Pages

Monday, September 20, 2021

No Bake Peanut Butter Bars

 *waves like crazy*

My friend Rachel always says that and I thought it was fitting!  

I hope this finds you all doing well and getting ready for that wonderful FALL weather to get here!  Does anyone NOT enjoy Fall?  The older I get the more "over" summer I am.  I mean you guys, I get downright mean in the summer.  I clearly can't take any personal responsibility because, it is out of my control.  I swear!  Summer is gross.  I can do ONE month of summer.  Can someone arrange that, because I would sure be a happier person probabaly 3 months out of the year!

Speaking of HOT and SUMMER, I had to share this recipe.  I was chatting to my sister (#1) and she was having her daughters and their families over for dinner today and she told me she was making No Bake Peanut Butter Bars!  I was like...WHHHAAAAAAAT?  I have not had one of those for probablly 40 years!  I was so glad she reminded me.  Her first teaching job, or maybe she was student teaching.....Shout out to GREELEY NEBRASKA!  This was apparently a popular recipe there because she used to make it all the time and never did before that.  

I split my batch for experimental reasons and I found my version was a little better and added these cinnamon and honey undertones and it was perfection,  so, I mean, obviously I went with it.  This recipe is super easy and can we talk about freezing them?  Oh myLANTA they freeze beautifully.

Annelle:
"It’s in the ‘Freezes Beautifully’ section of my cookbook, and I want to make something that freezes beautifully."

Name that movie!?



Here we go, and PLEASE make these, because they won't heat up your house, they take like 5 minutes and they are super rich, will feed tons of people and there are plenty for you to sneak during the night when you "get up for a drink"!

You will need a 9x13 pan, you can easily halve the recipe for an 8x8 or 9x9 or any other freakishly odd size pan you have. Why do they even do that to us?

Here is what you will need!

1 cup salted butter  (melted)

2 cups of CINNAMON HONEY graham crackers (about 2 packs) THIS is what takes this to new levels

4 cups confectioners sugar (powdered sugar, icing sugar)

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups of CREAMY peanut butter

1 11.5 (or close) bag of semi sweet chocolate chips

2 HEAPTING tablespoons of creamy peanut butter

Get your graham crackers smooshed.  Use a rolling pin, food processor, baseball bat, hammer, whatever works for you.  They absolutely do not have to be "find crumbs" but just get them smooshed.  Next add in your melted butter and combine until they are mixed.  Next add in your powdered sugar, and vanilla and peanut butter.  You are going to need a hand or stand mixer for this.  I mean it is possibly to use a wooden spoon, but just don't.  One arm will be twice the size of the other because of the muscle building and that is not a good look on anyone.  When this is completely mixed, or pretty daggone close, press it into the bottom of the pan.  I lined mine with parchment first so I could lift them out and cut them easily. Make sure to press your mixture in firmly.

Now for the topping.  In a microwave safe bowl, add in your chocolate chips and 2 big ol' globs of peanut butter.  Microwave 1 minute and stir.  Continue microwaving for 30 second intervals and stirring until all is melted and smooth.  Pour over your peanut buttery goodness and smooth it out to cover.  Refrigerate for 2 hours.  They can stay in far longer, but, I say at least 2 hours.

Cut and enjoy!  Send them in your kids lunches, have them for afterschool snacks, eat them when you are sad, happy, mad or shocked because after all.....food is love!


ENJOY!