Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownie Bar Deliciousness

I had book club this week, one of the commitments that got me out of making dinner for Winnie's Dad.  We gathered at a good friend's house to discuss Freedom by Jonathon Franzen.  I'm sure you have heard about this book, and the author.  If not, get out from under that rock!


It took me about three weeks to read this book. And, by "read" I mean listen on cd.  This book was hard to get in to at first.  Frankly, I didn't find a single character at all likeable.  However, it was well-written, and the story was engaging.  Later this week, I'll share some of my recent favorite reads.  But, enough about books, let's talk about food.  For our book club gatherings, everyone brings a snack.  I stumbled across this recipe a few weeks ago on the internet that I was dying to make and decided book club was as good an excuse as any. I adapted it a bit by adding more peanut butter chips.  Winnie's Dad, who is not a big fan of desserts (something is wrong with him, I know), gave these bars of yumminess rave reviews.  I think my fellow book clubbers liked them as well. 


Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownie Bars


1 c. butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
2 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. peanut butter chips (or even a mixture of peanut butter chips and chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 325.  Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until fluffy with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. (You could skip the sifting if you want, just make sure to add the dry ingredients in batches so your kitchen doesn't end up covered in flour dust.)  Add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture a little at a time and mix until combined.  Fold in peanut butter chips. Spread dough in a 9 x 13 baking dish, lined with parchment paper or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Start checking them after twenty minutes, and remove when toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. For me, that was at about 22 minutes.  Cut into squares and serve.  They will keep for about a week in an airtight container...if they last that long.