Were peanut butter and jelly sandwiches a regular staple for you as a kid? Then you’re going to love these.

This recipe has been in my bookmarks for a while, but it wasn’t until I tasted the PB&J truffle from Ethel’s last week that I was reminded how great the peanut-butter-jelly-chocolate combo is. I think this recipe sat unused for so long because it’s a no-bake bar, and I’m always a little hesitant with those. They often have an odd texture and have to be kept in the fridge. I don’t really like eating things with an odd texture because… who does? Also, it seems like certain foods lose flavor when they’re too chilled.

Perhaps it’s due to the egg that gets cooked into this bar’s chocolate base layer, but the cookie layer has a nice, normal cookie texture. The strong flavors of each layer even hold up if tasted chilled & straight out of the refrigerator.

However, they may be good, but they’re not perfect. I guess that because they were “no-bake” I assumed that meant they are less work than baked treats. They’re not. With four layers to prepare, they are going to keep you busy for a little while. I made the mistake of trying to multitask and cook dinner while making these and it didn’t pan out so well. Make sure to keep a watchful eye on the chocolate base mixture while it’s on the stovetop. I think my heat got a little too high, causing the butter to separate from the rest of the mixture. I suddenly had a clumpy chocolate mess surrounded by a pool of melted butter. I scrapped it and started over again with lower heat and everything worked out just fine. Note to self: you are not a master chef just yet.

I don’t think that these are quite a fancy enough treat to be served at a dinner party but they’re perfect for kids or a sweet afternoon snack. And they definitely take the classic PB&J combination beyond the walls of white bread.

For a fun, edible trip down memory lane to the time of crustless sandwiches and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle lunch boxes (at least that’s what I had on mine), enjoy these Peanut Butter & Jelly Chocolate Bars!

Recipe after the break!

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I am an adult (or at least my age dictates so) but when I walk in to a store this time of year and see a display of Reese’s Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs, it never fails to make me want to shriek with glee, grab a bag and go running out of the store like a crazy person as I frantically open said bag, tear one of the little wrappers open with my teeth and smash the candy right into my mouth. I then stop suddenly in my tracks and yell “HELL YEAH!” (slightly distored by a mouthful of chocolate and peanut butter) loud enough to echo in the street and make a nearby cluster of birds fly away.

I will never understand why the peanut butter egg tastes better than the peanut butter cup since they’re essentially the same thing, but it just does. If you disagree, don’t try to argue with me because you’re wrong.

While we’re on the subject of Reese’s, you should check out this funny video by Marni, a fellow chocolate-peanut-butter-aholic who writes one of my favorite blogs, Happy Go Marni. It’s a video made for her job, but I just really got a kick out of the enthusiasm for chocolate & peanut butter, the shout-out to my blog (yay!) and the tip that Talladega Nights is an informative documentary on Nascar, haha.

I had first heard of Ethel’s Chocolates a few years ago while living in Chicago, where they had multiple shops. Sadly according to Yelp, it appears that most (maybe all?) of their Chi-town locations have closed. I never knew that they were based in Las Vegas but figured what better place to revisit them than one of their hometown locations?

Unfortunately since our trip was so short, we didn’t have the time to visit the Ethel’s factory or take their tour. In fact, we didn’t even get our hands on the chocolates until walking by their airport location on our way back home.

Most of the chocolates we got were real good but some were just okay. Taste Tester liked the caramels and I really enjoyed the Pudding Pie and Tiramisu chocolates, which both tasted remarkably like their namesakes.

The various peanut butter truffles we picked up (pictured above) were good and tasted like high-end Reeses (which is exactly what I like). I especially enjoyed the PB&J, but that may be partially because I have endless nostalgia for that flavor combo.

Ethel’s was doing a promotion that included two of their Peanut Butter Crunch Bars for $5. However, after already committing to the 12-piece truffle box, we decided to just get one. That turned out to be a good decision though, as this bar was the weakest of all of the goodies we tasted. It was too sweet and lacked that really deep peanut butter flavor. I think if they had stuck with the nice, rich peanut butter filling that’s in the above truffles, it would have been a tasty bar.

