Granola Bars

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups quick cooking oats {not rolled oats!}
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, stir oats and rice cereal together. Set aside. In a small pot, melt butter, honey and brown sugar together over medium high heat until it comes to a bubble. Reduce the heat and cook 2 minutes or until just above softball stage. Pour in vanilla and stir. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well to moisten all ingredients. Pour into lightly greased small jelly roll pan {about 12x8x1} and press out to be about 3/4 inch in thickness. {If your pan isn't small enough, pack the mixture into one side. You really want to press them down so they stick together.} Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and press down lightly. Cool on a countertop to room temperature for two hours or until the chocolate chips are set before cutting into bars. Wrap in parchment or plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

NOTE: These were really really good! You need to cook them with a candy thermometer. I ended up cooking them twice. The first time I just boiled the mixture for the two minutes and they never set properly, we ended up eating them as cereal. The second time I cooked them with a candy thermometer and waited for just above soft ball stage and they came out much nicer! 235-245 is softball so above 245 just by a little. (to be technical J)

Also I used wax paper and a rolling pin to roll them out to get them super tight, you can do as you wish. 

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