Chewy Granola Bars
Ingredients:
1½ cups Rice Krispies® or similar cereal
1½ cups quick-cooking oats (1 Minute)
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, frozen
½ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup pure maple syrup or honey
½ cup peanut butter (preferably natural)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Directions:
Spray an 8×8″ glass baking dish with cooking spray.
Mix the cereal with chocolate chips in a large, heat-safe mixing bowl.
In a medium saucepan, bring the sugar and syrup to a boil. Remove the heat and add the peanut butter and vanilla, stirring until smooth.
Quickly add the hot syrup to the dry ingredients, mixing with a silicone spatula while pouring in. Stir quickly until the cereal is coated, then immediately dump it into the prepared pan, packing it down firmly with the spatula.
Let sit till cool, and then slice into bars with a thin knife and wrap tightly for carrying. How many? It depends on the size of the bar!
Note:
Substitute any favorite nut or seed butter for the peanut butter and small dried fruit for the raisins.