Tasty Tuesday: Pfijit

This is something I came up with the other night as I drifted off to sleep. I was very FIDGETY and had a hard time getting comfortable. So in my sleep-deprived, grumpy state, I said I was going to make a dessert called a fidget, and it would be something like a trifle. Thus as I drifted off to sleep, the recipe came to me, and OMG! I remembered it when I woke up! ^o^ Of course I changed the spelling a little, so it goes with the ingredients, but it still sounds tasty to me!

Here's how it's made: Just like a trifle can be made in all different ways, but is basically the same, so can Pfijit be made in different ways. Start with a PRETZEL crust, and top that with a FUDGE BROWNIE. Next comes the fun part. Cut into squares (or not), and top with a scoop of ICE CREAM. Your preferred flavor of course! Then top that with JAM or JELLY that you have melted and thinned a bit. Finally you add INTERESTING THINGS, like toasted mini-marshmallows, coconut, M&Ms, chopped nuts, etc. And now the recipe...

PFIJIT
2 cups coarsely crushed pretzels
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 box brownie mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box
1/2 gallon ice cream (whatever sounds good to you, I'm gonna use vanilla the first time)
1-2 cups jam or jelly (again, whatever sounds good to you, I'm thinking about raspberry or cherry)
Interesting Things: shredded coconut, mini-marshmallows, chopped nuts, M&Ms, crushed pretzels, gummi bears, fresh raspberries... whatever sounds good to you!

1. Heat oven to 350°F (or 325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with shortening and lightly flour (or spray bottom with baking spray with flour). In medium bowl, mix pretzels, sugar and butter. Sprinkle evenly on bottom of pan; press gently.


2. Make brownie mix as directed on box, using water, oil and eggs. Spread batter in pan. Bake as directed on box. Cool completely, about 1 hour.


3. Meanwhile, soften 1 quart of ice cream in microwave or on countertop. After crust has chilled, spread softened ice cream over fudge layer. Freeze 30 minutes.


4. While the ice cream topped brownies are freezing, melt your jam or jelly over low heat, or in the microwave for 1 minute, stirring frequently.


5. Spread thinned jam or jelly over the ice cream and sprinkle with your interesting things!

Here's how ours came out: We chose mini-marshmallows and coconut for ours, and found a low sugar strawberry jelly (ROTFL! Low sugar...). We made sure the ice cream was frozen quite solid and cut it into 8 slices which topped the brownies pretty well with only a little spreading needed, then popped it back in the freezer til we were just about to eat it.

Then before taking it out we melted the jam and got our Interesting Things ready, which for us included warming the broiler up. After topping the ice cream with the jam and our Interesting Things, we actually popped it under the broiler and TOASTED the mini-marshmallows and coconut!!! OMG... SO GOOD!!! So rich and sinful...