My Crush

I have a slight crush on Ina Garten (you know, the Barefoot Contessa). It somewhat verges on obsession. I think I've seen every episode on the Food Network and have most of her cookbooks. In fact, before starting Tapenades, I wanted to open a gourmet-to-go shop (similar to Barefoot Contessa in the Hamptons) and even wrote a letter to Mrs. Garten, asking a few key questions about her experiences. I never received a note back, but I still love her!

I could go on and on about Ina Garten, but rather than doing so, let me just share one of her many gems. There are many recipes that I make once. Some I even make twice. Few make it much past three. Ina Garten's PB&J Bar recipe happens to be in a category of its own -- the "go-to-amazingly-addictively-fantastic-need-a-quick-cookie-bar" category.

If you dare make this, make sure you're wearing expandable pants, because the dough is so DARN delicious and barely makes it out the mixing bowl and into the pan.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars
adapted from Ina Garten

1 stick of butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
dash of salt
10 ounces favorite jam

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a 9 by 9 pyrex/cake pan. Grease and flour the 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.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. 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 a knife or offset 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 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and cut into squares.

Not that you even need a photo to entice you to make these -- I just took a batch out the oven and they're slightly too hot to cut. Before I take a fork to the entire batch, I'll take a photo and post.

Two bars and a bit later......