There's no wrong way to eat a Reese's

I originally had something else planned for today’s entry [apple crisp – a perfect dessert for the cold nights we’ve been having], but yesterday I made a childhood favorite candy for a group of friends at a poker game, and it was such a hit I thought I’d share it.

This recipe for homemade Reese’s comes from a cookbook my family put together in 1992. Everyone in the family participated. At 4 years old, my contribution was riveting.

Peanut Chip Cookie

[by Elise Michel, age 4]

Ingredients:

6 chocolate chip cookies

Creamy peanut butter

Directions:

Spread creamy peanut butter on the top of each cookie and eat.

I know. Impressive, right?

When I grew a few years older, one of my favorite snacks was the Reese’s bars that my Aunt Julie made. I remember one New Year’s Eve sneaking back into the kitchen for more conveniently not asking mom if it was OK to have another… and another… and another.

When I made this treat yesterday, it literally took 15 minutes to put together. So when you’re looking for a low-effort crowd pleaser for kids and adults alike, give this one a shot.

Remember, there’s no wrong way to eat a Reese’s.

Reese’s Bars

[by Julie Michel]

Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter

1 stick oleo

2 cups powdered sugar

1 (8 oz.) bar Hershey’s chocolate [I used chocolate chips (milk chocolate).]

Directions:

Combine peanut butter, powdered sugar, and soft oleo. [You may have to add a little more powdered sugar. You want it to be a thick consistency, so that it's sticking to itself more than to the sides of the bowl.] 

Pat in 9x13 inch pan. Melt chocolate over boiling water and pour over mixture. [I have a handy dandy pampered chef microwave bowl that is perfect for melting butter and chocolate quickly and easily.] 

Chill in refrigerator [until the chocolate is solid again] and cut in squares.

Tip for measuring out sticky stuff: When I'm baking with sticky/greasy things like peanut butter, Crisco shortening, and other similar ingredients, I use the back of the spoon to scoop them out. It still allows to get it out quickly, but makes it easy to scrape it off on the side of the measuring cup.