Reese's Peanut Butter Squares [Rhonda]

Degree of difficulty: ridiculously easy. (A kindergartner could do it. And did, many times. Right, Matt?)

Time: 12 minutes to assemble, 30 minutes to cool before cutting into squares

Serves: 10 to 15



College boys, young professionals and non-cooks—heads up! This is the perfect ending to a great party. You will be worshipped for making this!

And fancypants cooks--you can cut them into diamond shapes and single-space them on an exotic platter, give them a hard-to-pronounce French name and who’ll be the wiser?

This classic chocolate/peanut butter combination has been a Koulermos favorite forever—South Salem (NY) playgroup mom Cindy Mahan introduced the recipe when Matt was a tot. They travel well (unlike small children), and keep for a week or so in an airtight container (if you hide the container in a most unlikely spot, like the upper shelf of the linen closet. No one looks there.)

Last Saturday night, on a Brooklyn rooftop, with sparkles of lights from the lower Manhattan skyline rising in the distance, the squares made an appearance at Matt’s going-away party. He’s leaving Ogilvy to take a job in LA. Ogilvy writers and art directors, two great-looking couples from downstairs, cyclist friends (who hoisted their bikes onto the roof and rested them on a far wall), and Zack’s college roommate Anchi gathered as Matt manned the grill one more time. (Hopefully, he’ll post that menu when he settles in LA—it was astounding.)

Back to the squares. They were, as always, exclaimed over and devoured in minutes. No pretty platter to showcase them, just an open Tupperware container. (Gawd!) And after the friends had lifted their beers in a toast, promised to visit next time they’re in LA, and wished him well, just a few specks and crumbs remained at the end of that warm New York night.

Ingredients:
1 ½ pkgs from box of grahams
1 lb. powdered sugar
2 sticks butter, melted
1 c. peanut butter (can use chunky for extra yum)
12 oz. pkg chocolate chips

Make crumbs out of crackers, mix thoroughly with powdered sugar, then mix in the melted butter and peanut butter. Spread evenly in jelly roll pan or small cookie sheet. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, pour chocolate evenly over peanut butter mixture. Cool and cut into squares.

Suggested soundtrack: “Let’s Get It Started,” Black Eyed Peas.