peanut butter + chocolate = passion

I adored Reese’s when I was younger. Remember these commercials?

That I recalled this commercial in detail and could sing along with the jingle is a clear sign that I watched entirely too much television.

Anyway, now that I’m all grown up (how terrible), I wanted a tasty treat that would satisfy my peanut butter-chocolate cravings. The answer: Passion Bars. I thought that was a weird name – until I ate one.

This recipe is quick, easy to make with children, and best of all you can eat the dough because there are no eggs (that really doesn’t stop me anyway).

You’ll still find Reese’s wrappers in my car or lost in the depths of my purse, but these cookie bars are a close second.

Passion Bars

from Allrecipes.com

• 2 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup (we use more) semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan. [Note: We like them a little thicker, so we use a 9×9 pan and bake a few minutes longer.]
2. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar, salt, and baking soda. Cut in the butter to form a crumbly mixture. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the crumbs, and pat the rest evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. In a medium bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter. Spread evenly over the oatmeal layer. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the peanut butter layer, then crumble the reserved crust over the top.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Cool completely before cutting into bars.