One of my favorite parts of the day occurs very early – we’re talking sub 6am here – when my Mom and meet to go on a walk around the neighborhood. She drives over from her house a couple blocks away, then waits in the driveway until I stumble out my front door still half asleep, and we pause to giggle at each others outfits as we head down the street.
Pants that are 3 inches too short for her, and Ben’s basketball shorts that come down below my knees for me – both with hair that rivals Medusa’s.
This usually isn’t a big deal during the colder months, when we’ve still got several hours left before the sun comes up, but then daylight savings time inevitably kicks in and puts our wretched fashion show on display for the whole neighborhood to see in the spring.
You should hear the dogs howl!
Anyway, the distasteful fashion isn’t why I adore the time of the day so much, rather, it’s the company. While putting a couple miles under my belt as the sun rises is awesome, mostly I just love being able to spend 30 minutes each day with my Mom.
We talk about all kinds of stuff – work, family, plans, news, celebrities – and occasionally get to reminiscing.
Last week we got to talking about foods my brothers and I hated growing up. Pork chops, succotash, (SUCKotash is more like it,) broccoli stems, ham loaf, and of course, cooked carrots, came to mind – but also, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
It’s true. I freaking hated peanut butter & jelly sandwiches when I was growing up, and still do, actually.
That sickeningly sweet PB&J combo makes my tongue recoil, and I much preferred to open up my lunch box as a kid to find a Bologna, Lettuce & Mustard Sandwich waiting for me inside.
Unless, of course, that PB&J combo comes in the form of a baked good with a sweet, summertime element, like Fresh Strawberry Peanut Butter Bars. Leave it to a baked good to change any deeply rooted distaste!
Luscious peanut butter cookie bars slathered with sweet strawberry preserves and topped with fresh strawberry halves, completely shatters my previously held hatred for mixing the flavors of peanut butter and jelly together.
Dense and not too sweet, the burst of fresh strawberry flavor in these bars totally won me over!
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Fresh Strawberry Peanut Butter Bars
Description
Fresh Strawberry Peanut Butter Bars are a decadent, yet fresh dessert that will squash any PB&J craving!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2-1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 cup strawberry jam (could use jelly or preserves)
- 4 cups strawberry halves (about 1-1/2lbs)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together butter and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl until well combined, about 30 seconds. Add sugars, baking powder, and salt, then beat to combine. Add eggs and vanilla, then beat to combine. Add flour, then mix until it's just incorporated.
- Turn dough out into a non-stick sprayed 9x13 baking dish, then spread it into an even layer with your fingers. Bake for 25 minutes, or until dough is set in the center. If the sides begin to brown too fast before the center is done, gently lay a piece of foil on top of the baking dish, and continue baking.
- Cool completely, then spread strawberry jam on top and top with strawberry halves. Cut into bars and serve. Store covered in the refrigerator.
Notes
From BHG.com
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
The juicy strawberry halves are just as thick as the peanut butter cookie dough underneath, and gives these bars the fresh, healthy-tasting twist I think I was always searching for in a PB&J sandwich.
But let’s not over look the peanut butter cookie! Chewy, and ultra-dense, it is the perfect base for these sweet, summertime bars. YUM!
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Are there any foods you hated as a child, that you still hate to this day?
Totally still hate succotash. The lima beans are what get me!
Ashley @ Coffee Cake and Cardio 05.15.2012
I love that y’all go for a walk every morning! What a treasured time.
Jeri 05.15.2012
I am all with you girl! I hate PB&J, but this recipe looks aMAZING! and WHERE did you get that rubber spatula like beater for your KitchenAid????
Iowa Girl Eats 05.15.2012
Shoot – I was going to mention it, actually! It is my #1 fave Kitchen Aid attachment:
Jeri Wendzel 05.16.2012
Does it get the little bit way down at the bottom where there is that little bulge? I always end up with the sugar/butter mixture I’m creaming down there.
Jeri Wendzel 05.16.2012
Do you know how it would compare to the Flex Edge Beater? I’ve heard that one is good, too.
Iowa Girl Eats 05.16.2012
It does get down into the bottom – unlike the standard paddle attachment the mixer comes with. I’ve never heard of the Flex Edge, but I do really like the one I have!
