Peanut Energy Bars

Ingredients:
1/2 cup dry roasted salted peanuts or other nuts
1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds
2 cups raisins or other chopped dried fruit (can add 1/3 cup chocolate chips to dried fruit to equal 2 cups if desired)
2 cups rolled or instant oats
2 cups toasted or puffed rice cereal, such as Rice Krispies
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ (optional)
1/2 cup creamy or crunchy natural peanut butter or other nut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine peanuts, sunflower seeds, raisins (or other dried fruit and chocolate chips), oats, rice cereal and wheat germ in a large bowl. Mix well.
3. Combine peanut butter, brown sugar and honey in a large microwaveable bowl; microwave on High until bubbling, 1 to 2 minutes. Add vanilla and stir until blended. Pour half of the peanut butter mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until coated. Pour the remaining half of the mixture in and stir until coated again.
4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Press down firmly. (It helps to coat your fingers with cooking spray.) Refrigerate for about 1 hour to harden. Cut into bars (works best if you cut them into 16 short, fat bars instead of long, skinny bars).

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Individually wrap in wax paper and keep in the fridge or at room temperature for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature.

*I place half of the batch in a baggy in the fridge and the other half in the freezer. Once the first half is gone I put the second batch in the fridge and they are thawed and ready to eat when I need them

(recipe courtesy of my friend Briony....she loves recipes that freeze for later!)