Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Bars

Halloween season is upon us and that means one thing...Reese's Peanut Butter Cups galore!!! 



I cannot get enough of those little bites of heaven.  I freeze them for that added crisp, chilled goodness.  I also have to freeze them so they are out of sight and out of mind (that's the plan anyway).

I saw Trisha Yearwood make these bars a few weeks ago.  Since I am not the biggest fan of butterscotch, I changed them to add chocolate chips instead.  WOW!!!  A Reese's Peanut Butter BAR!!  Let's just say these did not last long in our house.

Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Bars
Adapted from Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature, plus more for greasing
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
6 ounces butterscotch chips (about 1 cup) (I added chocolate chips instead)
1 cup confectioners' sugar
4 tablespoons milk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick baking spray.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and 1/2 cup of the peanut butter. Add the egg and vanilla. Sift the flour with the baking soda and the salt. Mix the oatmeal into the flour and stir the flour into the creamed mixture. Spread the batter in the baking pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the batter and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until browned around the edges.

Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, milk and the remaining 1/4 cup of the peanut butter until smooth, then spread the glaze evenly over the warm bars. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.

Tamale Casserole

"A rite of passage" a ceremony or event marking an important stage in someone's life.  Yep, that is exactly what has happened this year to our girls.

After 14 years of tirelessly looking for the perfect costume, dressing up, trick-or-treating, it is finally over.    They are now in high school and it has all disappeared, just like that.  As the past few years have gone by, their costumes have become much more simple, yet home made and really putting their creative minds at work and the groups of teens have dwindled down for the race to each house in search of the best candy.

The first years.....

This year, we still carved the best ever pumpkins, decorated the inside and outside of the house, and purchased candy for the little children.  This year is different though...for the first time, there will not be any dressing up or racing to houses.  Instead my young adults have decided they want to be the ones to hand out candy to the cute up and coming trick-or-treaters.

....I really miss these days.

I don't know who is more sad and disappointed, me or them.  I used to have fun dressing up with them whenever I could.  I even had the same 50's poodle skirt ensemble as they did, complete with a bleach blonde beehive wig - it was the best!!

Last year's final costume appearance.

So there you have it, we are one step closer to seeing our kids, not be kids anymore and yet we have so much to look forward to as we watch them grow into the adults that they will soon become.

Another Halloween tradition that has followed us, since the day I met my husband is Tamale Casserole.  It comes from the family cookbook and we have either made it (or been served it) every year for the past 20 Halloweens. This is not the usual casserole that you would expect to see, it's like a homemade chili on steroids (as my husband so creatively describes it). It's a crock pot creation that is perfect to come home to on a cold fall night after trick-or-treating.

Tamale Casserole
Courtesy of JoAnne and Dick

(3) extra large or (6) regular size tamales (beef or pork), cut into large chunks
(2) cans Hormel chili (without beans)
(1) large can sliced black olives, drained
(1) 15 ounce can corn, drained
2/3 pound cheddar cheese, grated
(1) 15 ounce can tomato sauce

Mix together all ingredients.  Heat in a slow cooker on low heat setting for 8 hours. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Pumpkin Pancakes Morning

It's pumpkin week here for my little teen pumpkins.  We are on to the countdown before Halloween arrives. I don't know anyone who loves fall more than my girls, especially the younger one (also known as Baby B, as she was born one minute after the first one).

I think my favorite part of the this season is bringing out all their special decorations they have made over the years.  I love seeing them every fall, pulling them carefully out of their hibernation from being stored the past year and reliving the memories of when they were made.

Many fond fall memories of Halloweens past.

My mom still has the custom painted, paper mache pumpkin that I made in kindergarten.  The top was cut off and all the kids each hand tied their black ribbons through the top to make a handle and be used for trick-or-treating.  To this day, my mom still uses that pumpkin to display the candy she gives out to today's children at her front door.

This morning Baby B, my Saturday morning buddy woke up with a craving for her usual pancakes. I have made them hundreds of times for her and could probably do it blind folded by now.  However, this time she threw a spin on it....she wanted pumpkin pancakes.  I have never made pumpkin pancakes in my life.  I know my pumpkin bread, pumpkin bars and pumpkin spice cookies.  Not a problem, I got this....Now, there is a long running debate in our household on pancakes (soft and fluffy vs. thin and small).  My husband was out golfing this morning taking advantage of the warm weather, so Baby B and I had the majority vote: soft and fluffy it was!!  I am curious, what is your vote??

I pulled out my trusty Bisquick and got creating. I played with the spice drawer and kept adding a little here and a touch there.  The end result was so delicious, and easy.  This recipe may need to be added to our annual fall decorating weekend traditions.

Homemade decorations and our new semi-homemade pancakes.

Pumpkin Pancakes
Inspired by Baby B

2 cups Bisquick Baking Mix
1-1/4 cups Milk
2 Eggs
1/4 cup Sour Cream
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice (add more depending on your spice level)
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
2 Tbl. Canola Oil (or Vegetable Oil)

Mix all ingredients until well blended.
Pour slightly less than 1/4 cupful onto hot, greased griddle or frying pan.
Cook until edges are dry and middle starts to slightly bubble.  Turn and cook until golden.

Serve with butter and fresh maple syrup.