Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

[genealogynut]

Taken fro 2006 Good News Cookbook

Submitted by Mary Bridges of Independence, KS  (She was the Winner in the Dessert category)

Chocolate Layer

1/2 cup salted peanuts, chopped fine
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup canola oil
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1  1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup powdered cocoa
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup water

Peanut Butter Layer

1 pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Icing Layer

1 cup Crunchy peanut butter
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  heavily spray a 9 x 13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.  Combine the peanuts, sugar, cocoa, flour, oil, beaten eggs, baking powder, vanilla, and 1/4 cup water in a large mixing bowl.  Mix with a spoon and pour half the batter into the baking pan and set aside.  Place the cream cheese in a food processor or an electric mixer and process till smooth.  Add the peanut butter and process 30 seconds until blended.  Add the milk, sugar, and vanilla to the peanut butter mixture  and process 30 more seconds.  Spoon the peanut butter mixture over the chocolate layer and spread evenly to the edges.  Carefully spoon the remaining chocolate batter over the peanut butter layer. Bake the bars on center rack for 45 minutes or until knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove from oven and spread the hot bars with peanut butter. Sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips.  Let the chocolate melt and spread evenly over the bars.  Cool completely before cutting into 48 bars or squares.   Delicious!