Delish Thursday: PB Bars Just Like Ila Used To Make

Hi Friends!

I don’t know about you, but I for one have fond memories of school lunches.

I remember meaty, zesty sloppy joes, Cracker Jack cookies, gooey cheese pizza, hamburgers with all the fixins, piping hot chili, and best of all those oh-so-delicious peanut butter bars.

I dare say that school lunches aren’t what they used to be!

Well lucky for you, I happen to have the recipe for those yummy peanut butter bars of yesteryear and I’m going to pass it on to you.

So in honor of school starting next week, make up a batch of these Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars and take a stroll down memory lane!

Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter plus extra for spreading over bars
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups Quick oats

Chocolate Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa 
• 5 cups powdered sugar 
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl cream the butter and sugars together. Then add in the rest of the ingredients until they are fully incorporated.  
3. Press the dough in to a greased half sheet/jelly roll pan.
4. Bake for 15 minutes.  They are done when the edges start to turn a golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when poked in the middle.
5. After baking, drop several spoonfuls of peanut butter on bars.  Let the peanut butter sit on the bars for a couple of minutes so it will melt.  When the peanut butter looks melted, carefully spread it over the bars.  
6. Let the bars cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Frosting

1. Add the butter, vanilla, powdered sugar and cocoa to a bowl and mix together.
2. Add the milk a little bit at a time until a smooth, spreadable consistency is reached.
3. Spread over cooled peanut butter bars.

Enjoy with a big glass of milk (or maybe a pint of milk straight from the carton)!

Delish Thursday is a KDXU weekly feature written by local St. George culinary expert Laura Squires. Laura doesn't have a restaurant or bakery, but if you've ever tasted her food, you know that she is one of the best food artists in the world! Laura has been a resident of Southern Utah for  more than 30 years.