::Tara's Peanut Butter Cups::

THESE ARE EVEN BETTER THAN REESES!
TO GIVE THESE AN EXTRA CRUNCH, TRY ADDING A LAYER OF RICE CRISPIES. OR MIX SOME PARTLY BROKEN PEANUTS INTO TO PEANUT BUTTER LAYER. I DID BOTH!

Peanut Butter Mixture:
1/2 cup peanut butter
4.5t butter {softened}
1/2 cup icing sugar
1/2 t salt

Chocolate Mixture:
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 cups chocolate chips
4 Jersey Milk bars

1. Mix peanut butter mixture in a small mixing bowl.
2. Melt chocolate mixture over low heat on the stove.
3. Arrange muffin papers in a muffin tray and, alternately, scoop in chocolate mixture, peanut butter mixture, chocolate mixture. Jiggle tray to smooth out the layers.
4. Place in fridge until set.

Mom's Double Chocolate Brownies

ANOTHER CLASSIC THAT RICH IN CALORIES & GOODNESS.

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, melted
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 t vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 t baking soda
6 oz chocolate chips

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt butter over low heat along with the chocolate. Remove from heat and let cool a bit.
3. In a bowl beat eggs. Add the sugar and vanilla. Add chocolate mixture once cooled.
4. In a separate bowl, mix flour and baking powder. Add to wet ingredients.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Pour into a greased 9"x13" pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

Rum & Coconut Truffles

THESE ARE THE PRETTIEST TRUFFLES I MAKE. THE RUM, IN THE AMOUNTS I CALL FOR, IS MERELY AN ACCENT. IT DOESN'T OVERPOWER THE CHOCOLATE. I USE PRESIDENT'S CHOICE CHOCOLATE BARS. THEY ARE FAR MORE AFFORDABLE THAN OTHER BAKER'S CHOCOLATE.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup heavy cream
4 T unsalted butter
2 t light corn syrup
1 pound finely chopped semisweet chocolate, plus 12 oz for dipping
3-4 cups sweetened coconut, toasted
3-4 T rum

INSTRUCTIONS:
1.In a small saucepan, bring cream, butter, and corn syrup to a full boil over medium heat. Turn off heat. Add 1 pound chopped chocolate; gently mix together and let sit 5 minutes.
2.Meanwhile toast coconut in the oven on a cookie tray using the broil setting. Stir 2 cups-worth into the chocolate mixture along with the rum.
3.Transfer mixture to a bowl and place in refrigerator, stirring every 15 minutes. After 45 minutes it will set more quickly, so check in on it every 5 minutes until it is thick enough to work with.
4.When ready, take a teaspoon and scoop out messy balls onto a cookie tray. Put back into the fridge for 10 minutes, or until hard enough to roll. When firm enough, work each scoop between your palms to form rough balls and chill until ready to add topping.
5.Topping: Heat 12 oz semisweet chocolate over a double boiler. Dunk each ball into the chocolate, and then transfer to a bowl of toasted coconut.

MAKES: About 36 truffles

Chocolate Fudge Cake with Orange

CAKE:
1 cup flour
4 t. baking powder
1/4 cup softened butter
4 eggs, separated
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. nutmeg
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 t. salt
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 cups milk
1 t. grated orange rind

Lightly grease and flour 2 9" round pans.
Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar. Add egg yolks, on at a time, beating well after each is added.
Gradually add flour mixture and milk alternately. Mix well.
Stir in vanilla, nutmeg and orange rind.
Beat egg whites until stiff; fold into batter.
Pour into pans and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes

ICING:
1 cup sour cream
8 oz. melted semi-sweet chocolate
Pinch of salt

1 t vanilla