Peanut...Peanut Butter...and George

Last weekend Home Sweet Hanna made a batch of Peanut Butter and Jelly bars for dinner in Churchill with The Whit, Jen, and Whit's "Fella" (as my dad would say)...Loved meeting Jon....and these bars were a huge hit (thanks for the inspiration Ina Garten)....

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups (18 ounces) creamy peanut butter (We are a Peter Pan house)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups (18 ounces) jam (we opted for Strawberry)
• 2/3 cups salted peanuts, coarsely chopped  (left over from JD/Lauren's wedding bag - thank you!)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch cake pan. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light yellow, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter and mix until all ingredients are combined.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Mix just until combined.

Spread 2/3 of the dough into the prepared cake pan and spread over the bottom with spatula. Spread the jam evenly over the dough. Drop small globs of the remaining dough evenly over the jam. Don't worry if all the jam isn't covered; it will spread in the oven. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and cut into squares.

Yummm - they taste like a really rich peanut butter and jelly sandwich!

Since this week got crazy and I only got one post in - figured I'd make it a two parter with a little George update...he loves peanut butter so consider this the jelly of this post...

George is over 60lbs...big boy!  We love having him in our lives.  Lately he has avoided being neutered (twice), had a play date with Jake and Huck, learned to fetch (our "chuck it" is getting serious use), and started shedding like an old angora sweater...there is black hair all over the kitchen...but we do not mind...

A few recent pics of the Georgers...

Can I have some peanut butter?

George's ferret...his favorite toy  (well loved - missing his eyes and  almost headless)

ice cube snack time

Our little guy is growing up so fast!