Apple-Pear Crisp with Peanut Butter

Funny story about this recipe...

The original recipe comes from the February 2014 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine.  It caught my eye right away when I saw the unique crisp topping made with peanut butter!  I had a few nights alone ahead of me and all the ingredients patiently waiting in my kitchen.  I halved the recipe and had dessert for myself for 3 nights!

The funny thing is...on a recent flight to Indiana, the woman next to me was reading the same magazine and I commented that I had just made this dessert!  She said she would think of me when she made it after she returned home.  Wonder if she tried it out and what she thought?

Here is how you can make it.  Let me know what you think!

Apple-Pear Crisp with Peanut Butter

Ingredients:

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

3 small Gala apples, peeled and chopped

2 medium pears, peeled and chopped

1 Tablespoon water

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup chunky peanut butter

3 Tablespoons whole wheat flour

Vanilla ice cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spread oats in single layer on jelly-roll pan.  Toast 5-8 min or until golden brown, stirring once halfway through.

Meanwhile, in a 4-qt saucepan, combine apples, pears, water, sugar, cinnamon, and ginger.  Cook on medium for 10-12 min or until sugar dissolves and fruit softens, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat.  Stir in cranberries.  Pour into a shallow 2 quart baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine oats, peanut butter, and flour.  With fingers, rub to form small clumps.  Sprinkled over fruit mixture in baking dish.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until browned and bubbling.  Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Serves 6.

Enjoy!

Favorite Things Friday #2

I love peanut butter!  Do you?

I've tried lots of different peanut butter and this is by far my favorite.  Now, when I try those other brands, they just don't compare to Peanut Butter & Co!

Peanut Butter & Co is all natural and comes in 10 cool flavors to savor!

Smooth Operator
Crunch Time
Cinnamon Raisin Swirl
The Heat is On
White Chocolate Wonderful
Dark Chocolate Dreams
The Bee's Knees
Mighty Maple
Old Fashioned Smooth
Old Fashioned Crunchy

My everyday favs are Smooth Operator and Crunch Time, but the Dark Chocolate Dreams is great with sliced apples!

I'm not a vegetarian, at least not right now anyway, but it's good to know that their peanut butter is kosher, gluten-free and vegan (except for The Bee's Knees which is vegetarian).

They also sell Jams & Jellies, Nuts & Snack, and Baking Mixes!

But wait, there is more...In New York City, there is the Peanut Butter & Co Sandwich Shop!  I'm definitely stopping by next time I'm out and about in NYC!

It is a little on the pricey side probably because I usually buy mine at Fresh Market but I just saw it online at Walmart for about half the cost.  You can also order through their online shop.

Check it out and prepare to be amazed!

www.ilovepeanutbutter.com

Peanut Butter Pie

The words peanut butter and pie combined should be illegal!  While making it, I knew it was going to be over the top rich and sweet-tooth satisfying.  After one bite, my suspicions were confirmed.  It was ahhhmazing!

I've had Miranda Lambert's recipe from Good Housekeeping Magazine in my drawer for a while now just waiting for the perfect occasion.  (If Blake and Miranda love it, we will too, right?!)  My husband and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary this week and he loves peanut butter and pie.  So, I finally had the perfect occasion!

The night before we got to enjoy a quiet late dinner out while the older kids stayed home with the sleeping baby.  Thank you!  So on the night of, we stayed in and grilled out, one of our favorite things to do!  My awesome hubby picked up the food from Fresh Market.  I love when he goes to the store because he always come back with surprises.  We had turkey burgers (which were actually Greek chicken burgers because the guy behind the counter grabbed the wrong ones, ha!), mozzarella tomato stacks, and sweet potato tortilla chips along with some vino and this pie for dessert.  A great anniversary dinner at home in my mind. :)

The best thing about baking a pie is sneaking a piece the next afternoon with a cup of coffee while the baby naps!  hehe ;)

Here's the recipe!

Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients:

1 9 inch refrigerated ready-to-use pie crust

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups whole milk

4 large egg yolks

3/4 cup chunky peanut butter

3 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

whipped cream and chopped peanuts for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Place pie crust in 9 inch pie plate and bake according to directions for one pie crust shell.

In a 3 or 4 qt saucepan, stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt.  In large bowl, whisk milk and egg yolks until blended; gradually whisk into sugar mixture.  Heat on medium for 6-7 minutes or until mixture thickens and boils, stirring constantly.  Boil 1 minutes, stirring.  Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter, butter, and vanilla until well blended.

Immediately pour peanut butter mixture into baked pie shell, press plastic wrap onto surface of filling and refrigerate pie for at least 4 hours or until well chilled and set.

Serve topped with whipped cream and garnish with chopped peanuts.

I love you babe.  Cheers to a great 3 years and many more to come!

PS ~ If you love pie, check out my Grandma's Strawberry Pie and Butterscotch Pie!