Copycat Quaker Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

At first glance, these guys look like those chewy peanut butter granola bars that are mass produced by Quaker Oats. Yes?

But then you take a bite and think, "By golly, I guess that old Quaker has some brains after all."

But then I say, "No, no, my children. I made these granola bars."

And then you think, "By golly, I guess that old Yammie has some brains after all."

Because these are the best granola bars you will ever crunch upon in your life. Nice crispy edges, nice chewy center, nice combo of crunchy and crispy chunks of goodness within.

I've been trying to make good granola bars for quite some time now. I used to just add some extra honey to my granola and press it into a pan before baking it, but those weren't right. Once I added more sugar and they got as hard as rocks. My brother Tay gnawed on them anyways. But this time I decided to add some flour. It worked. I feel a little bit stupid for not thinking of that before. The flour just helped bind it all together like nothing else could. Plus, I used graham flour... again. You really need to try it guys. It's so good. I think it's healthy too. I mean, it's brown. Brown stuff is usually healthy. Like brown bread. And brownies. Brownies are healthy, right?

By the way, what's patience? Does anybody know what it is? Or how I can acquire some? Because I hear that it can help out when you have a problem with burning your tongue on scalding hot chocolate chips.

Anyway, don't be afraid to play around with this recipe. It's pretty versatile. You can add nuts, sunflower seeds, different cereals, dried fruit, etc. Just be creative.

Chewy and Crispy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

1 cup Rice Krispies
1 2/3 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup graham flour
1 cup coconut
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons flax seeds
2/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup melted butter
1/3 cup honey
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350º.
Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl.
Line a 9x13 inch pan with greased parchment paper. Leave some paper hanging over the edge so that the bars will be easier to remove from the pan.
Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the pan.
Bake for about half an hour or until the edges are golden brown.
Cool completely before removing from the pan and cutting into bars. Put them in the freezer if you're impatient.