peanut butter 'n fudge filled bars

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
2 cups QUAKER Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 can (14-ounce ) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
2 cups (12 oz. pkg) semisweet chocolate pieces
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2/3 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts

Preheat oven to 350° F.
In large bowl, beat sugar, butter and 1/4 cup peanut butter with electirc mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs.

Add combined flour, baking soda and salt; beat well.
Stir in oats; mex well.

Reserve 1 cup of oat mixture; set aside. Spread remaining oat mixture evenly onto bottom of 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

In small saucepan, combine milk, chocolate chips and remaining 2 tablespoons peanut butter. Cook over low heat until chocolate is melted, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in peanuts.

Spread mixture evenly over crust in pan. Drop remaining oat mixture by teaspoonfuls evenly over chocolate mixture.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into bars.

makes 32 bars
recipe from Quaker Oats