Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

Working on deadlines until all hours? Garbage disposal on the fritz? Baby cutting his first molars? Hubby has strep throat? You have a cold? Everybody's got the flu?

(Welcome to my past few weeks.)

Have a brownie.

If anyone is looking for me, I'm buried underneath a mountain of laundry.

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
Adapted from Betty Crocker
Makes 18 brownies

Peanut butter swirl mixture
1/2 c. peanut butter chips
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. sugar
1 egg

Brownies
1 pkg. supreme chocolate chunk brownie mix (for 9x13 pan)
3 Tbsp water
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 c. chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom of 9x13 pan with shortening. (I'm lazy. I use cooking spray.)

2. Melt peanut butter chips on the stovetop or in the microwave until melted. Stir in cream cheese, sugar, and 1 egg, until smooth. Set aside.

Note that this stiffens up very quickly when set aside. Be quick with that brownie batter, you.

3. Combine brownie mix, water, oil, and 2 eggs and stir until well blended.

4. Spread two-thirds of the batter in the pan. Spread peanut butter mixture over the batter.

5. Drop remaining batter by tablespoonfuls onto peanut butter mixture, and swirl lightly with a knife to create that lovely marbled look.

6. Bake 30-34 minutes. Cool completely before serving, and store tightly covered.