{Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats}

Bean will kill me for posting this, but the fact is, school starts here in just over one month.

One month? AREYOUSERIOUS? Yes, and that's just really, really dumb.

Maybe it's the fact that I only have one kid, I'm not sure, but I LOVE summer break. While my child is 16 and headed full steam ahead toward Junior year (talk about dumb! Junior  year? That's not possible!), we still  love hanging out together. In fact, this year we even made a Summer Bucket List.

At the beginning of Summer, I handed him a piece of paper and a pen and told him to write down what he wanted to do this summer. I typed it, printed it, and hung it on the refrigerator. I'm happy to say that the list is about 2/3 completed!

We still have to go on a picnic, have a board game -a-thon, go to the outlet malls, go to Comic Con (not THE Comic Con in San Diego though), finish the River Song episodes (we started), drive with no place to go, have a movie-a-thon, and go to Half Price Books.  Also, the last day of summer thing, obviously. Since Bean was little, on the day before school started, we go out to lunch and to the movies. Sometimes we end up at the cheap theater, sometimes, it's the regular one. We actually watched several movies we expected to not be great and LOVED on these days. Including Ratatouille and How to Train Your Dragon. This year we are hoping to hit up Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.

Anyway, all too soon we will dragging out that dreaded backpack and heading off to school.

When Bean was young, one of his favorite lunchbox treats were Reese's Krispie Treats. They were pre-packaged treats you bought alongside regular Krispie Treats (but not made my Kellogg's). Then, poof. Gone. I looked everywhere for them over the years before I finally gave up. I even tried to google a photo to post here. I found nada. WHAT IS THIS MAGIC? I know they existed. I ATE THEM, people!! They were real. And delicious. Does anyone else remember these?

They were little rectangles of peanut butter krispie treats with chocolate bottoms.

They aren't hard to make at all, of course, but buying them was so much easier. I enjoy making them now as to not have all the icky additives and preservatives in the boxed treats.

What we are looking at here is your basic Krispie Treat recipe with peanut butter, then cooled, cut, and dipped in chocolate.

Easy.

Also, extremely popular. I made a batch last night for Bean's Pool Party (refer to Summer Bucket List), and there were 3 left, with only 8 kids here.

Super great for lunchboxes. Or Pool Parties. Or, really, any time because chocolate. And peanut butter.

Tina

P.S. Don't tell the kids, but SCHOOL IS COMING.


Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
Adapted from Kellogg's

For the treats:

1/4 cup butter
10 ounces mini marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal (or store brand)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter


Prepare dish, spray lightly with cooking spray and set aside. You can use a 9x13 for thinner treats (like mine) or an 8x8 for thicker treats.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. When melted, add marshmallows. Remove from heat. Stir until fully melted. Add in peanut butter. Stir until well combined. Add cereal and mix until fully coated.  Press into pan. Allow to cool completely. Cut into squares.

For the chocolate:

Chocolate bark or chocolate chips
(I much prefer chocolate bark for dipping)

Melt in microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring each time, until fully melted.

Dip each square into chocolate and then place on well greased cooling rack (with paper towels under to catch drips) or onto parchment paper. Allow chocolate to cool and harden.

Enjoy.

Makes approx 24 treats, depending on size.

{ Buckeye Cheese Ball }

I think I've mentioned in the past that I'm basically a child in adult clothing.

I have toys. I like dollies. I love stuffed animals. I play video games.

Like  Lego Harry Potter.

I recently, as in last week, discovered that you can play Lego HP ONLINE with a friend.

What, what? It didn't seem like an online game, so I never even really thought about it.

 Also, when I say *I* discovered it, I totally mean the Bean did, and I'm trying to steal his thunder.

Whatevs.

The discovery came about when Darla and I were iMessaging that we had both just booted up Lego HP to play.

I literally typed, "I wish we could play online together".

That was when the Bean flipped the case over and proclaimed that you could!

Wooty woot!

