Peanut Butter Brownies

Sunday was crazy! I think I spent the whole day doing laundry. Folding a "Mountain." Makes you want to let your kids have 5 outfits, one for church, 1 pair of pjs, and that is it! Crazy...It took all day. So much for a day of rest...well I did manage to make Peanut Butter Brownies for lunches and loaves of bread for the week. We had a simple dinner of Sauteed chicken breasts, pounded thin with Grandma's special spices, Sauteed Zuc's and Stove Top...not too original, but very easy and quick. I had to get back to the mountain...

Peanut Butter Brownies
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/3 cup white sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
2/3 cup butter, softened
2 tsp baking powder

Cream peanut butter and butter together in mixer. Add in one at a time; sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix until fluffy. Ins medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder,and salt. Stir into the peanut butter mixture. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 to 45 min in a 9x13 pan. They will be done when the top springs back. These are dense and not too sweet. For the finale, I put 2 cups of chocolate chips on the hot brownies and then spread evenly making a chocolate layer on top. Cool overnight or stick in the freezer if you just can't wait until the chocolate hardens!

Tuesday is Crazy day!

On tuesdays, in addition to Scouts and YW at 7:00pm, we have 3 piano lessons. Needless to say, not much cooking got done. We had soup and crackers and pears that my daughter cooked.
I did attempt a new recipe out of America's Test Kitchen which my kids loved. They took it their lunches today, and had some for a snack yesterday. It's not bad, but it didn't blow my socks off...

Banana Chip Snack Cake
makes one 8 inch cake

2 c flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 stick of softened butter
2 large eggs room temp
2 ripe large bananas, peeled and mashed
1/2 cup milk at room temp
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl, set aside. Beat sugar and butter together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy...yes it does get light and fluffy! Beat in eggs until incorporated(I used my eggs from my chickens and their yolks were a bright orange! It was kinda cool.) Beat in bananas, milk and vanilla. Add flour mixture and incorporate until no flour streaks remain. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into greased pan and bake 55 minutes or until center is cooked. Let cool on wire rack and serve.

It's not dense and moist like banana bread, but it isn't exactly fluffy either. It's a great treat for the kids and it keeps well wrapped in plastic.