S'mores-filled Peanut Butter Oatmeal Blondies

Layers of thick whole grain oatmeal peanut butter cookie surround plenty of dark chocolate and mini marshmallows in this thick, gooey, and chewy treat.

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Hey ho! No, your calendar is not off. I've got a rogue Tuesday post because it's #Choctoberfest week! Raise your glass/fork/a little hell/spoon/hand and join in!

Let's talk about pans. Over the weekend I incinerated a pan of green beans that I'd merely meant to roast. I posted the photo of my epic fail over on my FB page, where I share all my epic fails. A friend asked if the pan was OK, and I replied 'you can't keep a good pan down'.

Do you have any well-loved kitchen items that you've received?

A good pan can last generations. The pan these blondies were baked in was handed down from my mom. [I baked Jujube Butter Oatmeal Bars in it last week, and she emailed 'is that my old pan?'.] Well, mom, here's your old pan again. I like to bake bar cookies in it for a few reasons--first, it's metal so the bars get a nice crisp bottom. Second, the bottom of the pan lifts out--leaving a clean edge to the bar. Third, it's an 8 inch square pan which means I've got less dessert staring me in the face.

My kids made a 9x13 pan of Sunny Hello Dolly Bars over the weekend because I am being a Good Mom and teaching them how to pull a dessert out of the pantry when you're craving something sweet and don't want to think too much or head to the store. Except no one wanted to pulverize graham crackers in the food processor, so I did it, and I didn't measure out the amount before transferring it to a bowl. When my son dumped the entire amount onto the melted butter . . . well, like I said, I'm teaching them. Life is a learning process.

I've got plenty of hand me down kitchen items. The stainless steel bowls from my mom and my late Grandma-in-law are used near daily, and the baking pans are used several times a month. It makes my heart smile to use a pan that's been loved by someone before me. I don't even have to know them--I get great stuff at thrift stores as well!

I'm damn lucky to live within walking distance of an awesome grocery store. They serve Killer Brownies® and we get them--and give them--for special occasions. Salted Caramel flavor is the best!
I decided to try my hand at making my own version of a filled bar cookie--but with s'mores flavors, since I haven't gotten enough s'mores this year. After a couple of attempts [like when testing the recipe for Cheater Margarita Smoothies, repeated testing is necessary] I'm happy to say this recipe is a keeper. Along with the pan.

S'mores-filled Peanut Butter Oatmeal Blondies

Ingredients 

• ½ cup peanut butter
• 1 stick (4 ounces) softened butter (I use unsalted)
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup granulated sugar, such as Imperial Sugar (sold as Dixie Crystals around these parts)
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 1+¼ cups white whole wheat flour
• 1+¼ cups rolled oats
• 4 ounces of graham crackers, crushed (from about 8 rectangles/16 squares)
• 1 XL Special Dark chocolate (4.25 ounces) or similar dark chocolate bar
• 2 cups mini marshmallows

Instructions 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously grease (I use the empty butter wrapper) an 8 inch square baking pan. Bonus points if it's metal, with a removable bottom, and handed down. Lay a piece of parchment paper, or wax, paper, or plastic wrap on top (don't worry, you're not going to bake the plastic wrap).
2. In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine peanut butter, softened butter, egg, vanilla and sugars. Mix until thoroughly blended.
3. Dump the flour, oats, and crushed graham crackers into the bowl. Stir until combined.
4. Press half the cookie mixture into the prepared pan. Flip it over onto another sheet of paper/wrap and remove the pan so that the cookie bar is now lying sandwiched between layers of the parchment/wax/plastic wrap. Set aside. 
5. Grease the bottom of the pan again. Press the remaining mixture into the prepared pan.
6. Top with the chocolate bar (break into pieces and spread evenly across mixture) and marshmallows.
7. Carefully remove a layer of parchment and flip the remaining cookie dough over onto the marshmallows. You'll probably be a bit off center. It's ok. Press down into the pan, and peel back the last layer of parchment/wax/plastic wrap. Make sense? It's tricky to write, easy to do.
8. Bake for 25 minutes until top is nicely browned. Cool completely before serving.

This recipe is #2 for #Choctoberfest! Yesterday I shared Trail Mix with {Leftover} Halloween Candy. Tomorrow I'm getting back to the Beets with Chocolate Beet Crinkle Cookies. Friday we'll bring it on home with Pumpkin Eggnog Chocolate Chip Waffles. 

Disclosure: I have receive nothing for my participation in this giveaway. I'm in because I like an excuse to deviate from my niche of sharing ways to make the most of the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share. Everyone needs a sweet treat now and again, right?

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