I’m a huge fan of Reese’s. I don’t think there’s anything they make which I don’t like. Well, besides the inside out peanut butter cups. And the white chocolate peanut butter cups. Seriously, what were they thinking? Well, we all make bad decisions.

Anyway, any true Reese’s fan can tell you that the holiday edition items are the crème de la crème. Whether it’s the trees, eggs, or hearts, the peanut butter-to-chocolate ratio is so much more perfect.

Why make regular peanut butter cups when you can make delicious(and festive!) eggs? You wouldn’t. These were just as easy to make as regular cups, and I think I liked them more. I used peanut butter that was just peanuts and salt, but no-stir peanut butter should work as well. You could even use white chocolate instead of the semi-sweet chocolate, but I will judge you slightly(Just kidding… sort of).

Homemade Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 7 eggs):

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 4oz semi-sweet chocolate

Method:

1. Melt the butter and mix in the peanut butter and powdered sugar until there are no clumps(If you’re using no-stir peanut butter, you might want to melt that, too, so it’s easier to mix together).
2. Refrigerate the peanut butter mixture until it’s mostly solid.
3. While the peanut butter is chilling, melt the chocolate until smooth and silky. Let the chocolate sit at room temperature for 10 minutes once melted to cool slightly, but keep it hot enough so that it doesn’t reharden.
4. To shape the eggs, take about an ounce of chilled peanut butter dough and roll it in your palm into a log. Then press down slightly on both sides to flatten. If the dough gets too soft during this process, stick it back in the refrigerator or freezer for 10 minutes to make sure that it’s solid before touching the melted chocolate.
5. Drop the egg into the melted chocolate. Flip it using a spoon or a fork and spread the chocolate around the sides. Move the chocolate-covered egg onto a piece of parchment paper.
6. Repeat with all of the peanut butter and chocolate.
7. Refrigerate the eggs until the chocolate coating has hardened. Keep chilled for up to 2 weeks.

Just take my advice and double the recipe. 7 will hardly last a day.

I have a slight addiction to chocolate covered almonds. Whenever I get a tub from Trader Joe’s, it doesn’t last long. Sure, they’re somewhat healthy with almonds, but I could put them away like they’re their own food group. Besides, they cost way more than chocolate and almonds should.

This was my effort at making my own. These clusters were incredibly easy to make and tasted just as good as the store-bought ones. I would recommend using a good tasting, high-quality chocolate like Scharffen Berger of Valrhona since the flavor really matters when there are so few ingredients. The salt on top was the perfect added punch of flavor.

For a different flavor, add coarse turbinado sugar on top, or mix a flavor like cinnamon or chile powder into the melted chocolate.

Salted Chocolate Almond Clusters

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes(allow 30 minutes to cool)

Ingredients(Makes about 10 clusters):

• 6oz good quality semi-sweet or bitter-sweet baking chocolate
• 5oz almonds, raw or roasted
• Coarse sea salt

Method:

1. Carefully melt the chocolate in a microwave or over a double boiler.
2. Add in the almonds and stir them in.
3. Drop a tablespoon of chocolate almonds into a small cupcake tin. You could also make these flat like bark by laying it onto non-stick parchment paper.
4. Sprinkle course sea salt on top of the almonds.
5. Either let these harden at room temperature or—for a faster method—harden these in the refrigerator.
6. Store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

The All-Star Recipe Blog is where terrific bloggers post recipes with some of the unique and flavorful Peanut Butter & Co. peanut butters. It’s been running for a couple years now so there are already a treasure trove of recipes to look through and be inspired by.

My first of five recipes is up today for Portabella Sandwiches with Roasted Garlic Red Pepper Peanut Butter Spread. Do check it out and subscribe to the All-Star Recipe Blog for weekly doses of delicious recipes from terrific bloggers. To see my contributions, you can look at my blogger page; I’ll also be posting about it here whenever one of my recipes is up.

And if you really love peanut butter, you’re in luck because there’ll be a peanut buttery recipe coming up later this week on this blog.

Happy President’s Day weekend to all my American readers. I’m going to admit that until 2 days ago I had no clue it was President’s Day today; in fact, I wished one of my friends a happy Martin Luther King day until I looked that up and realized I’m a month behind. Oops.

I haven’t really been in the holiday mindset since I have 5 hours of class today. Still, I don’t need an excuse to spend all weekend making desserts so that’s what I did.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve posted this fudge recipe, so we’re just going to call this a “double take”. It’s one of my favorite desserts to make because it’s easy and delicious; you probably already have all the ingredients.

I’ve had readers make this without the added sugar or substituting coconut oil for the butter and I hear it works great. I haven’t tried either of those substitutions, but I have made it with coconut milk and Earth Balance margarine and it comes out terrific that way, too.

