Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

 I always loved going up the ‘path’ to visit Grandmama Elliott for our 30-minute visits in the afternoon. We would sit out on the porch swing and eat ‘birthday chocolates’ while talking about school or whatever was going on that day.

At birthday parties, it seems that Grandmama was concerned that the smaller kids would feel left out when the birthday person opened their presents. She used to buy the miniature ‘Reece's Peanut Butter Cups’ in the box to wrap and give as a gift to the others. Those Reece's Peanut Butter Cups became known as ‘Birthday Chocolates.’ Grandmama seemed to always keep some on hand. Here's a recipe to make your own. It's fun and tasty too!

Peanut Butter Cups

2 cups milk chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter, crunchy or smooth
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs

In a small bowl, melt 1cup chips and 1 T shortening in microwave for 1 minute, stir and microwave for an additional 30 seconds or until melted and smooth. Do this in steps so the chocolate doesn't harden before you finish filling the cups...

In 2-quart saucepan combine butter or margarine and peanut butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until melted (4 to 6 minutes). Stir in confectioners' sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Let mixture cool completely.

The easiest way to make the cups is to use some sort of squeeze bottle, or maybe even a plastic bag with one corner cut to fill the cups. First, line your cups with the paper or use a mold*. Form all of the balls of the PB mixture by rolling about a teaspoon of the dough in your hands and forming it into a ball. Set the PB balls on a cookie sheet. Fill a squeeze bottle with chocolate, squeeze a bottom into all of the cups, place a peanut butter ball in the middle of the chocolate and then squeeze the remaining chocolate in around the sides and tops of the cups. Freeze until firm. Store refrigerated.

*If you look in kitchen specialty shops or candy making equipment shops, you can find the plastic candy cup molds to make these. You follow the same procedure as above. When chilled, they just pop right out when you bend the mold back and forth!

Chocolate Chip Kiss Cookies

This is a kid friendly recipe. I use Pillsbury "Safe to Eat Raw" Cookie dough, so it won't matter if your little ones sneak a bite of dough! Only two ingredients makes this the easiest slap together in the kitchen play date with the kids! This makes 24 cookies. 

1 pkg Pillsbury Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
1 bag of Hershey's Kiss Candies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
Follow instructions on the cookie dough package.
Bake cookies for 12 - 14 minutes. 

While the cookies are baking, unwrap 24 kisses.
When the cookies are done, top with a kiss. Remove the cookies and place on a wire rack.

Red Velvet Cheesecake

Red Velvet CheeseCake

Growing up, I always had Mama's Red Velvet Cake. She specialized in red velvet. I also loved cheesecake. I don't remember Mama ever making one, but we would order it for special occasions. The two desserts are my families favorite, so years ago, I decided to put the two together into one three-layered dessert! Just fyi, read the assemble directions at the bottom of the recipe to find my tips on time and ease of preparing the cake. 

Judy's Red Velvet Cake Layers

1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons cocoa
3 tablespoons red food coloring
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon soda
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs. Mix well. Mix cocoa and food coloring in a cup. Add to eggs and sugar. Add vanilla. Sift flour and salt. Add, alternating with buttermilk. Add soda and vinegar. Let foam and FOLD into mixture. Divide batter into two 8 inch greased and floured cake pans. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Icing
1/2 cup butter, room temp
8-ounces cream cheese, softened
1 box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Whip together until creamy. Spread on cake. * 

Rich and Creamy Cheesecake Layer

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

3 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs

2 pounds cream cheese

1 1/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon minced lemon zest

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup sour cream

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees F.

Brush the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with butter. Sprinkle crumbs over bottom. Tilt pan in all directions to coat evenly with crumbs. Cover pan underneath and along sides with a sheet of heavy-duty foil and set on a cookie sheet.

2. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese in a bowl of electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat on medium speed until sugar dissolves,

about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated and scraping down after each addition. (If you don't scrape down the bowl after each egg, cream cheese that sticks to the bowl will ultimately show up as lumps in the batter). Add zest and vanilla and beat until just incorporated.  Remove bowl from mixer; stir in cream and sour cream.

3. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake cake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees (prop oven door open with a wooden spoon until temperature reduces). Bake until the cheesecake perimeter is set but center jiggles like Jell-O when the pan is tapped, about 1 hour longer.

Remove the springform pan from the oven and set on a wire rack, cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours. (Can be refrigerated for up to 4 days). *

To Assemble Cake:

*I cook the cheesecake first. It takes longer to cook and longer to chill/freeze to handle. Once the cheesecake cools, wrap and put it in the freezer for at least an hour, then make the cake layers. Cool them on racks. I even put them in the freezer for a while to make sure they are cold when working with the icing.

Spread a tablespoon of icing on the bottom of the cake plate to hold the red velvet layer steady. Add a cake layer to the plate. Add a little icing to the top. You don't need much. The cheesecake is moist enough on its own. Place the cheesecake on top. Top with the other red velvet layer and finish icing the remained of the cake.

Moon Pie Banana Pudding

Banana Pudding is about as southern as it gets, but I did my twist on it with a favorite southern snack, Moon Pies! It's really simple to make, and the kids love it! 

Moon Pie Banana Pudding

8 ounces sour cream

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping

1 (5 ounce) package instant banana pudding mix

2 cups whole milk

6 Chocolate Moon Pies cut into bite size pieces 

4 bananas, peeled and sliced

In a large bowl, combine sour cream, whipped topping, pudding mix and milk. Mix well.

In the bottom of a 9x13 glass serving dish, (or trifle bowl) put a layer of Moon pie pieces, a layer of sliced bananas and then a layer of pudding mixture. Refrigerate until serving. Top each serving with a dollop of whipped cream and top with a moon pie piece for garnish, if desired.

Moon Pie Banana Pudding