bra?)

I hope you'll enjoy my mistake with me.

{The boxes are from the $1 section at Target and the heart sprinkles are from Joann's.}

Guess what? I signed up with Recipage to organize and help with my Recipe Page. I just started so my "Recipes" page has a long way to go. But you might notice a difference in the way my recipes look in my posts. You can now print or share them right under the title, see? Isn't it nifty? Let me know if you notice any problems. It's still a work in progress! Thanks for sticking with me throughout the transition.

Coconut White Chocolate Brownie Truffles

by Crazy for Crust

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's "Perfect Brownies"

Keywords: white chocolate coconut truffle

Ingredients (36 truffles)

For the White Chocolate Brownies

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 6 ounces white chocolate (I used Baker’s chocolate squares), coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar

For the Truffles

• 1 cup sweetened coconut
• White Chocolate Almond Bark or Candy Melts
• Sprinkles or additional toasted coconut, for decoration

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Grease an 8x8” pan. Set aside.
2. Combine butter and chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of boiling water. Stir until melted. Remove from heat and let cool. If the butter and chocolate separate while cooling, stir with a wisk. Sift together flour and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside.
3. Beat eggs in an electric mixer until thick and creamy, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar and beat about 3 minutes more. Fold in the white chocolate mixture, alternating with dry ingredients.
4. Pour batter into pan and bake about 30-35 minutes. Cool completely.
5. While the brownies are cooling, toast the coconut in a 350° oven. Place coconut on a baking sheet in a single layer and place in oven. Watch it carefully, stirring often, so it doesn’t burn. It will start to turn golden in just a few minutes. Let cool.
6. Make the truffles by crumbling the brownies into a large bowl and mixing with the coconut. Form desired size truffles and chill until hard, at least 30 minutes (overnight works too). Melt your white candy melts according to package directions and dip the truffles, tapping the excess before placing on a wax-paper lined cookie sheet. Cover with sprinkles or more toasted coconut.

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Monday: Mingle Monday (Add a Pinch), Joy of Desserts, Creative Monday (Clairejustineoxox), Mix it Up Monday (Flour Me With Love), Things that make you say mmmm Monday (Cooking with Karyn), Mop it Up Mondays (I should be mopping the floors). Tuesday: 2 Maids a Baking (2 Maids a Milking), Tea Party Tuesdays (Sweetology), Mushki Loves My Stuff (Mushki Loves), Totally Tasty Tuesdays (Mandy's Recipe Box), Talent Show Tuesday (Chef in Training), Trick or Treat Tuesday (Inside BruCrew Life), Let's Do Brunch (My Sweet & Savory), One Stop Shop Linky (The Southern Product Queen). Wednesday: Mrs. Fox's Sweet Party (Mrs. Fox's Sweets) Made It On Monday (Lark's Country Heart), This Chick Cooks, Cast Party Wednesday (Lady Behind the Curtain), Famous Linkz Par-tay (Made-Famous-By), Bakes with Bizzy (Bizzy Bakes), Whip it Up Wednesday (Crockpot Ladies).  Thursday: Sweet Treats Thursday (Something Swanky), Chic-and-Crafty (Frugal Girls), Turning the Table Thursdays (Around My Family Table), Tasty Thursday (The How-To Mommy), Tastetastic Thursday (A little nosh), Sweet Temptations (Talking Dollars and Cents), Taking a Timeout Thursday (Mom on Timeout), Things I've Done Thursday (BearRabbitBear), (RHW Recipe Round-Up) The Real Housewives of Riverton. Friday: Sweet Tooth Friday (Alli-n-son), I'm Lovin' it Fridays (TidyMom), Friday Favorites (Simply Sweet Home), Latest & Greatest Friday (Days of Chalk and Chocolate), Bacon Time, Fusion Friday (Jane Deere Blog), Foodie Friday (Not Your Ordinary Recipes), Dwell on Joy, Fun Finds Friday (Kitchen Fun with my 3 Sons). Saturday: Country Mom Cooks, Sweets for a Saturday (Sweet as Sugar Cookies), Seasonal Inspiration (Crumbs and Chaos). Sunday: A Well-Seasoned Life,Sharing Sundays (Everyday Sisters), Strut your Stuff Saturday (Six Sisters' Stuff), Seasonal/Occasional Linkys: Moms Crazy Cooking, Southern Mom Cooks, Cheap Crafty Momma, Susie QT

Brownie Bites and Ohmygod! Frosting

Have you ever tasted something so good, so right, that you gasp, "Ohmygod I need more of that!"

That happened to me when I tasted this frosting. I mean, you'd think that would happen to me all the time. But it doesn't.

But with this frosting? It did.

You've probably seen the recipe all over the place. It's the cooked one, with flour and granulated sugar.

Many times I just was like, what? Flour? Pshaw, no way that's the best frosting ever.

Boy do I like it when I'm wrong. (In that way anyway. I do not like it when my husband is right and I'm wrong. Hi honey!)

I feel like I'm neglecting the brownie bites a little. They were really good too.

But the frosting? No. Words.

None.

The brownie bites are lucky they even got any frosting. I almost ate it all myself. Then they would have had to go out on their platter all naked.

It would have been brownie cruelty.

So really. Go make the frosting. Make the brownies too. Brownies rock. Especially with OMG! Frosting.

