Peanut Butter Bars

Peanut Butter Bars
1/2 cup butter or hard margarine, cut up
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1/4 cup corn syrup
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
A handful of finely chopped peanuts for the top, optional

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line an 8x8 or 9x9 inch square baking pan.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir the first five ingredients until melted and smooth. Press into prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes until set and edges are golden. Cool.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the chocolate chips with the peanut butter. Spread evenly over base. Sprinkle with peanuts, if desired.

These are some quick and easy bars I whipped up. Anyone who likes the classic combination of chocolate and peanut butter will love these. They are so quick and easy and keep well. Do not refrigerate them before cutting, or they will be too hard. Actually, don't bother refrigerating them at all, they are better at room temperature. This recipe may easily be doubled to fit a 9x13 inch pan. I didn't have any peanuts for the top, so I was trying to think of something else that might look nice, just to add a little more jazz to the bars. I thought of both toffee bits and shredded coconut, but I did not want to open either package just for a handful, and these flavors didn't really go with the chocolate and peanut butter. I settled on a simple dusting of icing sugar.