Chocolate-Peanut Crisp Squares

Oh dear, more snicky-snacky goodies. I really ought to be on a diet. I've usually made these with crisp rice cereal, but in this case I used puffed millet. As usual, I bought a bag of puffed cereal in a fit of enthusiasm more months ago than I care to think about and now have to face the reality that I really don't eat the stuff. The puffed millet was okay, but not as good a texture as the crisp rice cereal would have been. I don't know if that's just puffed millet, or if it was rather stale. A distinct possibility, after all. If anyone tries it, let me know what you think. On the other hand, if you make these with crispy rice cereal, they are guaranteed to get people buzzing around them like a hive of happy bees.

60 small servings
1 1/2 hours - 15 minutes prep time



1 cup peanut butter
2/3 cup honey
1 cup good semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
4 cups puffed barley or millet, or rice crisps

Lightly butter a 9"x13" pan and set it aside. Do not skip this step even if you have a non-stick pan says the slightly grumpy voice of experience.

Melt the peanut butter, honey and chocolate chips gently in a large pot over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.

Mix in the vanilla, then the peanuts and the puffed cereal. Press the mixture into the prepared pan. I find it easiest to dampen my hands slightly and use them to press the mixture, making it as evenly spread and dense as possible.

Chill the mixture for about an hour, then turn it out and cut it into squares.




Last year at this time I made Chicken Pot Pie with a Biscuity Crust.