Peanut Butter Revel Bars

I took a published recipe and tweaked it. As you all are shocked and appalled by, I'm sure. I took these in to our final LACASA class (maybe more on that later), and they generated some positive feedback, and requests for the recipe (Pat and Lauren, here ya go!).

This recipe is from the 'Chocolate Lover's Cookies & Brownies' cookbook. It's a book I've used often (as is apparent from the ripped/tattered dust jacket). I love anything made in a 13 X 9 cake pan, and anything with layers. This one has been a previous hit at both my and hubby's workplaces: so easy to make and take. This one should come with a 'Get Milk' warning. They're rich.

Here's the original recipe from the book:

Naomi's Revel Bars

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups uncooked rolled oats
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 325F. Lightly grease a 13 X 9 inch pan. Cream 1 cup of the butter and the sugar in a large bowl. Add eggs; beat until light. Blend in vanilla.

Combine flour and baking soda; stir into creamed mixture. Blend in oats. Spread 3/4 of the oat mixture evenly in prepared pan. Combine chocolate chips, milk and the 2 tablespoons butter in a small, heavy saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. Pour chocolate mixture evenly over oat mixture in pan. Dot with remaining oat mixture. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are browned and center feels firm. Cool pan on wire rack. Cut into 2 X 1 1/2 inch bars.

Notes/variations:

I added about a cup of Jif creamy peanut butter to the oat mixture. I also added about half a cup of peanut butter to the chocolate filling. Then I substituted about a half cup of wheat germ for that amount of rolled oats. I added about a 1/4 tsp of salt to the oat mixture.

I've had the filling seize up and get an almost grainy consistency a couple times, with a lot of oil/grease separating out. Moisture plus melted chocolate is to blame for this. It's not a big worry in the end, but it does look a little disturbing when you're stirring this stuff and wondering how in hell you're supposed to pour it. I just simply picked up handfuls and squeezed the oil out (see, I'm not lying when I say I'm removing calories!) and pressed it into the pan.

I've also found I need about 10 more minutes of baking time to get those golden brown edges. Could be just my oven which tends to run on the slow side.