It may be more difficult to get in a festive mood this year. For the first time in many years I won’t be spending Christmas with my daughter and rest of the family because of the pandemic. Yet, there is some good news with the approval of two vaccines for the virus. Hopefully, next year will be a more normal Christmas.
At least we still have the sights and sounds of Christmas to enjoy. One of my favorites is the Christmas tree. My tree is smaller this year but my cat still manages to crawl underneath and rearrange the Christmas tree skirt.
This year, my daughter decorated three Christmas trees at her house and shared the pictures with me. My favorite is the one she calls her “whimsical” Christmas tree.
But I also loved the more elegant one.
Here is a quick, easy, and delicious recipe for Crunchy No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars. They are like a Rice Krispie treat but with chocolate and peanut butter. If you are a fan of chocolate and peanut butter, these bars may just become a family favorite.
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3 cups Rice Krispies
Line a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
Place the chocolate chips, peanut butter, honey, and butter in a large glass mixing bowl. Microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.
Remove from the microwave and stir until the chocolate has completely melted and everything is well combined.
Gently stir in the rice krispies. Mix until well combined. Pour the mixture into a 9×13 inch baking pan. Smooth the mixture across the pan and refrigerate until firm, at least 2-4 hours. (If you prefer thicker bars, use an 8 x 8 inch baking pan.)
Slice into squares with a sharp knife and store chilled in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
This is a popular recipe on the internet. I adapted the one from two peas and pod blog and the original recipe can be found here. It is also in their latest cookbook, The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook: Simple Family-Friendly Recipes for Everyday Home Cooking. The cookbook is available on Amazon as well as digital versions. I purchased the iBook version. I love the simplicity of the recipes.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Cooking with Love 