Chocolate Peanut Butter Trifle

I've modified this recipe from another by a different name.

I don't know if my trifle bowl is a bit smaller than normal sized ones, but I can't fit all of the ingredients in the amounts originally dictated into my trifle bowl. In the recipe below, I have first given the original amounts but then listed the amounts I use where appropriate.

1 pkg (18 1/4 oz) chocolate cake mix
1 pkg (10 oz) peanut butter chips
4 1/4 c cold milk, divided
2 pkg (5.9 oz each) instant chocolate pudding mix
1/2 c whipping cream
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 carton (12 oz) Cool Whip (I only use 8 oz.)
4 crushed Butterfinger candy bars OR 4 pkg Reese's Peanut Butter cups cut up OR 1 - 1 1/2 c chocolate chips

Prepare cake mix according to pkg directions. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 13x9" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 min or til toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool.

While cake is cooling, beat together 4 c milk and chocolate pudding mix. Place in refrigerator to set.

Also while cake is cooling, combine peanut butter chips, 1/4 c milk, and cream in heavy saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat til chips are melted. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature.

When cake is cool, cut cake into bite-size pieces.

Layer into large trifle bowl or large bowl half of the cake (I use about 1/3.), half of the peanut butter sauce, half of the pudding (I use about 1/3.), half of the Cool Whip (I use 4 oz.), and half the candy bar pieces or chocolate chips; repeat layers.* Cover and refrigerate atleast 3 hrs before serving.

Makes 12-15 servings.

*I end up using only 2/3 of the cake and pudding total.

Peanut Butter Bars

This recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. I've doubled the bar part of the recipe so that it can be made in a 9x13" pan instead of the 8x8" pan the recipe originally calls for. The frosting part of the recipe is correct for the doubled bar recipe.

1 1/2 c flour
1 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 c shortening
2 eggs
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c oatmeal

Combine about half of the flour, the brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, eggs, milk, vanilla, and baking soda. Beat with an electric mixer on med to high speed til thoroughly combined. Beat in remaining flour. Stir in oats. Spread batter into an ungreased 9x13" pan.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15-18 min or til a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Frosting:
1/3 c peanut butter
4 1/2 c powdered sugar
1/4 c milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
milk

In a bowl beat peanut butter and 2 c of the powdered sugar. Slowly beat in the 1/4 milk and vanilla. Slowly beat in remaining sugar. Beat in additional milk, if needed, to make of spreading consistency. Frost cooled bars.

Makes 2-3 dozen.

Peanut Butter Cookies

This is my standard peanut butter cookie and Hershey kiss cookie recipe.

1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c peanut butter
1 1/4 c flour
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and peanut butter together til combined. Add about half of the flour, all of the sugars, egg, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla. Beat til thoroughly mixed. Beat in remaining flour. Cover and chill dough for 1 hr.

Shape dough into 1" balls. Place 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten by criss-crossing with tines of a fork.

Bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 min or til bottoms are lightly browned. Cool cookies on a wire rack. Makes about 3 dozen.

For Hershey kiss cookies:

Follow above recipe but do not flatten cookies with a fork. Immediately after removing baked cookies from oven, place 1 Hershy kiss into center of each cookie.

Reese's Chewy Chocolate Cookies

(This is the recipe from the back of the Reese's peanut butter chips package.)

2 c flour
3/4 c cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 c shortening
2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 10 oz pkg peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In lg bowl, beat shortening and sugar til light and fluggy. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in chips. Drop by rounded tsp onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-9 min. (Do not overbake. Cookies will be soft.) Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen.

Peanut Butter Fudge

(This recipe is from the Quick Cooking 1999 cookbook.)

2 c sugar
1/2 c milk
1 1/3 c peanut butter
1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme

In a saucepan, bring sugar and milk to a boil; boil for 3 min. Add peanut butter and marshmallow creme; mix well. Quickly pour into a buttered 8" square pan; chill til set. Cut into squares. Makes 3-4 dozen.

