No Bake Peanut Butter/Chocolate Bars

This is for sure the hottest summer I have experienced since we have lived in Michigan!! The air conditioning "battle," with the hubby has been going on for months! He doesn't like to be cold and I don't like to be hot! I usually win, because I tell him I get really cranky if it's too hot at night and I can't sleep. I have been concentrating on making "no bake," desserts because even using my oven with the air conditioning on, I still sweat!! I made these bars shortly before Lauren came home from her summer job about a week ago (she worked at a camp). I think she had one from that "batch." Lauren and the hubby both wanted me to make these bars again, so I told my husband when he went to Meijer this past Sunday to pick up some powdered sugar.  I got all set to make them, but then realized I had no brown sugar!  Last night, close to 10 p.m., I told Lauren it was getting too late to make these bars. She had been looking forward to having them for hours and given that we are "night owls," around here, I whipped some up. Before the chocolate had barely gotten hard on the top, both the hubby and Lauren had some!! I may have to make a third batch!!


Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
16.3 ounce jar smooth peanut butter, any brand
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
10 ounce bag dark chocolate chunks

In a medium saucepan put the butter, brown sugar and the peanut butter. Slowly bring the mixture to medium heat, stirring constantly with a large spoon, until smooth, but not boiling! Immediately remove from heat and add the vanilla and the powdered sugar. Stir ingredients together until smooth and all ingredients are incorporated in. Press into an ungreased 9x13 inch pan. The mixture will still be a little warm, so press down with the back of a spoon or a dinner knife to distribute evenly. In a small saucepan or bowl, melt the dark chocolate chunks until smooth. Spread evenly on top of the peanut butter mixture. Leave at room temperature until the chocolate hardens or pop into the fridge to cool it quicker!!!

Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Cookies

 

When we make peanut butter cookies in "Cathy's Kitchen," about 99.9% of the time we do the "criss-cross" variety with the tines of the fork. While that's a great way to make them, I wanted to try a different recipe where that wasn't involved. In my mother-in-law's "treasure trove" of old newspaper clippings, I found a basic recipe for peanut butter "honeys." I adapted the ingredients slightly to use agave nectar, oats and chocolate chips. Note to self: don't make these before dinner. They will make your entire house smell so good you'll want to have dessert first!  Dominic grabbed three of these cookies off the wire rack while they were cooling and tried to talk me into letting him have all three before dinner. Well, in his defense, he did hand one to me to eat. LOL. I let him have one. It certainly didn't "spoil" his appetite any, my boy had two servings of spaghetti for dinner!

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 large eggs
1 cup quick oats
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, put the white flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a medium bowl, put the peanut butter, butter and vanilla extract and using a large spoon, mix until smooth. Add the sugar, honey, agave nectar and eggs. Combine well and then add to the dry ingredients in the large bowl. Stir well and then add the oats and chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until they are just starting to turn brown. Remove from oven and let the cookies sit five minutes. Remove to wire rack to continue cooling. Makes 2 1/2 dozen. Store covered at room temperature.