10:30pm Peanut Butter Brownie Temptations

Once there was a time in my life that the only time I could get to the grocery store was at 10:30pm.  Long after the munchkins were tucked in their beds and pappa was settled in for the night I would head to the local 24 hour grocery with my list in hand to gather the supplies to feed my hungry family.  It was such a treat to wander the aisles and take time to consider my choices and contemplate what I could make with "that", all at my leisure without the distraction of the little people in my life.  They were good little shoppers, mind you, but my ability to concentrate while multi-tasking (shopping, answering questions, figuring out which was the better buy, keeping track of three little bodies, crossing items off the list, making sure the littlest body was still sitting in the cart, replacing items that mysteriously appeared in the cart, etc.) was always compromised.  So shopping alone at night was my solution.  

At that time the bakery section of this grocery offered many temptations to their shoppers and the one that always got me at 10:30 at night when I was all by myself were the Peanut Butter Brownies.  They started calling my name as soon as I walked in the store and invariably a package of six of them ended up in my cart.  And there was nothing "mysterious" about how they got there either.  

These brownies were a chewy delight of peanut butter, frosted with a generous layer of peanut butter frosting and drizzled with a touch of chocolate on top.  Melt in your mouth goodness!!!  My mouth is watering now just typing about them!

And, again not so mysteriously, at least two of the brownies were gone before I made it home.  The remainder were tucked away into a cupboard where the little hands of my munchkins would not find them and I enjoyed one for breakfast and one for naptime snack and one for an afternoon pick me up and one for a bedtime treat the next day.  Yes, I confess, I hid them from my family and did not share a bite!

Eventually I decided that this deception had to stop.  And I came clean and started to share.  This presented a problem because now that package of 6 brownies did not last as long.  My solution was to find a way to duplicate these yummies at home.  

And today I share with you my version of the 10:30pm Peanut Butter Brownie Temptations.  I think they are a reasonable copy of the grocery store recipe and they still taste so good late at night after all the house is quiet.  So, beware!

Ingredients for the brownies include sugar, peanut butter, eggs, shortening, vanilla, flour, baking powder and salt.

Combine the shortening, peanut butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla....

 ...until they are creamy and smooth.

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

Add to peanut butter mixture and mix until smooth.  Spread batter in greased pan and bake until golden brown.

Brownies are ready to be consumed but don't! until you have completed the next step--the frosting!!!!

Combine powdered sugar, peanut butter and milk until smooth and creamy (I'm using those two words alot in the description!)

Spread on top of brownies (leaving just enough frosting in the bowl for licking!)

Yup, you could eat 'em just like this but wait!  There's more!

Melt chocolate chips and a dab of shortening together in the microwave.

Stir until smooth and creamy. (Last time, I promise)

Drizzle over frosting.

And, now, you eat them.  


Peanut Butter Brownies
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. shortening
3 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 c. flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt


Cream sugar, peanut butter, shortening, eggs, vanilla thoroughly.  Add dry ingredients.  Mix until smooth.   spread in well greased 9x13 pan.  Bake 25-30 minutes at 350º.


Frosting
2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. peanut butter
2-3 T. milk (or amount necessary for spreading consistency)


Combine until smooth.


Chocolate Glaze
1/2. c. chocolate chips
1/2 T. shortening


Melt in microwave or on stove top.  Stir until smooth.  Drizzle over frosting.