Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookie Bars

I don’t know a single child who does not love peanut butter and jelly.  My kids would live on it if I allowed them.  It would be a bad day around here if we ran out of peanut butter.  I saw this recipe years ago for peanut butter and jelly cookie bars by Ina Garten, who I LOVE.  I watch her show all the time…or when my kids are quiet enough.

When I first saw her make this recipe, I didn’t have children.  I thought they looked yummy, though I never made them just for my husband and me.  One day years later, when I caught this recipe on a re-run, I decided I would try them out for my then three year old son.  I made a couple changes, but they were still incredibly delicious.  He gobbled these cookie bars up faster than I could imagine.  Now, all of my kids love these.  I find myself making them quite often.  They make a really yummy after-school snack, or a treat after dinner.  And, mom’s love them too!
Ingredients:

• 1 stick of butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup white flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup of your favorite jelly or jam

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease a 8×8 baking pan
3. In a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the egg, vanilla, and peanut butter and mix thoroughly. 
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, and salt. 
5. Gently fold in the flour mixture into the peanut butter mixture.  Stir until just combined.
6. Press 2/3 of the batter into the bottom of the baking pan.
7. Spread the jam on top of the batter.
8. Take the rest of the batter and drop small pieces of it on top of the jam.
9. Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown.