PEANUT BUTTER BARS

  Today I am going with a much loved classic, peanut butter bars.  This recipe comes courtesy of my cousin, Heather, and is from our family cookbook from 1998.  I first made this recipe while away at college and it was a big hit, and has since become my most requested dessert.  It is simple to bake, which I LOVE!  And over the years, I have had tremendous success with this recipe, so my heart-felt thanks go out to my cousin for sharing it with the family back in 1998!

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 C. butter

1/2 C. sugar

1/2 C. brown sugar

1 egg

1/3 C. peanut butter

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 C. flour

1 C. quick oats

1 C. chocolate chips

FROSTING:

1/4 C. smooth peanut butter

3 Tbs. milk

1 C. powdered sugar

  Cream butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg and peanut butter.  Add baking soda, salt, vanilla, flour, and quick oats.  Pat into a 9x13 inch pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes (until light brown).  Remove from oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top.  Let melt and spread the chocolate chips.

  Mix frosting and spread over chocolate mixture.  Cool.  Cut into squares.

~I like to let the melted chocolate on top cool and harden before I put the frosting on top,  It's just easier for me to do it this way, it keeps the chocolate and frosting layers separate. 

~I had a friend at college that had me use chunky peanut butter when I made the recipe, and it worked. Otherwise I prefer smooth peanut butter, and so I just stick with that.