Frosted Reese's Brown Butter Blondies

Are there any foods that remind you of home? Sometimes the things that remind you most fiercely of home are surprising. When I was studying abroad in London last spring, I suffered very few bouts of homesickness. But one of my strongest ones happened around Valentine's day, when I couldn't get my hands on a bag of heart-shaped Reese's.

The British are wonderful people and - reputation aside - generally have excellent taste in sweets. But they just don't share our American passion for the chocolate peanut butter cup. (Yet.)

Before then, I never would have said those seasonal Reese's meant all that much to me. But not being able to buy any, even though it was something so simple I'd never given a second thought to before, really got me. It's the little things, I've learned from living abroad twice now, that remind you how far from home you really are.

Home is where the heart is...and where the heart-shaped chocolate is.

Reese's Stuffed Monster Cookie Cups

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Some recipes are the ripe, succulent fruits of pure inspiration. (Apple Pie Babycakes) Some recipes are the product of craving (PB&J Pretzel Swirl Brownies) or commission (Pumpkin Whoopie Pies). Some recipes are made for an occasion. (Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer Cake) Some recipes are what happens when a "What if...?" actually reaches fruition. (Childhood Sandwich Supreme Cupcakes) And some recipes happen because you have surplus ingredients lying around leftover from previous projects that you're sick of looking at in the pantry and just want to get rid of. Irritation is the mother of invention, as they say. (Wait. That's not what they say? Oh. Well. Never mind.)

These fall into the final category.

Reese's Cupcakes

I hope you guys aren't getting bored of peanut butter and chocolate baked goods. I hope you never do. Because they constitute about 35% of what we bake and post about on this blog

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes

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The story behind these is simple: I was in the mood for Reese's (nothing new), and saw these on FoodGawker, and whenever I thought about baking, my mind kept wandering back to them. When you're in the mood for cupcakes and Reese's, (I can't imagine when you wouldn't be...) these are perfect.

The Brownie Doctor: Peanut Butter M&M Ganache Brownies

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If you stick around here long enough, it will soon become clear that there are two flavors I simply cannot resist: pumpkin, and chocolate peanut butter.

Also, brownies. Do they count as a flavor? Because I'm obsessed. If I had to choose a last meal, brownies would be on the menu. (Along with creamy pesto chicken pasta, caesar salad, and a broccoli/brussel sprouts/caramelized onion sauté, in case you were wondering.)