(Apparently I had a thing for peanut butter crunch-type treats on our Vegas trip.)

So if you happen to be on a chocolate hunt in Las Vegas, try Ethel’s Chocolates. If you’re looking for additional goodies, there was also at least a stand or two of See’s Chocolates throughout the airport. Between both options, you will be well-stocked with for that long flight home! Even if you’re in the mood for… a potato chocolate?

Taste Tester and I took a quick trip over to Vegas for business this week. Instead of getting drunk and gambling away our life’s worth, we learned a few things about Sin City:

- It is truly awesome to leave the snow shovels and thermals behind to run around outside in a t-shirt in mid-February.

- People actually get tired of the sun there. If this were summer, I’d understand, but it’s winter so they just sound crazy.

- Vegas peeps are really friendly, at least the ones we came across. It’s not that I expected otherwise, but if you only know of Vegas what you get from TV you probably just think they’re drunk and dancing with showgirls 24 hours a day. They’re not!

- Fake NY is weird to see if you’re used to real NY.

Ironically, a cabbie cut us off right in front of the fake NY. I guess it helped make the experience more authentic.

- Family will not take it well if you are newly engaged and decide to fake a drunken wedding photo to tell them that you eloped. I thought it was funny, anyway.

I am still in the dog house for that one.

With such a short trip, we didn’t get to try as many treats as I would have liked but we were at least able to sneak in a few. Arriving jet-lagged late afternoon on Tuesday, we immediately set out for some caffeine at the coffee house chain, It’s a Grind. They happen to have a display of tempting cookies and brownies from Selma’s right at the counter. Selma’s is based in Orlando and Las Vegas and bakes up a nice array of oversized cookies and brownies.

Taste Tester was not impressed by the Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie and just based on visuals I can’t say I blame him. It seemed as if the cookies had been scooped onto the baking sheet with an ice cream scoop and hadn’t flattened out at all. The pale color looked under-baked and not super tempting. I didn’t try it and chose the Butter Me Up Brownie for myself instead. It’s a brownie with buttercrunch candy mixed in.

Taste Tester unfortunately couldn’t partake in the devouring of this brownie since there were almonds in the peanut butter crunch, which left me the daunting task of killing it off all by my little old self.

I’m not sure if it looks good, but it was good.

It was about an inch thick and full of large hunks of melted and gooey buttercrunch candy. The brownie itself was rich and melt-in-your mouth good. I may have to try recreating it with a tree nut-free buttercrunch so that Taste Tester can try it out. I think if you mix some broken up butterfingers into your favorite rich and moist brownie recipe, you’ll have something similar. Here’s an easy recipe from Nestle.

I have another Las Vegas CPB stop to share, but I think I’ll save it for the next post. Stay tuned! And get yourself a Butter Me Up Brownie from Selma’s in the meantime.

Wow, it’s been two whole years of chocolate and peanut butter blogging! I wonder how much chocolate and peanut butter I’ve actually consumed. Then again, maybe I don’t want to know!

This blog has helped me learn a great deal about my two favorite ingredients, including new and creative ways to put them to use. It has also seen me meet a few goals including writing some of my own recipes and designing chocolate packaging. I even got engaged at a chocolate factory!

I can honestly say that when I started this blog, I wasn’t sure how long I could keep it up for. But two years in, it feels like I could do it for a long, long time. Maybe in the future the blog will lead me to meet other goals. Perhaps I’ll visit a peanut butter factory. Maybe I’ll write more recipes and eventually a cookbook! Who knows? But I hope that you stick around to find out with me!

I want to thank all of you lovely people that regularly pay me and my chocolate peanut butter obsession a visit. Some of you have shared your own snack ideas (peanut butter and fritos, anyone?) and others have stopped by simply to join in the shared love of the world’s two best ingredients. Below are some of my favorite reader comments. Thanks for being a part of this with me!

