Peanut Butter - Chocolate Chip Bars

BARS:
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup quick cooking oatmeal (not instant)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
FROSTING:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar (divided)
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

BARS:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 x 13 baking pan or spray with non-stick spray.
2. Beat together the 3/4 cup of peanut butter, applesauce, honey, and vanilla. Add the oatmeal, flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.
3. Press the mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle evenly with the chocolate chips and then press the chips firmly into the dough in the pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
4. FROSTING: Beat together the peanut butter and one cup of the powdered sugar. (It will not "cream;" it will look like crumbs.) Then beat in the water and vanilla. Finally beat in the remaining cup of powdered sugar. Spread on the cooled bars in the pan.
5. Makes 36 bars. Make 5 cuts the long way, and 5 cuts across, making 6 bars each direction.