Brit + Co Post: Chocolate and Peanut Butter Recipes

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups were one of my favorite treats growing up. "25 of the Best Chocolate and Peanut Butter Recipes #GuiltyPleasures" is inspired by that love, and takes the classic chocolate/peanut butter pairing to the next level.

Is it bad I'm tempted to eat ALL THE STACKS?

From the article: "In the culinary world, there are some combinations that are widely accepted as tasting better when they’re together. Case in point — tomato and basil, bagels and cream cheese and of course, chocolate and peanut butter. Whether you’re looking for something vegan, a treat that’s quick to make or a dessert that’s completely show-stopping, here are the best chocolate and peanut butter recipes on the planet."

Berry Trifle

I love berries, and I love angel food cake, and I love all things British, so obviously I love trifle. The colors made it a perfect choice for our Fourth of July festivities,  but this dessert lends itself to any event at any time, really. And it offers endless room for variation, which I love. Prefer raspberries to strawberries? Go right ahead. Want to make a few individual servings in Mason jars because you can't be bothered to pull out your trifle dish? Knock yourself out. The sky's the limit!

Blueberries and strawberries and cake, oh my!

Our trifle used strawberries, blueberries, premade angel food cake, and premade lemon loaf cake, both purchased at Walmart since there wasn't going to be enough time to make the cakes from scratch, but that's always an option if you want to go to the extra mile, of course. The lemon loaf cake tasted delicious and added a nice dimension to the flavor palate, but red/white/blue fanatics or trifle purists might want to stick with regular loaf cake to avoid any yellow.

The cream layer is, like everything else in a trifle, customizable to your taste. I like beating one brick (8 oz.) of softened cream cheese with a half cup of sugar and a dash of vanilla, then gradually beating in two cups of heavy whipping cream. This makes a soft, spreadable cream with just enough tang from the cream cheese to make us happy. If you want a firmer or more cream cheese-y spread, use two bricks and a cup of whipping cream. If cream cheese isn't your thing at all, whip one to two cups of heavy whipping cream until its at a soft consistency and add a tub of softened Cool-Whip for extra volume.

Once you've got your chosen cream, berries, and cake (cut into cubes if you're feeling geometric or just torn into shreds if you're feeling rugged), it's time to layer! Half the cake, half the cream, and half the berries, and then the next half of cake, half of cream, and half of berries. As you can see, I went for the natural (aka "just thrown about") look, but you can also arrange the berries in fancy patterns. Cover with cling wrap and let chill in the fridge for at least an hour, and then dig in!

Brit + Co Post: What to Do with Leftover Applesauce

I like to purchase various jars and bottles, use them for the recipe I had in mind at the time of purchase, and then forget to ever look at them again. Well, I don't actually like to forget them, it just happens. Ergo, "10 Creative Ways to Finish That Jar of Applesauce," which will help rescue the applesauce jar, at least, from obscurity.

I'm a sucker for smoothies

From the article: "Applesauce is one of those items we all buy, use once or twice to make a pretty cake for company, and then forget about as it sadly languishes in the back of the fridge until Thanksgiving comes around :( We know that trying to figure out what to do with leftovers can be a pain, so we pulled together some of the most delicious ways to use up what’s left in the jar."

Brit + Co Post: Fourth of July Desserts

The Fourth of July might be one of my favorite holidays - there's barbecuing, there's fireworks, and there's tons of red, white, and blue treats. Check out these "20 Perfectly Patriotic Desserts for Independence Day" - whether you're looking for something fruity, something cake-y, something for a group of sixty or something just for the family, I've got you covered!

Ombre icing? Sign me up!

From the article: "Independence Day is just around the corner, which means it’s time to start thinking about the menu for your patriotic get-together. You’ve got your all-American recipes, festive decorations and other Fourth of July must-haves, so make sure you don’t forget dessert! These 20 red, white and blue treats are just the thing to help you add a little flair to the table and cap off a great July 4th celebration."