Chocolate covered Peanut Butter and Jelly patties

The other day I was talking to So, my little 9 year old niece about Valentines day and what she loves about it. Of course the conversation quickly because about food and then about candy and what kind of candy is the best. So, being the eater that she is, had a tendency to steer towards anything chocolate and eats more peanut butter then me, (and I eat a lot) which meant that it was decided that the best candy is chocolate and peanut butter anything. We then decided that I should make peanut butter chocolates for Valentines day.. We wanted to do it together but she has like school and all sorts of after school ballet classes all week so yeah, she told me I should just go ahead a make a batch for her, And you know what, that is what I did. And because I wanted to make them a little more, I don’t know, fun, I added the jelly. Who wouldn’t want a chocolate covered peanut butter and jelly?

These patties are super easy to make. The only time consuming part is freezer time for setting the peanut butter. There are no crazy ingredients, just peanut butter, jelly, graham crackers (the peanut butter part is ground up with graham crackers to give it some heft and a little cookieness) and chocolate (plus a little oil to melt with the chocolate). And the results are as good, if not better then any chocolate you will find at any store. Plus if you are feeling fancy you can drizzle white chocolate and or add sprinkles because um, yeah. So cute!

Anyways, I made the patties and have hidden most of them away (from the mr) to bring over to So. I am a little worried she won’t like the jelly because she really has very specific food preferences and we didn't talk about the jelly part…. But again, super easy to make and if she doesn't like them I know a bunch of other littles (and the mr) that will love them. And now that I am thinking about it I am probably should make another batch to share with the other littles anyways so I’ll just make more and set aside a few without the jelly, just in case.

Man those littles, they got me whipped. HA!

Now to the peanut butter and jelly patties!

The stuff. Peanut Butter, jelly, graham crackers, chocolate chunks and coconut oil.

Super basic. Add graham crackers to food processor and blend until the crackers are super crumby. Add in the peanut butter and pulse (scrap sides if needed) until the graham crumble and peanut butter are completely incorporated.

Scoop out balls of the peanut butter graham cracker mixture onto a wax or silicone lined baking sheet. Once all scooped, roll into a ball then with you finger (dipped in water to prevent sticking,) make a little well in each ball and flame it a bit. Fill the wells with jam then place the baking sheet into the freezer. Freezer for about an hour.

Right before you take the peanut butter jelly patties from the freezer, melt chocolate. Just add the oil to the chocolate and place in the microwave for about 30 seconds, Stir around until it starts to melt. Stick it back in the microwave for another 15 seconds if it didn't get ht enough to become smooth.

And once you have the chocolate smooth, grab the frozen patties and start dipping them in the chocolate. I don’t know what I was thinking at the time but I went ahead and spooned the chocolate on top then realized that I need to the do the bottoms so had to let them harden and them had to dip the bottom after whihj was annoying. So Mayne just dip the whole thing in the first time.

And if you are feeling fancy, decorate the patties. Sprinkles are alway welcomed around here so I melted a little white chocolate and dazzled it on and stuck the sprinkles to that because the chocolate what already hard (if adding sprinkles they need to be added before the chocolate gets hard) and plus the white chocolate looks pretty.

And that is it. Chocolate covered peanut butter and jelly patties. Perfect for all chocolate needs and maybe a sweet treat to make for your special Valentine… Or a 9 year old that basically told you too. 🤣

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Chocolate covered Peanut Butter and Jelly patties

makes around 15 chocolate patties

• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (the non natural kind like skippy)

• 1/3 cup strawberry jam

• 8 whole graham crackers

• 1 1/4 cup dark or semi sweet chocolate chips or chunks

• 2 teaspoons coconut oil

• sprinkles and or 1/4 cup white chocolate chips (optional)

Start but placing graham crackers into a food processor and blend until they have became a medium fine crumb. Add in the peanut butter and pulse (scraping down sides if needed) until the peanut butter and graham cracker crumb have been completely incorporated so about a minute or 2.

Line a baking sheet with wax paper or silicone mat and scoop out about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and roll into a ball. Place on baking sheet and with a wet finger (so it doesn’t stick) slightly flatten the ball and make a little well into the patty. Fill the wells up with about 1/2 teaspoon or so of jam. Once they all have been jammed place the baking sheet into the freezer. Let the patties freeze for about an hour.

