Chocolate-Peanut Butter-Pretzely 'Easter Eggs'

I was spreading peanut butter on some crackers for my little sweets, remembering 

that peanut butter crackers are the second best thing to peanut butter pretzels 

(in the peanut butter department).  Well thank the lawdy for some little elves living 

in a tree, as they were wise enough make straight up pretzel crackers...not pretzel thins.  

These are pretzel on one side and butter cracker on the other.  Amazing!  Of course 

I then remembered that chocolate makes almost anything better, 

so I give you my 'gas station style' Easter egg treat!

What you need:

pretzel crackers

peanut butter

semi-sweet chocolate chips

On a nonstick surface (parchment paper or Silpat)

place crackers, pretzel side down, and spread with

peanut butter.

 

Pop the chocolate chips in the microwave for 25 seconds at a time,

this is after 2 spins in the microwave (stirring after 25)

This is after the third spin in the microwave (3-25 second spins)

This is after the fourth spin in the microwave (4-25 second spins)

For every peanut butter cracker, you need a cracker mate.  Spread

the melted chocolate on the cracker side of each mate.

Sandwich the chocolate cracker with the peanut butter cracker.

Same chocolate melting steps, but 3-25 second spins in the microwave,

as I melted less chocolate.  Transfer melted chocolate to a bottle.  I have

a few squirt bottles, one from the grocery store (pictured), and a couple

from a baking/restaurant supply store...you can even find them at a 99 cent 

shop. I only let the chocolate fall to the bottom of the bottle, for this pic.  

otherwise, I work  to keep it at the top, filling bottle on it's side...it is easier 

than knocking the bottle on the counter until all the chocolate is back at the top...

which you want before 'decorating the eggs', to avoid air bubbles.

No rhyme or reason to the 'decorating'...just make sure the chocolate

is at the top of the bottle to avoid air bubbles.

After each 'egg' had a bit of decoration, I popped the tray in the 

refrigerator.  An hour later the chocolate was set.

Reason #24 that you need to raid the kitchen aisle at TJ Maxx...

a ceramic egg tray! 

Elvis Pancakes...OMG

Everyone should be so lucky to know a pregnant lady like me (so says me).  I have crazy dreams every night, but two mornings ago I woke up nearly embarrassed to share one dream with the hubs.  I dreamed about Elvis.  Not the cute, young Elvis...but the older, chubby hunk-o-chunk of burning love...wait, it gets better.  I was his cook!!!  The dream continued on that I made him his favorite sandwich...pancake style. 

 OMG, I better have this baby soon, I am for sure turning into a truck driver!!!  I have nothing against truck drivers, I just fancy them to be crazy eaters too, since they hit up truck stops galore...ya know?!?

What you need:

Pancake Mix (do what you like, but I love me some Krusteaz, just add water)

I used 2 cups of the pancake mix to 1 & 1/3 cups water (mix as directed)

1 banana, cut length ways then across into bits

5 strips of well cooked (crunchy) bacon, crumbled

Peanut Butter Syrup Topping:

2 T. butter

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup natural peanut butter

(heat in microwave safe glass bowl for ~45 seconds) 

ladle batter into a pan well heated, over medium heat.

Top the batter with pieces of bacon and banana.

Wowza, yum!!!  Just wait for the delish topping! 

The heated butter, maple syrup and peanut butter (as

stated at top) thickens a bit and becomes the consistency

of scrumptious caramel.  I just decided this would be

equally delish on apple slices. 

Beautiful stack of Elvis Cakes.  Topped with peanut

butter syrup and garnished with a few chunks of banana

and bacon.  Just because. 

Yum!  Dare you not to lick the plate!

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Crunchy Balls

I have been meaning to post this FOREVER.  For all my GF lovelies out there, this one is for you!!!  My sister-in-law, who is plagued with crazy food allergies, had a variety of GF treats at Christmas.  One was the inspiration for this treat.  I say 'inspiration', as I begged for the recipe (ahem, Emily...still love you), but never received it...but, I really don't think I am too far off. 

4 & 1/2 cups Gluten Free Rice Krispies

3 cups Confectioner's Sugar

1 & 1/2 cups Peanut Butter

1 & 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt

1 bag of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Do you have one of these little measuring gizmos?

They are crazy fantastic for measuring things like

peanut butter and honey.  They sell them at

most kitchen or baking supply stores.

If you have a food processor (no worries if you don't this

can all be done with a little stirring...I am just all about shortcuts)

Combined Confectioner's Sugar, Sea Salt, Peanut Butter and GF Rice Krispies

(reserve 1 cup of Rice Krispies for later, so just pulse 3 & 1/2 cups in the food processor)

Pulse until it is all combined and the consistency of a stiff cookie dough)

She always says, 'I push mommie's buttons???' when

I pull out a food processor or blender.  God love her. 

Pulse until it is all combined and the consistency of a stiff cookie dough

(you don't need to roll it into a ball, I just did this so you could truly see the thick consistency of the dough)

Stir in the reserved cup of GF Rice Krispies

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

Use a small cookie scoop  (I don't know the scoop number off hand,

but it is ~2 tablespoon scoop).  If you don't have scoop, no worries, just

eyeball small clumps of dough...these are homemade, so they don't need to be perfzy!

If you didn't use a scoop (or have an even smaller scoop than

my ~2 T scoop), you can skip this process.  I cut the

dough in half, as these should be bite size treats. 

The newly cut clumps, rolled into perfect little balls.  I place

them in the freezer for 20 minutes, to make them easy to dip in

the chocolate. 

Over low/medium heat, place a couple inches of

water in a saucepan and place a glass or stainless bowl that

fits securely on top of the saucepan (the water should not touch the bottom

of the roll when it is simmering).  Stir until smooth and melty. 

Dip the Peanut Butter Crunchy Balls in the melted chocolate

and return to the parchment paper lined baking sheet to

set.  You can place in the refrigerator, if patience isn't your strong suit

I dare you to let them fully set, before you pop one of these morsels of goodness in your kisser.