Do the Monster Munch!

Yeah, yeah, I know! I can be a bit of a slacker when it comes to blogging.  Especially when college demands that all your waking hours be effervescently devoted to tests, papers, abstracts, quizzes, research applications, more tests, studying, busy work, study guides, ETC, ETC.  This last week has been probably the busiest, most insane, hectic, crazy, STRESSFUL week yet this year.  But, alas, I am almost through it! Tomorrow is Friday.  And, even better- it is almost Halloween!

Do you like Halloween? I'll be honest... I love it!  I'm not the biggest fan of all the crazy dance parties where everyone in sight is dressed... scantily (to say the least).  BUT, I love the feel of the fall, with the cool air, and yummy treats, and the fact that Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner.  Plus, who doesn't love candy.  Don't even try to say you don't.

 This "Monster Munch" is courtesy of the blog, Our Best Bites- they've got a lot of really yummy-looking stuff!  It is super Halloween-y, YUMMY, and easy, easy, easy.

 

The reason some of it is white, and the some is brown-ish is because I tried to get creative and add chocolate chips to half of the batch while mixing (I doubled it).  I wasn't really thinking... the melted white almond bark definitely caused the chocolate chips to partly melt.  But taste-wise... both kinds are equally delicious and I kind of liked the addition of the caramel color!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Monster Munch

1 lb. almond bark

12 cups popped popcorn (I used natural, with no butter flavor)

1 cup candy corn

1 cup dry roasted, salted peanuts

1/2 cup Reese's Pieces

Pop popcorn (discard kernels) and place in a large bowl- the largest you have to make mixing easier.  Pour peanuts, candy corn, and Reese's Pieces on top.  Take a large knife and break up almond bark.  Melt according to package directions.  (Best to just chop up and microwave in intervals, stirring as it goes)  Pour over popcorn mixture.  Stir until everything is well coated and then spread out onto waxed paper, parchment, or foil.  Let sit until completely dry, and then break into clumps.   

Banana Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

I'd like to take credit for this beautiful photo and recipe, but I can't because unfortunately this amazingness was not from me.  Jenny Flake at Picky Palate has come up with way too may sinful concoctions: from chocolate covered peanut butter brownie bites to caramel pumpkin cheesecake cups to cookies and cream banana bread! Like I said, pretty much illegal. And I love it.  Check out her website.

This genius-of-a-cookie was a must try in my book, since banana + peanut butter only equals pure bliss.  Honestly, if you've never tried slathering a banana with crunchy (or creamy) peanut butter, you have not lived.

Add in a cookie, and we're talking I died five minutes ago, and am way too happy in peanut butter-banana heaven.

These cookies are even slightly healthy, or rather I'll say healthiER because there is no butter.  Nope, none!  The mashed banana  acts as a substitute, although with the peanut butter, it gives the dough a slightly sticky texture, but the cookie turns out light, fluffy and incredibly delectable.  

Banana Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
from Picky Palate

½ Cup mashed ripe banana, about 1 medium banana

¼ Cup granulated sugar
¼ Cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 medium egg or ½ of a beaten large egg
¼ Cup creamy peanut butter
¾ Cup whole wheat flour (if you substitute white flour, you’ll have to add more, about 1 Cup)
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
10 regular size Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, cubed (I cut them in thirds, then thirds again)
1/3 cup additional sugar for rolling (I used a larger dusting sugar, use what you’d like)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place banana and both sugars into stand or electric mixer on medium speed and mix until well combined. Mix in vanilla, egg and peanut butter until combined on medium speed.

2. Place flour baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Slowly add to the wet ingredients until JUST combined, then add the Reeses Cups. Don’t over mix this.

3. Scoop cookie dough using a medium cookie scoop, roll into sugar and place onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. Using the palm of your hand, gently press down cookies so they are about ½ inch thick, they don’t spread much. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until cooked but still soft. Let cool for 3 minutes on hot cookie sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Makes about 20 medium cookies

Crunchy Caramel Reese's Cookie Bars

SO basically... I just got back from a 5-day trip to Oklahoma. And you all know that traveling is the worst when trying to eat healthily!!

Crap.

But, I will hand it to the Oklahomans that they offer some pretty DARN good food.  There was nothing to do in that city except for walk around, and eat. basically.  So, consequently, the next month or so I will be working really hard to compensate for the extra, but glorious calories I consumed on my trip.

HOWEVER,

I must share this amazing recipe that I came upon last week.

This was before I went to OK, and i was feeling a sugar craving, and lo and behold, I came upon the most amazing chocolatey-peanut-buttery treat, EVER. I must share.

These things are DIVINE.  They can be found at this blog: Let's Dish  
Please make these, they will make you extremely happy! 

Crunchy Caramel Reese's Cookie Bars  

Ingredients
1 (16.5 oz.) roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 cup crushed pretzels
1 (12 oz.) bag mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, unwrapped
10 caramels, unwrapped
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray an 8×8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Cut cookie dough roll in half and press half of dough evenly into bottom of prepared baking dish. Layer with crushed pretzels. Cut peanut butter cups in half and layer over pretzels. In a small bowl, melt caramels and milk in microwave for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.  Pour caramel over peanut butter cups. Crumble remaining cookie dough evenly over top. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.  Let cool completely.  Melt chocolate chips in microwave until smooth and drizzle over top of bars. 

ENJOY!

Life's Too Sweet to Skip Dessert.