*Reader Comment Hall of Fame*

“I have read to this point from the beginning of your blog and I love it. It is fun and fascinating. Who would have thought how much PB and C there is out there?”
- Chaya on Peanut Butter Biscotti w/Chocolate Chunks & Cocoa Nibs

“I live in Germany and It might be shocking to hear but Europeans aren’t normally into peanut butter! gasp! I have met so many people here who hate peanut butter. Needless to say, they aren’t my friends :)”
- Jennifer on What Kind of Peanut Butter Eater Are You?

“Those peanut blondies are out of this world. Seriously. I wanted to roll around on my kitchen floor with them.”
- Amanda on Atlanta Cupcake Tour, Part 1 of 7

“OK WHERE. HAVE. YOU. BEEN. ALL. MY. LIFE! Haha I am so glad I stumbled across your blog… because lets face it Chocolate and Peanut Butter are two best ingredients!! I love LOVE LOVE anything peanut butter!”
- Liesl on Quick & Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes

“I just heard someone the other day saying that peanut butter is overrated. I could have smacked them, but this Archer Farms Ice Cream has cooled my nerves. I have to go to Target now to see if they have this. If they don’t I am going to have to slap them.”
- Kyle on Archer Farms Peanut Butter Fudge Ice Cream

“Peanut butter. In soup? I heart your website! <3"
- Ashley on Szechwan Carrot Soup (with Peanut Butter!)

“I feel like you read my letter to Santa with these!”
- Evan on 2009 CPB Holiday Gift Guide

“I’m afraid I’d end up eating my own lips if I were to wear such a lip gloss.”
- Celine on Chocolate and Peanut Butter Lip Glosses

“You have a BLOG about CHOCOLATE and PEANUT BUTTER?? I know we are strangers, but I think I might love you :)”
- Elizabeth on Rachael Ray’s Peanut Butter Poodle Pancakes

“These are my favorite brownies!!! I just made them this weekend and I thought ‘I will have to send that peanut butter girl this recipe.’ Too weird!”
- Julie on Baker’s Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

“Glad to see you posting more often. I miss it when you’re gone.”
- Shan on Brooklyn Kitchen’s 3rd Annual Cupcake Cookoff

“Oh I’m so glad you liked these!!! That is the ultimate seal of approval. :) And I can’t get enough of them!! I feel like my name is in lights (and I am blushing) being in the title of a blog post by the superb Chocolate Peanut Butter Gallery girl! Thanks, Kristina!”
- Marni on Marni’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

“I never trust ‘no bake’ things either, I always feel that putting a dessert in the oven is like sending it to the world of the sugar plum fairies where they imbue it with special magical flavor.”
- Nick on No Bake Peanut Butter Bars

“Chocolate and peanut butter are the keys to heaven.”
- newyorkdude on Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Icing

“Long live peanut butter!”
- Amy, on Peanut Butter Bread

Snow Day! What’d you do to celebrate? I made cookies!

I have been particularly happy with this month’s Every Day with Rachael Ray and not just because of their crazy in-depth pizza article. One of my favorite contributors to Rachael’s mag is Silvana Nardone. I made her Cheesecake-Filled Pumpkin Cupcakes from the November issue and as soon as I laid eyes on this month’s Peanut Butter-Stuffed Milk Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, I knew I had to have them.

Silvana explains, “The truth is, I can’t ever seem to get enough of the classic combo of milk chocolate and peanut butter. Bite into these sandwich cookies and I swear you’ll be thinking exactly what I am - Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups!” Something tells me that she and I would get along.

Are you signing up for a subscription yet?

These cookies are kind of a cross between french macaroons and chocolate crinkles. They are low in flour and primarily made of chocolate. Beating the eggs and sugar so furiously gives them a caramelized flavor which goes really nicely with the milk chocolate. Upon taking a bite of one of the cookies, Taste Tester asked me about the filling I was about to make. He declared, “salty, it’s gotta be salty!” Sure enough, I checked the recipe and there was a healthy amount of salt in it. This chick knows her stuff.

