Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars

A recipe for these Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars appeared in my inbox this morning, and they sounded so yummy and easy. So I decided to make them this afternoon - and I'm soooo glad I did! They are very yummy.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars
Source: http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2012/03/peanut-butter-jelly-bars.html

1 stick of butter (113g), at room temperature
3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 extra-large egg (I used 2 medium eggs)
1 cup of crunchy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup of raspberry jam or other jam
1/2 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

In a mixer, cream together butter and sugar for 2 minutes. Add vanilla, egg and peanut butter. Mix until well incorporated. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix together on low, just until incorporated.

Grease a 9x9 pan (I always line tins with non-stick parchment paper for easy removal). Put 2/3 of the mixture in and press it into the bottom. Spread the jam over the dough layer. Add the chopped peanuts to the remaining 1/3 of the dough mixture. Mix it together (with your hands) until the peanuts are mixed in. Crumble the mixture over the jam layer.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Let it cool for 20 minutes before cutting to let the jam set.

Week 38 Bump

It's the month we've been waiting for... March! I've always loved this time of year, getting through the winter months and looking forward to Spring, warmth and more sunshine. I've never loved getting to March more than I have this year - Lord willing, we will officially become parents this month!

I had a 38-week appointment with the midwife this morning, but not my usual midwife for some reason. BeeBee is fine and is now 4/5th engaged... I believe it, too! Yesterday I came down with a tummy bug, so obviously BeeBee's safety concerned me. Today, though still tired, I'm feeling her move more and I'm feeling increasingly better, too. Not something I need so close to my due date.

The hospital bags are almost packed - okay, the things are mostly laid out on the guest bed - and BeeBee's room is slowly coming together. Jeff and I hung the embroidery hoops over the crib on Saturday and did a few other things with the room. I can't believe my mom arrives next week, either! Also, the ladies at the mum's Bible study I attend on Friday mornings are planning a baby shower for me for the morning of the 16th. They haven't ever attended a baby shower before, so they're quite excited to plan and participate in this "American tradition".

February 29th!

Today is the last day of February, and tomorrow I will wake up and say to Jeff, "We're going to become parents this month." - most likely, anyway. I just want to share a few things that have happend this month that I haven't yet posted about... and not all about BeeBee, either!
A week ago I went out walking along the lane near our house. When I looked into one of the fields, there was a sea of large white birds - 33 swans! I have never seen that many swans at one time, let alone not in or near water. They were just resting and picking at the ground. I walked back home as quickly as a 36-week pregnant lady could, grabbed my camera, walked back and took some photos. I couldn't get as near to them as I would have liked, but at least I captured an amazingly beautiful scene - to me, at least.

Over the weekend, Jeff and I finally got around to having a car boot sale... this is like a garage sale, but held in fields or parking lots where cars line up and tables are set up along side your car. The last time we did this was right before we left Munich, in the pouring rain. We were so grateful for the beautiful, calm and dry morning. We met our goal which was to get rid of unwanted items, especially larger items that were just taking up space in our garage. We made a bit of money, too, which doesn't hurt, and met a really nice American missionary couple from Missouri who had a stand there as well.

On Monday, friends Martine and Russel Day came to visit for the afternoon and evening. I met them through working at Sainsbury's in Gloucester, and we attended their wedding a year ago. They bought BeeBee some lovely gifts when we were in town and then we met Jeff for supper at a new-to-us pub.
Yesterday afternoon BeeBee's crib/cotbed was delivered and assembled! Her room is actually beginning to look like a nursery! I will take a picture of the finished room as soon as it's... well... finished. I washed her little clothes yesterday, too, which was quite surreal. I thought, "These clothes are actually for our baby, not somebody else's." I even started on the hospital bags, too.

Yesterday evening, we invited the couples from the NCT antenatal course we attend a couple of weeks ago over for dessert and coffee/tea. Two of the seven couples have already had their babies... a week and a half early! The other ladies made it, bumps and all. It was a fun evening of catching up and getting to know one another. We plan to get together in a couple of weeks again. Usually I'd say, "yep, I'll be there for sure", but you never know what can happen in the next couple of weeks!

Lindsey Jones (due 28th April), Bethan Samuel (due 1st April), Amanda Lingen (due 31st March), Bekki Long (due 26th March), me (due 16th March)

Zucchini, Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cupcakes

I love basically anything with peanut butter, but when I saw a recipe for chocolate cupcakes with zucchini, I knew I needed to try them. It sounds like a strange combination, but just like carrots in carrot cake, the zucchini adds moistness to the cupcakes without adding any vegetable flavor. Not only that, the peanut butter icing is AB-SOL-UTE-LY delicious. It reminds me of the peanut butter spread you can find at Amish restaurants or bakeries... sooo good. I spread the leftover icing on some rich tea biscuits, which are plain cookies, that sort of remind me of graham crackers. I can't recommend this recipe enough.

Zucchini, Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Source: With a Grateful Prayer and a Thankful Heart, originally from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine
Makes 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

· Nonstick cooking spray (optional)

· 2 cups shredded zucchini (about 8 oz.)

· 3 eggs

· 2 cups granulated sugar

· 3/4 cup cooking oil

· 2 tsp. vanilla

· 2 cups all-purpose flour

· 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

· 1 tsp. baking soda

· 1 tsp. salt

· 1/2 tsp. baking powder

· 3/4 cup milk chocolate pieces (optional) I don't think this is optional!

· 1 recipe Peanut Butter Frosting

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line twenty-four 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with double or single layer of paper bake cups or lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

In a large bowl stir together zucchini, eggs, granulated sugar, oil, and vanilla. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and, if desired, chocolate pieces; stir until combined. Spoon batter into prepared pans, filling cups about half full. Bake about 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove from cups. Cool completely on racks. Frost with Peanut Butter Frosting.

