It's snowing/sleeting/spitting here today (ugh!) - a bit hard to swallow after last weeks heavenly sunshine, and even harder to believe after buying myself a new and much needed (flower-printed) hand trowel yesterday and a few (ever cheerful) pansies for my front stoop.

Despite all this, I am doing my best to stay cheerful - to look forward - and get ready (this is code for I am getting a pedicure!). I truly believe one must make time for themselves in this busy life, but to appreciate it is key (like it is with most things really). So with that in mind, here is a recipe for true self-indulgence and pleasure (especially if you are a peanut butter lover).

Rich, satisfying, and easy as 1, 2, 3 these are! So go ahead and enjoy the simple pleasures.

DIY Peanut Butter Cups:

• 400 grams good milk chocolate (buy it bulk - you could also use dark!)
• (1) cup good smooth or chunky natural organic* peanut butter at room temperature
• paper muffin cups (any size - fancy ones would be nice!)

Honestly that's it! Here's how to impress your peanut-butter-chocolate-loving friends..and a little 'tip from the top' today: men love these! Put up your chocolate to melt in a double boiling mechanism (I describe how I do it here). Melt your chocolate, stirring to prevent caking or burning. Once the chocolate is melted, keep it on the heat (very low) and add the peanut butter.

Stir together until the mixture is a gorgeous warm blend of pure glory. Feel free to add more peanut butter once you taste it..you really can't mess this one up. Once you have eaten as much as you can handle from the stirring spoon (don't be shy), prepare your muffin cups on either a flat cookie sheet or in a muffin pan (you might need 2 muffin pans as this makes more than 12). Spoon the mixture into the cups carefully - 2-3 tbsp per muffin cup or more depending on the size of cups you have. You don't want to make these too big or you might not be able to finish a whole one in a sitting (or maybe you will)!

Shake the pan to even out the cups and pop these babies in the fridge or freezer to cool and set You can store these in the fridge forever....(I'd love to know how long they last you)..

* A word about peanut butter: it is really really important to use real natural organic peanut butter (I am sure most of you don't need to read this) - processed peanut butters contain heinous amounts of saturated fats and refined oils that are straight up not good for you - peanuts are naturally oily as they are! Peanuts are also grown conventionally with heavy amounts of pesticides - so eat organic if you can!

These super rich treats are great to have around in your fridge when you need a sweet hit. Creamy, rich, and oh so yummy, they'll hit you right where it counts and you might just impress a friend or two. I like to use them as topping for ice cream - straight up french vanilla or homemade white chocolate hazelnut - say what? Yup, I'll share that in an upcoming post...