Can you see how smooth and creamy the filling is? Mmm.

One of the best things about this delicious recipe is that it comes together fast, so you will be biting into these chewy, chocolatey, melt-in-your-mouth cookies before you know it. Now stop drooling and go make some!

The recipe isn’t up on the magazine’s site yet, so you can find it after the break. Their site also had this feature up on their homepage last week:

You can see why I am a fan!

Update: The original recipe is now posted at Everyday with Rachael Ray.

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I may write about the same two ingredients all the time but you’ll rarely find me experimenting with chocolate and/or peanut butter on a savory level. Well, I went outside my comfort zone of cookies and brownies a little this week and gave savory a whirl.

Adam of one of my favorite blogs, Amateur Gourmet recently conducted The Great Soup Battle of 2010, where he and two friends each cooked up three reader-submitted soup recipes and voted on the best. Adam chose a Szechwan Carrot Soup recipe, which was modified from an Epicurious recipe. Off the bat, the thought of peanut butter soup didn’t sound super appetizing to me, but I LOVE peanut butter satay sauce and figured, hey if it’s good enough to be submitted for a soup battle, it’s gotta be good right?

Right!

The soup is creamy but not heavy. It has a little heat, but it’s not too spicy. The chili flakes hit right in the back of your throat and warm you up. It’s easy to make, the ingredients are cheap (assuming you have items like soy sauce and sesame oil in your pantry) and it’s pretty healthy as far as I can tell. But most importantly of course: it’s delicious. I took Adam’s advice and mixed in a bit of chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice. It’s definitely more of a carrot soup than a peanut butter soup, but the combo of peanut butter and asian flavors lend a really nice flavor profile to the background.

Soup helps me get through the long, cold winters. I make it for dinner at least once a week but often get tired of the typical minestrone and stew recipes. The flavor and texture of this soup was a nice break from the usual, plus it was a great excuse to eat one of my favorite ingredients for dinner! However, although I consider this meal to be progress for my taste buds, don’t expect to see cocoa soup on the site anytime soon. We’ll save the chocolate for a post-peanut butter soup dessert! ;)

Get the recipe at Amateur Gourmet (you’ll need to scroll quite a bit) and note to all you veggie lovers out there: this soup is vegetarian.

The wonderful Marni of Happy Go Marni informed me of a fun peanut butter-related post on Serious Eats, written by Peanut Butter Enthusiast Lee Zalben of PB&Co. In the post, Lee ponders people’s various peanut butter eating habits.

With about 100 comments following the article, people clearly have an opinion. Quite a few comments reference my favorite combination, c&pb. One lady even puts peanut butter on Mint Oreos! Slightly strange maybe, but to quote this week’s 30 Rock, “everyone has their vice.”

I found this comment so sad: “I don’t think I’ve ever eaten it straight from the jar in my whole long life.” Really? What’s wrong with you, lady? Live your life to the fullest! Grab a spoon - you can do it!

So… what kind are you?

This post leads me to wonder what kind of chocolate eaters we are. As for me, I think some of the categories I may fit into are Hoarder, Nibbler, Devourer…

Thanks to Marni for sharing!

It’s Peanut Butter Nutella time! Peanut Butter Nutella time!

All winter long I have been crazy for hot chocolate. Thankfully we have a helpful cookbook on our shelf called- well… Hot Chocolate. It includes many delicious chocolate drink recipes that will surely keep me happy for the rest of these evil winter months. It’s even got recipes from cafes from around the country like Frozen Hot Chocolate from Serendipity 3 in nyc, Black Bottom Hot Chocolate from Hot Chocolate in Chicago, and Skating-On-Thin-Ice Hot Chocolate from Citizen Cake in San Fran, to name a few.

