Gosh I cannot believe I have not posted this yet. I was telling a friend Bill about how I came up with ways to use the last crumbs of cereal in the box, and how they are keeping hubby from the candy machines at work.
I could not believe hubby told me when during late afternoon hunger moments he was getting junk food out of the machines in the break room. He never does that! Never! He feels why waste calories on bad chocolate or chips. If you cannot eat the good stuff don't bother with the rest.
So I have been taking the left over cereal in the bottom of our boxes, dumping them in a container, or freezer bag and once every two weeks combing them with either fresh or frozen fruit to make this recipe below. This particular recipe has some left over whole grain pancake mix added, so this batch came out a bit like cake.
Here is the recipe I found, but below is how I changed things...
Cereal Bars
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light corn syrup (sugar is sugar)
1-1/2 cups peanut butter
7 cups high protein crisp rice and wheat cereal
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
You are suppose to heat up the sugar and peanut butter, then pour it over the cereal in a greased pan. I figure why dirty another pan!
My version...
1/2 cup honey (or half/half corn syrup, or half brown sugar)
4 melted tablespoons butter
1 cup peanut butter (also used almond or cashew butter, but also left it out)
3 cups left over cereal (now most have some kind of sugar and it sinks to bottom of boxes, but if yours is sugar free you will have to add the above, but cut sugar by 1/2 above)
3 cups rice krispy style cereal or granola (you can substitute 1/2 with whole grain pancake mix)
1 cup frozen or fresh fruit (I have found frozen release moisture into mix and they turn out better)
1 cup white chocolate or regular chocolate chips
3 ounces chopped nuts of your choice
Mix cereal well in bowl; add fruit, chocolate, butter and peanut butter, and choice of sweetner above. Press down FIRMLY into oiled pan, and bake in 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes (depends on thickness of mixture). Do not over cook or it will be too hard to cut. Cool and then turn onto a cutting board to slice.
I have played with many cereals and ingredients in making this recipe, and the have all turned out fine. I cut them into squares and wrap for freezer. Hubby said they are great frozen, or you can take a few out that morning.
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