Chocolate Peanut Butter Hearts

Perfect little treat for Galentine's Day tonight!!  My favorite part is the little sprinkle of salt!!  SO YUMMY!!

Serves 12

Ingredients

• ½ cup all-natural creamy peanut butter (or other nut butter)
• 1 tablespoon coconut flour
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• ¾ cup dark chocolate chips*
• coarse sea salt, for topping (optional)

Instructions

• In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, coconut flour, maple syrup, and salt. Stir until a thick, smooth batter is created. It should have a texture similar to a soft play-doh. Place it in the fridge for 20 minutes, if needed, to help it firm up. (Or in the freezer for 10 minutes.)
• You can make the peanut butter hearts 2 ways. The first way is to line a baking sheet or plate with parchment paper and place your cookie cutter of choice on top of it. Use your hands to pinch off about a tablespoon of the peanut butter dough and press it into the cookie cutter, using your fingers to press the dough evenly into the shape. Feel free to use more or less batter to create the thickness you want. (This will vary depending on the size of your cookie cutter.) Use your fingers to gently press the dough into the lined baking sheet as you pull the cookie cutter upwards, releasing the dough from the cookie cutter. Repeat with the remaining batter, filling the pan, then place them in the freezer to set.
• The other way to make the heart shapes is to roll the entire batch of peanut butter filling between two sheets of parchment paper. Use a cookie cutter to cut-out as many shapes as you can, then remove the excess, leaving the cut-out hearts on the parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining dough, and transfer the parchment paper to a large baking sheet. Place the pan full of hearts in the freezer to set until firm, about 10-20 minutes.
• To prepare the chocolate coating, melt the dark chocolate chips. Remove the peanut butter hearts from the freezer, and then spoon the chocolate over the tops of the hearts. Smooth the tops quickly, as the chocolate may start to harden as it touches the cold peanut butter cups. Flip the hearts over and coat the other side. I don't worry about coating the sides of the hearts (it can be a messy undertaking) but you can if you want to.
• Sprinkle the hearts with coarse sea salt, if you'd like to, while the chocolate is still melted. Then place the pan in the freezer to set, about 10 minutes. Enjoy these hearts cold from the fridge or freezer. (We prefer the fridge for a softer experience.) They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Chocolate Protein Crunch Cups

Always love finding high protein snacks for the boys -- this was super easy to make and makes a lot!!!

Make 18 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup nut butter (I used PB)

1 cup maple syrup or honey

3 cups rice puffed cereal

1/2 cup dark chocolate

3 scoops chocolate protein powder

In a bowl, mix nut butter with syrup and protein powder until combined.  Add cereal and mix well, transfer to a silicone muffin pan (or an 8x8 lined pan and press firmly down to create an even layer).

Melt chocolate and pour over the cereal mixture.

Pop into the freezer for 30-45 minutes till firm.

Store in a sealed container in the fridge for 1 - 2 weeks.

Patriotic Party Mix

This was super cute for our Olympic viewing party :)  Easy to make!!

Ingredients

• 4 cups Chex cereal
• 3 cups Cheerios
• 2 cups pretzels snaps
• 1–1/2 cups dry roasted peanuts
• 1 (16 ounce) package candiquik candy coating or 1 (20 ounce) package vanilla almond bark
• 2 (1.7 ounce) containers red, white and blue sprinkles
• 1 cup regular red, white and blue M&M’s
• 1 cup peanut red, white and blue M&M’s
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1. In a large bowl, combine the Chex cereal, Cheerios, pretzels and peanuts.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the almond bark or candy coating according to package directions, usually 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth. Be sure not to over melt the almond bark as it will burn and become too thick to stir and coat the mix evenly.
3. Pour the melted almond bark over the ingredients in the large bowl and toss to coat with a large spoon. Ingredients should be evenly coated in the almond bark.
4. Spread the mixture out in an even layer on parchment paper. Immediately sprinkle with the sprinkles and then the M&M’s. Allow mixture to cool completely. Break apart to serve. Store in an airtight container or baggie.

Nutter Butter Chicks

How cute are these little chicks?!  They were so yummy too!!!

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INGREDIENTS

16Nutter Butter sandwich cookies
• 12ounces yellow candy melts or 12 ounces white chocolate candy melts, with yellow food coloring (must be an oil-based coloring)
• 8orange Tic Tac mints (beak)
• black decorating gel (eyes) or icing (eyes)
• wax paper

DIRECTIONS

• Cut the Tic Tacs in half to form the chick's beak. Set aside.
• Melt the candy coating as directed on the package. I use the microwave. If using white candy melts, add enough yellow food coloring to get a bright yellow tint.
• Dip the Nutter Butter cookies in the melted candy coating, shake off the excess, then lay on the wax paper. Allow the coating to harden, about 10-20 minutes.
• Pipe eyes on each chick. Add eyebrows or eye lashes if you like -- I think it gives them more personality.
• Beak: Attach the beak using a bit of melted candy coating.

Bunny Mix

Hosted Easter Vigil with Sodahls and wanted to  do a Easter charcuterie -- found this recipe and figured I would put on there!!  It got eaten right up!!!

