Mini Cherry Pie: Becuase Mini Is Always Better, Right?

So I love cherry pie.  However, I just recently made one myself for the first time.  Holy shit, why didn't somebody tell me it would be so easy?  You can buy the cherry pie filling and some frozen crusts and ta-da you've got a cherry pie!

Well, feeling a sweet craving assault coming on, I decided to make another cherry pie.  After searching all over the kitchen, I couldn't find my pie pan.  NOW WHAT!  Now, I must have cherry pie because I'd already decided I was making one so I had to have one.

By now my crust had sat out and thawed and I was all pouty, but managed to still be creative (ha!).  I grabbed my cupcake pan and started tearing my pie crusts to pieces.  I smooshed the crust into the cupcake pans and spooned in cherry pie filling.  Then I tore apart more crust and smooshed it into the already-there crust and made these teensy little cherry pies.  Needless to say, I was very proud of myself.

I cooked them for the same amount of time as was listed on the pie crust box (which I think was around 12 minutes?) and they turned out to be this beautiful, delicious, masterpiece.  Even my husband was impressed!  They popped out easily and always kept their shape.

I can't say I'd advise eating them simply with your hands, even though my husband and brother didn't use a plate between them.  They may crumble/fall apart or whatever while holding them and taking bites, like you would a cupcake.  So, a plate might be worthwhile.  If you're careful though, you should be fine.

I'd say, this was a majorly delicious success!

Peanut Butter Fudge

 This was only my second time making peanut butter fudge.  Let me tell you, it was a much better experience than the first time I made it.  That might be due to the fact that, this time, I had an actual recipe.  Last time, my husband's grandmother gave me her verbal, vague version.  "Some peanut butter", I pretty sure was one of the things she told me.  Well, unfortunately for me, I wasn't able to figure out how much was "some" and my it ended up tasting more like straight peanut butter than fudge.  BUT now I can successfully make peanut butter fudge. 

I'm usually reluctant to try recipes I've had bad experiences with.  I tend to avoid them until I just have to make them.  In this case, I was dying for something sweet and quick.  I ended up making peanut butter fudge and no bake cookies. 

Estimated Prep & Cook Time:  15 minutes

Cool for an hour or so.

Ingredients & Supplies

•  Pot
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla (optional/replaceable)
• Baking pan or a plate to cool fudge

How To

1. Combine sugar and milk in a pan and bring to a boil.
2. Hold boil for 2.5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter.
4. Pour mix into greased pan and wait for it to cool.

It turned out great!  I'm going to try and reduce the sugar by about a 1/2 cup the next time I make it because it was just a tad sweeter than I'd like it.  Also, I used about a 1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter and 1/2 cup creamy.  I'm very proud of the results and will continue to make fudge as a quick, sweet craving quencher!