Peanut Butter Crispy Bars

Who doesn't love the peanut butter/chocolate combo? I know I do! I didn't have any dark chocolate, so I used semi-sweet for the icing too, but I think they turned out great! *Note: I didn't have an 8x8 pan, so I used one slightly bigger, therefore my bars were as thick, but still delicious!*



Source: Adapted from Annie's Eats

Ingredients:

For the crispy crust:
1 ¾ cups crisped rice cereal
¼ cup water
¼ cup sugar
3 tbsp. light corn syrup
3 tbsp. butter, melted

For the chocolate peanut butter layer:
5 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup creamy peanut butter

For the chocolate icing:
3 oz. dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ tsp. light corn syrup
4 tbsp. butter


Lightly spray a paper towel with nonstick cooking spray and use it to rub the bottom and sides of an 8×8” square baking pan.

To make the crispy crust, pour the cereal into a large bowl and set aside. Pour the water into a small saucepan. Gently add the sugar and the corn syrup (do not let any sugar or corn syrup get on the sides of the pan) and use a small wooden spoon to stir the mixture until just combined. Put a candy thermometer in the saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat and bring to a boil; cook until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage, 235° F.

Remove from the heat, stir in the butter, and pour the mixture over the cereal. Working quickly, stir until the cereal is thoroughly coated, then pour it into the prepared pan. Using your hands or a silicone spatula, press the mixture into the bottom of the pan (do not press up the sides). Let the crust cool to room temperature while you make the next layer.

To make the chocolate peanut butter layer, in a glass bowl set over a pot of boiling water, combine the chocolate and peanut butter. Cook, stirring with a spatula, until the mixture is completely smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir for 30 seconds to cool slightly. Pour the mixture over the cooled crust. Put the pan in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until the top layer hardens.

To make the chocolate icing, in a glass bowl set over boiling water, combine the chocolate, corn syrup and butter. Cook, stirring with a spatula, until the mixture is completely smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir for 30 seconds to cool slightly. Pour the mixture over the chilled chocolate peanut butter layer and spread carefully into an even layer. Put the pan into the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until the topping hardens.

Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

Im always looking for new recipes for chicken. Its such a versatile protein, but can get old quickly with no new ways to cook it. I saw this recipe on The Novice Chef and thought it looked delicious! I was very intrigued about the use of garlic and brown sugar together. I told my husband about the recipe and he kinda of turned up his nose (hes a VERY picky eater). I tried it anyway, cutting back on some of the brown sugar, and he LOVED it! This will definitely be made again! **Note: I used a non-stick skillet and this made for very easy clean up, since some of the sugar does get into the pan**



Ingredients:

4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 tablespoons butter
1 pound boneless chicken tender cut breast meat
Salt (I used kosher)
Fresh Ground Pepper
6 tablespoons packed brown sugar ( I used about 4 TBSP)

Melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter has completely melted and has started to bubble add your garlic. Allow the garlic to start to cook and become fragrant and then add your chicken tenders and season with the salt and pepper liberally. Cook thoroughly, internal temp should be around 160°, then add your brown sugar on the tops of each piece of meat. Let the brown sugar melt onto each piece, about 5 minutes. Enjoy!