Whether made for home snacking in winter or taken on a hike in summer, these little bars are a sure-fire hit.
2/3 stick butter
1 lb. marshmallows
2 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
1 tbsp. vanilla
3 cups crisped rice cereal
3 cups generic granola
1-2 cups date pieces, raisins, nuts -- as desired
Melt butter over medium heat in heavy pot. Add marshmallows, melt. Add remaining ingredients, mix thoroughly. Spray very large sheet pan or pans with no-stick cooking spray; press hot mixture onto pan(s), cool.
Slice into bars. Makes approx. 4 dozen bars.
Option: If you find the mixture too gooey, just add more cereal. For crunchier bars, increase proportion of granola and decrease proportion of rice. Up to 9-10 cups of cereal and fruit (total) can be included.
