PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIES: Retro Ad & Recipe for National Peanut Butter Day

Today is National Peanut Butter Day! Peanut Butter and Chocolate are a match made in heaven! I love Retro Ads, especially the ones that include recipes. I was a Brownie (and later a Girl Scout), so this Retro Advertisement caught my eye! You'll love this recipe for Peanut Butter Brownies. However, I would use butter and not margarine. Make these brownies for your Brownie Troop or for yourself to celebrate today's food holiday!

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER TRUFFLES: National Peanut Butter Day

January 24 is National Peanut Butter Day. I'm also paying homage today to Mr. Peanut. I grew up with Planter's Peanuts. Mr. Peanut, shaking hands with everyone, would walk the boardwalk in Atlantic City! What a treat. I also loved those hot salty peanuts, roasted right onsite. The original company was called Planters Nut and Chocolate Company, so what's not to love? Planters did make peanut butter, but I'm not sure for how long.

I've posted lots of recipes for Chocolate and Peanut Butter, but here's an easy Peanut Butter Truffle recipe to celebrate today's holiday!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles

This is a simple recipe for a peanut butter ganache truffle rolled in chopped peanuts adapted from a recipe in  CountryLiving.

Ingredients
8 ounces 60-75% dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup smooth Organic peanut butter
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup finely chopped peanuts

Directions
Place chopped chocolate in medium heat-safe bowl. Set aside.
In medium saucepan over low heat, cook heavy cream until it just begins to boil; then immediately pour over chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is thick and smooth. Stir in smooth peanut butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Pour into shallow baking pan and refrigerate until set, 4 to 6 hours.
Spoon chocolate–peanut butter mixture, by tablespoon, into your hand and roll into balls. Place on parchment-lined baking pan and return to refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes.
Place finely chopped peanuts in shallow dish. Roll truffles in peanuts,  shaping each ball as you work. Keep refrigerated until serving.

What's your favorite Peanut Butter and Chocolate recipe?

EXTRA NUTTY PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE BROWNIES: National Peanut Butter Day!

Today is National Peanut Butter Day! Here's a great and easy recipe for Extra Nutty Peanut Butter Fudge Brownies adapted from a Pillsbury recipe. I don't usually use boxed mixes, but this is a good recipe. Of course you can make your own brownies and just add the layer of peanut butter fudge and 1/2 cup chopped peanuts. I really like the clean salty taste of plain roasted peanuts, rather than the recommended honey-roasted peanuts in the original recipe. I also add chocolate chips to the recipe and cut down on the peanut butter chips. You can never have enough chocolate!

Have a Peanut Buttery Day!

EXTRA NUTTY PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE BROWNIES!

Ingredients
2 (15.8 oz) pkg. fudge brownie mix with chocolate syrup
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
2 eggs
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
7 ounces peanut butter chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray with nonstick cooking spray or grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan.
In large bowl, combine brownie mixes, chocolate pouches from mixes, oil, water and eggs; beat 50 strokes with spoon. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour about half of batter into sprayed pan.
In large saucepan, combine condensed milk, peanut butter chips, and peanut butter; cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until chips and peanut butter are melted, stirring constantly.
Spoon and spread peanut butter mixture over batter.
Drop remaining half of batter over peanut butter layer.
Sprinkle with chopped peanuts.
Bake at 350°F. for 35 to 40 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan. DO NOT OVERBAKE. 
Cool 2 hours.
Cut into bars.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles: National Peanut Butter Day!

January 24 is National Peanut Butter Day. Chocolate and Peanut Butter: What could be better? I'm also paying homage today to Mr. Peanut. I grew up with Planter's Peanuts. Mr. Peanut, shaking hands with everyone, would walk the boardwalk in Atlantic City! What a treat. I also loved those hot salty peanuts, roasted right onsite. The original company was called Planters Nut and Chocolate Company, so what's not to love? Planters did make peanut butter, but I'm not sure for how long.

I've posted lots of recipes for Chocolate and Peanut Butter, but here's an easy Peanut Butter Truffle recipe to try!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles

This is a simple recipe for a peanut butter ganache truffle rolled in chopped peanuts adapted from a recipe in  CountryLiving.

8 ounces 75-85% dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup smooth Organic peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup finely chopped peanuts

Directions
1. Place bittersweet chocolate, chopped, in medium heat-safe bowl. Set aside.
2. In medium saucepan over low heat, cook heavy cream until it just begins to boil; then immediately pour over chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is thick and smooth. Stir in smooth peanut butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Pour into shallow baking pan and refrigerate until set, 4 to 6 hours.
3. Spoon chocolate–peanut butter mixture, by tablespoon, into your hand and roll into balls. Place on parchment-lined baking pan and return to refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Place finely chopped peanuts in shallow dish. Roll truffles in peanuts,  shaping each ball as you work. Keep refrigerated until serving.

What's your favorite Peanut Butter and Chocolate recipe?

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER WHOOPIE PIES

Today is National Peanut Butter Day. I love Chocolate and Peanut Butter, and I love Whoopie Pies whatever their origin. See my previous post on Whoopie Pies. So what could be better than Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies. I really like Martha Stewart's recipe for miniature Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies. As always use the very best chocolate, and in this case the best cocoa.

Here's a tip for Presentation: Serve them is on a bed of peanuts. For added crunch, roll them in the peanuts when you pick them up. You can also sprinkle them with confectionary sugar, especially during the holidays!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

For the Cookies:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa powder, not Dutch-process  (I use Ghirardelli)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon sweet butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure Madagascar vanilla extract

For the Filling:
2/3 cup natural, creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sweet butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Coarse salt, optional

Directions
1. Make cookies: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in small bowl; set aside.
2. Put butter, shortening, and sugars in bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half flour mixture, then milk and vanilla. Mix in remaining flour mixture.
3. Drop rounded tablespoons dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.
Or you can use a Whoopie Pie Pan (I have several): Whoopie Pie Pan post
4. Make filling: Put peanut butter and butter in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add confectioners' sugar; mix until combined. Raise speed to high, and mix until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Season with salt, if desired. I like this**
5. Assemble cookies: Spread 1 scant tablespoon filling on bottom of 1 cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Cookies can be refrigerated in single layers in airtight containers up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.