Dreamy Chocolate Peanut Bars

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup shortening or 1/3 cup butter or 1/3 cup margarine, melted
• 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup peanuts, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon cream
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon shortening

Recipe

• 1 stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.
• 2 blend brown sugar into melted shortening. cool slightly.
• 3 add to brown sugar/shortening mix: vanilla, eggs (one at a time), beating well after each egg. add the dry ingredients all at once; blend well.
• 4 spread into well-greased 9x9 or 11x7-inch pan.
• 5 bake in moderate oven (375 f) 15 to 18 minutes until it springs back when touched lightly in the center. cool slightly (about 5 minutes).
• 6 spread with peanut butter topping, then with chocolate topping (see below). if desired, sprinkle with chopped peanuts. cool; cut into bars or squares.
• 7 peanut butter topping: heat peanut butter with cream in microwave on low heat, stirring til smooth and blended. do not overheat.
• 8 chocolate topping: melt chocolate chips with shortening in microwave on very low heat, stirring just until melted. do not overheat.