Chocolate Power Packed Peanut Bars

In an attempt to make a low-cost homemade granola bar, I stumbled upon a recipe for Chocolate Power Packed Peanut Bars. Although I have had to do some tweaking to the recipe, it is going into my "for keeps" recipe pile. It's a great alternative to the $3.00 boxes of 6 tiny granola bars with lots of additives and other unnatural stuff. If you try them, let me know how they turn out!

2 1/2 cups Rice Krispie cereal (off brand works great)

2 cups rolled oats (NOT the instant kind!)

3/4 cup coarsely chopped peanuts

1/2 cup turbinado sugar (not white refined)

1/2 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup chocolate chips

Spray a 9 inch square baking dish. In a large bowl, mix cereal, oats and peanuts. Add cocoa powder and chocolate chips. In a small saucepan, mix peanut butter, sugar and honey over low heat Stir until smooth and almost boiling (don't burn it!). Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Mix well. Pour mixture over cereal and peanut mixture. Mix well. Pour into pan, press down. Cool and cut into bars.