During the COVID-19 pandemic, you may have been trying to maintain a strong relationship with your significant other, and you want to do better than last year’s store-bought cake. Why not make homemade peanut butter cups?

   The instructions are easy, and the ingredients are as simple as the instructions. You want to start with one ripe banana, one-quarter cup nut butter, 12 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, and some flaky sea salt. 

   Start by lining two baker’s dozen mini muffin tins with mini muffin liners. If you don’t have mini muffin liners, go ahead and use the muffin tins greased with a small amount of oil. This will make it easier to take them out and serve in one piece. Once you have your tins of choice, you will want to take a small bowl and mash the ripe banana and nut butter together. It helps to have warmed up the nut butter prior to mixing to make less of a mess.  Set the nut mixture aside and place the chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals until it is fully melted, and stir in between intervals to prevent burning. Now that all of the ingredients are ready, it is time to assemble. This part can get kind of messy, so be prepared! 

   First, spoon one teaspoon of chocolate into each muffin tin. Next, take the banana-nut mixture and scoop a teaspoon into each of the tins, on top of the chocolate. Make sure to level out the scoops by lightly tapping the muffin tins on a hard surface, such as a kitchen countertop. Then, take roughly half a teaspoon of melted chocolate and spoon it on the banana nut mixture. Last, sprinkle a small amount of salt onto the top, and put the tins into the fridge until the chocolate has fully hardened. What you’ll be left with is an easily made, tasty Valentine’s Day treat to share with someone special.