Whenever my children accompany me to the supermarket, they beg me to buy the latest cereal bars they see on the shelves. At $4 a box, I found them pretty pricey, considering that they were usually eaten before they could even be put away in the pantry. So I made my own. Now, the kids are happy and I’m happy too.
11/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) margarine
2 cups Honey Nut Cheerios
2 cups quick cooking or old-fashioned oats
2 cups Rice Krispies
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a jelly roll baking pan (a 9 x 13-inch baking pan will also work) with parchment paper.
- In a saucepan, heat brown sugar and margarine over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour mixture into prepared jelly roll baking pan. Using a rubber spatula, spread mixture in pan until even. Bake 16 to 18 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and firm. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container.
Yield: 24 bars