Peanut butter Bars

One of my favorite past-times is cooking (especially baking). I love finding new recipes and trying them out. So the other day I found this recipe and thought I would share it.
But first just a little bit about cooking in Kenya.
Living in Kenya has taught me to cook in a whole new and different way. For instance when I am looking for a new recipe I have a check list I go through before I decide if I am going to make it.
1) does it look good?
2) can I get the ingredients here? (like chocolate chips you can't get here)
3) if I can get it, is it too expensive? (like cream cheese, you can get it but it is really expensive)
These are just some things I think through when I am going to make something; and this recipe was perfect. I love that it is just a little more complex, because it makes it fun...
So here is the recipe... Note: it is not original with me, I found it on the internet (http://triedandtriedagain.blogspot.co.ke/2011/06/school-lunch-peanut-butter-bars.html)

School Lunch Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C Flour

1¼ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Baking Soda

¾ C Butter

¾ C Sugar

¾ C Brown Sugar

1 ½ tsp. Vanilla

1 1/2 C Creamy Peanut Butter (split)

2 Eggs

1 ½ C Quick Oats

Frosting:

½ C Butter (1 stick)

3 ½ C Powdered Sugar

2 T Cocoa

¼ C Milk (I use whatever I have in the fridge)

1 tsp. Vanilla

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugars, 3/4 C peanut butter, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add dry ingredients, just until incorporated.Then, stir in the oats. Spread onto a greased 11 x 15 Jelly Roll Pan (cookie sheet). Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes.

The frosting is a two step process. First, whip the remaining ¾ C Creamy Peanut Butter until it becomes lighter colored and fluffy. Carefully spread the whipped peanut butter over the pan cookie.

Then, add butter to a small sauce pan and melt the butter. Add the milk and cocoa. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Heat just until boiling. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Then, gradually add the powdered sugar. Stir until thickened. Pour over the peanut butter and gently spread over the cookie. Cool completely, and slice into bar cookies.

I lined the pan with wax paper...best decision I ever made. Made the bars come out really easily and it made clean up "a piece of cake".

I loved that I could cut them into whatever size I wanted. It made them stretch so everyone could at least have one if not three.

Ahhhh, all that was left... but not for long...

By: Emily Swain