When Darla joined the game, I was in the boy's dorm in Gryffindor Tower.

What did we do? We both, immediately, started jumping on the beds.

So. Mature.

We also like to cast spells at each other, chase each other around, and knock each other down.

Really, folks, we are grown ups. I swear.

We now send each other texts that say things like, "Hey, wanna play Legos?", "I'm all done with my chores, so I can play Legos now!", etc.

It's like we are 5.  Maybe we are.  Adult clothing, remember?

In the words of Chili Davis:

"Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional."

Playtime is good.

Know what else is good? Buckeye Cheeseball.

Since I was playing Potter and had Potter on my mind, I first thought of Florean Fortescue and the sundaes he gave Harry. However, strawberry and peanut butter do not sound like the best combo. Strawberry and chocolate though? Yes. All yes.

I thought of this recipe after making my  Chocolate Chip Cheeseball.

The Bean has recently discovered that he LOVES it. However, he loves peanut butter and chocolate together even more. I started thinking about my Chocolate Frog filling & by combining it and the Chocolate Chip Cheeseball, this was born.

As I've said before, being from Ohio, anything chocolate and peanut butter gets the automatic BUCKEYE stamp. It's like a law or something I think.

So, Buckeye Cheeseball it is.

This is easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Beat the butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar together for a couple mins. Throw in the rest (except chips) beat a little more. Stir in chips.

TA DONE.

 I took a batch to youth group. I came back with zero.

It was a massive hit.

Oh, gotta, go..

I think I hear a Lego shaped Hogwarts calling my name.

Tina

P.S. If you haven’t already,  you can ‘like’ my Facebook page here, and follow me on twitter here, and you can follow me on instagram here.

Buckeye Cheeseball

recipe by Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers

1 stick butter, softened

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened*

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

2 Tablespoons light corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup chocolate chips**

1 cup creamy peanut butter

Add butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar into a mixing bowl. Beat for a couple minutes until well mixed. Add in the corn syrup, vanilla, peanut butter, & powered sugar. Mix until combined.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Cover and chill for 2 hours, then form into ball, or spoon into serving dish and chill.

Serve with graham crackers, vanilla wafers, chocolate cookies, etc.

Promptly refrigerate leftovers.

*you can use fat free or Neufchâtel cream cheese

they will just result in a different consistancy. I used Neufchâtel for the recipe pictured.

Whole fat cream cheese would have resulted in something that you could shape into a ball better.

**mini chocolate chips are best, but I only had regular size and they work just fine too, cause... chocolate.

{ Peanut Butter Crunch Truffles }

As I said in my last post, my oven was broken.

Good news, my new heating element came today, so the baking is back ON!

In the meantime though, I made truffles.

I've got about 100,000 peanut butter/chocolate recipes on this blog, so, obvs, we are fans. The most popular recipe on this blog, by the way, is a peanut butter/chocolate recipe. So, clearly, we are not the only fans out there.

That post is Buckeye Bites, which would be great for Christmas making and giving. Quick, easy, and delish. Much like this recipe.

The Bean's favorite candy in the wide world is Reese's Cups. For Easter I made these Harry Potter inspired Chocolate Frogs. Apparently, I ruined Reese's Cups for him with these. He begs me to make them all the time. I don't. Bad mom.

Then there is Peanut Butter Buttercream, which is AMAZING on chocolate cake. 

Or how about some cupcakes. Buckeye Cupcakes perhaps? Or maybe Reese's Cup Cupcakes?

I also have a twist on the classic Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie.

Some Cheerio Treats maybe? 

Of course there is the classic Ohio candy, the Buckeye, for which a couple of these recipes are named.

Hmm..maybe I post TOO much. Nah, that can't be possible.

The Peanut Butter Crunch Truffle is almost like a Buckeye. Almost.

