Oatmeal Peanut Butter Energy Bars

Food Storage Spotlight-thank you Diana Brown!

These are like sweet and chewy granola bars.  They are very quick and easy to make.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Energy Bars

½ C creamy or crunchy peanut butter

1/3 C honey

¼ C corn syrup

¼ C brown sugar

1 T canola oil

1 t vanilla

2 ½ C rolled oats

2 C crisp rice cereal

1 C assorted mix-ins (chopped peanuts, slivered almonds, or other nuts, dried chopped fruit, coconut, chocolate chips*, m&m’s* etc.)

Combine peanut butter, honey, corn syrup, brown sugar and oil in a small saucepan.  Over medium heat, stir and cook until mixture begins to bubble-about 3-4 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

In a large bowl, combine oats, rice cereal, and mix-ins.  Pour peanut butter mixture over oatmeal mixture and stir gently until well combined.  Transfer to a 9x13 greased baking dish, cover with parchment paper and press firmly into dish.  Allow to cool completely (will cool faster in fridge).  Cut into squares or bars.

*If using chocolate, add it after the peanut butter mixture has been combined with the oatmeal mixture and has cooled a bit (unless you want it melted in your bars)