A Guest Post: Brass Monkey and Peanut Butter and Jam Cookie Bars

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PB&J Bars | Gotta Get Baked

What up everyone! I’m in Los Angeles and it’s been a great week so far. As you know, I have one more guest post for you all and it’s from my dear, sweet friend, Nancy from Gotta Get Baked.  Nancy is legit. She’s the real deal. She is the baker extraordinaire. She’s the first person I really connected with through food blogging. And by connecting I mean, actually keeping up with one another, going beyond the blog post and learning about each other’s lives, husbands and families.

 

Nancy makes me laugh and her writing is awesome and clever. She’s honest and tells it like it is. What do I love about Nancy? Other than the fact that this lady can bake, she’s a hard worker, she relates and really connects with people, she actually reads people’s posts and writes thoughtful comments, she’s warm and caring and funny. .  and she also has a ghetto fabulous side. She’s my homeslice.  My home girl. When I added some rap lyrics to one of my posts, she got it. She knew what was up.  Nancy is the friend I would be driving with in the car, with the top down and dancing in the car to Brass Monkey by the Beastie Boys. I love this song.

 

So, if you haven’t visited her blog, get on over there. It’s wonderful. To me, she is the cake queen. Check these out: Coconut Raspberry Layer cake, Peanut Butter Banana Bundt cake, Lemon Faux Napolean cake, and the mother of all cakes, her Chocolate Gingerbread Layer Cake with Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting. Word.

 

PB&J Bars_cut | Gotta Get Baked

 

Peanut Butter and Jam Cookie Bars from Nancy at Gotta Get Baked

 

Howdy dear readers of Hip Foodie Mom, I’m Nancy and I write a little blog called Gotta Get Baked.  When Alice asked if I would guest post, I immediately said yes.  I didn’t have to think twice.  Not only do I adore Alice’s blog for obvious reasons like her amazing droolworthy recipes (have you people SEEN her mac n cheese cups or pork ragu or dulce de leche…I could go on and on!), but I’ve got lots of love for this lady personally.  Alice was one of the first people I met when I started blogging.  I don’t know how she found me but she did.  She was one of the first people to comment on my posts with warm, encouraging, witty remarks and thankfully, we’ve been friends ever since.  She is sweet, smart, hilarious, feisty, strong-willed and super loving to her friends and family.

 

Case in point: this past fall, we decided to send each other foodie gift boxes because we weren’t able to be matched up for the food blogger pen pal program since I’m in Canada and she’s in the US.  I had remarked one day to her on Facebook that I’ve never had a Nutter Butter before since they’re not sold in Canada.

 

Nutter butter

 

When I got my giant, heavy box of goodies from Alice in the mail, what was one of the first things I saw in there?  A pack of Nutter Butter cookies and a bag of mini Nutter Butters because not only did Alice remember what I said but she was determined that I not go another day longer without trying one of these babies.  I inhaled that bag of mini Nutter Butters as if my life depended on it.  Girl, they changed my life, they’re that good!

 

We’re actually going to be sharing a room and tearing it up at the International Food Bloggers Conference being held in Seattle in September.  Alice doesn’t live that far from me, only about a 2 hour drive away, so hopefully we’ll get to meet even earlier than that!  In honour of my dear friend Alice, I made peanut butter and jam cookie bars.  I made great use of those fabulous Nutter Butter cookies that she sent me (it took an extreme amount of will-power not to have devoured them immediately back in December) plus I figured peanut butter and jam makes a fabulous pair, just as the two of us will at IFBC.

 

Alice is on vacay with her beautiful family and I hope she’s enjoying every single moment.  This hardworking mama deserves some rest ‘n relaxation!

 

PB&J Bars_vertical | Gotta Get Baked

 

Print Recipe

Peanut Butter and Jam Cookie Bars

Course: Dessert
Author: Gotta Get Baked

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temp
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup smooth or crunchy peanut butter I used smooth because I added peanuts
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups sifted flour or if you don't sift which I didn't cause I'm lazy use 1 1/3 cup flour
  • 1 cup chopped honey roasted peanuts optional
  • 1 cup crushed Nutter Butter cookies optional
  • 1 jar strawberry jam 250 mL - I used the whole thing