Right before taking the peanut butter patties from freezer, melt chocolate. If using a microwave just add oil to the chocolate and melt for 15 second increments unit the chocolate starts to melt. (30-45 seconds should be enough). Once the chocolate is starting to. melt, stir untll smooth. Or if doing it on the stove, stir chocolate in a double boiler until smooth.

Once chocolate is ready pull the peanut butter patties from the freezer. Dip each patties (jelly side up, into chocolate so it is completely covered and place back on baking sheet. If you want to add sprinkles, do it right away before chocolate sets. If you want to add white chocolate, let the dark chocolate set until hard and then melt white chocolate the way you did the dark chocolate and then drizzle it on.

And that is it. You then eat them. Store left over chocolates in airtight container. They are fine at room temperature but are best left in the freezer.

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Date Balls

This is me here trying to be nice and make a sweet little treat for the mr. And to prove to him (without him knowing) that he really does like dates because really, every one does they just might not know it.

Why do I care if he likes dates or not? Well I don’t think I really care but the past few weeks I have been making batches of trail mix with all sorts of goodies (dried fruits and nuts ) and have been chopping up dates and throwing them in as well. He’s been picking around the dates because he thinks they are gross. And that is just not true. He just doesn’t understand. So I made him understand. And understand he did when I made a batch and he ate them al within a day. Don’t like dates my ass.

These little chocolate covered peanut butter balls are freaking awesome. I would describe them as tasting like a soft, chewy, more nutty peanut butter cup and who doesn't want that? Plus they take little to no hands on time, require no oven, and all you need are just a a few ingredients. Win win win!

Are these little sweet peanut butter date balls made of love? Of course. Are they vindictive? Maybe a little but I don’t really care because they are awesome and everyone loves them. Even if they say they hate dates.

Now to the peanut butter date balls!

The stuff. Pitted delget dates, oats, peanut butter, chocolate chips, a little coconut oil, and flaky salt.

Soak the dates in hot water for a few minutes to make sure they are really soft.

Then you place dates, peanut butter, and oats into a food processor and blend unit la smooth stick dough forms.

Scoop and roll dough into balls and place into freezer for 1/2 hour or so to firm up.

And melt the chocolate with the coconut oil until smooth.

Once chocolate is melted, remove balls from freezer and start dipping them into chocolate. After a few are covered, sprinkle the tops with a few flakes of salt before he chocolate hardens.

And that is it. Place balls in a airtight container and keep in freezer. Eat whenever. And you will eat them fast because, BECAUSE! dates are delicious.

-C

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Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Date Balls

makes 12-16 balls

• 20 pitted delget dates ( You can use medjool but they are twice as expensive and sweeter., and bigger so only use 12 or so)

• 1/2 cup old fashion oats

• 1/3 cup peanut butter

• 1/3 cup chocolate chips

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil

• flaky sea salt

Start by soaking dates in hot water for 5-10 minutes until they soften a bit. Drain water and place the dates, oats, and peanut butter into a food processor. Pulse then blend until a everything is all blended smooth and a sticky dough forms. You are going to have to stop a few times to scrap the sides down. Once dough forms, take a spoon or scooper and scoop out the dough into 12 equal sized balls. With take each ball and roll around to make smooth and place on a plate or a baking sheet. Once all balls are scooped and rolled, place in freezer for 1/2 hour to firm up.

Right before taking the balls out, add coconut oil to chocolate chips and melt either in microwave (15 second intervals until melted) or on stove. Grab frozen balls (they don’t get hard, just firm), and start dipping them into the chocolate. After doing 2-3 three, sprinkle the tops with a couple flakes of sea salt.

Once all balls are covered( eat one) place in the freezer in air tight container until you want to eat them.

They should be good for a least a month in the freezer but I wouldn't know for sure seeing as these were gone the day after I made them. Both times.

