Chocolate peanut butter cups

Ok, enough with being so healthy, lets have some fun! Yesterday I was craving something salty sweet and delicious and this recipe from Alicia Silverstones' "The Kind Life" foot the bill perfectly.

SERVINGS
12

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup Earth Balance butter (I use the one with olive oil because I'm not down with canola)
3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter (preferably unsweetened and unsalted)
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs or 10 graham cracker squares
1/4 cup maple sugar or other granulated sweetener
1 cup grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate or carob chips
1/4 cup soy, rice, or nut milk (I used unsweetened vanilla hemp milk)
1/4 cup chopped pecans, almonds, or peanuts

PREPARATION
1. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. (If You Care makes unbleached liners made from recycled paper.) Set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
3. Stir in the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and maple sugar and mix well.
4. Remove the mixture from the heat. Evenly divide the mixture, approximately 2 tablespoons per cup, among the muffin cups.
5. Combine the chocolate and milk in another pan. Stir over medium heat until the chocolate has melted.
6. Spoon the chocolate evenly over the peanut butter mixture.
7. Top with chopped nuts.
8. Place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.


You will be amazed at how these little morsels melt in your mouth and leave you craving for more!

Enjoy!!!

Fairy Pockets

I have always wanted to use phyllo dough for something. I remember watching my mom make spanakopita and marveling at how when used correctly simple flour and oil could create something so divinely flakey and delicate. Well the time has come for me to try my hand at it. I found a recipe from the cookbook "The Candle Cafe" and then changed it according to what was in my refrigerator.

First I thawed the phyllo for about 3 hours in the fridge. I assembled the filling during that time too. The filling consisted of baked tofu, baked sweet potato, crimini mushrooms and finely chopped basil from the garden. I preheated my oven to 350 and tried to work quickly because I know how delicate phyllo can be. I first folded the phyllo lengthwise and then brushed olive oil on it. Then I put the ingredients in the middle of the sheet - about 1/4 cup total. Then I pulled all corners of the sheet together to form a little pocket. I then baked them for about 19 minutes and TA DA...I've successfully used phyllo.

If my mom was alive she would be so proud! My little girl didn't care for them until I named then "fairy pockets" then she was on them like white on rice! Oh and of course we dipped them in Sues organics sauces-tahini and brewers feast! YUMMY!!!