Kitchen Experiments: Peanut Butter No-Bake Bars

Yep, here's another peanut butter recipe. I just can't help my self, no baking + peanut butter, how could I not share?

Peanut Butter No-Bake Bars

Ingredients

1 cup salted butter (melted)

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 cup peanut butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 (11 oz) bag milk chocolate chips

Steps

1.  Combine all ingredients, except chocolate chips in a medium sized bowl.
2. Stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

3. Pour peanut butter mixture into a 9x13 pan. 
4. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave (at 50% power) for 1-2 minutes.
5.  Stir chocolate and pour over the peanut butter mixture.

6. Spread chocolate with a spatula. To even out chocolate, tap pan on the counter. 
7. Refrigerate bars for one hour. Cut while bars are still cool.
8. Enjoy!

Kitchen Experiments: Cinnamon Sugar Dipped Blueberry Muffins

My husband loves muffins, especially blueberry muffins. I have never attempted to make homemade muffins, only the store bought packages. While not comparable taste-wise, I thought it would be too much work to attempt home-made. A friend at work brought in these a couple weeks ago and just by looking at them I could tell I wanted the recipe even if it was going to be more work. They had a delicious topcoat of cinnamon sugar and he even swore the recipe was easy.  He was right and they turned out delicious (thanks Kyle)! By they way, John approved and I got to use my new mixing bowls that the Johnson’s got us for Christmas. I love them!

 Cinnamon Sugar Dipped Blueberry Muffins

INGREDIENTS

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces)

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon table salt

1 large egg

1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 ¼ cups sour cream (10 ounces)

1 ½ cups frozen blueberries

½ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

STEPS

1. Adjust oven rack to medium position and heat to 350 degrees.
2. Spray standard muffin tin with nonstick vegetable spray and set aside.
3. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl until well combined. Set aside.
4. Whisk egg in a second medium bowl until well combined and light-colored (about 20 seconds).
5. Add sugar and whisk with egg vigorously until thick and homogeneous (about 30 seconds).
6. Add melted butter in 2-3 steps, whisking to combine after each addition.
7. Add sour cream in 2 steps, whisking just to combine.
8. Add frozen berries to dry ingredients and gently toss to combine.
9. Add sour cream mixture and fold with rubber spatula until batter comes together and berries are evenly distributed (25-30 seconds). Do not over mix, batter will be thick and some flour spots may remain.
10. Use a spoon or ice cream scoop to drop batter into greased muffin tin.
11. Bake until light golden brown (25-30 minutes).  Rotate pan about half way through. Test by putting a tooth pick in center of muffin and if it comes out clean it is done.
12. Invert muffins onto wire rack and let cool completely
13. While muffins are cooling, mix sugar and ground cinnamon in small bowl and melt butter in a small saucepan.
14. Take cooled muffins and dip top in butter and then in cinnamon/sugar mixture.
15. Serve!

Kitchen Experiments: Whipped Pumpkin Dessert

Another "Momma Engel" recipe that I stole. This one is healthy & fast. We had our Thanksgiving Food Day at work today so I knew I wanted to bring this after trying it my parent's a few weeks ago.
I have never done Weight Watchers but for you WW people out there it is only 1 point for one cup. I added graham crackers to mine so I am sure the WW points don't count them, feel free to leave them out if you are following the points.

Whipped Pumpkin Dessert

INGREDIENTS
Pumpkin (1 can)
Fat Free Sugar Free Vanilla Instant Pudding (2 packages)
Skim Milk (1 cup)
Fat Free Cool Whip (1 container)
Graham Crackers
Cinnamon

STEPS

1. Mix together one can pumpkin, two packages fat free, sugar free instant vanilla pudding, one cup skim milk and one cup fat free cool whip. I used my Kitchen Aid and it was fast.
2. Mash up a sleeve of Graham crackers and cinnamon (as much as you like) and pour crumbs into bottom of an 8X8 dish.
3. Pour the pumpkin mixture over graham crackers
4. Cover with remaining Cool Whip and sprinkle with cinnamon.