Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Has anyone who frequents Facebook noticed that the recipe posts are getting a bit out of hand? It's like it is turning into a mash-up between Facebook and Pinterest. Pin-book, if you will. In any event, I have been bombarded with food porn on Facebook lately, as well as the normal amount of food porn that Pinterest contains. So, when Maren wanted to make a Sunday treat for the family, I knew the perfect friend's Facebook page to scroll through for some yummy looking recipes. We found this gem...Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars. 

 I confess, I have not tasted these. I am doing a nutrition challenge that forbids me from eating any of the ingredients in these, except the baking powder, soda, and butter (in moderation--which these are not). But they look delish, don't they? It seems to be a new take on the old fashioned Peanut Butter Fingers we used to get as a treat about once a month at the school cafeteria in elementary school. Anyway, they have enough butter and sugar in them, that they're bound to be good.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

2 cups quick-cooking oats

1 3/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup butter

1/2 cup chopped peanuts (optional)

1 cup (6 oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 large egg, beaten

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Heat oven to 350*F. Combine oats, brown sugar, flour, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in peanuts, if desired. 

Reserve 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture in separate bowl. Stir egg into remaining crumb mixture. Press onto bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. 

Bake 15 minutes.

Stir together sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter until well combined. Pour evenly over partially baked crust.

Stir together reserved crumb mixture and chocolate chips. Sprinkle evenly over peanut butter layer.
Bake an additional 15 minutes. Cool. Cut into bars.

Unfortunately, these recipes don't ever link to a website or give credit to anyone, so I apologize I don't know who to credit these yummy bars to. Maren has assured me they are wonderful, and the boys have gobbled up 2, each. So, like I said, you can't go wrong with a cup of butter and that much brown sugar. Enjoy!