Nut Goodie Bars

Ingredients

12 ounce pkg. of butterscotch chips

12 ounce pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 cups Jif Natural peanut butter

16 ounces dry roasted lightly salted peanuts

1 cup Irish butter

1  3 ounce package of vanilla pudding mix(not instant)

1/2 cup evaporated milk

7 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 t maple flavoring

Directions

Line 15x10x1 inch sheet pan with parchment paper,

Place chips in glass bowl and microwave* about 45 seconds and stir; then reduce to 20 second microwaving intervals and stir until a few lumps left; then finish at 10 seconds.  Remove and stir in peanut butter until blend.Pour 1/2 mixture into parchment covered sheet pan and spread. Place in freezer to set-up. Stir peanuts into remaining chocolate mixture. Set this bowl into larger bowl of heated water to keep mixture spreadable.

In small saucepan melt butter over low heat then gradually add in evaporated milk. Stir in pudding mix and cook until mixture thickened but not boiling. Remove from heat. Pour powdered sugar into large bowl. Add pudding mixture and maple flavoring and beat until smooth. Spread this mixture over chilled chocolate layer. Refrigerate until set about 30 minutes.  Spread with set aside chocolate peanut mixture and refrigerate. Cut into small squares for serving.

* My Mom always melted her chips with 1/8 inch of food grade paraffin on the stove top. Apparently the paraffin would give the chocolate a better glazed look and not melt in your hands as fast?