Fresh Idea's - July 23 - Pennsylvania PB & C Bars

Pennsylvania PB & C Bars

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 cup melted butter
• 2 cups peanut butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 5 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Topping:

• 1 1/2 tubs chocolate frosting
• 1 cup peanut butter, melted
• 1 cup salted peanuts, chopped

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, mix butter, peanut butter, sugars, salt, eggs and vanilla until well mixed. Add flour and baking powder and mix thoroughly. Spread on a 10-by-15-by- 2-inch ungreased cookie sheet.
2. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool.
3. Spread frosting over crust. Drizzle melted peanut butter over chocolate. Sprinkle chopped peanuts on top of peanut butter and chocolate. Let set until topping is firm.
4. You can refrigerate cookie sheet to speed firming process, if desired. Cut into desired size bars.

Serves
12 bars

Notes, Tips & Suggestions
Recipe contributed by winner Victoria Z., Northeast region

In kitchens, cafeterias and restaurants nationwide, our local food preferences may be unique, and our culinary traditions may be diverse, but we all share a common bond: a love for peanut butter.

"Affordable, nutritious and of course delicious, peanut butter is a staple found in most American homes," said Leslie Wagner, executive director of Southern Peanut Growers. "While some parts of the country prefer their foods hot and spicy, others prefer savory or sweet. But no matter where you go, families love making peanuts or peanut butter a key ingredient in their favorite recipes."

To celebrate the unique flavors from coast to coast, and to find the best hometown PB recipes, Southern Peanut Growers conducted its first "PB My Way" regional recipe contest.

Peanut butter lovers nationwide submitted their recipes, from spicy stuffed peppers inspired by the Southwest to decadent chocolate bars in the Northeast. These are the top regional PB-powered recipes in our "United States of Peanut Butter."

For more recipes, visit www.peanutbutterlovers.com.