cleaning cupboards recipe #2: peanut butter cup type bars...

as the adventures in cupboard cleaning continues, stumbling upon three packages of graham crackers and a 1/2 cup of milk chocolate chips brings the obvious recipe of peanut butter cup-type bars...mmm, just like those terrible (wonderful) candy cups, this made-at-home recipe rivals it closely.

take one package of graham crackers and beat the tar out of them with a rolling pin--you may want to put them in a plastic bag first, but that mess is entirely up to you.  dump them in a medium mixing bowl and add powdered sugar.  set aside.

in a small saucepan, melt butter with peanut butter.  once melted, remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  add to graham cracker mixture and stir to combine.

lightly spray an 8x8 pan and lightly press graham cracker mixture into pan.  in another saucepan (or microwave-safe bowl), melt milk chocolate chips and semi-sweet chips together.  then spread that glorious mixture over top the graham cracker layer.

now, a more classy blogger would refrigerate this for 30-45 minutes until the chocolate sets, would then cut a perfectly measured portion and show you the layers in beautiful symmetry.  but....well...that is not the way of my people.  my people are more of a scoop-a-heap-while-it's-still-warm kind of people.  which is why you get this instead:

yes, these can be made in mini-muffin cups.  you could also paint melted chocolate on the bottom and sides of said mini-muffin cups, freeze for the chocolate to set, then fill with graham cracker mixture, then top with rest of chocolate.  yeah.  we didn't do that today.  somedays the craving for pb&choc is too strong for such dilly-dallying.

make your choice.  enjoy the results!

peanut butter cup-type bars


1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

crush graham crackers to make 1 1/2 cups of crumbs (approximately 12 long crackers).  put in medium mixing bowl.  add powdered sugar and set aside.

in a small saucepan, melt peanut butter and butter together, stirring continually to keep butter from browning.  remove from heat and add vanilla.  pour over graham cracker mixture.

lightly spray an 8x8 baking dish.  lightly press graham cracker mixture into dish.  melt all chocolate chips together.  spread over graham cracker mixture.

refrigerate until chocolate is set.  can be kept, covered, at room temperature.