Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

 

It's peanut butta jelly time, peanut butta jelly time...

 Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

I've been singing that all weekend...

just ask my family.

Yes, I've been singing a line from an annoying song over and over again. Actually, I don't know any more of the song, and my 16-year-old grandson tells me I probably don't want to know what the rest of it is. But I should be allowed this crazy behavior, because I made some of the yummiest peanut butta (okay, butter) and jelly bars ever! And when you have the yummiest peanut butter and jelly bars ever in your house it just seems natural to sing out "It's peanut butta jelly time" at all hours.  

I'll tell you how I made them and you can sing odd songs at all hours too.

 I gathered the ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, peanut butter, flour, baking powder, jelly, and peanuts.

 I creamed the butter and sugar.

Then I mixed in the eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter.

I sifted the flour and baking soda together,

and added the dry mixture to the wet mixture. I mixed them together just until they were combined.

 I spread about 2/3 of the mixture into a 9x13 pan lined with parchment paper.

I spread jelly on top of the peanut butter mixture.
This was homemade blackberry jelly from our own blackberry bushes in the back yard.

I dropped spoonfuls of the peanut butter mixture on top of the jelly layer. This layer does not totally cover the jelly, but that's the way it's supposed to look. Then I sprinkled chopped peanuts on top. I put this in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes, and waited impatiently.

While I waited I took a picture (through the screen) of some tulips in our garden by the driveway.

 This is what those yummy goodness bars looked like when I took them out of the oven. I decided it would be best if I waited to cut into these until some taste testers arrived...but they were late getting here...Did you know if you cut a pan of baked goods into bars and put them in an air tight container most people won't notice if a bar is missing? Just sayin'.

When my taste testers arrived I had a plate of peanut butter and jelly bars and cold milk waiting for them...along with multiple rounds of "It's peanut butta jelly time, peanut butta jelly time!"

This is the recipe for Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars which I barely adapted from the recipe on www.framedcooks.com

And that blog adapted their recipe from Ina Garten's recipe.

2 sticks of butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

2 cups creamy peanut butter

3 cups flour

1 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 cups jam or jelly (any flavor)

1/2 cup salted peanuts, chopped

**I didn't add any other salt to the recipe because the butter, peanut butter, and peanuts have enough salt.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Prepare a 9x13 pan by spraying with PAM, then lining with parchment paper and spraying with PAM For Baking.

In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, then add the peanut butter. Beat about 2 minutes, until creamy.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.

Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.

Spread about 2/3 of peanut butter mixture into the 9x13 prepared pan.

Spread the jelly on top of the peanut butter layer.

Spoon the remaining peanut butter mixture on top of the jelly layer. Some jelly will show ~ but that's not a problem. 

Sprinkle the chopped peanuts on top.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

What was the taste tester's bottom line?

These got mixed reviews. Three people loved them. Four people said they were good. And one little taste tester took one look and said "Peanut butter?...Yuck!"

This is my 16-year-old grandson's very cool thumb's-up. He's the one who told me I don't want to know the rest of the words to the Peanut Butta Jelly song...I believe him.

The bottom line: These would be great for a potluck or some other occasion where breaking into the Peanut Butta Jelly song will not be disruptive ~ probably not for a funeral luncheon.