Peanut Butter & Everything Else Bars

I had no idea what to name these.  First, I thought that peanut butter and jelly bars would be good, but that did not describe the copious amounts of chocolate in these…Peanut butter chocolate bars did not hint at the unrestrained use of Hershey’s Dark chocolate pieces filled with raspberry…So…Name them what ever you like…just try them.

Here is the deal…Moist peanut butter bars sweetened with brown sugar …mini peanut butter cups, raspberry filled dark chocolate, semi sweet chunks and bittersweet chunks folded in…..Spread carefully in a 9 x 13 inch pan to make sure that the squares were generous…topped with more peanut butter cups, raspberry filled chocolate, and chocolate chunks…Baked to perfection…served warm…perhaps with a dollop of vanilla ice cream?

These are for those days when you need an extra five thousand calories in your diet.  Go for it.

Peanut Butter and Everything Else Bars

13x 9 inch pan

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup butter, unsalted
• 2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed (I use light brown sugar)
• 4 eggs
• 3 tablespoons vanilla
• 1 1/4 c peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 6 ozs bittersweet chunks
• 6 oz semi sweet chunks
• 1/2 cup mini peanut butter cups
• 1/2 cup raspberry filled dark chocolate pieces

For topping:

• 1 cup mini peanut butter cups
• 1 cup raspberry filled dark chocolate pieces
• 1/2 cup semi sweet chunks
• 1/2 cup  bittersweet chunks
• 1 cup peanuts if desired

Preheat oven to 350

1. Mix butter and oil until creamy.
2. Add sugar and beat for 3 minutes until smooth.
3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
4. Beat in vanilla and peanut butter.
5. Mix baking soda and flour and stir in.
6. Fold in chocolate.
7. Spoon into greased 13 x 9 inch pan, smoothing top.
8. Sprinkle liberally with topping ingredients.
9. Bake for 35 minutes or until done.
10. Cool for 20 minutes before cutting in squares.

Image:marye audet