Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

It is possible that my friends and people in my church think I can make nothing BUT peanut butter bars.  But, since they disappear so fast, why fight success.   I'm sharing this recipe so you can make a good last minute, no bake, high volume dessert for any event you go to.   It has the desirable quality of making a lot of very filling little bars and you can always leave a few at home and no one will notice. 

It is helpful to bring a folded over 3x5 card that says "Peanut Butter Bars" on them, so people with allergies know that under all that chocolate there is peanut butter.   The recipe comes from my grandmother's church cookbook from Trinity Lutheran Church in Clinton, MA.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Bars

(Make in a 13"x9" pan and cut into 1" bars)

1 c. butter

1 c. finely crushed graham crackers

1 16 oz. box powered sugar (3 1/2 cups)

1 c. peanut butter

1  12 oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

Melt butter and peanut butter in large saucepan (or a big metal bowl) over low heat.  

Stir in the finely crushed graham cracker crumbs and the powdered sugar.  Using a large spatula, combine until blended.  Turn into 13"x9" pan and flatten with the large spatula evenly.  

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and pour over the top.  Spread evenly to coat. 

Let it cool until chocolate is not glossy but not solid.  If you wait to long, the chocolate will crack when you cut it.  Cut in 1" pieces.

I will not be responsible for how many you eat before, during or after the event you prepare them for.  Just don't count on getting many AFTER.  

Blessings from my world to yours! Anne

Graham Waffles for New Year's Day

If one of your New Year’s goals is to have a healthier 2009, you can ease into it by adding something healthy to your regular white flour waffles. These are my family’s favorite. Feel free to substitute the stick of yummy butter with some vegetable oil. The graham flour gives these waffles a light crispiness and gentle flavor that is just delicious!

Wonderful Waffles

1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup graham flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder

2 eggs
1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine the first four ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Wisk together.
In a measuring cup or small bowl combine the 2 eggs, oil/butter, vanilla and milk.
Whisk together.

Pour into dry ingredients. Stir until blended. Pour onto preheated waffle iron. Cook until golden.

Last Minute Soup.. House Bound

It’s the day after Christmas and all through the house,
We’re going nowhere, the Midwest has been doused.

The snow has been falling
The rain’s freezing too.

If you want to go somewhere,
The Midwest’s not for you.

We were off to Grandmas,
but the Toll Road was closed,

No present swapping,
the kids were morose.

Now it’s dinner time and I’ve got cooking to do.
No Grandma meal for us now,
What’s on hand just will do.
***********************************************

I read a funny “dinner disaster” post by my friend Gina that discussed her challenging Christmas Eve. It was just before dinner and it reminded me that all of us have our own way around the kitchen. Gina is a freezer queen. She pre-makes, defrosts and has each meal for her large family easily at her finger tips. It is inspiring. I advise you read her blog, she’s a homeschooling, master-mom.

Over here, a little south, I’m a little more relaxed. So, I thought I’d share how I come up with dinner using a completely different method.


I spy an onion half, on the counter, I never put it away after lunch.
In the fridge lives a pot of vegetables. My family will groan if they recognize it, again.
We had roast chicken for Christmas. There’s about half of it left. Pull it off the bones.
I open the pantry and a bag of noodles, shoved in the bottom, falls out on my foot.
We hosted a Christmas party a while back.
Nobody eats celery sticks but me and the baby.
An open bottle of white wine remains in the bottom of the fridge door.

While playing the piano for my toddler this afternoon, he left and “chopped” up the loaf of bread that was on the counter.

So, that’s our dinner...

Fill the pot 1/2 full with water.
Chop the onion and the celery.
Dump the chicken and the wine.
Crunch the noodles before putting in a few handfuls.
Add some color with the veges.
Poultry seasoning and chicken base.

Ah! Croutons!
Put the mashed bread in a bowl,
Pour oil, sprinkle italian seasoning and garlic salt.
Bake.

Write this blog while the soup boils.
(Husband saves croutons while I forget about them and announces the the soup is done.)

A great dinner.
Chicken soup with homemade croutons.

Time to eat!

Real Hot Cocoa: My Shortcut Just in Time for Sledding Season

Snow season! Yeah! Here in Northern Indiana we’ve already had a 9” snow fall and more will come tonight.  

Here’s a quick view of our yard last week.  

It’s reading season, time to stay in and get some schoolwork done in the morning.  Afternoons are a great time for a group read on the couch with a fire and...

In honor of this beautiful time of year to be a family, I’m sharing my new Hot Cocoa Tip with you.   We’re cocoa snobs and those little packets that you add water too are going to pale in comparison with what you can do, for less, and better.   We use regular unsweetened cocoa and the recipe on the side of the Hershey’s can.  Here’s the problem we were having.  Often we’d make a batch and have leftovers, which if you’re short on milk, may keep you from a great cup with your afternoon read.

Here’s how I’ve solved that....

Hot Cocoa (Make Your Own Syrup Method)

Here are my directions:

In a small saucepan, mix:

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa

Dash salt

1/3 cup hot water 

Stirring with a wisk, mix until thoroughly heated.  

Let this mixture cool and stir in the 3/4 tsp. vanilla.  

Keep in a small container in your pantry.  Don’t add the milk until you are ready to use.  Then, just pour a little of your homemade syrup into a cup of hot milk.  It can be toddler or teen size, but you never make more than you need and you can add as much or as little as you want. 

Peace to your family from ours, Anne