OATMEAL HONEY PEANUT BUTTER BANANA BARS

SAMMY BARS for the whole family

My son loves these bars that I buy him. Any time I look at these bars, I think about making my own homemade version. You see, I like when he has the packaged ones when we are out and about but when we’re in the house I like him to eat homemade food. So I got to baking. I made a whole wheat, honey, oatmeal dough for the top and bottom layers of my sandwiched bars and then realized I could make any filling I wanted! So, I went with a honey peanut butter banana—SO GOOD! The whole family is eating them! I’m excited to make them again and again with different kinds of fillings.

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OATMEAL HONEY PEANUT BUTTER BANANA BARS

Yield: 16 2 Inch Square Bars

Author: Michelle Williams

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 30 MinInactive time: 1 H & 45 MTotal time: 2 H & 30 M

Ingredients

FOR THE OUTER OATMEAL LAYERS

• Unsalted Butter (1 stick, cut into cubes)
• Light Brown Sugar (3/4 cup)
• Egg (1)
• Pure Vanilla Extract (1 teaspoon)
• Honey (1 tablespoon)
• Ground Cinnamon (1 tablespoon)
• Organic Whole Wheat Flour (3/4 cup)
• Baking Soda (1/2 teaspoon)
• Salt (1/8 teaspoon)
• Extra Thick Rolled Oats Whole Grain (1 cup. I used Bob's Red Mill)
• Butter Spray (for greasing your baking dish)

FOR THE FILLING

• Overly Ripe Bananas (2)
• Honey Peanut Butter (2 tablespoons)

KITCHEN ITEMS

• Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment
• 8X8 Inch Baking Dish
• Parchment Paper (to line your baking dish)
• Rubber Spatula
• Small Mixing Bowl
• Fork
• Cutting Board
• Chefs Knife

Instructions

TO MAKE YOUR OATMEAL OUTER LAYERS

1. Put your butter in your stand mixer on medium speed and cream until smooth.
2. Add sugar and continue to mix until it and your butter are evenly incorporated. If your mixture is sticking to the side of your bowl, stop your mixer and use your rubber spatula to scrape it down to make sure you have all of your ingredients fully mixed.
3. Add egg. Keep mixing.
4. Add vanilla, honey, and cinnamon. Keep mixing.
5. Stop your mixer and add your baking soda and whole wheat flour. Mix on low speed. If you mix on a higher speed, the flour will fly out of the mixer and get all over the place.
6. Add oats. Mix until integrated—about 20 seconds.
7. Line your baking dish with parchment paper and then grease it with butter spray.
8. Divide your oatmeal mixture in half. Spread one half in an even layer over the base of you baking dish.
9. Refrigerate for a few minutes while you make your filling.

TO MAKE YOUR FILLING

1. Place your bananas in your small mixing bowl. Use the backside of a fork to fully mash them down until you have a bowl of mush.
2. Add honey peanut butter.
3. Mix until you have an even mixture.
4. Place your baking dish, with your first oatmeal layer, in front of you.
5. Pour peanut butter banana mixture on top of it and use your rubber spatula to spread it into an even layer that covers your entire oatmeal layer.
6. Freeze until your peanut butter banana layer is completely solid—about 45 minutes.

TO FINISH AND BAKE YOUR BARS

1. Preheat your oven to 350º.
2. Use your rubber spatula to spread the second half of your oatmeal mixture over your peanut butter banana layer.
3. Bake until the center of your top oatmeal later is dry—about 30 minutes.
4. Let cool in the baking dish for 30 minutes and then use the parchment paper to carefully lift it out. Place it on your cutting board and continue to let cool until it is room temperature.
5. Slide the parchment paper out and cut into 2 inch squares.
6. Refrigerate any that you aren’t eating right this second.

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