Microwave Fudge

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 16 servings):

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 4oz stick butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup milk(or non-dairy substitute)

Method:

1. Melt together the chocolate chips and butter.
2. Sift in the powdered sugar and pour in the milk. Mix until completely uniform.
3. Pour the hot fudge into a 6 x 6 pan. Refrigerate until the fudge sets.
4. Cut into 1 1/2 inch squares(this might be easier to do if the fudge has softened a bit) and serve slightly chilled.

I hope you don’t wait for the next holiday to try this one out.

Something hit me when I was browsing TasteSpotting a couple weeks ago: I haven’t had a cookie cake in ages. I decided right then I wanted a cookie cake at my birthday party this year, because clearly I’m 20 going on 12. But then I figured why wait? I could bake a cookie cake for any occasion.

Of course I made mine gluten-free using one of my favorite flours: Almond flour. It also just happens to be dairy-free because I was low on butter that day. The peanut butter helps to act as a binder, makes the cake richer and adds a nutty flavor. You could substitute in almond butter to work around a peanut allergy.

I liked mine slightly under-baked because it kept the inside moist and gooey almost like eating cookie dough. If you like your cookies a little crustier, I would recommend adding a few minutes onto the baking time and watching it carefully.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond flour
• 6 Tablespoons cane sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup water
• 6 Tablespoons chocolate chips

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix together the almond flour, sugar, and baking powder.
3. Beat in the eggs, peanut butter, oil, vanilla extract, and water.
4. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Grease an 8-inch cake pan. Pour the batter in and spread it around the bottom into an even layer.
6. Bake for 20 minutes until the outside is firm and bounces back to the touch.
7. Let cool slightly before cutting in.

I thought this could have used a little more sugar, but that’s probably because I love things sweet. If you’re making this for adults, it’ll be fine the way the recipe is. If you’re making this for little children or me, I would add a 1/4 cup of sugar to the recipe.

Every time I open a jar of marinara sauce, I feel a little guilty. I worked in an Italian restaurant for 3 months where I made the pasta while homemade tomato sauce was going on the stove every morning. And yet I will choose jarred tomato sauce over making my own every damn time. Trader Joe’s, Prego, Ragu—it doesn’t matter; even bad marinara sauce is still pretty damn good.

One of my favorite meals to make is eggs poached in tomato sauce over some kind of carbs, usually quinoa but in this case corn pasta I picked up at Trader Joe’s to try out. I had low expectations and it blew me away; I would not have known this were gluten-free if I hadn’t cooked it myself. There isn’t as much fiber or protein as brown rice pasta, but for the genuine taste and texture this pasta completely wins out.

I posted this recipe over the Summer, but I’m posting it again because I think it should be something everyone tries.

Eggs Poached in Tomato Sauce

You’ll need:

• 2/3 cup marinara sauce
• 2-4 eggs
• A large frying pan with a lid

Method:

1. Heat the marinara sauce in the frying pan over medium heat until it’s boiling.
2. Gently crack the eggs into the sauce and cover the pan.
3. After about a minute, once the white on top of the yolks have cooked, remove the pan from the heat and serve over pasta.

I could eat this every day; actually, there are probably weeks when I do. I hope you will, too.

I pretty much eat the same things for breakfast every morning. Either it’s a bowl of gluten-free oats with eggs, banana and peanut butter or a coconut flour breakfast bake topped with peanut butter, unless I’m in a sweets mood in which case I’ll make a paleo mug cake and top it with peanut butter.

Are you seeing a pattern? I really love peanut butter at breakfast time.

The only thing that I enjoy as much as peanut butter at breakfast is chocolate. Naturally, the two can only be better together.

I actually made this recipe last year around this time and completely forgot about it until I was shopping for ingredients. I figured it was time to remake it and take better photos, anyway. And I could never say no to having chocolate peanut butter on hand.

Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 16oz):

• 12oz(about 1 1/4 cup) plain peanut butter
• 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt(omit if you’re using salted peanut butter)

Method:

1. Combine all of the ingredients together and mix until smooth
2. Store at room temperature in a sealed container for up to 2 week.

I’ll give you a tip: It’s not going to last 2 weeks once you start tasting.

I’ve gotten a name for posting brownie recipes. I don’t think I post them that often, but there are plenty of worse things to be called than “Brownie blogger” so I’ll take it. I do love brownies(I don’t know who wouldn’t). And I’ve made them often enough to know a good brownie recipe from a bad one when I see it.

But first I should probably clarify what I mean by “good”, because with something like brownies that can be very subjective. A good brownie to me is dense and fudgy with a dark and complex flavor—not too sweet—, and not at all cakey. If I wanted something cakey I’d bake a cake. A good recipe could set even a novice baker up to making the best brownies of their life.

A good brownie recipe should have melted chocolate in the batter. If a recipe only has cocoa powder but no melted chocolate, just keep looking. It’s not going to be as fudgy or dark a flavor without the cocoa butter.

A good brownie recipe should have butter. Real butter. Now, no offense to vegans because I love vegan baking, too. But butter really makes all the difference in the flavor of brownies. I’d stay clear of a recipe that uses all oil, margarine, or even applesauce or yogurt. It’s dessert; it’s not meant to be healthy.

