Posted by cookie on September 18, 2001 at 10:00:35:
In Reply to: Peanut Butter Delight posted by Carrie on September 15, 2001 at 21:31:44:
"Top Secret Mrs. Fields Peanut Butter Dream Bars" (July 27), I felt I should send you this recipe that I have been using since long before Mrs. Fields. I don't know where I got it -- probably from a neighbor. It is a favorite with my family and much easier to make than the "top secret recipe." -- Marion K. Minar, Aurora
½ cup margarine (see note)
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup plus ¼ cup chunky peanut butter (divided)
1 egg
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal, uncooked
1 cup chocolate chips (6 ounces)
½ cup powdered sugar
4 to 6 teaspoons milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Cream margarine, sugars and 1/3 cup peanut butter. Add egg, baking soda, salt and vanilla; blend. Add flour and oatmeal and mix well.
Spread in pan. The batter is very thick and is best spooned into the pan in blobs and then patted out evenly with wet fingers.
Bake 20 minutes or until lightly brown. Take from oven and immediately sprinkle on chocolate chips.
Mix powdered sugar, remaining ¼ cup peanut butter and enough milk to make a glaze thin enough to drizzle over the top. Cut into 1-inch by 3-inch bars when cool.
Note: Use real butter or stick margarine that's at least 80 percent fat. Do not substitute reduced-fat spreads; their higher water content often yields less-satisfactory results.