#346 - Chewy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup packed Domino's dark brown sugar
2/3 cup softened butter
1/3 cup lite corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups Quaker quick oats
2 cups Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate bits
2/3 cup Jif peanut butter
1/2 cup chopped peanuts

In a mixer, combine brown sugar and butter until creamy. Add corn syrup and vanilla--beat. By hand with a spoon, stir in the oats. Press this mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2 cake pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the oat mixture at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Melt 1 cup of chocolate bits with the peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat--stir until smooth. Pour this mixture evenly over the baked oat mixture. Sprinkle the top with the chopped peanuts and the other 1 cup of chocolate bits. Use the back of a spoon to press down the peanuts and chocolate bits SLIGHTLY. Chill for one hour or until firm before cutting into squares.