By The solar eclipse was Monday. The whole country went crazy for it, and Savannah was in the path — not full totality, but close enough that the sky went dim and the birds went quiet and the temperature dropped five degrees in the middle of the afternoon. The school had a viewing event. They gave the children those special glasses and took them outside, and Miss Franklin's class stood in a line on the playground and looked at the sky with their mouths open, and I stood at the kitchen window and watched the light change and thought: the universe is showing off and the children are watching and this is a good day to be alive.
I made moon pies. Not the packaged kind from the gas station — homemade ones, graham cracker rounds with marshmallow filling and a chocolate dip, because when the moon does something extraordinary, you honor it with snacks. I sent a tray to the classrooms and the children thought I'd performed a miracle. Big Mike said, "Dot, you made moon pies for an eclipse?" I said, "Mike, I will make any pie for any celestial event. That's just who I am."
The garden is transitioning. The summer plants are done — pulled up, composted, thanked for their service. I planted fall greens this week: collards, kale, mustard greens, and turnips. The cycle. Summer out, fall in. The garden doesn't mourn what's gone. It just gets ready for what's next. I should be more like the garden.
Earl watched the eclipse from the back porch with the special glasses Kayla sent from school. He sat in his chair and looked up at the sky for ten minutes, which is the most attention he's paid to anything above eye level since the roof leaked in 2012. He said, "That was something." I said, "It was." He said, "The last one was in 1979. I was working at the hotel. I missed it." I said, "You didn't miss this one." He said, "No. I didn't." And he smiled, and the light came back, and we went inside, and I made dinner.
Now go on and feed somebody.
The moon pies I sent to school were a full production — graham cracker rounds, marshmallow filling, chocolate dip, the whole ceremony — and I’d make them again in a heartbeat for any eclipse worth watching. But this graham cracker toffee is what I reach for when the spirit is the same and the afternoon is shorter: chocolate, peanut butter, and graham crackers, all together in a pan, and it’s done before the light changes back. Same snacking energy, half the work — and Earl ate three pieces off the tray before I could get the plastic wrap on it, which I’m choosing to see as a good sign.
Easy Peanut Butter Chocolate Graham Cracker Toffee
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes (plus cooling) | Servings: 24 pieces
Ingredients
- 12 full graham cracker sheets
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts (optional)
Instructions
- Prep the pan. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed 10x15-inch baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray. Arrange graham crackers in a single layer, breaking pieces as needed to fill the pan edge to edge.
- Make the toffee. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and brown sugar together, stirring constantly. Bring to a rolling boil and cook for 3 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt.
- Pour and bake. Carefully pour the hot toffee evenly over the graham crackers, spreading with a spatula to cover. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the toffee is bubbling across the entire surface.
- Add the chocolate. Remove from oven and immediately scatter chocolate chips over the top. Let sit 2 to 3 minutes, then spread the melted chocolate into an even layer with a spatula.
- Swirl in peanut butter. Microwave peanut butter in a small bowl for 20 to 30 seconds until pourable. Drop spoonfuls over the chocolate layer and drag a toothpick or knife through to create swirls. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts if using.
- Cool and break. Let the pan cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator for at least 1 hour until fully set. Lift foil from the pan and break the toffee into irregular pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 210 | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 22g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 115mg