No Bake Chewy Chocolate Bars

These bars are wonderful to have around in the house and are a great alternative to the traditional granola bars that you buy from the store.  They are a cross between a no bake cookie and rice crispy treats.  If you plan on keeping these around for a few weeks (they never last that long at our house) you can cut into individual bars and wrap in wax paper and store in an air tight container.

2/3 C. light Corn Syrup

3/4 C. creamy Peanut Butter

1/4 C. light Brown Sugar

1/4 C. Cocoa Powder

1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract

1/2 tsp. Salt

2 C. quick cook Oats

2 C. rice Crispy cereal

Spray a 8 x 8 pan with non-stick spray.  Combine syrup, peanut butter cocoa and sugar in a medium saucepan over low medium heat.  Heat until sugar is dissolved and peanut butter is melted.  Stir frequently to combine.  Remove from heat and add vanilla and salt.  Stir.  Add oats and cereal.  Stir well until everything is evenly coated.  Spoon into the prepared pan.  Using the back of the spoon, (or greased hands J ) press firmly into the pan.  Cool completely before cutting.  

Raspberry Crumb Bars

Very quick and easy dessert.  Use a small baking dish to make these (a 9 x 13 will be too big) The one I use is a metal 7 x 11 and they turn out just the right thickness.  Heating the jam up briefly in the microwave will help in spreading it over the oat crust.  Change up the flavor of the jam depending on what you like best, (strawberry jam is delicious!).

Ingredients

1 C. all-purpose flour

¼ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

1 C. old fashioned oats

½ C. packed light-brown sugar

½ C. unsalted butter, softened

1 C. seedless raspberry jam

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Add oats and brown sugar and stir to incorporate.  Cut in butter until evenly moistened and clumps are no bigger than a pea.

Pour 2/3 cups of the oat mixture into a small baking dish and press onto the bottom to form the crust.

Spread the raspberry jam over oat layer. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the jam. Press the crumb mixture lightly into jam layer.

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 35 - 40 minutes.

Remove the pan from oven and cool completely on a rack before cutting into squares.