Recipe: No-Bake Chocolate Oat Bars (with chocolate-peanut butter filling)

NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE OAT BARS

1 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups uncooked quick oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup crunchy or creamy peanut butter

Grease a 9-inch square baking pan.

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar and vanilla; mix well. Stir in oats. Cook over low heat 2-3 minutes or until ingredients are well blended.

Press half mixture into prepared pan. Use back of large spoon to spread mixture evenly.

Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips in small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in peanut butter until smooth.

Pour chocolate mixture over oat mixture in pan; spread evenly with knife or back of spoon. Crumble remaining oat mixture over chocolate layer, pressing in gently.

Cover and refrigerate 2-3 hours or overnight.

Bring to room temperature before cutting into bars. (Bars can be frozen; let thaw 10 minutes or more before serving.)

Makes 32 bars
Source: Easy Home Cooking Holiday Cookies Cookbook