You know what’s so good that I look forward to taking the train home so I can have a piece? Peanut butter chocolate chip bars. Perfect texture, just the right amount of nutty brown sugar, buttery sweet tooth satisfier.

You know what’s even better? Peanut butter chocolate chip bar ice cream sandwiches. I only made two, and cut the rest into small squares for Daniel to bring to work, so I couldn’t go off the deep end with these. I definitely regret this decision. Especially because Daniel was all like “I don’t get it, why add ice cream, it’s already great” and then he had a bite. And I’ve never seen him acknowledge being so wrong about something. This combination is truly wonderful. Then he was an equal sharer :(.

Side note – Daniel is good about acknowledging when I am right about something. For a stubborn dude, it’s a very charming quality. Once we were on a bus in Guatemala going to a hike and he said “oh, you’re right’ about something dumb and these two Christian missionary white dudes from Alabama started talking about “oh my god how rare is that, right? He actually is admitting he was wrong. Wow, what a moment, remember this one, probably once in ten years, right?” and they thought they were being funny and I was like, take your fragile outdated male fragility and find another tree to bark up, assholes, my partner is confident and masculine and has a conscience and is respectful and no we don’t want to talk about jesus, you ignoramuses. But I probably just smiled and said ha and then fumed silently.

Which is all to say, admitting when you’re wrong is powerful. Some people, cough, people in charge of countries and states and corporations who would never read my blog, should think about this. People make mistakes, and acknowledging that and fixing it shows maturity. Sulking and pretending it doesn’t exist doesn’t.

Know what makes me feel better about the sorry state of our leaders’ sense of right and wrong? Peanut butter chocolate chip bars. With or without ice cream.

one year ago: nothing of note, but we ate tacos here last week and I’m really excited to go back. Tuna tostada of my dreams
two years ago: nothing of note, but have you watched Dead to Me? I’m halfway through and it took a lot of willpower to write this post instead of watch it this morning…
three years ago: za’atar and pomegranate molasses granola
four years ago: gingery coconut rice

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars (Ice Cream Sandwich)

from my mom’s friend Judy, baker extraordinaire

1 ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
Heaping ½ cup peanut butter (I used all natural chunky and it was great)
½ cup sugar
½ cup + 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 heaping cup chocolate chips (I used mini chips but would use regular next time)
flaky sea salt 

Heat oven to 350F. Grease a baking pan. (Recipe says 11×7 but I used 10×14 and it was fine but brownies were a tad thin)

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter, peanut butter, both sugars, and vanilla. (I’m sure this would work with a hand beater too.) Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down as needed. Add eggs one a time, beating to incorporate after each addition.

Remove mixer bowl from mixer and add dry ingredients in one go. Mix with a spatula to begin to incorporate, then put back on mixer and mix at lowest speed until just blended. Add chocolate chips and mix for another moment, until evenly mixed in.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes (mine were in for probably 32 minutes), until edges are golden brown and center is slightly puffy. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let cool before serving.

To make ice cream sandwiches

The center of my bars sunk a bit and were a bit underbaked. I cut longer rectangles out of that bit, and carefully cut them in half lengthwise. I froze each of these sections for a couple hours, then topped with vanilla ice cream and sandwiched. Thought I’d need to refreeze but nope, wasn’t necessary.