Great Combos

Laurel And Hardy.

Burger and fries.

Morecambe And Wise.

Eggs and bacon.

Lennon and McCartney.

Fish and chips.

All fantastic combinations of our time, I think you'll agree. They just... go together. My friends over at Noble Pig know this only too well, as evinced by their recent post Elvis Milk Shakes. It can't be denied - the peanut butter/banana combo is a taste delight. 

But I would like to go one step further and state that this is one duo that can be improved by the addition of a third. 

Nutella.

Oh, yes, my friends, it is true. For when you add the creamy smoothness of that delectable chocolate-hazelnut spread to your already delicious banana and your sweetly crunchy peanut butter then you have a taste explosion of cataclysmic proportions.

My favourite breakfast-on-the-go:

Peanut butter/Nutella/Banana toasted sandwich!

This trifecta of taste is good for when you're in a hurry - it has all the right things in it to get your day off to a good start, and when paired with a nice glass of 100% fruit juice and a black coffee, it's a good morning, believe me.

Peanut butter and Nutella were destined to be buddies. Take, for example, this recipe for 

Marbled Peanut Butter & Nutella Brownies

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup peanut butter (I used crunchy)

2 large eggs

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Swirl Mixture:

1 1/2 oz dark or dark chocolate with hazelnuts, chopped

1/2 teaspoon butter

1/4 cup Nutella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 inch square metal pan with non-stick foil.

In a mixing bowl, using medium speed and high speed of an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until soft. Beat in vanilla and peanut butter, then add eggs and beat just until mixed in. Scrape sides of bowl and beat in baking powder and salt, making sure they are evenly distributed; Add flour and stir until it is mixed in. Spread peanut butter batter in pan.

Make swirl mixture. Melt chocolate and butter in a small microwave-safe bowl at 50% power. Alternatively, you may use a double boiler or bowl set over a pot of barely simmer water. Remove melted chocolate from heat and stir in Nutella. Drop spoonfuls of Nutella mixture over peanut butter brownie batter and drag a knife through to make a marbled pattern.

Bake on center rack for 30 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from the side of the pan and center seems set. Cool pan on a wire rack. When brownies hit room temperature, chill them for an hour or so. Lift from pan and cut into squares.

She's a happy gal, huh?