PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE BARS

This week is Volunteer Appreciation Week at Hillcrest Thrift Shop. Management has been showing ways to demonstrate that appreciation each day this week. On Tuesday, my usual day to work at the register, they served us lunch from Nick & Jake's restaurant. It was delicious!

I temporarily forgot Monday that we were being served lunch and searched for something I could take (as I usually do). I ended up not making these Peanut Butter Cookie Bars until Monday evening after dinner. By then I was tired and just wanted to do something that wouldn't be too difficult. By the time I finally remembered about lunch, I already had the bars in the oven. I considered just giving them to the boys next door, but Tuesday morning I woke up and decided I would take them anyway.

I'm so glad I did. We decided to leave them on the counter behind the register instead of in the community room and that way I could just invite the volunteers as they came by to get one. By the time I left, I had given them all away. (Minus the eight I had at home - six for the boys and two for us.)

This recipe came from my Mary Foreman's Best of the Best Presents Deep South Dish Homestyle Southern Recipes cookbook my husband bought me when we were in New Orleans. I think I have seen it in other cookbooks also which isn't surprising when you have as many cookbooks as I do.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE BARS

1-3/4       cups flour
1/2          teaspoon baking soda
1              stick unsalted butter
1              cup creamy peanut butter
3/4         cup sugar
1/4          cup packed light brown sugar
1              large egg
2             teaspoons vanilla extract
1              cup chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate chips)
2             tablespoons peanut butter (I used crunchy peanut butter)
1              cup chopped peanuts (optional) (I did not use them.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Set aside.

In a mixer bowl, cream together the butter and peanut butter. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Add sugars and blend.

Add egg and vanilla, and mix on medium speed 2 minutes.

Add flour mixture to butter mixture, a little at a time,

until blended in.

Spread in bottom of ungreased 9 x 13 - inch pan, (I put most of the mixture in the pan and

spread it out with my fingers.

Then I could add the rest in the places I needed it.)

(I find this method faster than if I dump all of it at first and then have to move it around in the thick places.)

and bake 20 - 25 minutes; don't overcook. (I cooked mine 20 minutes.)

Cool on rack.

Melt together chocolate chips and peanut butter in microwave on HIGH for 45 to 60 seconds; stir, and repeat at 15 - second intervals, stirring each time until completely melted.

(I heated mine for 45 seconds on HIGH and the chips and peanut butter were completely melted.

I stirred it to blend it together. The little bumps are the peanuts in the crunchy peanut butter.)

Spread on top of the cooled bar cookies, and set aside to set. 

Store covered, at room temperature.

When ready to serve, cut in 24 squares. 

Since I was taking them to Hillcrest Thrift Shop I cut the squares in half after I took the pictures and made bars. Some volunteers took two which was fine.

They were still talking about them on Wednesday when I went back to Hillcrest to just shop. I think that means they liked them.