Treat yourself, if you've earned it

Over the last few years I've spent too much time deciding if I've earned a reward. Really, Have I earned that piece of lemon pie? Have I earned that ice cream? How about that dress? Those shoes? That painting? Pftt, ridiculous! If nothing else, thirty one years of hard work is finally paying off....I can financially afford the pretty dress, the ingredients to the pie or ice cream and the supplies to paint the painting. Have I worked for them? YES! The 40+ hours of retail jail, the 20+ hours of physical activity and the zillions of ideas that have passed through my brain (some jotted down, some not); I deserve those rewards. In all fairness, there were some years that the hard work wasn't so hard and there have been some times when I wasn't the best person I could be. I think that's behind me, I hope. Reward time!

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups!
 ingredients:
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1 1 /4 cups chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk

1. Create your pan. I used a cupcake pan with lining papers. There are endless possibilities, including a bread pan lined with parchment paper, creating a "cake"!

2. Make your graham cracker crumbs. I do mine in the food processor using stale graham crackers. (Remember, I live with old people who don't seal containers after opening them, I have a lot of stale baked goods....)

3. Melt peanut butter and butter together in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until creamy. Stir between the 30 second heating. *I do not recommend using chunky peanut butter because it may burn. The chunks do not do well in the microwave.*

4. Add the graham cracker crumbs and sugar to the mixture, stir until smooth. (as smooth as it can be, you did just add crackers to a liquid!)

5. Put your mixture in the cupcake cups, distribute evenly. Refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes to set the mixture.

6. Heat chocolate chips and milk in microwave for 15 seconds at a time, stirring between. It may take two or three times to make a nice silky mixture.

7. Evenly distribute the chocolate on the peanut butter-graham cracker cups. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.