When I got home, I scrounged around in the kitchen and made a dinner of pantry staples: 2 slices of whole wheat toast topped with peanut butter, a smidge of homemade apple butter, and apple slices. Plus more apple slices and pb on the side. Can you believe all of that apple is from just ONE piece of fruit? I had a jonagold the size of my head and it was very delicious. I love apple season!

After I ate dinner and showered I was feeling mighty ambitious, so I decided to bake something yummy. I looked at a few cookbooks for inspiration, but in the end I decided to make up my own recipe for Peanut Butter Cup Brownies. The combo of salty and sweet is really addictive and I am in a bit of a sugar coma from all of the batter sampling and crumb nibbling. So worth it though!

My Kitchenaid stand mixer was the BEST birthday present ever. Thanks mom!

I love things that are mini-sized. Especially if they contain chocolate and peanut butter.

Brownies warm from the oven:

Brownies with mini peanut butter cups

Ingredients

• 3/4 bag bittersweet chocolate chips (I used ghiradelli brand)
• 12 Tbs unsalted butter (1.5 sticks)
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour, 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• (most of a) container of Trader Joe’s mini peanut butter cups

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, lightly grease a 9″x13″ baking pan
• Melt butter and chocolate chips in a pan over low heat
• Using a mixer, cream together eggs and sugar
• Combine chocolate mixture with egg/sugar mixture, add in vanilla and applesauce
• Slowly mix in flour and salt
• Stir in peanut butter cups
• Pour batter into baking pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean
• Makes about 20 servings. Enjoy!