Mississippi Mud Bars

This recipe is from an old book I found kicking around at my grandmother's house a few years ago called "Cookies By The Dozen." She never made them in my time, but the page looked well worn and had some notes scribbled the margins, so I presume these were a favorite at one time.

Ingredients

1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup chocolate chips
2 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecan pieces

Instructions

Beat together butter, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt; fold into batter. Line an 8-inch pan with foil and spay with no-stick spray. Pour batter into pan. Sprinkle top with chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes. Meanwhile, combine peanut butter and oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat, stirring, just until softened. Pour peanut butter mixture over hot cake. Sprinkle peanut butter covered cake with marshmallows and return to oven to bake for 3 more minutes or until marshmallows puff. Sprinkle puffed marshmallows with toasted pecans.

Frosting Ingredients

2 cups icing sugar
Pinch salt
1/4 cup margarine
2 tablespoons cocoa
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting Instructions

Place icing sugar in a medium sized bowl. Add salt and stir. In a small saucepan, melt margarine over medium heat. Stir in cocoa and 1/4 cup of the milk and heat just until mixture begins to boil. Pour hot mixture into sugar. Beat on high speed of electric mixer until smooth and glossy. If frosting is not pourable, add remaining milk. Beat in vanilla. Pour over puffed up marshmallows. Allow to cool completely before cutting.