Post #13: Peanut Butter Cup Crunch Brownie Bars (feat. Brutus and Lucky!)

These are Heaven.

There, I said it.  

It's seriously like eating a brownie, a rice crispie square, and a nutter butter all at the same time...is that drool?

The brownie recipe I used (which was suggested from the Brown Eyed Baker herself!) was a little time consuming, but they are sooo good!  A perfect match for the peanut butter/chocolate chip/rice crispie topping!  But, aside from the brownies, this is so quick!  I mean hell, use a boxed mix, and this will take no time or effort at all, and it is so good, it will impress anyone!

Not the best picture, but I thought it was high time y'all met my dear friend Brutus!

And then Lucky slunk into a few shots!  I love my cats!

Peanut Butter Cup Crunch Brownie Bars

Adapted from the Brown Eyed Baker :o)

1 batch of your favorite brownie recipe for a 9×13-inch pan (I used this recipe, which I tweaked slightly, or you could use a box mix, I won't tell anyone!  Just make sure it's for a 9x13!)
½ cup salted peanuts (Funny side story: I actually forgot these and ended up tearing into a bag of trail mix and picking out the peanuts.)
8 Reese’s peanut butter cups, chopped
1½ cups milk chocolate chips
1½ cups creamy peanut butter (or crunchy, whatever)
½ tablespoon unsalted butter
1½ cups cripsy rice cereal (yeah, I buy knock offs for baking, what of it?  :P)

1. Prepare the brownies according to the directions and bake for about 5 minutes less than the recipe states. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with the peanuts and chopped peanut butter cups. Return to the oven and bake for 5 additional minutes.

2. While they are finishing baking, melt the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the cereal to evenly coat. Remove the brownies from the oven and evenly pour the chocolate and peanut butter mixture over top. Spread to cover evenly. Refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting and serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  These last a long time (if you don't eat them all right away!)  I was still chowing down about a week later, and they still tasted awesome!

Post #2: Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Well, I wanted to break in my blog, and I saw the browning bananas on my counter and knew my obvious choice.  The only thing about banana bread that I don't like, is that it always looks ugly.  I have to say that this version of banana bread is possibly the best I have ever tasted, but the photos were all so boring.  The one posted is the best I could come up with!  Ha ha.  Maybe I will make that my mission: finding a way to make banana bread look appealing in a photo.  Anyway, enjoy the recipe.  This is the first time I have ever put peanut butter in my banana bread, but I have to tell you, it is amazing!  Peanuts and bananas go so well together!  Give it a try!

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
• 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• A generous handful of milk chocolate/peanut butter morsels (optional) 

Directions:

Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 1 1/4 hr

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2.  Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
3.  Cream brown sugar and butter until fluffy.
4. Add egg, bananas, peanut butter, and buttermilk. 
5. Gradually add flour and baking soda to the creamed mixture.
6.  Pour batter into greased pan.
7.  Bake for 1 hour, or until it tests done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Cool in pan for 10 minutes.
9. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.