Thursday, May 7, 2009

It's Pay Day!


I know I have a problem. Sometimes I think it might be time to seek help when I hit the 1-click order button on Amazon for a cookbook. Again. Or when the King Arthur Flour order arrives and I have to find place to store yet more flour. Or when I'm too embarrassed to admit the number of places I have chocolate squirreled away in my home.

But I realized my food blogging problem was over the top when I made some cookies, in order to destroy them. I took the time to even imprint cute little peanut grids on them, all the while knowing their true destiny was to be crushed up to make a base for another cookie.

A freebie magazine came to my door a little while ago, one of those "you know you want it" bits of bait they dangle in order to get you to subscribe. The magazine looked pretty good, but what really caught my eye was the bars on the back cover. Salted-Nut-Roll-Bars. Yum. I love PayDay candy bars. Salty, crunchy nuts and gooey, sweet filling. What's not to love?


In looking at the ingredient list I had most of it, but not the peanut butter sandwich cookies. So I made them. Would a normal person really do that? Probably not. So I'll give you the recipe both as I made it and as suggested, just in case you're a normal person with a life.

The original recipe called for 1 stick of butter for the base. That seemed like an awful lot of butter. I halved it. My base was a bit crumbly, but I preferred that to greasy. Just be sure to press the crumbs down firmly into the pan.

PayDay Bars
- adapted from Cuisine At Home

Makes 28 bars. Takes about 45 minutes + cooling time, much more if you make your own peanut butter sandwich cookies

Base;

1 lb. peanut butter sandwich cookies, or about 16 homemade p.b. sandwich cookies
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted

Topping;

1-2/3 cup peanut butter chips (1 package)
2/3 cup light corn syrup
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups miniature marshmallows
2 cups dry-roasted peanuts
2 cups crisp rice cereal (like Rice Krispies)


1- Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

2- Place the p.b. cookies in a food processor and process until fine crumbs form. Add the melted butter and process until crumbs clump together. Press the crumbs firmly into the prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes, or until golden.

3- In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the peanut butter chips, corn syrup, butter, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth, about 5 minutes. Spread 1/2 cup of the peanut butter mixture over crumb base.

4- Sprinkle the marshmallows over the top and return the pan to the oven. Bake until marshmallows puff, about 2 minutes, then remove from the oven. Don't let the marshmallows brown.

5- Toss the peanuts and cereal with the remaining peanut butter mixture. Drop spoonfuls of the topping over the marshmallows, then spread with a spatula or greased fingertips. Cool the bars before cutting. For clean cuts, use a knife coated with cooking spray or butter.

20 comments:

Marysol said...

Dee, you’re only as normal as we think you are.
And, I’m going to try both versions of your recipe, because, while I do have a life, I’m hardly normal.

Marysol said...

See what I mean?
For a fleeting moment, I forgot your name [draws revolver and aims toward self]
Forgive me?

Anyway, Lynn, those bars look absolutely delicious.

Mermaid Sews said...

I'll start a One-Click support group with you - I bought 4 cookbooks this week! And these are seriously my fav. candy bars - can't WAIT to make these.

The Blonde Duck said...

This is my favorite treat in the world right now!

Justin said...

these look like heaven

sarah said...

I ate way to many of those. They were just so amazing. Right up my ally. And yes, you have a problem. You have in part passed it on to me. I curl up on my coach with my cook books dreaming of dinners, and what excuses I could come up with to make such lovely food, and how I could con my husband to try it with a smile :-) I just feel like you though spending so much time studying my cook books with my blanket around me and tea in hand lol. I'm turning in to my mother...

eatme_delicious said...

It's a good thing that I can't order from KA flour. I already have enough types of flour stashed in my pantry! I love the side shot of the cookie where you can see the sticky gooeyness yum!

NKP said...

Mmm, I love salted peanuts in a dessert. These look awesome - and making the pb cookies.. over the top!

Melinda said...

I guess I will have to make these with golden syrup as light corn syrup is not available here. It usually makes things taste different, but in a better way.
As usual these look so good!
(and Sarah, mutating into your Mom would be a fine thing, I am sure!)

Deborah said...

I made something kind of similar to this once and loved them. This makes me want to make some more! (and I got a copy of this magazine, too!)

Unknown said...

I have a recipe almost identical to this and LOVE it! It is so very good.

Lien said...

It's just comforting to know how many there are out there that need to join the "buy-in-1-click"-support group :-)
Your bars look divine, too bad they don't sell flavored chips over here.

natalia said...

Ciao ! i'm afraid we all share some 'mental' problems !! Your bars are sooo super good !

grace said...

the base, the base alone would be enough to satisfy me, but incorporating the ever-faithful and delicious rice krispie treat concoction makes this waaaay better than the candy bar. :)

Debbie said...

Oh they look good. My problem would be to control myself and stop eating after a few.....!

alice said...

You are so funny, I love it!
They look delicious! I am also a big PayDay fan...both kinds ;)
Have a great day!

Elle said...

Guilty on most counts...cookbook obsession, check, King Arthur Flour obsession, check, chocolate stashes, check, love salty sweet peanut goodies, check. Only thing about this recipe is it seems low on salt...or did I miss something?
It looks and sounds like the perfect snack!

Abby said...

They look great. I love paydays, too!

Peabody said...

These were dangerous for me to discover. But they looked so good I came off of my commenting hiatus just to say so!

Katrina said...

Yum, Lynn. I just made some nutty bars (and posted them) that totally reminded me of Pay Days, which I love. These look GREAT. I'll have to make them and compare sometime! ;)
And for the record--you definitely deserve the cupcakes, love the pink tint and the almond extract adds just a touch of great flavor.