it's the naughty peanut butter brownie trifle recipe you've all been waiting for

PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIE TRIFLE

Ingredients:

21 ounce package brownie mix (13x9 pan size brownies)

5 ounce package vanilla instant pudding mix

3 cups milk

1/2 cup peanut butter, creamy

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup cool whip, divided

24 regular sized peanut butter cups, divided

Preparation:

Line a 13 by 9 inch pan with aluminum foil, extend foil by 2 inches over side. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions.  Bake in foil lined pan for length of time required by package. Cool completely.

Lift foil out of pan. Invert on cutting board. Remove foil. Cut into 3/4 inch pieces, using sharp knife.

Coarsely chop 20 peanut butter cups; saving 4 for garnish.

Combine pudding mix and milk in large bowl. Whisk or beat at low speed for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add peanut butter and vanilla; whisk/beat until smooth. Gently fold in half of cool whip.

Place half of brownies in bottom of trifle bowl; top with 1/2 of chopped candy and half of pudding. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cool whip, spooned or piped on. Slice leftover candy in four long pieces. Arrange them vertically on top of cream.

And there it is.  Manda would like everyone to know that she is  not to be held liable for any chocolate-peanut butter induced comas caused by eating this trifle or any extra pounds gained by consuming this.

It's Bring Your Boy Tuesday at MOPS! (or don't, that's okay, too)

Our next MOPS meeting is next Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.  

Morning MOPS and Evening MOPS are combining numbers for our special Couples Panel event.

Childcare will be available, but it is very important that you let us know if you're coming, and how many short people you're bringing with you.

Please, please, please....even if your significant other can't come with you, or doesn't want to come, you should still come to MOPS!  We will miss you and things just won't be the same without you.  I'll be coming alone, because my mister is in the middle of a two-week run of being the sound engineer for The Producers, and Lord knows I need to get out.

We have a few topics that will be up for discussion, but we'd love to know what you would like us to talk about in front of your spouse.  Yes, that does mean you can totally set him up by emailing me something he does that makes your brain explode.  And we will discuss it without even mentioning his name.  Because we are subtle like that.  Well, Joce and I aren't really subtle, but we'll find someone who is to handle the subtlety.

Here's what we have:

how do you as a couple balance household chores? 

how do you show each other you still value, appreciate, find each other attractive?

how do you balance couple time with other responsibilities? 

how do you balance self time with other responsibilities without feeling guilty? 

how do you get back on track when your relationship is off? 

and my personal contribution, how do you get your spouse to put his laundry away and take the screen door off the porch when it's February and you've been asking since October?

Send an email to northgatemops at gmail dot com, except, you know, with the appropriate signs and symbols, or leave a comment.  You can even comment anonymously if your topic is too delicate or sensitive for you to leave your name.  If we could get a count by Monday at noon, that would give us time to get enough Moppets workers.