Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

The more I read Brown Eyed Baker, the more I realize her tastes in food are quite similar to mine. That explains why the majority of recipes I have flagged are from her site. These granola bars are simple to make and quite tasty. They don't taste identical to Quaker Oats Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars as they have a more distinct honey flavor, but they are in the ballpark.

The only issue I had with these granola bars is they didn't seem to compact properly, which is probably my own fault as I was a bit skittish about burning myself while pressing them into the pan. I'm going to try flattening them next time (and there will be a next time) with an old-fashioned bacon press.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
4 Tbsp. butter
2 cups oats
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. mini chocolate chips

Lightly grease an 8-inch pan. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, honey and butter over medium-high heat until it begins to bubble. Reduce heat to low, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla extract.

Combine oats and rice cereal together in a large bowl, and cover with liquid. Stir well to thoroughly coat the dry ingredients. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, and press down to ensure the bars are tightly compacted. Sprinkle the top evenly with chocolate chips, and press down lightly with the back of a spoon.

Cool at room temperature at least 2 hours, until chocolate chips are set, prior to cutting into bars. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Makes 10 bars.