Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Dessert

It’s summertime!

The days are longer.

The temperatures are higher and my days are busier!

It sounds like the perfect time to make a yummy ice cream dessert!

This recipe was the inspiration for two of our family favorites, Chocolate Strawberry Ice Cream Dessert and Chocolate Ice Cream Dessert. Both of which we’ve enjoyed often.

But would you believe that we have never made the original?!

It was past time to try it.

And it was delicious!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Dessert

1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped peanuts
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
6 cups chocolate ice cream, softened, divided.

Filling:
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup peanut butter, either crunchy or smooth
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped (I cheated and used about 4 ounces of Cool Whip)

Line the bottom and sides of a loaf pan (9 inch x 3 inch x 5 inch) with heavy duty aluminum foil.

Combine the vanilla wafer crumbs, chopped peanuts, melted butter and 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar. Press half into the bottom of the foil lined pan. Freeze for 15 minutes.

Spread half of the ice cream over the crust and freeze for 1 hour.

(Here’s a hint for the ice cream: a half-gallon carton is the perfect size! Open it up lengthwise and cut the rectangle of ice cream in half. Then cut one of the halves into thirds and squish them into the loaf pan. Put the rest of the ice cream in the freezer till later.)

Meanwhile, for the filling, beat cream cheese and peanut butter in a mixing bowl. Add powdered sugar and milk. Mix well. Fold in whipped cream.

Spread over the ice cream and freeze for 1 hour or until firm.

Spread with remaining ice cream – the pan will be very full. (Just cut the remaining half of the carton of ice cream into thirds and start squishing it in!) Press the remaining crumb mixture on top. Cover and freeze for several hours of overnight.

Remove from the freezer about 10 minutes before serving. using the foil, remove the loaf from the pan and discard the foil.

Cut into pieces with a serrated knife. It should yield 10-12 large slices, or 15 smaller ones.

Enjoy!

I’ve linked this post up with Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace and Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars

We had some eggs in the fridge that needed to be used, so I asked Dagmar to make something yummy.

She could make anything she wanted – just use up some of the eggs!

She buried herself in cookbooks and the recipe file looking for that perfect recipe.

I walked through the kitchen later and saw her busy at work with pans all over the counter and wonderful smells saturating the house.

She finally pulled the masterpiece out of the oven – warm and gooey and full of wonderful chocolate peanut butter goodness.

I asked her how many eggs she used.

She looked at me blankly. “Eggs?”

Oops. She hadn’t used any. 🙂

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars
(recipe from Pillsbury Baking Cookbook)

2-1/4 cups oatmeal
1-1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped salted peanuts

Beat together the oatmeal, brown sugar, flour, baking soda, and butter until crumbly. Reserve 2 cups for topping. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 greased pan. Set aside.

In another bowl, mix condensed milk, peanut butter, and vanilla until well blended. Pour over the base. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and peanuts. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs. Press down gently.

Bake 25-35 minutes or until golden brown (the center will not be set). Cool completely, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Mousse

I must confess – I have a weakness for mousse.

There’s something very comforting about it’s creamy and rich texture.

There’s also something wonderful about a recipe that takes only moments to whip up and tastes heavenly!

This recipe is so easy that my 10 year old son made it himself. It was so yummy that my peanut butter loving daughter was in speechless wonder as she ate it!

So was her mom. 🙂

Beware – it’s addicting. Once you’ve tried it you will be craving it often!

Peanut Butter Mousse

1 – 8 ounce package cream cheese
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1- 8 ounce container Cool Whip
1 cup of mini chocolate chips

In a mixing bowl, cream together the cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

Fold in the Cool Whip and chocolate chips.

Spoon into dessert cups and refrigerate.

Garnish with whipped cream and chopped Reece’s peanut butter cups.

Enjoy!

I’ve linked this post up with Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed With Grace, Tuesdays at the Table at All the Small Stuff and Mouthwatering Mondays at A Southern Fairytale.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Snicker Brownies

Time with my family means chocolate – lots of chocolate.

Our Christmas celebration over Labor Day was no exception.

The girls and I thought long and hard to decide what to bring. We were anxious to try something new – but with the rush to get packed for that trip and plan for our big western adventure – we didn’t plan well.

Dagmar picked out 2 different recipes, but we didn’t have the right ingredients for either. (I can’t believe I ran out of baking cocoa – I always have baking cocoa – it’s a staple!)

We somehow managed to gather enough working brain cells between us to come up with a yummy substitution.

We took a favorite brownie recipe, substituted some of the butter for peanut butter and added chopped Snicker bars.

