A Peanut Butter Chocolate Bar to die for

One of the desserts that a church member made for the Caregiver Conference the church hosted was a big hit. Everybody wanted the recipe. And so we got the recipe copied and put it in an email. It is an easy recipe, and m-m-m good. I just had to share it with you all. Hope you like it too.

U may be wondering also how did the Caregiver Conference go? It was a success and a big hit. However, it rained cats and dogs and kept people at home that might have otherwise come out to it. A member of our church had the dream to have this and put it together with a little help. We had different agencies, Hospices, Home-Health companies, and hospitals there. We had two presentations on the topics of grief, and dealing with the stress of care giving. We also had a free lunch provided by our members, and entertainment for lunch. The vendors brought some freebies and door prizes. They were pleased and we plan to do it again. The people who came really enjoyed it and got a lot out of the presentation.

So now on to the main topic;

Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

How could this bar be anything but uncommonly good, for it contains not only peanut butter in the crunchy crust, but a creamy topping of chocolate, coconut, and chopped pecans. And it can be prepared, baked, and in your mouth in under an hour. What could be better?

Makes: 24 Bars

Preparation Time: 20 Minutes

Baking Time: 20 to 25 Minutes

Ingredients

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix

1 cup smooth peanut butter

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted

2 large eggs

1 package (12 ounces; 2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup frozen unsweetened grated coconut, thawed

1 cup chopped pecans

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Set aside an ungreased 13- by 9-inch baking pan.
2. Place the cake mix, peanut butter, melted butter, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. The mixture will be thick. Reserve 1 ½ cups for the topping. Transfer the remaining crust mixture to the pan. Using your fingertips, press the crust evenly over the bottom of the pan so that it reaches all sides. Set aside.
3. For the filling, place the chocolate chips, condensed milk, and 2 tablespoons butter in a medium-size heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir and cook until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is well combined, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the coconut, pecans, and vanilla until well distributed. Pour the chocolate mixture over the crust, and spread evenly with the rubber spatula so that it reaches the sides of the pan. Using your fingertips, crumble the reserved crust and scatter it evenly over the chocolate. Place the pan in the oven.
4. Bake the cake until it is light brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 39 minutes.
5. Cut the cake into 24 bars. Remove the bars from the pan with a metal spatula, and serve.

*Store these bars, covered in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or freeze them, wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw the bars overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

# If you prefer crunch to smooth, use chunky peanut butter.