Peanut Butter Buster Bars

 

Man oh man has it been a busy few months.  And nothing changes other than my daughter Kari and her family are coming for a visit.  That means a little extra baking making treats they all adore.  For Kari it's an old family treat we've been making since the 80's - Peanut Butter Buster Bars.  As the name implies its got a whole jar of peanut butter in it and is topped with  chocolate layer on top.

Here's a handy tips for you.  USE YOUR MICROWAVE.  Yes, it does more than just reheat leftovers and pop Popcorn.  In this instance it makes perfectly tempered chocolate topping and makes for a pourable peanut butter when needed.  I live by my MO for lots of cooking tasks. 

Peanut butter matters.  Use a commercially available creamy peanut butter.  Don't use those natural varieties as the oil separates and will ruin your batch.  I use JIF, but any major brand or store label will work.

There are probably dozens of variations on this recipe, and probably as many names.  Our family version came from our neighbor in Las Vegas, Delores Smith.  It is among the stupid easy treats you can whip up in a flash.

Peanut Butter Buster Bars

Ingredients:

• 6 cups Special K Original
• 1 C corn syrup
• 1 C sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1, 16 oz jar Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1 1/2 C Semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 C Butterscotch chips

Prepare a 9X13 pan by spraying with cooking oil.  Set pan aside.

Combine corn syrup, sugar and salt into a very large pan (nonstick if you have one).  Over medium heat whisk together the ingredients and let it heat undisturbed. As soon as small bubbles form around the edge watch it closely and allow to just come to a boil.  As it comes to boil turn off the heat. 

Microwave the peanut butter in the jar 1 minute.  Pour the now molten peanut butter into the hot syrup mixture and whisk until smooth.  With a heatproof silicon spatula fold in the Special K Cereal until it is all coated with peanut butter syrup mixture.

Pour hot cereal mixture into prepared pan.  Smooth out to corners and level with your spatula.

In a microwave safe bowl add the chocolate and butterscotch chips.  Microwave 30 seconds.  Stir with a clean spatula, some chips will have started melting already.  Microwave 30 seconds more and give it another stir, don't be alarmed if the resulting mixture feels too stiff its normal.  Microwave in 10 second intervals stirring between each interval.  For my machine it took a total of 3, 10 second intervals before it was warm enough to stir to completely melt all the chips and make a smooth "frosting".  Pour the "frosting" over the cereal mixture and smooth with the spatula.  Cool several hours to let the frosting set then cut into bars for serving.