Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

These peanut butter bars are from The Cake Mix Doctor cookbook.  They come together quickly (done in under an hour) and are - quite simply - AMAZING!

Ingredients:

1 package plain yellow cake mix

1 cup smooth peanut butter

8 tbsp butter, melted

2 large eggs

1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

2 tbsp. butter

1 cup frozen unsweetened coconut, thawed (I just used plain sweet coconut)

1 cup chopped pecans

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325* and set aside 13x9 inch pan.

Place cake mix, peanut butter, melted butter, and eggs in mixing bowl and beat.  Mixture will be thick.  Reserve 1 1/2 cups for topping.  Transfer the remaining to the pan and use fingertips to press crust evenly over pan until it reaches all sides.

Place chocolate chips, condensed milk, and 2 tbsp. butter in saucepan over low heat (I just did this step in the microwave).  Stir and cook until chocolate is melted and combined.  Remove from heat and mix in coconut, pecans, and vanilla.  Pour over crust and spread to sides of pan.  Crumble reserved crust and scatter over the top.

Bake 20-25 minutes.  Remove and allow to cool 30 minutes before cutting into bars.