The quality of your chocolate/butter matter. One of the simplest things you can do to elevate any brownie recipe is use really good chocolate. Chocolate chips may work in cookies, but they aren’t really right for melting into brownie batter. A high quality baking chocolate is going to have a much better texture and flavor. I would recommend using whatever you would eat on its own(I say that as someone who regularly eats chocolate chips from the bag but let’s pretend I don’t). Some good brands I’d recommend that would make really impressive brownies are Scharffen Berger, Callebaut, and Valrhona. There are plenty others, too.

The butter also matters and is something often overlooked. A European butter or butter made from grass-fed cows has a much stronger flavor than something like Land O Lakes that comes through in the finished recipe. I suggest Kerrygold or Smor.

The flour matters. Brownies made with whole wheat flour are going to be tougher and cakier than ones made with cake flour, which is more refined. If you insist on a whole grain flour, look for pastry flour for something a little lighter. Better yet, skip the gluten altogether and bake gluten-free with almond flour, which doesn’t act as a binder and so won’t make your brownies tough. Avoid starchy gluten-free flours like coconut flour or garbanzo bean flour that will also make the brownies tough.

The little touches matter. Most brownie recipes will be improved with a little vanilla extract, some instant coffee granules, and a pinch of salt. Even if the recipe doesn’t call for any of those, don’t be shy to add them in and boost the flavor; you should always keep these on hand when baking with chocolate. And just because they’re brownies doesn’t mean they couldn’t use a frosting or ganache.

Did I forget anything? What makes your favorite brownie recipe the best brownie recipe?

On a completely separate note, this is the last weekend to vote in the Nutty About Yogurt contest hosted by Stonyfield Farm and Peanut Butter & Co. If you haven’t voted yet, I would really appreciate your vote for my muffin recipe. And you’ll be entered to win a Stonyfield and Peanut Butter & Co. prize pack, too.

I’m not really a fan of Valentine’s Day. There are so many other holidays I’d rather celebrate, like Arbor Day or the Ides of March. But if celebrating means baking and devouring delicious red and black brownies, then I will reluctantly celebrate.

Starbucks used to(or maybe they still do?) sell these terrific fudgy brownies with raspberry sauce artfully swirled in on top and I would get them most days after school. I’d honestly choose raspberries and chocolate over peanut butter and chocolate most days; I think the pairing is that good.

For this recipe, I just used my standard gluten-free brownie recipe and added in the raspberry preserves to elevate it to those Starbucks brownies. If you have a favorite brownie recipe—gluten-free or not—you can always use that and just follow the last couple of steps to add the raspberry in.

Gluten-Free Raspberry Swirl Brownies

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 1 8 x 8 pan):

• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4oz baking chocolate
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup raspberry preserves

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix together the almond flour, salt, cocoa powder, and baking powder.
3. Beat in the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until mixed.
4. In a separate bowl, melt together 4 ounces of chocolate along with the butter.
5. Slowly pour the melted chocolate and butter into the batter while whisking until fully incorporated.
6. Pour the batter in a greased 8 x 8 pan.
7. Drop the raspberry preserves on top and swirl around lightly into the batter to cover most but not all of the top(If you want to do this more artfully than I did, put the jam into a plastic bag, cut off one of the corners and squeeze it into lines across the top of the brownies. Then run a knife along the top in lines perpendicular to the jam to create a swirl effect).
8. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean. Let these cool completely before cutting in.

OK, maybe Valentine’s Day won’t be so bad. So long as I get to eat all the brownies.

I’m constantly eating during the day. I can never understand those people who “forget” to have a meal or go 6-7 hours without eating; the roaring of my stomach would not let me or anyone else in the room forget to eat. It just wouldn’t happen.

On Monday I have a class for 5 straight hours in the afternoon. Considering I can’t go 2 hours without needing to eat something, that alarmed me at first. I knew I’d need snacks—lots and lots of snacks—to keep focus. Something portable and nutritious, just like trail mix.

Trail mix can really be anything. When I was thinking of what to make mine like, I thought about the pumpkin seeds I had in the pantry and all the things I’d put in pumpkin bread: walnuts, ginger, raisins, chocolate if I felt like it. So why not make a pumpkin bread trail mix? Only without the bread. Because bread doesn’t make great trail mix.

Besides being delicious, this trail mix has a lot to offer. Iron-deficiency is commonly associated with vegetarianism because of the lack of red meat. But that doesn’t have to be the case with a good diet. Pumpkin seeds and raisins are both high in iron*. Walnuts are a great source of omega-3s as everyone knows by now. And ginger is a cold-fighting ingredient(not to mention tastes great when it’s candied, just like anything else).

Pumpkin Seed Trail Mix

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup shelled pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup diced candied ginger
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate, white chocolate, or cinnamon chips

Method:

1. Toss all of the ingredients together and enjoy.

*I got all of those facts about iron off of Wikipedia, just like a good student would.