"Taste/best of Taste II" (a Minneapolis newspaper publication) - Peanut Butter Dreams

Date I made this recipe: June 14, 2009

Taste/best of Taste II
(Same as Son of best of Taste)
From the Minneapolis Star
Published by: Minneapolis Star and Tribune Company
ISBN: 0-87518-051-5; © 1974

Recipe: Peanut Butter Dreams

Well, the 2009 summer season for my community band, The Calhoun-Isles Community Band, kicked off on Sunday June 14th. (http://www.calhounislesband.org/) Prior to our concert at Como Park Pavilion in St. Paul, MN, we had our annual picnic and for this I needed to bring a dish to pass. And so I went with dessert and what better combination is there on the planet than peanut butter, chocolate and coconut?

This recipe is from a cookbook of selected recipes that were previously printed in the Minneapolis Star’s (now known as the Star Tribune) Taste Section. This is the second compilation and is known as “Taste/best of Taste II (Same as Son of best of Taste – clever!).” I wasn’t living in Minneapolis at the time so I don’t know if all the recipes were submitted by readers or if only some of them were, but no matter—good recipes are good recipes.

So this recipe was a big hit, especially with my dad who came into town for the concert; he has quite the sweet tooth and wouldn’t you know there were several sweets at the picnic from which to choose!

Tonight (Tuesday) is the next concert in our summer series and right now, it’s raining. But unless the weather really takes a turn for the worse, we will be playing under a semi-enclosed band shell. Depending on audience size, we might invite the audience to join us under the shell; we’ve done that before with interesting results! Of course, it would help if the audience members could play an instrument, particularly drummers (we always need drummers) but we’ll have to see how it goes.

At any rate, I highly recommend these bars for your next pot-luck event. They’ll be inhaled and you’ll be praised for being either a master baker or a genius at selecting just the right thing!
You’re welcome.

Peanut Butter Dreams – makes 2 ½ dozen bars
½ cup peanut butter
¼ cup margarine (or butter)
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup sifted flour

For topping:
2 eggs, well-beaten
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
¾ cup flaked or shredded coconut
1 cup (6 oz.) chocolate chips

Blend peanut butter, margarine and sugar together. Stir in flour. Press and flatten with hand to cover bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch oblong pan. Bake at 350 degrees 10 minutes.

Meanwhile mix eggs, sugar and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in coconut and chocolate chips. Spread on baked crust. Return to oven and bake 25 minutes or more until golden brown. Cool slightly, then cut in bars.

PS-- I was updating my list of cookbooks from which I had made recipes and chuckled when I saw that I bought this cookbook back in my hometown in Michigan when I was home for my mother's funeral. I don't know what on earth this book from Minnesota was doing there but I think I was meant to have it!