Happy Fall!

What is your favorite thing about fall? There are so many things to love about this season. Apple picking, apple cider donuts, cool crisp weather, cozy warm clothes, all things pumpkin, bonfires, baking, football, the world series, and the trees turning every possible shade of gold, red, and orange are a few that I think of. I have to say last year, my very favorite was the astonishing display from the trees. In northern Illinois, we had the most impressive show of fall colors. Just driving down any street was breathtaking! It lasted for weeks. It felt like the trees had been painted and we were witnesses to an art show!

The vibrant tree colors of orange and yellow reminded me of a fun fall recipe that I want to share with you. What could be more like those colors than Reeses Pieces? This recipe for Peanut Butter Cookie Bark is a fun simple crisp cookie/bark that uses Reeses Pieces to brighten it up. It is an easy and fun treat for this time of year. It is like a very crisp peanut butter cookie, studded with orange and yellow, and drizzled with chocolate. I usually like a chewy cookie, but this bark is an exception and it is addicting. When it is done, just simply break it or try to cut it into pieces. They do not have to be evenly shaped. In fact, it is almost impossible to do that.

I hope you are getting out and embracing all that fall has to offer. It only comes once a year. Don’t miss out! And please don’t miss out on Peanut Butter Cookie Bark. It will be a great addition to your fall. When the trees have all dropped their leaves, you can still make this and enjoy the orange and yellow colors.

Jennifer

Jennifer Schwerin has been a Stateline resident for more than 20 years. She was a long-time employee of Edwards Apple Orchard in Poplar Grove, IL. She studied home economics education at South Dakota State University. She is the mother of two grown sons and also a grandmother.

Peanut Butter Cookie Bark

Ingredients:

Bark:

  • 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Reese’s Pieces

Drizzle:

  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 Tablespoons peanut butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Place the butter, vanilla, peanut butter, salt, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a mixing bowl and cream thoroughly. Stir in the flour till well mixed in. Hand stir the Reese’s Pieces into the batter. Press dough into an ungreased 10 x 15 jelly roll plan. Bake in the oven for 16-18 minutes or till golden and crisp. Cool. Melt the chocolate in a microwave in 30-second increments until smooth. Stir in the 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter. Put into a plastic bag, snip off a small piece of the corner, and drizzle all over the cookie bark. Or you can slowly drizzle just with a spoon. Let the chocolate harden. Put it in the fridge if you want it to harden faster. Cut or just break into pieces. They can be any shape or size. Store in an airtight container.

Notes:

* I like it very crisp, so I use the longer baking time. And even then sometimes I will bake for a few more minutes. 

* A jelly roll pan is just a rimmed baking sheet. Usually, the rim is about 1 inch high. 

* This cookie bark is very flat. So don’t be surprised when it doesn’t raise much!

* Recipe Source: Your Homebased Mom