Brownie Bites & Ohmygod! Frosting

by Crazy for Crust (Brownie Bites adapted from Hershey's/OMG! Frosting from Tasty Kitchen)

Ingredients

Brownie Bites

• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2/3 cup butter, melted and divided
• ¼ cup boiling water
• ¼ cup leftover coffee, reheated
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Ohmygod! Frosting

• 5 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar (not powdered sugar)

Instructions

For the Brownie Bites

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line mini muffin pans with cupcake liners or spray with cooking spray (about 36). Set aside.
2. Stir 1/3 cup of the melted butter and cocoa in a large bowl. Add boiling water and hot coffee (you can substitute all water if you do not want to use coffee) and stir until the mixture thickens. Stir in sugar, eggs, and remaining butter and mix until smooth. Add flour, salt, and vanilla and blend completely. Scoop into prepared mini muffin pans.
3. Bake about 13 minutes, until they have a slightly glossy, rounded top. Cool completely before frosting.

For the Frosting

1. Whisk flour into milk in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until it thickens. It should be very thick, like brownie mix. Remove from the heat and let cool completely to room temperature. (I sped this process along by placing the pan in a bowl filled with ice.) Stir in vanilla.
2. While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Make sure you beat it until there is no graininess left from the sugar. Then add the cooled milk/flour mixture and beat it. A lot! If it looks separated, you haven’t beat it enough. It’ll resemble thick whipped cream.
3. Taste it. Die and go to heaven.
4. Hurry up and frost the brownie bites or cake or whatever you’re frosting before you eat it all with a spoon.

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Enjoy!

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These are the fabulous parties I link to each week:

Monday: Mingle Monday (Add a Pinch), Joy of Desserts, Creative Monday (Clairejustineoxox), Mix it Up Monday (Flour Me With Love), Things that make you say mmmm Monday (Cooking with Karyn). Tuesday: 2 Maids a Baking (2 Maids a Milking), Tea Party Tuesdays (Sweetology), Mushki Loves My Stuff (Mushki Loves), Totally Tasty Tuesdays (Mandy's Recipe Box), Talent Show Tuesday (Chef in Training), Trick or Treat Tuesday (Inside BruCrew Life), Let's Do Brunch (My Sweet & Savory), One Stop Shop Linky (The Southern Product Queen). Wednesday: Mrs. Fox's Sweet Party (Mrs. Fox's Sweets) Made It On Monday (Lark's Country Heart), This Chick Cooks, Cast Party Wednesday (Lady Behind the Curtain), Famous Linkz Par-tay (Made-Famous-By), Bakes with Bizzy (Bizzy Bakes), Whip it Up Wednesday (Crockpot Ladies).  Thursday: Sweet Treats Thursday (Something Swanky), Chic-and-Crafty (Frugal Girls), Turning the Table Thursdays (Around My Family Table), Tasty Thursday (The How-To Mommy), Tastetastic Thursday (A little nosh), Sweet Temptations (Talking Dollars and Cents), Taking a Timeout Thursday (Mom on Timeout), Things I've Done Thursday (BearRabbitBear), (RHW Recipe Round-Up) The Real Housewives of Riverton. Friday: Sweet Tooth Friday (Alli-n-son), I'm Lovin' it Fridays (TidyMom), Friday Favorites (Simply Sweet Home), Latest & Greatest Friday (Days of Chalk and Chocolate), Bacon Time, Fusion Friday (Jane Deere Blog), Foodie Friday (Not Your Ordinary Recipes). Saturday: Country Mom Cooks, Sweets for a Saturday (Sweet as Sugar Cookies), Seasonal Inspiration (Crumbs and Chaos). Sunday: A Well-Seasoned Life,Sharing Sundays (Everyday Sisters), Strut your Stuff Saturday (Six Sisters' Stuff), Moms Crazy Cooking

Peanut Butter Toffee Bars

You know what song I'm really into right now?

"Sexy and I Know" it by LMFAO. It's so wrong it's right, know what I mean?

Whenever I hear it I want to do one of two things: dance or drive fast.

Especially when he gets to the part "wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle..."

When he says that, I usually do.

Know who else really likes that song?

Jordan.

Yes, I know. Just stamp "mother of the year" on my forehead. But I have an excuse as to why she listens to pop stations in the car with me.

For one, I don't have a fancy-shmancy radio in my car that plays "Tween Toons" or "From the Playground." Just the old fashioned kind, the one you tune to regular radio stations.

Also, if I had to listen to Disney and KidzBop music constantly while driving, my head might explode. That wouldn't be good for anyone, least of all for my passengers.

But don't worry. I made sure she knew that it was only a song we sing at home, in the house, without other people.

Of course, I didn't think to mention that until after she treated everyone in Joann's Fabrics to her at the top-of-her-lungs rendition of "I'm sexy and I know it...yeah....I'm sexy and I know it..."  Complete with hip wiggle.

Yes, yes, I know. Mother of the year times two.

But can I be put back in your good-graces by giving your peanut buttery chocolaty toffee bites of goodness?

Peanut butter cookie crust, melted chocolate chips and toffee chips. All in one bite. Eating a bunch of these will make me sexy.

And I know it.

Peanut Butter Toffee Bars

Recipe from Family Fun Magazine

Ingredients:

½ cup butter, softened

½ cup peanut butter

¾ cup packed brown sugar

1 large egg yolk

1 ½ cups flour

½ cup quick oats

¼ teaspoon salt

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup toffee bits (baking pieces)

Directions:

1.       Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9x13” baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray.

2.       Beat butter, sugar, peanut butter, and egg yolk on medium-high speed in an electric mixer until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour, oats, and salt and beat on low until just combined.

3.       Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake 15-20 minutes until the top is golden. (Be careful not to over bake!)

4.       Remove the pan from the oven and scatter the chocolate chips evenly over crust. Place pan back in oven for 1 minute. Remove the pan and spread the melting chocolate chips evenly with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the toffee bits evenly over the top and gently press them into place.

5.       Set on a rack to cool until the chocolate has hardened, at least 2 hours. Remove from pan using foil. Cut into squares while room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for maximum freshness. (Bars can also be frozen for later use.)

Yield: about 30 bars, depending on size.

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