chocolate peanut butter bars

So ELZ might have a little bit of a sweet tooth...which from time to time motivates her to whip up desserts (read: sugar-filled treats) every once in a while.  PAB never fails to point out the (lack of) nutritional content...but then also quickly consumes his portion without much complaint...so it seems to be a win-win for all!  We used this super easy recipe:

Total active time: 15 minutes

Total time: One hour & 15 minutes 

Serving size: 15 bars (or more, depending on how you cut them)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of melted butter
• 2 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs
• 2 3/4 cups of confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup of peanut butter
• 2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

- Mix together the butter, graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and first cup of the peanut butter until well blended.

- Press evenly into an ungreased 9x13 pan. (We used a pyrex.)

- Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave. (Or, if you are like us and do not have a microwave...create a double boiler of sorts by placing a metal bowl over simmering water on the stove to melt the chips.) 

- Spread chocolate evenly over peanut butter filling.

- Refrigerate for at least one hour.  (Until chocolate crust hardens throughout.)
- Cut into squares, serve, and enjoy!

ELZ & PAB's review:  Delicious!  Very quick & easy (especially if you have a microwave...) recipe, as there is no baking or cooking involved with this dessert.  A little mixing and patiently waiting for the squares to harden is all you need!

Waste not, want not

elz + pab

101: better iced coffee

We are so very proud to highlight our first ever reader-submission!  Rosemary (who just so happens to be ELZ's mom, but it still counts...) sent us a tip for making iced coffee taste better, longer.


Iced coffee is obviously a combination of coffee + ice cubes.  But what happens if you don't drink your 24 ounce thermos in less than 15 minutes?  The ice begins to melt & water down your coffee drink.

So, the next time you make coffee...don't throw away the excess, freeze it in an ice cube tray & add to your iced coffee!

Waste not, want not

elz + pab (+ raz)

presto, pesto!

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• Raw materials...
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• Finished Product!
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• More than a month ago, in our herb post, we promised a pesto recipe so here is that belated entry! This will also help to clear a backlog of pesto related recipes that we have been excited to share (think pesto pizza, scallop/pesto pasta, etc..). The basil that we planted from seed were definitely the most prolific of the herbs that colored our deck. They were placed in the large planter box, which had previously been home to the spring lettuce. This week we will be taking our third and final cutting to make the last pesto batch (going to try an sneak some lettuce seedlings into their spot to see if we can get a quick fall crop).  This recipe freezes really well, so excess can be stored for months to be create a deliciously fresh meal during a snowy, January nor'easter. 
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• Both of our mother's came up with favorite pesto recipes...since we were not looking to play favorites, a halfway point was reached for our pesto. After making each recipe independently, we came to a nice middle ground which highlighted each recipe's strengths.

 Ingredients:

• 5 cups of fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano (or pecorino romano)
• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

- Wash and clean basil leaves, towel dry. Pick out any of the fibrous stems or seed buds from the herb.

- Toast pine nuts in cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Stir constantly for a few minutes to prevent burning while allows pine nuts to become golden brown. 

- Place all ingredients in food processor (in a large food processor the recipe can be doubled while still being made in one batch). 

- Puree in five second bursts until finely processed. Open up the top and scrape down the sides once or twice to ensure all the ingredients are well incorporated. 

ELZ & PAB's review: Excellent. One of the easiest herbs to grown at home. Makes delicious sauce that can freeze well and be used throughout the winter. So far, we have incorporated into pizza, pastas, sandwiches or bread dips. Please let us know how you enjoy your pesto! We look forward to sharing the foundation for what will hopefully be a theme in a good number of fall & winter posts!

Waste not, want not

elz + pab