Chocolate Peanut Butter Special K Bars

What do you do when you have a craving and it just won't go away? These cereal bars have been playing in my mind over and over and over, kind of like the Disney song "It's a Small World After All." I’ve made them four times in the last two weeks and I feel another batch coming on tomorrow.

I think my friends at work are getting tired of them. I tried to convince them that they aren’t that bad for you. I mean really, the cereal box says something about dropping a jean size in two weeks if you eat enough Special K. (Rachel, the dietitian at the hospital told me I should definitely try it and let her know if it works.) Besides that, there is a ton of peanut butter in there and we all know that peanut butter is loaded with protein. And don't even get me started on the benefits of chocolate.

Just give in. That's what I do.















Chocolate Peanut Butter Special K Bars
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/4 cups light corn syrup
2 cups peanut butter, divided
7 cups Special K cereal
12 ounces (1 bag) milk or semisweet chocolate chips

Line bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch pan with foil. Spray foil with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine brown sugar and corn syrup in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir mixture. Microwave again for about 2 minutes or until the mixture starts to bubble around the edges.

Add 1 ½ cups peanut butter and stir until smooth.

Add cereal and mix gently. Dump mixture into prepared pan; press down with the back of a measuring cup to make sure it is evenly packed into the pan.

Combine chocolate chips and ½ cup peanut butter in another microwave safe bowl. Gently heat for 1 to 2 minutes in microwave. Stir mixture. Return to microwave and continue to heat in 20 second intervals until chocolate is fully melted. Stir until smooth. Spoon over cereal mixture, smooth top with spatula.

Let cool completely. Using foil as a sling, remove bars from pan and cut into small squares.