Popped Quinoa Chocolate Crunch Bark

My family is big. And my family is crazy. This makes for interesting gift giving.Over the years as we have all gotten older and started having littles, our gift giving has evolved. We use to buy each other presents, but then that got a little to intense and expensive. Then we started coming up withweird gift games where we had to buy 10 things made out of wood or glass and did a kind of white elephant things, which was fun, but we all ended up with wooden spoons and shot glasses.  Or the stockings. We did stockings for a few years where we all stuffed something into each of the stockings, but that got kinda lame when everyone started stuffing packs of gum into them....It was getting to be kinda ridiculous. So this year we decided to give secret Santa a try. The deal is that the 9 older siblings drew names and then the 9 cousins drew names, all with a spending limit of $25. It works out for the best because the littles get to have a little fun and participate, and the adults don't have to go and blow stupid money for kinda stupid shit.  Everyone is responsible for one persons gift of happiness..... And they better make it good!

But one of the things that I love about Christmas is making all the little something. One year I made them each a veggie shaped pillow, and another they each got a hand made box. (I love to give handmade gifts.)So this year I still wanted to give each of the littles a little something too. And not anything to crazy, just something small. And now that we are not stuffing stockings with gum, I figured it wouldn't hurt to give them each a little candy.  They all like chocolate so chocolate it was.  And to zaz it up a little, I popped some quinoa to add some crunch and dear I say, a bit of healthy protein, to the candy. ( sneaky sneaky)

And bonus. this bark can be made in like 5 minutes (1/2 hour to cool) . Wrapped into little wax paper packages with a cute little string, its a super simple, easy, but sweet gift that almost anyone would enjoy (even if you make it and give it to yourself)  And no, you don't have to make it specifically for the holidays, this is just a great little bit of chocolate snack that can be made whenever you damn well please to make it!

The stuff. Chocolate chips (milk, semi sweet, dark, or a mixture) and uncooked quinoa.

Popped quinoa. Fun stuff. Working in small batched,  all you need to do is stick the a layer of uncooked quinoa into a heavy bottom pot, turn heat onto high, grab a spoon and mix the quinoa constantly until it starts to pop. (The seeds will pop up, but as long as you pot is big, they should stay inside) When it starts popping, turn heat down to medium low and continue to stir until the quinoa is golden brown and stops popping as frequently. Don't over pop it our else you will burn it!

Dump the popped quinoa into a holding vessel and pop some more.

Now melt the chocolate. I used the double boiler method (pot of simmering water and a glass bowl) but if you have a microwave, go ahead ans use it.(chocolate in a glass bowl, microwave for 30 second intervals until melted)

Either way you choose, just melt down the chocolate until nice and silky smooth.

Mix the popped quinoa into the melted chocolate...

Then scrap onto a wax paper lined baking sheet and spread out to about 1/4-1/2 inch thick.

Place in the fridge to set up

Once the chocolate has harden, break that shit apart! Big pieces, little pieces. All up to you.

And do what your going to do with it. (wrapped in wax paper with a sting looks so nice if you giving it as a gift)

So simple, so good, so the perfect heartfelt, maybe a little last minutes, gift. Or just a nice little sweet snack with a healthy little kick to it.

And I probably won't be posting until after the holiday so...

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, blah!!!!!

Bye!

-C

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Popped Quinoa Chocolate Crunch Bark

makes 3 cups of bark

• 2 cups chocolate chips (any kind you like)
• 1 cup dried quinoa

To pop quinoa, add enough quinoa to cover the bottom of a heavy bottom pot. Turn heat on high and slowly stir the quinoa until it starts to pop. Once it's popping, turn down to low and continue to stir until all the quinoa is nice and golden brown and the popping isn't as frequent. Dump the quinoa into a bowl ans continue on until you have popped all of it.

To melt chocolate, either use a double boiler (glass boil on top a low boiling pot of water. Add chocolate to bowl and mix until melted) Or use the microwave. (Heat in glass bowl at 30 second intervals until melted)

Combine the popped quinoa to the melted chocolate, mix until combined then pour out onto a wax paper lined baking sheet. Spread the chocolate to about 1/4 inch to a 1/2 inch thick with a spatula and place in he fridge to set.

Once chocolate is hard, remove from fridge and break into chunks.

And eat, share, and save a little for later.

Store whatever uneaten candy away from heat.