Peanut butter pretzel bites

Have you ever had those chocolate covered peanut butter pretzel things from trader joes? If you have, i'm sure you, like myself, had to practice MUCH self-control to prevent yourself from eating the entire bag in one sitting. They are SERIOUSLY addicting. (Josh and I will occasionally eat them as a pre-run snack.. not ideal i know)
Well anyway, I wanted to try and make them myself (as i always do..). And about 15 minutes later, i had big bowl of them in my freezer. These are super easy to make, and it'd be a fun one to make with kids.

Peanut butter pretzel bites

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 tbsp softened earth balance (or butter)

1/4 cup powdered sugar (use more if you like things especially sweet)

1/4 cup plus 2 TBSP brown sugar

Pretzels

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Combine peanut butter and earth balance in a large bowl with a fork or whisk, or in a stand mixer. Add the sugars and mix to combine. At this point if the filling will roll easily into balls without sticking to your hands you’re ready to go. Refrigerate to firm up, if needed.

Use a teaspoon measure to scoop the filling. Roll each portion into a small ball, then sandwich them between two whole pretzels. When all the balls are rolled and successfully sandwiched, stick the whole tray in the freezer for about half an hour.

Melt the chocolate chips. Remove the pretzel sandwiches from the freezer and quickly dip each half-way into the melted chocolate. Return to the tray and repeat with remaining sandwiches. When all are dipped, return the tray to the freezer to set up completely. Store the sandwiches in the refrigerator until serving time.

Dujour magazine guest blog

I guest blogged over on dujour magazine blog. Click over for an amazing chocolate doughnut recipe and browse the rest of the blog while you're at it.

I've been working with Dujour since July (suprise!), and I'm excited to be a part of the team. It is a wonderful magazine, with amazingly beautiful editorials. It's all seriously gorgeous. And the first print issue i was a part of will be out very soon. More details coming shortly. For now you can go drool over the website..

tuesday

Just another start to the work week.

sewed up a pretty case for my "pearl"



my husband and his brother have been working on a comic book. the first printing arrived today, along with a bunch of paper strips. Mosey had a blast hiding in it, and pouncing on it.
(info about the comic book here, it's really neat)





i consumed plenty of these no-bake cookies today. i had almost forgot about a childhood favorite of mine, until sheena posted about them a bit ago.
they are too easy and i spruced mine up to be healthy (somewhat??)
she called them gorilla poops, and i liked that so thats what i'm calling them now.


makes about 20

1/2 cup pure agave (you can sub sugar if you must!)
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1/4 cup milk (almond milk was great)
1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt


In a medium sauce pan mix agave nectar and baking cocoa. Add milk and coconut oil. Stir over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Boil for one minute. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter, vanilla, salt and oats. Drop by spoonfuls onto lined cookie sheets. Stick the pan into the refrigerator until the mounds are set, then eat away.

Chocomize

I love chocolate. Dark is my favorite, but milk is definitely close second. Plain chocolate, like this, is great.

But a custom chocolate bar? This was even better!!



Chocomize lets you design, create, customize and go crazy on a chocolate bar. You pick your chocolate, select your toppings, then you get it in your mailbox after a couple days. It's amazing!

The chocolate is high quality. Josh kept going on and on about how amazing the chocolate itself was. As for the toppings, the possibilities are endless.

It'd be great for birthdays/holidays/baby showers/wedding party gifts/ect. I REALLY wish I would have known about Chocomize when we were getting married. How fun would it be to pick out a personalized chocolate bar for each person in the wedding party.

This is what I got on mine. (Look at the fun names they gave)



They were SOOOO good!

Want to customize your own??

Chocomize is giving a $25 gift card to one of my readers!

To enter:
Take a peek at chocomize then leave a comment telling me what you'd want on your personalized chocolate bar. (And also an email address so i can contact you if you win)

You'll get another entry (one for each) if you tweet, facebook, blog, ect a link to the giveaway.

A winner will be chosen via random.org on Tuesday (June 22) at 11pm EST

And since there can only be one gift card winner, they set up a discount code for everyone else to use. To get 10% off your order, just enter the coupon code vanilla&lace when you check out.

Thank you chocomize for spreading the chocolate love!