These we incredible when hot from the oven and were enjoyed all weekend. While not quite as decadent as my all-time favorites Peacemakers – they were a fast and yummy fill-in!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Snicker Brownies

1 – 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels, divided
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into pieces (or margarine)
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 large Snicker bars

Preheat oven to 350° F and grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

Blend flour, sugar, and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside.

Melt 3/4 cup of chocolate chips, butter, and peanut butter in a large bowl in the microwave, stirring often.

Add in eggs and mix until blended. Add dry ingredients and mix until blended. Stir in vanilla, remaining chocolate chips and 1 chopped Snickers bar. Spread into baking pan.

Bake for 18 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the remaining 2 chopped Snickers bars. Bake for another 2 minutes. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars and enjoy!

I’ve linked this post up with Tasty Tuesday at Beauty and Bedlam and Tuesdays at the Table at All the Small Stuff.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Everybody has a signature cookie – the go-to recipe that never fails.

This one is mine.

The original recipe “Oatmeal Crispies” came from my Grandma Griner and were a staple in her kitchen when my mom was growing up.

Later they were a staple in my mom’s kitchen. She added chocolate chips and would often bake them as bars.

Now that I’m the mom – I did some more substituting to make them my own.

I added peanut butter in place of some of the margarine and I added baking powder.

The result is my signature cookie – and it is a staple in my kitchen!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (aka Auntie M Cookies)

1 cups peanut butter
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
6 cups oatmeal
2 cups chocolate chips or M & M’s or combination

Cream together the peanut butter, margarine, white sugar and brown sugar.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add the vanilla.

In a separate bowl mix the flour, soda, baking powder, salt and oatmeal. Add to the creamed mixture and mix well. The dough will be very thick.

Stir in the chocolate chips and M & M’s.

Drop by teaspoonful on ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes or until just starting to brown.

You can grind the oatmeal in the blender before you add it to the flour mixture. It gives a great oatmeal flavor without the extra chewiness.

These travel well and keep really well in the freezer.

Enjoy!

Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Who says that chocolate chip cookies need to be made with semi-sweet chocolate? These yummy little treats remind me of a Reese’s peanut butter cup with the creamy milk chocolate chips and peanut butter.

Dagmar discovered this recipe and baked them for an upcoming family reunion.

I’m just afraid they won’t make it that long…

Her siblings are inhaling them pretty fast!

Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup softened butter or margarine
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 package milk chocolate chips

Cream together butter (margarine) and peanut butter. Slowly add in both the white sugar and the brown sugar. Mix well.

Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until the dough is light and fluffy.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoons on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Let the cookies cool slightly on the cookie sheet before removing them to finish cooling on a wire rack.

Makes 3 dozen cookies (unless you eat too much dough!)

Enjoy!

Chewy Peanut Butter Bars

For some odd reason my oldest daughter is on a peanut butter kick.

This week alone she has experimented with a fried peanut butter sandwich (like a grilled cheese but with peanut butter) and had a bowl of mini-wheats with milk, a banana and a huge glob of peanut butter on top.

These bars are for her, gooey rich and full of peanut butter!

Chewy Peanut Butter Bars

Combine:

1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine

Press into a greased 9 X 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. The crust should be lightly browned.

Mix together:

2 eggs
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon salt

Fold in:

1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chocolate chips (semi- sweet)

Pour over the baked crust and return to the oven for another 15 – 20 minutes or until golden.

Cut these into small pieces (about 3 dozen) because they are very rich!

But ohh soo good!

Enjoy!

Can It Be Christmas Without Peanut Butter Balls?

Several Christmas’s ago, my oldest sister was having a very stressful holiday and hadn’t done any baking or candy making.

I remember her bemoaning the fact that it simply could not be Christmas without Peanut Butter Balls.

These have been a tradition in my family for years, and a huge favorite!

Thankfully they are also very easy to make! We made two batches this year, one for ourselves and one to add to our goody plates that we shared with others.

The filling can be made in advance and dipped later, but it really doesn’t take too long from start to finish, and it’s worth the effort!

Peanut Butter Balls

Combine: 1 1/3 stick of melted butter or oleo, 1 cup peanut butter, and 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar. Form into balls. Melt 6 oz. of chocolate chips with 1 Tbsp. of shortening. Dip each ball into the chocolate using a fork. Let harden on waxed paper. Store in a cool dry place and enjoy! Makes about 50 pieces depending on how much you snitch while dipping! I sometimes need more chocolate but if you have extra just dip in anything that’s handy to finish it up: raisins, pretzels, almonds, marshmallows, your fingers…

Enjoy a chocolate covered Christmas!