SCHOOL LUNCH PEANUT BUTTER BARS

For years a favorite bar cookie of Utah Valley students. I ate my fair share in high school, which is probably why I was never skinny in high school, come to think of it.

Layer One:

¾ cup butter, softened

¾ cup white sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

3 eggs

¾ cup peanut butter

¾ tsp soda

½ tsp salt

½ Tbs vanilla

Mix well with electric mixer.

Add 1 3/4 - 2 cups flour and 1 3/4 cups quick or rolled oatmeal. Mix in well. Spread evenly on greased 12 X 16 inch cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Layer Two:

Spread chocolate chips over layer one while still warm. Let cool.

Layer Three: (optional)

3-4 cups powdered sugar

1 ½ cups peanut butter

8 Tbs evaporated milk

Mix together and spread over top of chocolate layer. Cut into bars.

Or you can change Layer Two to: spread creamy peanut butter over top and for Layer Three: Melt until smooth, 1 Tbs butter and 1/3 cup cocoa. Add to above mixture and beat until smooth: 2 ½ cups powdered sugar ½ Tbs vanilla, 1/8+ milk. Spread over peanut butter layer.

OR you can add chocolate chips to the oatmeal batter and when cooled, frost with chocolate frosting (preferably Duncan Hines classic chocolate.)

Cut into bars.

PEANUT BLOSSOMS

Pam makes the real thing. I just buy refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough and stick a chocolate kiss on top.

1 3/4 cup flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 T. milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
48 chocolate kisses

Combine all the ingredients, except candy, in a large bowl. Mix on low speed until dough forms. Shape dough into small balls. Roll them in a small amount of sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 375 degrees. Top each with a kiss.

NO-BAKE COOKIES

Garron's favorite cookie.

2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
cube of butter
4 T. cocoa
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup peanut butter

Put the butter, cocoa, sugar, and milk in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Next add peanut butter and oats. Spoon out onto wax paper. Cool. Store in an airtight container.