Peanut Butter Frosting: In a medium mixing bowl beat 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/3 cup softened butter, 1 tablespoon milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, beating until combined. If necessary, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons additional milk until frosting reaches desired consistency. Makes about 1-1/2cups.

Week 36 Bump

With less than 4 weeks until my due date, the end is insight; not that I've had a tough pregnancy, but I am/we are definitely looking forward to holding our baby in our arms. A week ago, Jeff and I took three prenatal classes over the weekend and on Valentine's Day (such a romantic way to spend the holiday!), so we know all about how to have a calm, natural delivery... whether it turns out to be that way or not, is yet to be determined.

I just returned home from a check-up appointment with the midwife, actually my midwife and a resident midwife who actually led my appointment. She did the usual - urine test for sugars and proteins, blood pressure, felt my bump and BeeBee, and we listened to BeeBee's heartbeat... all completely normal. But this time, they didn't need to draw any blood! Yay! They asked me if our hospital bags are packed... uh, no... but I really need to get them packed. Out of curiosity, I asked her if she think that BeeBee's head is engaged at all, and she thinks that she is already 3/5 engaged since she can't feel her head any more. Still waiting for the waddling to begin - okay, become more apparent. My next appointment with the midwife(s) is in 2 weeks.

BeeBee's cotbed (crib) and changing table will be delivered a week tomorrow, so hopefully I'll be able to get her room finished next week, too. I do realize that she doesn't really care what her room looks like and won't run away, but I'd like to have it look somewhat prettily decorated and organized.

Valentine's Day

Jeff and I don't really celebrate Valentine's Day, but I do like to make him a special dessert. I asked him last week what he'd like, and he requested pavlova. Since getting my lovely Kitchenaid mixer back in the summer, this is something I've wanted to make, but just haven't. So, this was a perfect opportunity to hit two birds with one stone - a special Valentine's Day dessert and something I've wanted to have a go at for a long time.

I was introduced to the fruit and whipped cream covered meringue dessert called pavlova in 2004 when I was an au pair in Germany. Two Kiwi friends, Bron (who you probably know) and Lucy, hosted a Kiwi party at our pastor's family's house, and there it was: pavlova. I didn't realise I had been missing out on something so incredibly delicious all my life. Next to it was Marmite on white bread - definitely something that I haven't been missing out on and buttered bread sprinkled with sprinkles... unusual, but hey, I remember it. According to Wikipedia "the dessert is believed to have been created in honour of the dancer (Anna Pavlova) either during or after one of her tours to Australia and New Zealand in the 1920s. The nationality of its creator has been a source of argument between the two nations for many years, but formal research indicates New Zealand as the probable source."
I also made one of Jeff's favourite meals: meatloaf and mashed potatoes with roasted asparagus... and don't worry, that's sparkling grape juice in the wine glasses. I think meatloaf is becoming a Valentine's Day tradition since we also had that last year on Valentine's Day. Because I believe in "sharing the love", I want to share this yummy, healthy slow-cooker recipe; here's the link.

Traditional Pavlova
Source: BrownEyedBaker.com
8 servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Bake Time: 1 hour + cooling time

6 egg whites, at room temperature
1½ cups granulated sugar
Pinch of cream of tartar
1¼ cups heavy cream (UK friends, simply use whipping cream)
1 tablespoon powdered sugar (I just used regular granulated sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (whoops, didn't use this either)
Fresh fruit (I used nectarines, strawberries, kiwis and blueberries)

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a 9-inch circle in the middle. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Add the granulated sugar and beat for 10 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cream of tartar and beat for one additional minute. Spoon the mixture onto the circle, and use a spatula to shape the egg white mixture into a circle with decorative sides, if desired.

3. Bake for 1 hour, or until firm to the touch. Turn off the oven and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon. Allow the pavolva to cool completely in the oven.

4. When ready to serve, beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed. When the cream gets foamy, add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Continue to beat until soft peaks form.

5. Transfer the pavlova to a serving plate. Top with the whipped cream and fresh fruit.

Week 34 Bump

At 34 weeks, BeeBee and I are doing well. She continues to grow (of course) and move around all hours of the day, but luckily only a little bit during the night. We have been blessed to have my mom stay with us this week for a pre-baby visit. Although I've had to work, we've still been able to spend lots of time together, including getting to talk about baby-related things. We know that the next time she stays with us in March, things will be MUCH different.

I'm so glad that she can be involved with at least part of the baby preparations. Mom and I started to organise BeeBee's room on Friday. She has given me ideas of items we still need to purchase or add to the wish list. When we were in town yesterday we bought the fabric that I'm going to use for decorations in BeeBee's room. We took the pushchair/stroller out of its box today, too, along with the carrycot. She has even been able to feel BeeBee kick a few times.

I have an appointment with the midwife tomorrow, so Mom will get to go with me and see what happens during the appointment and meet my midwife.

Mom flies back Tuesday morning; that afternoon I have an appointment for an ultrascan at the hospital, because there is slight concern that the baby may be bigger than she should be at 34 weeks. Friday is my last shift at work, which I am really looking forward to, not so much because of work, but because I'll appreciate having my Friday evenings and Saturdays back. Saturday, Sunday and the following Tuesday Jeff and I will attend our pre-natal courses... it's all heating up!
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UPDATE: The ultrasound revealed that BeeBee is completely average sized and weighs about 5lbs. There is no need for me to see a consultant and I'll continue to be midwife-led.