Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

By Carolanne

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioner rolled oats(not quick-cooking)
• 1 cup puffed rice cereal
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 TBSP unsalted butter
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips divided

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-by 8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Spread oats on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Pour toasted oats into a lare mixing bowl and add rice cereal. (Note: If supplementing with other ingredients, make sure total "granola" ingredients equal about 3 cups so that the proportion to sugar mixture stays about the same.)
Reduce oven temp to 300 degrees.
In a medium sauce pan off heat, stir together brown sugar, honey, vanilla, butter and salt until it forms a thick paste. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook without stirring until sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes. Pour sugar mixture over oats and rice mixture, and stir with wooden or metal spoon until grains are completely coated. Add 1/4 cup choc chips and stir until chips have just barely melted.
Turn mixture into baking dish and pat flat with a spoon. Sprinkly remaining 1/4 cup choc chips over top and gently press them into bars with your palms. For soft granola bars, bake for 5 minutes. For firmer bars, bake for 10 minutes. Allow bars to cool completely in baking dish before slicing.
Note: Chewey granola bars can be kept in an airtight container for up to three weeks.