Puppy Chow

This snack never lasts long at our house! The kids ask me for it often, and it's easy for them to help make.

9 c corn or rice Chex or Crispix
1 c chocolate chips
1/2 c peanut butter
1/4 c butter
1 1/2 c powdered sugar

Microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter 1 min. Stir. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between til smooth. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal in lg bowl. Stir til coated. Add powdered sugar; stir til coated. Store in airtight container.

Monster Cookies

When I was in college, some weekends my friends and I went home with a friend who lived much closer to school than we did. We often baked these cookies at her house and took them back to school with us.

Mix together:
6 eggs
2 c brown sugar
2 c sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp corn syrup
4 tsp baking soda
1 c butter

Stir in:
1 1/2 lbs peanut butter
9 c oatmeal
1 bag chocolate chips or M&M's (I like to substitute peanut butter chips or Reese's pieces sometimes.)

Drop on cookie sheet with Tbsp and flatten. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 min. Makes 90-100 cookies.

Crispy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

I modified a recipe in one of my cookbooks and added frosting and came up with these bars.

10 c rice krispies
1 1/2 c corn syrup
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
2 c peanut butter, divided
1 pkg (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

Put rice krispies in a very lg bowl. In a saucepan, combine corn syrup and sugars; bring to a boil. Boil for 1 min. Remove from heat and stir in 1 c peanut butter. Pour over rice krispies and mix. Press into a greased 15x10" pan. Put remaining peanut butter and chocolate chips into microwave safe bowl. Heat 1 min in microwave. Stir. Heat an additional 30 seconds. Stir til smooth. Pour over top of bars and spread. Cool and cut into bars. Makes 3 dozen.

Salted Nut Squares

I think of my midwife Liz when I make this recipe. One year when I was pregnant I took a plate of cookies and bars to her as a gift when I went to my appt. These bars were one of the kinds on the plate. She told me later that they were her husband's favorite!

3 c salted peanuts without skins, divided
2 1/2 Tbsp butter or margarine
2 c (12 oz) peanut butter chips
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
2 c mini marshmallows

Line the bottom and sides of an 11x7x2" pan with aluminum foil. Spray foil with cooking spray. Put half of the peanuts in the pan. Set aside.

Heat butter and peanut butter chips in microwave in lg bowl for 1 min. Stir. Heat at 30 second intervals as needed til all chips are melted, stirring in between. Add milk and marshmallows; stir til melted. Pour over peanuts.

Sprinkle the remaining peanuts on top. Cover and refrigerate. Cut into bars. Makes 3-4 dozen.

Double Peanut Butter Cake

(This recipe is from the Taste of Home 1998 cookbook.)

1/2 c creamy peanut butter
1/4 c butter or margarine, softened
3/4 c sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c milk

Frosting:
1/3 c chunky (or creamy) peanut butter
3 Tbsp butter or margarine, softened
3 c powdered sugar
1/4 c milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

In a mixing bowl, cream peanut butter, butter, and sugar. Add eggs; mis well. Combine flour, bakingn powder, and salt; add alternately with milk to the creamed mixture. Mix well. Pour into a greased 9" square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 min or til a toothpick insertend near the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

For frosting, cream peanut butter and butter. Add sugar, milk, and vanilla; mix til smooth. Frost cake. Makes 9 servings.

Peanut Butter Balls

(This is from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook.)

Everybody loves these! I think they're always the first things to disappear from the cookie plates I take when we visit people at Christmastime.

1/2 c peanut butter
3 Tbsp margarine or butter, softened
1 c powdered sugar
8 oz chocolate-flavored confectioners' coating

Stir together peanut butter and margarine. Gradually add sugar, stirring til combined. Shape into 1" balls; place on waxed paper. Let stand til dry, about 20 min (or put in freezer). Melt confectioners' coating. Cool slightly. Dip balls into melted coating; let excess drip off. (I use toothpicks to help get the balls out of the chocolate.) Place on waxed paper; let stnad til coating is dry. Makes about 30 pieces.