Chocolate Peanut Butter Filled Oat Bars

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup REESE'S Creamy Peanut Butter, divided
• 2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats, uncooked
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER FILLING (recipe follows)
• 1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips, divided
• 1-1/2 teaspoons shortening (do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil)

DIRECTIONS

1. 1 Heat oven to 350°F.
2. 2 Beat butter and 3/4 cup peanut butter in large bowl until well blended; beat in brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until well blended.
3. 3 Stir together oats, flour, baking soda and salt; gradually stir into butter mixture. (Dough will be thick.) Set aside 2 cups dough.
4. 4 Press remaining dough onto bottom of ungreased 15-1/2x10-1/2x1-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER FILLING; spread over dough. Set aside 1/2 cup peanut butter chips for drizzle. Add remaining peanut butter chips to reserved dough; crumble mixture over filling.
5. 5 Bake 25 minutes or until top is golden brown (chocolate will be soft). Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
6. 6 Place reserved 1/2 cup peanut butter chips and shortening in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 30 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave an additional 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Drizzle over bars; allow drizzle to set. Cut into bars. About 4 dozen bars. CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER FILLING 1/2 cup REESE'S Creamy Peanut Butter 1/3 cup butter or margarine 1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk) 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract Melt peanut butter and butter in medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in cocoa. Add sweetened condensed milk; heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and thick. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.