Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars

I actually liked school lunch. Back in the day when you got full and didn't come home starving.

Like today. I look at my daughter's lunch menu and think, "Really? You are supposed to get through your day of school and recess on that?" I get kids need to be healthier and all that, but why can't they be full, too? Now my son's school has 9 kids in it and their lunches are much better. It is still a public school, but it's rural where we are so there aren't many kids from K-3 grade out here. After 3rd grade they get bussed 30 miles into town for 4th through 12th grades. His lunch is homemade. Homemade, people. It's like going to your grandma's house for lunch everyday. Homemade mashed potatoes, not flakes. Homemade rolls. The works. It's awesome. When there is only a small amount of children to cook for, you can do homemade.

Like I said, I liked my school lunch. Especially the desserts {which schools don't do anymore because of some law from the White House. Lame.}

Like these bars. Oh. My.

Do you remember these?

 

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup peanut butter
2 cups oats*
2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

additional 1 1/2 cups peanut butter

 

How You Do It

Cream first 3 ingredients together. Add the vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter and combine. Add the remaining ingredients and mix together. Spread dough on a greased jelly roll pan (18x13x1"). Make at 350 degrees for 15 minutes (until golden brown). While hot spread 1 1/2 cups peanut butter on top. Cool so that the peanut butter has become solid again. You canI put them in the fridge so they set up faster. Spread your favorite chocolate frosting on top and cut into bars.

 

Chocolate Frosting1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1/4 cup milk
1-2 tsp vanilla (depending on your taste)
4 Tablespoons cocoa
2-3 cups of powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients with a hand mixer until smooth and spread on top of bars.

 

 

Notes: The original recipe that I used from Six Sisters' Stuff said not to use quick oats. I am not sure why, but I used quick because that's what I had and they turned out just delicious.

Also, I am not awesome at following directions and left off the additional topping of peanut butter. Next time I will add it. I also put the frosting on while the bars were still warm which melted the frosting, but then it set and tasted just scruptious. Next time I will make it like the directions above said. Just to see what happens.

They still turned out absolutely divine.

And brought back memories of yummy school lunches.

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