PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY BROWNIES: 3 recipes for Peanut Butter & Jelly Day!

Today is National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day. This all American combination is usually thought of as the ultimate kid's sandwich. Not by me. I was a fussy eater as a kid... so glad that's behind me. At camp in the summer, if a camper didn't like lunch or dinner food, they were given peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Well, I didn't like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Of course, if they had added chocolate, it might have been a different story!

I still don't like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but I always grab the chance to pair up these foods with chocolate. So here are three recipes for Peanut Butter & Jelly Brownies. As always, you can substitute the very best ingredients to achieve that perfect brownie!

PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY BROWNIES

#1 Peanut Butter & Jelly Brownies 
from James Boyce, chef-owner of Cotton Row, Huntsville, Alabama. His brownies and jam are homemade, and he uses chunky peanut butter for crunch. This recipe appeared in Spirit Magazine, Southwest Airlines

Ingredients:
2 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed melted butter
4 two-inch square brownies
4 Tbsp peanut butter (crunchy is best!)
4 Tbsp strawberry jam
4 Tbsp chocolate chips

Directions:
Lay one sheet of dough on work surface and brush with butter. Top with another sheet, brush with butter, then cut into four 8-by-8 inch squares. Place one brownie on each square.
Top each brownie with one tablespoon each of peanut butter and jam, then sprinkle with chocolate chips. Cinch dough around brownies and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Bake at 425ºF for 5 minutes, or until dough starts to brown.

#2 Peanut Butter & Jelly Brownies
from the Nestle Very Best Baking site: 1st Prize winning recipe created in the kitchen of Jim Bradley of Chicago, IL.

Ingredients
1/2 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1/4 cup sweet butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Premier White Morsels
1/2 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Peanut Butter & Milk Chocolate Morsels
1/3 cup strawberry jam

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch-square baking pan.
Place semi-sweet morsels and butter in large, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; STIR. The morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until mixture is melted. Add brown sugar and peanut butter to chocolate mixture; beat on medium speed for 1 minute or until well mixed. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually stir in flour. Stir in white and peanut butter & milk chocolate morsels. Spread into prepared pan. Drop jam by spoonfuls onto batter. Swirl with a knife.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out still slightly sticky. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

#3 Peanut Butter & Jelly Brownies
From Kraft Recipes

Ingredients
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
6 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup strawberry jam

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat sugar, peanut butter and butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add flour and salt; beat until well blended. Stir in chocolate.
Line 9-inch square baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Grease foil. Spread batter into prepared pan. Drop jam by spoonfuls over batter; swirl with knife to marbleize.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool in pan. Lift dessert from pan, using foil handles. Cut into 24 squares to serve.

PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY TRUFFLES: National P&J Day!

When I was growing up, if a child didn't eat the school or camp lunch, out came the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. No one considered gluten or peanut allergies being considered at that time. But, I was a finicky eater as a child and didn't like peanut butter and jelly. I often went without lunch, although I never said anything. I just gave the sandwiches away. Even now, although I love jelly, and I love peanut butter, I don't like the combination. Unless, of course, there's chocolate!

So for today's food holiday, National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day, here's a simple recipe for Peanut Butter & Jelly Truffles. There are other recipes out there, but I love this one!

PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY TRUFFLES

Ingredients
8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
1 cup dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup grape jelly
Chopped peanuts

Directions
Put cream cheese in bowl.
Melt chocolate and stir into bowl of cream cheese.
Add peanut butter.
Mix together on low speed.
Put mixture into square 8" dish. Spread evenly and chil in fridge for an hour.
Using melon baller or spoon, scoop out and then roll with hands into a ball.
Make a deep depression with thumb in each ball and fill with 1/4 tsp jelly.
Smooth over to seal jelly in ball.
Roll truffles in chopped peanuts.
Place on waxed paper and chill.
Keep in refrigerator until ready to eat.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Truffles: National P&J Day!

If a child didn't eat the school or camp lunch, out came the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Well, I didn't like peanut butter and jelly. I was a finicky eater as a child. Even now, although I love jelly, and I love peanut butter, I don't like the combination. Unless, of course, there's chocolate!

So for today's food holiday, National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day, here's a simple recipe for Peanut Butter & Jelly Truffles. There are other recipes out there, but I love this one!


PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY TRUFFLES

Ingredients
8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
1 cup dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup grape jelly
chopped peanuts

Directions
Put cream cheese in bowl.
Melt chocolate and stir into bowl of cream cheese.
Add peanut butter.
Mix together on low speed.
Put mixture into square 8" dish. Spread evenly and chil in fridge for an hour.
Using melon baller or spoon, scoop out and then roll with hands into a ball.
Make a deep depression with thumb in each ball and fill with 1/4 tsp jelly.
Smooth over to seal jelly in ball.
Roll truffles in chopped peanuts.
Place on waxed paper and chill.
Keep in refrigerator until ready to eat.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Brownies

Today is National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day. This all American combination is usually thought of as the ultimate kid's sandwich. Not by me. I was a fussy eater as a kid... so glad that's behind me.. and at camp in the summer, if a camper didn't like lunch or dinner food, they were given peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Well, I didn't like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Of course, if they had added chocolate, it would have been great!

I still might not dine on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but I always grab the chance to pair up these foods... with chocolate. So here are three recipes for Peanut Butter & Jelly Brownies. As always, you can substitute the very best ingredients to achieve that perfect brownie!

PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY BROWNIES

#1 Peanut Butter & Jelly Brownies 
from James Boyce, chef-owner of Cotton Row, Huntsville, Alabama. His brownies and jam are homemade, and he uses chunky peanut butter for crunch. This appeared in Spirit Magazine, Southwest Airlines

Ingredients:
2 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed melted butter
4 two-inch square brownies
4 tablespoons peanut butter (crunchy is best!)
4 tablespoons strawberry jam
4 tablespoons chocolate chips

Directions:
1 Lay one sheet of dough on work surface and brush with butter. Top with another sheet, brush with butter, then cut into four 8-by-8 inch squares. Place one brownie on each square.
2 Top each brownie with one tablespoon each of peanut butter and jam, then sprinkle with chocolate chips. Cinch dough around brownies and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Bake at 425ºF for 5 minutes, or until dough starts to brown.

#2 Peanut Butter & Jelly Brownies
from the Nestle Very Best Baking site: 1st Prize winning recipe created in the kitchen of Jim Bradley of Chicago, IL.

Ingredients
1/2 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1/4 cup sweet butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Premier White Morsels
1/2 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Peanut Butter & Milk Chocolate Morsels
1/3 cup strawberry jam

Directions
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch-square baking pan.
PLACE semi-sweet morsels and butter in large, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; STIR. The morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until mixture is melted. Add brown sugar and peanut butter to chocolate mixture; beat on medium speed for 1 minute or until well mixed. BEAT in eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually stir in flour. Stir in white and peanut butter & milk chocolate morsels. Spread into prepared pan. Drop jam by spoonfuls onto batter. Swirl with a knife.
BAKE for 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out still slightly sticky. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

#3 Peanut Butter & Jelly Brownies
From Kraft Recipes

Ingredients
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
6 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup strawberry jam

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Beat sugar, peanut butter and butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add flour and salt; beat until well blended. Stir in chocolate.
LINE 9-inch square baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Grease foil. Spread batter into prepared pan. Drop jam by spoonfuls over batter; swirl with knife to marbleize.
BAKE 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool in pan. Lift dessert from pan, using foil handles. Cut into 24 squares to serve.