Peanut Butter Brownie Bites

You know what the best invention was? Peanut Butter
You know what the second best invention was? Brownie Bites


You are cordially invited to the marriage of the two best inventions ever... Peanut Butter Brownie Bites!


Roughly adapted from a blog post on Baked Perfection but with a few tweaks here and there. 
Normally I do not use boxed anything... I am sort of a snob about it. But for these, I wasn't sure how a normal brownie batter would work out so I just sucked it up and used a box mix. (Don't tell!)

This is my crazy sous chef... he demanded I photograph him.

Prepare the brownie batter per the directions on the box but instead of making them in a 9x13 pan, make brownie "bites" in a mini muffin tin. I cheated and lined my mini muffin tin with little paper liners. I definitely think that mini cupcakes, brownies, muffins, etc. look better if they are liner-free but it is a work night and I am just that lazy today! So, paper liners it is. Scoop batter in the liners until they are about 3/4 full. 

My homage to Jackson Pollock... I'm just messy

Bake according to the box's instructions - but definitely start to watch them a couple of minutes early. Over-cooked brownies are no bueno! Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (or mostly clean if you like them super gooey!)


Once the brownies are out of the oven, take the back of a teaspoon and push a "sink hole" in the middle of each brownie. This creates a nice well for all your peanut butter goodness!

This is where I sort of digressed from the Baked Perfection recipe - I'm wild that way. I mixed a cup of peanut butter and about 1/3-1/2 cup of powdered sugar in a bowl. This gives the peanut butter 2 things - a sweater taste (sort of like Reese's) and a firmer texture. I then scooped it all into a frosting bag & piped little blobs of the PB magic into each brownie "well." 

The finishing touch - a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips. 

 And there you have them! 

Amahzing! (and pretty easy too!)
Cheers to the cook!

It's Peanut Butter & Jelly Time!

Did you know there is a National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day? There is! And we missed it... it was April 2nd. How could I have missed such an important day? Easy... I was working and all that other stuff that diverts my attention from national holidays. Sheesh! 

So tonight while Mark was at his soccer game and I was milling around the kitchen with a hankering for something that wasn't a goldfish cracker (Drew's fav) I came across my jug-o-peanut butter (marked with a "baking only!" disclaimer on it) and was inspired to do something fancy with it. 

I was a bit hesitant to go down a path with something that may-or-may-not resemble a crispy treat because, truth be told, I suck at making crispy treats. I can never seem to get the mallow to crispy ratio correct and they're always dry and bleh. But since I was home alone I figured I could give it a whirl. If I blew it completely, I could easily get rid of the evidence before Mark returned home.

 Since we're celebrating PB&J day, I figured peanut butter was a given and obviously marshmallows since we're going to crispy town.. but WAIT! no crispies! I forgot... I threw them away because they were stale. Damn you, air! 

But what was in my cupboard was even better! Triple Berry O's from Trader Joe's. YES! These have little berry bits in them - a perfect "jelly" to my peanut butter. This was divine intervention if I've ever seen it. God must have wanted me to have PB&J treats! 

What?! He did!

Adding the mallows to the melted butter.

Mixing the mallows up - this actually took much longer than I thought it would...I figured I was doing something wrong. But apparently it just takes a while.

Adding peanut butter to the melted mallows.

Mixing in my cereal and berries. The berries definitely add a good flavor to these!

I used a loaf pan but you could easily use an 8x8 pan as well.

Waxed Paper with a bit of non-stick spray on it is the best way to press your cereal & mallows into the pan without sticking. If you use your hands it will be a mess... I know this from previous experience.

The finished treats. Look at all those little berry bits - so colorful and tasty!

I have to say, these turned out pretty well considering it was completely unplanned. I feel more whole now that I have officially observed National PB&J Day. I will definitely need to request my calendar be updated with all national holidays - not just the "day off" kind. There will be no discriminating here. 

I read somewhere that April 7th is No Housework Day - I can definitely get behind that one!

Cheers to the cook!

PB&J Treats (adapted from RiceKrispies.com)

• 2 Tbsp Butter 
• 8 oz Marshmallows
• 1/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
• 3 cups Triple Berry-Os

Melt butter in medium sauce pan over low heat; add marshmallows & stir constantly while melting. Once marshmallows are completely melted, remove from heat, add peanut butter and mix well. Add cereal to mallow/peanut butter mixture and stir so cereal is covered with mixture. 

Empty sauce pan into a greased loaf pan - you can also use an 8x8 pan. Using a greased piece of waxed paper, press cereal mixture into greased pan. Cool completely. Remove from pan & cut into desired size.

Store in air-tight container for up to 3 days.