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a square baking pan with parchment paper, making sure there are flaps of parchment paper sticking over the edges for easy removal of the cookie. I didn't butter my pan since the cookie base was going to be pretty buttery and I didn't have any problems removing it.
  • Beat the butter and both sugars together until fluffy. Add in the peanut butter and egg, mix to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the salt, baking soda and vanilla. Mix to combine. Add in the flour and mix until blended. Stir in the chopped peanuts and Nutter Butters.
  • Place 2/3 of the cookie dough into the pan and press into an even layer. Pour the jam over top and smooth into an even layer. Drop the remaining cookie dough overtop in rough dollops. You can top with more peanuts if desired.
  • Bake for approximately 45 minutes, until the cookie is golden in colour. Allow the cookie to cool and stiffen in the pan, approximately 20 minutes. When the cookie is solid enough, lift it out of the pan and let it continue cooling on a rack. Make sure it's completely cool before attempting to slice.
Peanut Butter Cookie Base adapted from Cookie Madness

 

I adore peanut butter cookies so needless to say, I loved these bars.  You just can’t go wrong with PB&J.  The Husband loved these so you know they’re good (he’s my harshest critic.  It gives me great satisfaction to make something sweet that he enjoys).  These cookies couldn’t be easier to make and they punch one helluva peanut butter ‘n jam flavour.

 

IMG_9341

 

I had so much fun thinking up a sweet ‘n fabulous dessert for my sweet ‘n fabulous friend, Alice.  Thanks for having me over!

 

 

 

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Comments

  1. Paula @ Vintage Kitchen says

    April 10, 2013 at 11:30 am

    Girls, this has got to be the sweetest guest blog ever, literally and figuratively. You sound like you were separated at birth, and it makes me soooo happy how good friends you are! And those bars, darn it I can´t get nutter butters here, oh, but I´ll find a way to make something similar. Hope I can join you in september my friends!

    Reply

  2. Erika says

    April 10, 2013 at 11:39 am

    Um, these look amazing. I think I’m about to give up on my sugar-free streak and what better way to embrace sugar than to make these?? PB&J is such a heavenly combo! Also, Alice–amen to Nancy being one of the rare bloggers who actually READS posts and writes thoughtful comments. Nancy, you are far and away one of the best commenters/readers/blogger friends a blogger could have! Wonderful post!

    Reply

    • hipfoodiemom says

      April 11, 2013 at 7:57 am

      Totally amazing! Erika, obviously I agree with everything you said here re: Nancy. . she is a gem. 🙂 Your blog is lovely by the way. . totally going to try that Sardine Tartine with the life changing bread! I can’t wait!

      Reply

  3. Nancy @ gottagetbaked says

    April 10, 2013 at 6:29 pm

    Alice, thank you so much for your sweet words and for asking me to guest post for you! I feel the exact same – the lady love is definitely reciprocated! I had a lot of fun with this post – let’s do this again sometime. We are going to be Trouble with a capital T at the IFBC, guaranteed!

    Reply

  5. Brandi says

    April 11, 2013 at 7:09 am

    Great guest post Alice! I love Nancy’s blog and her amazing sense of humor and baking abilities. That’s so wonderful you two have become so close. I thoroughly enjoy reading both of your blogs and the yumminess y’all cook up in the kitchen. I know what you mean about people who actually read the posts. I’ve seen bloggers go around and leave a same copied and pasted note on multiple blogs just to leave their “mark”. These bars look beautiful too Nancy!! Everything you bake always does 🙂

    Reply

  6. Susan says

    April 11, 2013 at 8:12 am

    Oh my, these are incredible just like you two fabulous ladies! I swear next time I’m in Seattle we are going to make sure it’s a time where all our schedules match so I meet you two! Word! 🙂

    Reply

    • hipfoodiemom says

      April 14, 2013 at 3:50 pm

      Thank you, Averie! I love this recipe from Nancy! Can’t wait until YOUR peanut butter cookbook comes out!

      Reply

    • hipfoodiemom says

      April 18, 2013 at 12:54 pm

      Kim, you are so sweet! Thank you for always commenting and being so nice! Any chance you are attending IFBC in Seattle in September?

      Reply

  11. Stephanie says

    April 15, 2013 at 11:11 pm

    So great to hear stories of friends meeting through blogging! Those bars look amazing and would be perfect with a glass of milk! I love that second photo… the corner pieces are my favorite!

    Reply

    • hipfoodiemom says

      April 18, 2013 at 12:55 pm

      Hi Stephanie! Thank you! I totally know what you mean. . the crunchy end corner pieces are the best! You get the crunchy and the soft centers!

      Reply

  14. Liz says

    April 19, 2013 at 5:45 pm

    I can’t wait to meet you BOTH in Seattle!!!! Love that you two did your own foodie exchange and that you’ll be roomies at the conference 🙂 And I also LOVE these pb bars…I don’t like pb straight up, but put it in cookies and I can’t resist! YUMMY!

    Reply

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