Microwave Puppy Chow

Puppy chow, monkey munch, muddy buddies.  In case you have no idea what I'm talking about, puppy chow is a dessert made from peanut butter, chocolate and cereal. I thought puppy chow is the kind which uses Crispix cereal and monkey munch uses Chex, but then once I get to muddy buddies, I'm not sure there actually is a difference in the cereal you have to use. Call it what you like, just make sure it's delicious.

One of my mom's favorite treats is puppy chow (puppies > monkeys or buddies, whatever those are). Ever the chocolate and peanut butter lover, this has become one of my favorites, too. While it is fairly simple to make on the stovetop, sometimes I just want to make a single (still pretty big) serving for myself and make it quickly. Microwaves are so convenient, no?

Microwave Puppy Chow

makes one medium bowl all for yourself

or you can share. i guess.

1 tablespoon butter

3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter

dash of vanilla

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 cups cereal*

1 cup powdered sugar

*I used Cheerios for this batch because it's the kind I had on hand, but I personally think Crispix or some cross-hatched cereal is best: it has hollows to keep extra melty chocolate peanut butter trapped inside. :)

In a microwave safe breakfast cereal-sized bowl, heat butter and peanut butter for about 30 seconds or until melted; do NOT overcook! Once out of the microwave, add vanilla and give it a quick stir to make sure everything is incorporated. Next add the cocoa powder, making sure to get out any small clumps of powder. You should have a really delicious and melty looking mixture, but it won't taste very sweet yet.

To this mix, add your cereal and mix until the cereal is completely coated, with no excess of melted chocolate or sad, undercoated cereal. Finally, add the powdered sugar and stir. I did this in two batches because I was stirring it in the bowl and wanted to minimize mess. You can add more or less powdered sugar depending on how sugary or chocolatey you want your puppy chow to be.

At this point, I think we've got ourselves all set up for a good Netflix night, but if you want to add peanuts or M&Ms, that would be a pretty swell idea. I'd advise adding any other ingredients before the powdered sugar so they stay stuck to the rest of the mixture. We don't need candy falling all over the place.

Enjoy!

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Peanut Butter Banana Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze

Welcome!

After years of ardently following lovely baking blogs, I have decided to jump in for myself. What better way to do so than with a recipe adapted from one of my favorite bloggers, Joy the Baker?

Joy's was one of the first blogs I ever saw back in the Spring of 2010. Her witty writing and mouth-watering photos have kept me hooked ever since. When she came out with her first book in February 2012, I knew I had to pick it up. It is full of humor and wonderfully comforting recipes, including several delectable cakes. I combined Joy's skill with my favorite food, peanut butter, to bring you this:

This cake has a soft and smooth texture inside, a buttery and nutty crispness on the outside from the brown sugar and is full of the decadent triple threat of peanut butter, banana and chocolate.

Peanut butter-y, banana-y, chocolate-y goodness.

Peanut Butter Banana Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze

Adapted from Joy the Baker's Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cinnamon Glaze

The Cake:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup oil

1/4 cup buttermilk*

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups bananas, mashed

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

4 large eggs

The Glaze:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

3 tablespoons milk or cream

*Buttermilk can be made by adding 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a 1 cup measuring cup and filling the rest with milk to make 1 cup of buttermilk. To make 1/4 cup for this recipe, simply cut the measurements by 1/4 (1/4 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice and milk to fill a 1/4 measuring cup).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare bundt pan with butter (or cooking spray) and flour.

In large bowl, sift and whisk together granulated sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In separate bowl or stand mixer, blend together brown sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla extract, mashed bananas and peanut butter. When well mixed, add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.

Add dry ingredients to wet and use rubber spatula to fold ingredients together. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl to fully incorporate dry ingredients (you don't want any pockets of flour in your finished cake!).

Pour mixture into prepared bundt pan. Tap pan on the counter to release any air trapped in the batter. Bake approximately 1 hour; when time gets close, test using a toothpick, which should come out clean. Allow cake to rest in pan for 30 minutes before removing. To remove, place plate or serving platter atop the bottom of bundt pan and flip so plate is on bottom. Say a prayer and gently lift pan off of cake.

When cake is completely cool, make the glaze. In a small saucepan, heat chocolate chips and milk or cream. Stir continuously, being careful to avoid burning by removing from heat when mixture just comes together.  The glaze will be thick, but spreadable. Pour liberally onto cake.

Slice. Serve. Smile.

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