Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

A very Happy 2012 to all.  I hope everyone has a great year, and that all your wishes and dreams come true.

Since I am the Cookie Monster's grandmother, I am sure it comes as no surprise that the first recipe I am posting for 2012 is a cookie.  Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars were one of my kids favorite cookies when they were growing up.  I had not made these in a very long time because the cookbook they were in had been misplaced.  I probably looked for it off and on for a couple of years.  (You have to know how big my cookbook collection is to understand why this would be so.)

Well, recently when looking for something else, I found the cookbook.  The first thing I did was make this recipe.  When my daughter came by and saw what I had baked, she couldn't believe it.  She was so excited you would have thought that she was 6 years old and not 47.  Needless to say, she took about a dozen bars home with her.

Now I figure if I post the recipe here, it will stay on the internet somewhere; and I can find it if I lose it again.

This recipe uses the biscuit method instead of the usual cookie method to make the dough.  I like to use chunky peanut butter in these and frost them either with Peanut Butter Frosting, Fudge Frosting, and even (ahem!) canned chocolate frosting.

The recipe comes from Better Homes and Gardens Homemade Cookies Cookbook, 1975.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
1 1/3 c. flour
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. peanut butter
3 T. shortening
2 eggs, beaten
2 T. milk
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. quick-cooking rolled oats

Stir together flour, sugar, soda and salt.  Cut in peanut butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Combine egg, milk and vanilla.  Add to flour mixture and blend well.  Stir in the oats and combine well.  Spread into lightly greased or foil-lined 9x13-inch baking pan.  Bake at 375 degrees 12 to 15 minutes.  Place pan on rack to cool.  When cool, spread with desired frosting.  Cut into bars.  Makes 48.

Peanut Butter Frosting
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar, sifted
2 T. butter or margarine, softened
2 T. peanut butter
1 to 2 T milk

Combine powdered sugar, butter or margarine and peanut butter.  Blend in enough milk to make frosting of desired spreading consistency.

Linking to:  Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Must Try Monday