Krystal 05.15.2012
Can I just tell you then I have followed you for quite some time now and you truly have became a master in food photography. Your photos are amazing – not to say they weren’t before, but I feel as if I have watched you improve so incredibly much. How did you learn how to take such great food shots? Did someone teach you, or did you just learn little tidbits here and there and put it all together?
Iowa Girl Eats 05.15.2012
Thank you Krystal! Just learning tidbits from here and there, and paying attention to what I like about other food photography and why, then trying to replicate at home!
jad18 05.15.2012
Beets. I cannot stand the smell,texture or taste. We had a one bite rule in our house and I used to take a bite, pretend I had to use the bathroom and spit it out and flush it down the toilet.
amanda @ fake ginger 05.15.2012
So I think you need to put another slice of bar on top of the strawberries. That way it’s REALLY like a sandwich. Omg. I would eat my weight in these.
Sherrill Yoder 05.15.2012
I’m an Iowa girl too and love succotash! Never did strawberry jelly with pb so this bar was a puzzler at first. Now looks yummy but calorie dense!
Stacey 05.15.2012
Omg, my mom used to make me eat LIVER When I was little! That’s right, L I V E R !!!!! Ewwwww, it’s so disgusting I don’t even like to think about it :/
Julie 05.16.2012
Mine did too! That’s what I was gonna list as my most hated – then I saw your comment. I haven’t touched it since I was a kid. I actually went so far as to plant a glass of water in our bathroom (which was just off the dining room) & as soon as I took a bite, I ran in there gagging & then poured the water in the toilet. I don’t know if she believed I actually puked or just figured if I was gonna go to that much trouble I shouldn’t have to eat it again, but we never had it after that! :)
Lauren 05.15.2012
I love that you walk with your mom every morning. Such a sweet tradition!
Amanda Singleton 05.15.2012
I’ve grown out of my childhood hatred for a lot of things, such as grilled chicken, steak, pork chops and tomatoes, but I still WILL NOT do peas or mushrooms. Yuck!
Tiffany 05.15.2012
mayonaise! Yucky!
Jim Simmons 05.15.2012
Mac and cheese. maybe just haven’t found someone that made it great. PB&J, oh ya. love it. I do home made black raspberry or grape jelly.one of those have to have things. bed time snack,good or bad.
LaurenO 05.15.2012
I never thought I’d come across someone who hated peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, too!! I love peanut butter and I’m fond of jelly, but good god, do NOT put them together!!
erica 05.15.2012
ooh, i love anything to do with strawberries!
i have always hated japanese natto. my family loves it, but i just can’t eat it.
katie 05.15.2012
yum! those sound delicious! i love peanut butter desserts!
Jane 05.15.2012
Love pb&j! But not too much “j” :) Hate salmon patties, and canned corned beef hash. My mom could NOT cook, and these were two things she made often…gag! The corned beef hash smelled like dog food when she opened the can…”shivers”…My daughter used to love pb&apple butter sandwiches(apple butter was made by grandma). She would eat them everyday when she was small :)
Bailey 05.15.2012
Ha! I don’t think that is eclectic at all! I gasped when you mentioned that bologna, lettuce, and mustard… those were the only sandwiches I would eat as a child and would have one for lunch almost everyday. LOVE!
Jen 05.15.2012
This looks delicious, and I think you just showed me how to trick my boyfriend into eating more fresh fruit–thank you!
Jane {In the Pink and Green} 05.15.2012
That’s really funny, I hated Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches as a kid too! White bread with the creamy peanut butter always made me feel like I was choking, I just hated the texture and they made me want to vomit! I have come around to them a little bit more as I’ve gotten older, and I like peanut butter on toast…but these bars look delicious! :)
Maura @ My Healthy 'Ohana 05.15.2012
I love reading about what a great relationship you have with your mom, it’s so sweet! I hope that when my daughter is all grown up, that we will have that same kind of friendship :)
Lindsey 05.15.2012
Love PB&J – favorite combo as a kid and still is a top combo for me. Will never get sick of it. I have never liked ketchup!