Swag Bars

These no-bake bars come together quickly with common pantry ingredients. Make sure the cereal is well crushed (try packing it in a sealed zip-top plastic bag and using a rolling pin) so it incorporates into the peanut butter mixture.

1 3/4 cups creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup light-colored corn syrup
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) chopped lightly salted, dry-roasted peanuts
3 1/2 cups (4 ounces) whole-grain flaked cereal (such as Total), finely crushed
Cooking spray
1/3 cup (2 ounces) chopped dark chocolate

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook 4 minutes or just until mixture begins to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in peanuts and cereal. Spread mixture evenly into a 13 x 9–inch baking pan coated with cooking spray.

2. Place the dark chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until chocolate melts, stirring every 20 seconds. Drizzle chocolate evenly over peanut mixture. Score into 36 bars while warm.

Yield: 36 servings (serving size: 1 bar)

CALORIES 155 ; FAT 9.2g (sat 1.9g,mono 4.2g,poly 2.5g); CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 113mg; CARBOHYDRATE 16.2g; SODIUM 121mg; PROTEIN 4.5g; FIBER 1.5g; IRON 2.3mg

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2009