Peanut Butter Crunch Truffles

Recipe by Tina @Sugar Bean Bakers

1/2 Cup Peanut Butter (I used creamy)

1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar

1/2 Stick Butter

1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

1/4 Cup Flour

3/4 Cup Corn Flakes Cereal

 Dipping chocolate

Beat the butter and peanut butter together. Add in the sugars and flour, mix until well combined. Beat in vanilla. Pour in corn flakes, and mix slowly together. 

Once the corn flakes are distributed, roll into balls. I used a small cookie scoop, approx 2 teaspoons, for mine. I got 20 balls from this easily doubled recipe.

Chill for 30 mins, then dip into melted chocolate, and allow to cool on foil or parchment paper.

You can crunch up a few corn flakes for the top, drizzle with more chocolate, add sprinkles, etc.

Would be great with white chocolate too!

Thanks to my friend, Lori, who I've often mentioned here, who not only talked to me on the phone while I rudely ran the mixer and microwave, but also came up with the name for these treats :)

   

 The adorable little egg cartons and mini wrappers are from Bake it Pretty!

  

You wouldn't think so, but 3 days later, the corn flakes are still crunchy.

I haven't tried it yet, but I think Rice Krispies would work too!

Peanut butter and chocolate? Yes. And. Please.

Tina

   

{ Buckeye Bites }

If you've been around here for any length of time, you've probably heard me mention my friend Lori.

A couple Christmases ago, a girl named Megan brought these treats to Lori's for Christmas. Lori raved over them, so I asked Megan for the recipe.

Yeah, nearly 2 years later I get around to making them.

And, Lori? She. Was. Right.

They are delish.

Megan, is in her early 20s and a renaissance woman. She bakes,  she does hair and make up, she's super stylish, she crochets, and I'm quite sure she does more than I even know, not to mention she's absolutely gorgeous! All this while being a full time college student going for a teaching degree.

She didn't have a name for these guys that I know of, so, being from Ohio where all things peanut butter & chocolate are instantly called 'Buckeye' I give you :

Buckeye Bites

1 Cup Peanut Butter
2 Tablespoons

 Softened Butter
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
Pretzels
Dipping Chocolate

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract (optional)

I may have mentioned this before (heaven only knows with this swiss cheese memory), but if you spray your measuring cup with cooking spray before using something sticky, it'll just fall right out.
I do this with corn syrup, shortening, etc, and with peanut butter, as shown here

Add to mixing bowl, 1 cup of peanut butter. I used smooth, but I bet crunchy would be great, you know, if you are into that kinda thing. Which, I am not.

Then add in 2 Tablespoons Softened Butter and mix together until smooth

 When smooth, add in the sugars. And me, being me, added in 1 teaspoon vanilla. This is not in Megan's recipe.

Megan used, as did I, the little square pretzels. Lori & I call these 'window pane pretzels', but I think the bag actually says 'checkers'. Whatevs. They'll always be window panes to us! I'm sure the standard mini twists will work just fine if you can't find these.

Lay pretzels out on a baking sheet/plate (something that will fit in your freezer).  

Roll peanut butter mix into teaspoon sized balls and place on a pretzel.

I'm SO consistent with size, aren't I? :-/

Then top with another pretzel to make lil sammies!

Place in freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.

Now comes the chocolate!

Melt up your favorite dipping chocolate.

Here's a tip for dipping chocolates to avoid the 'puddling'. I saw The Pioneer Woman doing this with glazed donuts and thought it would work excellently for chocolates.

Chocolate will harden into the grates, however, so spray with cooking spray first!

Then prepare your rack like this

Cooking sprayed baking rack with paper towels under. 

Now, dip your little peanut butter sandwiches 1/2 way into the chocolate. Then place on foil/waxed paper to dry, or, like I did, place on the baking rack.

This allows the excess chocolate to drip through, and you don't have the excess chocolate 'halo' around your treats!

Allow to dry on counter or place in fridge to harden.

And then... try to keep your hands off of them.

Even my picky hubs loved them.

