Experiment: Can I make something out of the cereal no one likes?

Experiment Taken From: Notebook Entry 01.15.09

Materials Needed: Please see The Farm Chicks for the full instructions. I followed the instructions exactly.

Results: Have you ever stockpiled something and it seemed like a good idea at the time, but then you realized it was actually a waste of money? I thought for sure that my children and husband would love Honey Bunches of Oats cereal, but no one was a fan and I have four boxes of cereal that have been sitting in our pantry, wasting valuable cupboard space.

It is rare that I run across two recipes in a row on the same exact site that I feel like I must try, but what can I say except that The Farm Chicks rock? I saw this recipe and in the ingredient list it said you could use “any kind of cereal” to make their Peanut Butter Energy Bars. I ran downstairs and put a dusty box of cereal to good use and the results were nothing less than spectacular.

I really love my chewy granola bar recipe, but these came together much quicker because they didn’t require as many ingredients or any baking time. You literally stir honey, sugar, and peanut butter on the stove until it has dissolved and mix with the cereal. Pat it into a baking dish and slide it into your refrigerator and that is it. No baking, no mixer, no softening of butter- just good ol’ no-bake bars.

I think these would be great with any combination of cereal, chocolate chips, dried fruits, or nuts. We stuck with some of that Honey Bunches of Oat and the master list of ingredients in the recipe.

The family gobbled them up and all agreed that they were perfection. It is a stick-to-your ribs kind of bar so it doesn’t leave you wanting more than just one. I don’t know if it gave me any energy, but it gave me a few moments of peace while everyone was stuffing their face with their yummy goodness.

Conclusion: I would HIGHLY recommend this recipe as a great snack for busy families. It is a sweet surprise to see a tin of these sitting in my refrigerator ready to be nibbled on. It is also a great way to reduce a cluttered pantry. Much thanks again to the fabulous Farm Chicks. These ladies are also coming out with a cookbook in April of 2009, and I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of it!

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I am so excited to open our Notebook Experiments up to everyone and I hope that you will be able to participate this week or in weeks to come! I will be posting this each Thursday so please mark your calendars if you plan to participate. You can post your entries at any time throughout the week and then leave your entry in the links below.

We have this handy banner that you are more than welcome to use, but it is not a requirement! It is just something you can add to add a little sparkle to your entry.

Rules for Participation:

1. Choose anything from any of our notebook entries (past or present) to do with your family. We have hundreds of bookmarked links of crafts, ways to save money, and organizing ideas.
2. Complete an experiment from the notebook and share about it on your blog or website. We would love to see pictures of what you accomplished or a detailed description of how your projects turned out. Please include a link to this entry, a link to the original posting of the entry (at the original crafster’s blog), and (to help us relocate the project) the date or link of the notebook entry where you found it. You can use the same formatting as our entries or you can just include that information in your post in your own unique way!
3. Post a link below. Please include your name or blog name & a fast description of your project. Example- MomAdvice (WHO bread)

I can’t wait to see what you create and what you find inspiring!