I had picked up a large jar of Nutella over the holidays to make some yummy thumbprint cookies. Looking to put what’s left of the jar to use, I opted to try the book’s recipe for Nutella Hot Chocolate (from the Paris Creperie in Brookline, MA). It called for 2 heaping Tbsp of Nutella per 3/4 cup whole milk. I tried it and it was really delicious, but wow did it cause a crazy sugar rush. It was a little too much for me in the AM.

The next day, I made my hot chocolate with 1 1/2 Tbsp Nutella and 1 1/2 Tbsp of one of my favorite ingredients: peanut butter. It was perfect. The peanut butter didn’t overpower the Nutella, so you could still taste the chocolate and hazelnut but it’s less sweet than going full-Nutella, so I was spared a sugar headache. I highly recommend you make some. It’s a rich, indulgent treat and a fun spin on regular hot chocolate if you’re looking to try something new.

There are some people that like very thin, almost watery hot chocolate and some that prefer something thicker, almost like a melted chocolate bar in a cup. I’m sort of a cross between the two; sometimes I want a hot chocolate so rich and thick that I really only need a few sips to be satisfied. Other times, I want something a little less intense so that I can slowly sip a whole cup and really savor it. This hot chocolate is kind of a cross between the two. It’s rich enough to satisfy your sweet tooth, but not so heavy that you’ll be in pain by the time you reach the bottom of your mug. And you will reach the bottom, because it is m-m-m M-M-M delicious!

If you’re living somewhere where it’s “15, feels like 4 degrees” outside like it is here, then I’m guessing you might need something to help keep you warm. Treat yourself to a cup of Peanut Butter Nutella Hot Chocolate!

Recipe after the break.

Thanks to my cousin Tami for the adorably girly mug!

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I ate a total of 8 of these last week (for the purpose of research, of course) and I can tell you from my experience that these are some puzzling muffins.

When they came out of the oven, I bit into one while they were still warm. Upon that bite, I didn’t have much love for them. They were a bit drier than I had hoped but a little butter made them okay. I was almost ready to dismiss and toss them, but I felt bad being so wasteful and opted to hold onto them instead with the hope that they might get a little better the next day, as some baked goods do.

I was happy to find that they did indeed taste a little better the next day. The day after that, they tasted pretty darn good and by the next, to my surprise, I actually came to crave them. They became more moist, more dense and tasted more like the peanut butter cookie / muffin hybrid I was hoping for.

Before these, the closest I had found to a great peanut butter muffin was Elinor Klivan’s Peanut Butter Cupcakes which are pretty rich and probably not meant for breakfast. I was looking for something that walks the fine line of hearty breakfast treat with just a touch of indulgence. I just may have found what I was looking for.

The progress that this muffin made seemed so strange to me. I went from almost wanting to chuck them one day to devouring every last morsel a few days later. So basically I’m recommending that you bake these but wait 2 days to eat them. :-P Of course, one great thing about the 2 day waiting period is that if you’re planning a brunch or something, you can make them way ahead (making your day-of prep much lighter) and they will taste awesome! I recommend that you take advantage of this little wonder and bake up a batch.

Some notes on the recipe: At first taste, I was also ready to dismiss the chocolate drizzle, but that grew on me as well. It’s a bit sweet for breakfast, but lightens this somewhat heavy* muffin. I altered it slightly by adding more cocoa (see the adjusted recipe after the break). I lightly greased my muffin tin and the muffins came out easily, so you can save your paper wrappers for your next batch of cupcakes. I didn’t realize that the recipe was intended for 16 muffins and instead piled the stiff batter into a 12-muffin tin. The tops spread nicely, but not too much and baked slightly longer than the instructed baking time.

I also enjoyed that they look like cookies from the top, so when you take them out of the oven when the bottoms are concealed in the mold, they appear to be a batch of peanut butter cookies instead of muffins. From its appearance to its taste, this recipe was a bit of a puzzler, but in a good way. I hope you enjoy!

*That word seems to offer a bad connotation, but they are heavy in a hearty way. With 2 cups of peanut butter in the batter, they will keep you full til lunch!

Slightly adjusted recipe after the break.

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