Peanut Butter Chip Brownies Really Are Easy!

Tonight I baked peanut butter chip brownies. The brownies were an experimental twist on a tried and true recipe. So many people are daunted by the idea of making brownies without a box mix, but they aren't any more difficult and can be so much better than the box! The brownie recipe I *always* use is the one from the inside of the Baker's unsweetened chocolate box: Baker's One Bowl Brownies. This time I did my usual but when it came to pouring the batter into the pan, I only poured in half, topped with the chips, then spread the remaining batter over the chips. Having had them, I can now say that I'll just stir in the chips and pour in the pan like usual. I will also be making these again - they were wonderful! Don't doubt the need for the vanilla - vanilla enhances chocolate!

4 squares Baker's unsweetened chocolate (4 oz)
3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine (I've always used Blue Bonnet margarine)
2 c. sugar
3 eggs, beaten lightly (or 3/4 c. egg substitute)
1 tsp vanilla
1 c. flour
1/3 c. peanut butter chips (I used Reese's)
1/3 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Hershey's)
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan (1/2" thick brownies) or an 8x8 pan (1"+ thick brownies).
2. Microwave the chocolate and the butter in a large microwaveable bowl on high for 2 minutes. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. (This will take a couple of minutes. Keep stirring until you have a thick, creamy chocolate spread that looks a lot like icing.)
3. Stir in sugar.
4. Stir in eggs and vanilla.
5. Stir in flour.
6. Stir in chips.
7. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 30-35 minutes (may need to bake for 38 minutes if using an 8x8 pan) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with fudgy crumbs clinging.

My First Foray into the World of Lemon Bars

I'll admit it: I am pretty limited in my repertoire of bar cookies. Part of that is my food allergies. Seven layer bars just aren't in the cards. Part of it was A's reaction to blondies: brownies are great so why do a chocolate-less version? I'm intent, though, that I'm going to do more bars this year. Tonight's experiment: lemon bars. Due to my allergies, I haven't ever had lemon meringue pie or lemon bars, so this was pure shot in the dark. I like how they turned out, although I'll probably drag a sample to a friend tomorrow to see if they are what lemon bars are supposed to be like. They are a soft but firm, mild kind of bar cookie base with a creamy lemon custard type topping. The top browned (I thought they were supposed to be yellow, although how they wouldn't brown I don't know!), but they look nice and they taste very good. About the only thing I would change is to add a teaspoon or two of lemon zest to really up the lemon element and make these bars just taste like sunshine.

Delicate Lemon Squares
For the crust:
1 c. flour
1/4 c. confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
1/2 c. butter (I used Blue Bonnet margarine)

For the filling:
2 large eggs (I used 1/2 c. Eggbeaters)
3/4 c. sugar
3 T fresh lemon juice (I totally cheated and used bottled since I had no lemons on hand)
2 T flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

about a tablespoon additional powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Stir together the flour and powdered sugar. Cut in the butter until mixture clings together (I used my pastry blender and cut in the margarine until the mixture resembled coarse crumbs.).
3. Press the mixture into an ungreased 8"x8" square pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
4. While the crust is baking, beat eggs in a mixing bowl, then add sugar and lemon juice and beat until thick and smooth, about 8-10 minutes.
5. Stir together flour and baking powder. Add to egg mixture, blending until all ingredients are moistened.
6. Pour the filling gently over the crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes (still at 350 degrees F).
7. Cool slightly. Sift the additional powdered sugar over the top for a light snow look. Cool completely, then cut and serve.

Recipe from http://www.christmas-cookies.com/.