Serves 10

 INGREDIENTS

• ▢1 ½ Cups funfetti cake mix
• ▢1 lb white almond bark
• ▢8 cups Rice Chex
• ▢2 cups mini pretzel twists
• ▢¼ cup powdered sugar
• ▢2 cups fruit mini marshmallows
• ▢Easter Sprinkles
• ▢2 cups pastel M&Ms
• ▢2 cups Cadbury eggs

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour the funfetti cake mix onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes to kill any bacteria in the raw cake mix.
  1 1/2 Cups funfetti cake mix
• Melt the almond bark in a large microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments until melted.
  1 lb white almond bark
• Once the almond bark is melted and smooth, add in the cereal and pretzels. Gently stir to coat the pretzels and cereal with the almond bark. Be careful not to crush the rice cereal as you add it in.
  8 cups Rice Chex,2 cups mini pretzel twists
• Place the coated cereal and pretzels into a jumbo sized zipper top bag (or split it into two gallon size bags). Add the powdered sugar and cake mix into the bag with the cereal mixture (or split between the two bags) and shake gently to coat the cereal and pretzels in the powdered sugar and cake mix.
  1/4 cup powdered sugar
• Add the rest of the ingredients – marshmallows, spring sprinkles, and Easter candies like Easter M&Ms and Cadbury mini eggs – into the bags (or split between the two bags). Shake to mix the add-in ingredients throughout the white chocolate coated cereal and pretzels to finish the bunny snack mix!
  2 cups fruit mini marshmallows,Easter Sprinkles,2 cups pastel M&Ms,2 cups Cadbury eggs
• Pour the mixture into a bowl and serve!

TIPS & NOTES:

Make sure to use a bag (or bags) large enough that you have space to mix the ingredients around so they can get evenly coated. If you try to put everything into one gallon-size bag, it may fit but you won’t be able to shake it to coat. You can also try to do this in a large bowl, but the bag option is much cleaner and easier.

Store any leftovers from this Easter bunny bait recipe in an airtight container either at room temperature one week or in the refrigerator for two weeks.

Double or triple this recipe easily to make a big batch by just increasing the ingredients

Easter Charcuterie Board

 Love myself a good themed Charcuterie Board :)  We had enough apps so decided to make a dessert themed one -- this was gobbled up in seconds!!!

Monster Cookie Pudding Parfaits

Daliege's hosted us tonight to kick off Spring Break, so I decided to make a fun treat for the kiddos!!  This was delicious (I am told since I don't like dessert) :)  Super easy to make too!!!

I put the cutie stickers on them too :)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups oats
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 cup golden brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup salted butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup mini M&Ms
• 2 cups milk
• 3.9 oz instant chocolate pudding mix
• 13 oz whipped cream , aerosol can
• 1/3 cup mini M&Ms

1. Pour oats, peanut butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, softened butter and vanilla extract into a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to combine.
2. Add 2/3 cup mini M&Ms to the bowl and stir into the dough.
3. In a separate mixing bowl combine milk and pudding powder using the electric mixer on low speed until the pudding is nice and thick.
4. Take half of the cookie dough mixture and spoon it into the bottoms of 6 ten ounce cups.
5. Take all of the pudding and spoon it into the cups on top of the cookie dough.
6. Spoon the remaining cooking dough on top of the pudding.
7. Right before serving top off each cup with some whipped cream and sprinkle mini M&Ms on top. Do not add the whipped cream too soon before serving because it will deflate over time.
8. Serve and enjoy!

Dirt Cup Dessert

 Evan had a camping themed birthday party so I had to have his bday dessert to match!!!  These were easy and the kids loved them!!!

• 1 3.9 ounce package chocolate instant pudding mix
• 2 cups cold milk
• 1 8 ounce whipped topping
• 20 Oreo cookies finely crushed, with filling removed
• 10 gummy worms

• Whisk together pudding and milk in a medium bowl for 2 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Fold in whipped topping into chocolate pudding
• Spoon into 10 {6 oz} plastic cups.
• Top with the remaining cookie crumbs.
• Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Top with 2 gummy worms each just before serving

Pumpkin pie bites

I'm not a huge of sweets or pie...or pumpkin for that matter but these were really good hahaha

 Ingredients:
Pumpkin pie
Whipped cream
Cinnamon

I cut out little bite size "cupcakes" from the pumpkin pie -- topped with whipped cream - and put a dash of cinnamon on top.  DELICIOUS!!

Grilled Peaches with Ice Cream

We were HOME on a weekend and wanted a fun summer treat!!!  This was delicious!!  We did honey instead of raspberry balsamic so the boys would gobble it up :)  SO yummy!!

Ingredients:

Ripe, but slightly firm peaches or nectarines

Blood Orange or Lemon Olive Oil

Vanilla ice cream

Raspberry Balsamic

Preheat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan

Cut peaches in half and remove pits. Cut each half in half again so peach is cut into 4 pieces. Drizzle peaches with olive oil and rub in to cover all surfaces

Place peaches on grill for 1-2 minutes, turning just once, to create grill marks on all sides. Remove from grill and let rest while you scoop ice cream

Place a generous scoop of ice cream in each bowl and top with grilled peaches. Drizzle with Raspberry Balsamic to taste.

Easter dessert

You all know I'm not a baker AT ALL....but I hosted Easter and wanted a cute dessert SOOOOO check out my "garden of carrots"  :)  I didn't try it but heard it was YUMMY!!!!

Ingredients:
15 large strawberries
1 box brownie mix
1 tub chocolate frosting
Orange food coloring
1 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
18 oreos, crushed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 Robin egg candies
1 tablespoon coconut oil
cooking spray

Make brownie mix and pour into 9x13 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  I put parchment paper down and pour the mix on that (then I could lift it out of the pan to put on serving tray). 

After it was cool, frost brownies.  Smash oreos and sprinkle on top.

Melt white chocolate chips, stir in 1T coconut oil, and then stir in LOTS of orange food coloring!!

Put a skewer in each strawberry and dip in orange chocolate!!  Put on parchment paper and put in fridge for 15 minutes.  Then just plop those "carrots" on your cake and put robin eggs by them :)