Reese's Peanut Butter Bars!



Our good friends, Roy and Brenda Artz, came to visit us this week and during our conversation one day, Brenda looked at me, and out of nowhere reminded me that I hadn't done any blogging since Christmas!!  I realized she was absolutely right...and that I have very little excuse.  I know that I've been meaning to do it...and I've told myself to sit down on numerous occasions and get it done, but somehow it just hasn't happened.  

 My biggest excuse is that we've been renovating our house this year and most of the time I've been covered in construction dust and haven't had time to hardly breathe, much less sit down and write about recipes (although I have been still actively creating them!).  

 So, Brenda, thanks for the reminder...and this one's for you!  Wish I'd had time to get it baked while you guys were here....
Reese's Peanut Butter Bars Recipe:

 1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
3 eggs
2 cups GF pretzels
1 cup butter
4 squares semi-sweet chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup brown rice flour
2/3 cup tapioca flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
24 snack-size Reese's peanut butter cups (unwrapped)

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a 13 X 9 inch baking dish; set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the 3 eggs.  Mix in the 1 1/2 cups sugar and peanut butter.  Crush the pretzels and add to the dough (leave some larger pieces for crunch and flavor).  Place this dough in the bottom of your prepared pan.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove; cool for 10-12 minutes.
While your bottom layer is cooling:   Melt butter and chocolate in a saucepan.  Remove from heat; stir in 2 cups sugar.  Add 4 eggs and vanilla, beating lightly with a spoon just till combined.  Stir in flours and xanthan gum.  
Once the bottom layer is cool, place the peanut butter cups on top of dough.
Pour the chocolate brownie batter over the top and spread carefully.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes; cool before cutting into squares.  Makes 16-20, depending on size.

Chocolate and peanut butter just belong together and these bars are an absolutely sinful way to enjoy these 2 fabulously complementary flavors!  Remember the old commercial...who put chocolate in my peanut butter?? Who put peanut butter in my chocolate??  That's how we were first introduced to Reese's peanut butter cups...and the love affair has only intensified :)




This week is my birthday...so make some bars, think of me as you eat them...or not...whatever works for you!

 Happy eating!


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