Peanut Butter Cups

I love peanut butter cups.

No, I don't mean that I like them a lot.  I mean I love them.  I'm borderline addicted.  No...maybe I am addicted.

Chocolate and peanut butter is the perfect combination.  Whoever invented it should be given a Nobel Prize.  He/she has made millions of women (and some men) very, very happy, and occasionally a little bit chubby.

In college, I used to buy a bag of miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and keep them by my computer to munch on while I worked.  Unfortunately, that resulted in a bit of weight gain as I just could not stop munching.  One time, I went through an entire bag in a day.  That was when I realized I had a problem.  But of course, I just went out and bought a new bag the next time I went to the store.

At Easter time they always come out with Reese's "eggs" - giant egg shaped blobs of peanut butter wrapped in chocolate.  They usually sell them individually at the check out line or in packs of 6.  I would buy a pack of 6 and it would be gone by the end of the day.

But about a year or two ago, I found out about the role of child slave labor in the chocolate industry.  This is not a post about "slave chocolate," but in case you were unaware, approximately 40% of the world's chocolate is produced (as in, the beans are cultivated and harvested) by child slave labor in West Africa.  Not child labor, but child slave labor.  As in, unpaid labor.  Often times, these children were kidnapped or sold into slavery.  Most major chocolate companies purchase their beans from producers that use slave labor, whether directly or indirectly.  They often claim ignorance so they can continue to purchase the cocoa at reduced prices.

After doing a little research (I recommend a book called "Bitter Chocolate," however you can find tons of information on the internet), I decided that I just can't buy chocolate anymore without knowing that it is either Fair Trade, Organic, "ethically sourced" (as Starbucks calls it - by the way, you can view a contract for cocoa suppliers on the Starbucks website), Rainforest Alliance, or one of the many other labels used to indicate that no slave labor was used in its production.*

That meant no more peanut butter cups.

I was heart broken.

One time, last year, I gave in and bought a Reese's Easter egg.  I felt terrible.  I may not be able to stop the slave industry on my own, but at least I can stop contributing to it.  And in my own selfishness, I gave in to my craving and purchased something in full knowledge of who made it.  Two or three other times I have given in to a craving on a whim and purchased "slave chocolate."  Each time I felt like the most despicable human being on the planet.  I couldn't even enjoy the chocolate.  I promised myself I would never do that again.

So until recently, I thought that my days of enjoying peanut butter cups were over.

Until...

I discovered these!! Justin's Peanut Butter Cups!!

Not only are they organic and fair trade, but they are DELICIOUS!!!  Like, really, really, REALLY delicious!  Even better than Reese's delicious!!

I could just sit and eat these ALL DAY LONG.

But since they're a bit more pricey than Reese's (which makes sense, since the laborers were actually paid), as well as difficult to find, I can't afford to eat them all day long and even if I could, where would I buy them?  I've only ever seen them at Central Market and a random kiosk in the Chicago airport.

So I'm on a mission now.  A mission to make my own peanut butter cups.  Central Market sells organic chocolate drops by the pound, so next time I go grocery shopping (which will probably be tonight or tomorrow night), I'm going to buy myself a big bag of milk chocolate drops, melt them down, and make myself some peanut butter cups.

I've been trying to think of what I can use for a mold and so far the best I can come up with are my silicone muffin/cupcake liners.  I thought about using the muffin pan but I'd be afraid that I wouldn't be able to get them out.  The silicone cups should just pop right off after they have chilled in the refrigerator.

I'll keep you updated how my little experiment works out.  Hopefully I'll be enjoying tons and tons of homemade peanut butter cups later this week!



*Sadly, slave labor is used in the production of many of the products we use on a daily basis.  It's nearly impossible to avoid entirely, but the more educated I become about the matter, the more I try to find the areas where I can cut back on my "slavery footprint."  A helpful website is slaveryfootprint.org/survey. You can find out about the products that you use on a regular basis and who and where they were produced, and how much slave labor was involved.

Enchiladas!

I know, I know...I'm not off to a good start when it comes to keeping up with the blog.  I promise, I'll get better!!

In my first post I promised a recipe for enchiladas - healthier enchiladas, that is.

The problem with enchiladas is that the tortillas are usually fried and they are typically stuffed with a ton of cheese and greasy meat.  Not that I don't love the highly caloric gooey mess, but there has got to be a better way to take enjoy a tasty meal without clogging our articles.

So without further ado, here is my step-by-step to yummy, mostly healthy enchiladas!!

First, we need some ingredients!

Tortillas - Whether you like flour or corn (I like flour), it's super important that they be FRESH.  I always buy mine freshly baked at Central Market.  If I'm not using them that day, I put them in the freezer and they're still just as delicious for up to a week, longer if you're lucky.

Veggies - I like zucchini, red onion (however I'm converting to shallots!) and red bell pepper

Cheese - experiment!  This time, I used Monterrey Jack with salsa mixed in.

Beef - Matt likes beef.  So I make it for him.

Tomato sauce - it's important to get the right kind.  My favorite one is the Central Market Organics line, but we bought a different kind (organic) at Costco and it's almost as good.  One time we used a cheap grocery store brand and we both thought it was yucky.  So don't buy the cheap stuff just to save 20 cents.

First, brown the meat.  I didn't take a picture of this step.

While the meat is browning, chop the veggies.  I find that smaller is better.

Then, set the meat aside and it's time to start the sauce.

For my sauce, I use cumin...LOTS of cumin.  It's my favorite spice EVER when I cook Mexican food. Cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, and black pepper.

If I'm just making veggie, I start by heating up a little bit of olive oil, and then dumping the spices in.  When I make beef for Matt, I use the left over fat from the beef.  Letting the spices brown a bit before you add the tomato sauce brings out the flavor more than if you just mix it in with the tomato sauce.

Then in a tad of olive oil, lightly sauté the veggies.  I add a little more cumin and a pinch of salt, and I really only sauté them for two to three minutes.  I like them to still have a little crunch.

Add the tomato sauce, and stir occasionally until perfect!  Sample and add spices as you see fit.

Shred the cheese!!

As soon as the sauce is ready, spread a little bit in the bottom of the pan that you're using and start assembling the enchiladas.  Scoop beef or veggies into the tortilla, spread a little sauce, and then sprinkle with a little cheese.

When you roll the tortillas and put them in the pan, make sure you put the "seam" on the bottom of the pan.  It seems obvious, but it's easy to forget the first time.

Once you have all your enchiladas lined up, smother the rest of the sauce all over it and sprinkle the cheese on top.

Pop it in the oven at 375 for about 15-20 minutes and enjoy!!

We love the recipe and make it at least twice a month...sometimes more!

I also like to make a tomatillo sauce, but Matt doesn't like that as much, so I usually do the red sauce.

If you want to try the tomatillo sauce, all you need are: tomatillos (2-3), onion, and a pepper with the heat factor of your choice.  Blend it all up in the blender and then heat in the pan with some salt, pepper, lime juice, and of course, cumin.

Enjoy making something yummy for dinner!