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PHOTO CREDIT: www.JasonCoblentz.com, PHOTO CAPTION: The delectable duo of peanut butter and chocolate made easy.
by Patti Diamond
Fuss-Free Festivities: 3 No-Bake Peanut Butter Delights for the Holidays
As the holidays approach, there's a certain magic in the air -- the warmth of twinkling lights, the aroma of cookies baking and the joy of creating sweet moments in the kitchen. Among the countless options for holiday recipes, there's a classic duo that is always popular: peanut butter and chocolate.
We're going to give the oven a break today as we craft three delightful and affordable no-bake wonders. These easy recipes are perfect for getting the whole family involved. Including children in holiday baking creates lasting memories and teaches valuable skills, making the kitchen a place for sharing time together and learning.
These recipes bring bliss to your taste buds without breaking the bank. Whether you choose to indulge in high-end nut butters and imported chocolate or opt for budget-friendly store-brand peanut butter and candy coating, the magic lies in the simplicity of each delectable treat.
THE EASIEST PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE
Yield: 40 pieces
Total Time: 1 hour
4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup milk
2 cups peanut butter
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Line a 9-by-13 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, set over medium heat, slowly bring milk and sugar to a boil. Boil for exactly 4 minutes, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar into the milk. Over cooking leads to crumbly fudge. Remove from heat, stir in peanut butter, butter and vanilla until well incorporated and smooth. Pour into your prepared pan, let cool completely, then cut into delicious squares.
The following recipes require melted chocolate. Melting chocolate in the microwave is a quick and easy process. Break your chocolate into small, uniform pieces to ensure even melting. Place them in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 15-second intervals, stirring after each interval. This prevents overheating and maintains a smooth texture. Typically, it takes around 1 to 2 minutes, depending on the quantity and type of chocolate. Just be patient, stir well, and you'll be rewarded with silky smooth chocolate.
PEANUT BUTTER TRUFFLES
Yield: 90 pieces
Total Time: 1 hour
3 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
8 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 1/2 cups chocolate chips or chocolate candy coating
Mix powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt until well combined. Shape into 1-inch balls, placing them on waxed or parchment paper. Let balls stand for 20 minutes until firm. Melt chocolate according to directions. Using a fork or skewer, dip each ball in the chocolate and let them dry. Store covered in a cool, dry place.
NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
Yield: 30 sandwich cookies
Total Time: 1 hour, 30 min
1 cup peanut butter
60 buttery crackers (such as Ritz, 2 sleeves)
2 1/2 cups chocolate chips or chocolate candy coating
Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Spread a generous 1 teaspoon peanut butter onto half of the crackers, then top with the remaining crackers. Put them on your prepared baking sheet and refrigerate until firm (20-30 minutes). Melt chocolate according to directions. Dip each sandwich into chocolate to coat, and refrigerate until firm (about 30 minutes). Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Whether you're gifting these delights or savoring them with loved ones, remember that the joy of the holidays doesn't need to come with a hefty price tag. Wishing you Happy Holidays, and may your celebrations be both frugal and fabulous!
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Lifestyle expert Patti Diamond is the penny-pinching, party-planning, recipe developer and content creator of the website Divas On A Dime -- Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous! Visit Patti at www.divasonadime.com and join the conversation on Facebook at DivasOnADimeDotCom. Email Patti at
(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.
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By Mark Moran - Producer-Editor, Contact - Supported by/Underwritten
Big Sky Connection - Conservation advocates say they're investing in voter education efforts at the local level. Montana Conservation Voters is adding "boots on the ground" around the state. The latest effort is in Billings, where organizers are ramping up door knocking, mail and digital advertising. Comments Molly Bell, political director, Montana Conservation Voter and Jesc Gallegos (JESS-ee guy-AY-gos), lead Billings field organizer, Montana Conservation Voters.
Click on the image above for the audio. Montana consistently reports one of the highest voter turnout rates in the nation, and Montana Conservation Voters is trying to make sure it stays that way, with on-the-ground organizers across the state. (Adobe Stock)
Mark Moran
December 18, 2023 - Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund is upping its education efforts, adding field offices around the state and putting boots on the ground, even in Montana's frigid winter months.
The newest organizing campaign is in Billings.
The Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund has historically focused on issues like public land access and renewable energy. Now, it is expanding efforts to get that message out in Billings.
MCV's political director Molly Bell said it will use its newest field office to start important community conversations about climate and Montana's cherished natural resources.
"Out in the community," said Bell, "talking to neighbors to really launch a conversation in communities between neighbors - about how we can protect our clean air and water, create good paying jobs and lower energy costs."
In addition to knocking on thousands of doors, field organizers will include mail and digital ads focusing on conservation policy in Yellowstone, Gallatin and Flathead Counties.
The state Constitution guarantees Montanans the right to clean land, clean air and clean water.
But critics are convinced recent policy decisions are threatening those rights - and MCV's new Billings field organizer, Jesc Gallegos, said she hears from young Montanans who are worried about the state's future climate.
"Because we're living in such a confusing environment for young people," said Gallegos. "They're not necessarily sure who or what to believe, because they're just worried about, 'If I have a family, what is our world going to look like?' And that's a question that I get a lot."
Gallegos said being on the ground in local communities also makes field organizers uniquely positioned to deliver a compelling case to Montanans about the positive local impacts of recent federal legislation and investments.
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Click on the image above for the audio.
PNS - Monday, December 18, 2023 - Georgia election workers react to Giuliani's verdict. Lawmakers come under fire for questioning of Gaza. Michigan takes key steps to aid voting rights for formerly incarcerated people.
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By Mark Moran - Producer-Editor, Contact - News
Big Sky Connection - The National Institutes of Health have awarded the University of Montana's Center for Translational Medicine $12.3 million as researchers pursue a vaccine for tuberculosis. While there are still thousands of cases a year in the United States, TB is widespread and often lethal in underserved parts of the world. Comments from Jay Evans, Ph.D., director of the Center for Translational Medicine at the University of Montana and chief scientific officer at Inimmune Corp. (Inimmune listed for financial disclosure).
Mark Moran
December 15, 2023 - Researchers at the University of Montana have been awarded more than more than $12 million from the National Institutes of Health to continue their work on a tuberculosis vaccine.
It is the latest step toward developing inoculation, which is especially important in the world's underdeveloped countries. The grant to the University of Montana's Center for Translational Medicine will be used to advance a promising vaccine candidate from the pretrial stage to clinical trials; the last stage before it is approved for clinical use.
Jay Evans, director of the Center for Translational Medicine at the University of Montana and chief scientific officer at Inimmune, said tuberculosis remains a potent killer in many parts of the world.
"TB, now behind COVID, was the world's leading infectious disease killer worldwide," Evans reported. "And the only one that surpassed that was COVID and that was just for the last few years of the pandemic that we all just experienced."
All told, the National Institutes of Health has awarded more than $25 million to university and private researchers to develop a commercial tuberculosis vaccine, which -- due to testing and clinical trials to ensure safety and effectiveness -- could still be a decade away.
Evans acknowledged ready access to antibiotics has made tuberculosis less of a problem in the United States, but in underdeveloped parts of the world, it remains hard to manage, highly contagious and often lethal.
"In areas where TB is endemic and antibiotics aren't as broadly used and available for it, it's a huge problem," Evans explained. "A lot of the people walking around are carriers of TB, and when that progresses to pulmonary disease, oftentimes it's deadly, especially for those people who don't have access to antibiotics."
Evans added a vaccine will help get ahead of the antibiotic-resistant strains of tuberculosis currently circulating. He and his fellow scientists have been pursuing a vaccine for 20 years.
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