I did chocolate dipped, white chocolate dipped, and non dipped. I liked the ones without the chocolate.

I must be crazy.

These were gone in 60 seconds. Ok, it was actually 2 days, but still, they didn't last long!

How great would these be as a gift? Pack them up all fancy and send them off!

So good.

So. good.

Thanks for telling me about them Lori & thanks Megan for the recipe.

My life may never be the same.

Tina

P.S. If you haven’t already,  you can ‘like’ my Facebook page here, and follow me on twitter here, and you can follow me on instagram here.

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Six Sisters' Stuff

{ Buckeye Cupcakes }

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I'm from Ohio.

We love all things Buckeye.

However, I always wonder about naming things "Buckeye" on my blog because most people outside Ohio say, "Buck...WHAT?".

A buckeye is a nut.

And yes, it is poisonous.

At some point in time a highly intelligent Ohioan decided, poison or not, that since a Buckeye is brown and tan, it made perfect sense to call all things chocolate and peanut butter "Buckeye".

Yeah, believe me, I'm as confused as you are.

Here's my original post on Buckeyes.

Huh.

Anyway, for this recipe you'll need chocolate cupcakes.

As I've said before, this is a great cake, but you can also use any darn box mix or recipe of your choosing.

It's all about the icing people!

This is actually a combination of 2 icings that I have already posted.

They come together deliciously on this one cupcake!

First, make up some Peanut Butter Buttercream.

  Then drizzle with this decadent Chocolate Glaze shown at the bottom of this post.

And... that's it!

Doesn't matter if you call it a Buckeye Cupcake or a Chocolate Cupcake with Peanut Butter Buttercream and Chocolate Glaze.

Wait, Buckeye Cupcake is MUCH easier.

You might wanna stick with that.

Tina



Shared at:
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Skip To My Lou
Somewhat Simple

{Buckeye Candy}

 

What's a Buckeye?

I’ve been told, that those who don’t live in Ohio (or surrounding states), do not refer to these delicious lil treats as Buckeyes. They call them… Peanut Butter Balls. 

Boooooooooooooooooooooring!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND they, gasp!, coat them fully in chocolate.

No peeky peanut butter!

For shame!

In Ohio, Buckeyes are a tradition, I mean, we ARE the Buckeye State.

You won’t believe how often during the holidays people will ask, “Where are the buckeyes?”. 

And we know they don’t mean the Ohio State University Football team.

Or the poisonous nut (seed really) for which our state tree, residents, and university mascot are named.

Candy named after something poisonous? Yeah… that’s how we roll in Ohio.

So you want to make Buckeyes?

I thought so!

Here’s the basics. Easy. Peasy. Time consuming. Worth it.

There ya go.

Butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla beat together into creamy deliciousness which you roll into balls and dip into melted chocolate.

Now, I say you should leave the opening of peanut butter at the top. I’m an Ohioan. I have to say that.

You can dip it all. You’ll probably cause mass chaos, hysteria, and babies to cry.

But it’s your choice.

So, what's a Buckeye?

It is the perfect holiday treat, brought to you by the great state of Ohio.

And me :)

You’re welcome.

Wishing you all a VERY Merry Christmas…. Tina

Buckeyes

2 sticks margarine or butter (softened, not melted)

2 Cups Peanut Butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

5 Cups Powdered Sugar

Cream together until fully blended.

Now… you shape into balls. You can roll them whatever size you want. Mine are about 3/4 inch. You’ll get 80 to 100 balls at this size.

Too many buckeyes you say? Inconceivable!

No worries, this recipe is very easily halved.

Then dip into melted chocolate. You can use 12 ounces chocolate + 1/4 bar paraffin, or just use dipping chocolate (also known as Almond Bark). The latter is what I always use.

To dip, you can use a toothpick inserted into the center, or like I suggested in the Oreo Truffle Recipe, use a fork, scoop them up, then tap to allow the excess chocolate to fall through the tines.

Place on wax paper to dry.