Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Granola bars are one of my daily food staples. Literally. I take one to school every morning and usually have one later in the day sometime. When you think about it, those granola bars could really add up! When I found this recipe for copy cat Quaker granola bars, I pinned it, knowing it would have to be tried.

Tonight was the night! I did tweak a few things. I didn't have the peanut butter chips, granola cereal or butter their recipe called for, but I used creamy peanut butter, quick oats and margarine instead. I think they turned out fantastic! For as little work these guys require, they'll definitely be made again in this house!

Ingredients:
1/2 stick of margarine
1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
1/4 c. honey
2 c. quick oats
1 c. Crisp Rice cereal (like Rice Krispies)
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1/4 c. chocolate chips

Line two 9 x 5 loaf pans with tin foil.

Heat the honey, brown sugar and margarine in a large saucepan on the stovetop's medium setting. Stir until margarine is just melted.

 Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir until the sugar is dissolved (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat and slowly fold in the peanut butter.

When peanut butter is just barely melted into the mixture, add the cereal and oats 1/4 cup at a time, coating oats and cereal at a constant rate until all of it is mixed in and evenly coated. {I folded into some of the chocolate chips immediately, but you could wait until the end to sprinkle them on top. I did both! :)}

It was a quick process, so I'm sorry that I don't have any other pictures of mixing in the dry ingredients and peanut butter!

Pour half of the mixture into one loaf pan and the other half into the other pan. Press mixture firmly into the pans with spoon or spatula. Press in the remaining chocolate chips (or all of them, if you didn't mix some in earlier).

To cool quickly, place the pans in the fridge for a few hours. You can cut these into squares or rectangles and serve immediately, or wrap individually for an easy grab-and-go snack! You know I'll be taking a few of these in my bag tomorrow morning for school...

Enjoy with life.