No-Bake Apple Bars

 

1 1/2

cups dried apples, finely chopped

1/2

cup chopped pecans

3

cups Whole Grain Total® cereal

1/3

cup honey

1/4

cup golden raisins

1

tablespoon packed brown sugar

1/3

cup peanut butter

1/4

cup apple butter

1/2

teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2

cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats

1/4

cup dry-roasted sunflower nuts

• 1 Line bottom and sides of 8-inch square pan with foil; spray foil with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the apples and 1/4 cup of the pecans over bottom of pan. Place cereal in resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag and coarsely crush with rolling pin or meat mallet. Set aside.
• 2 In 4-quart Dutch oven, heat 1/2 cup of the apples, the honey, raisins and brown sugar to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium. Cook uncovered about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until hot and bubbly; remove from heat.
• 3 Stir peanut butter into cooked mixture until melted. Stir in apple butter and cinnamon. Stir in oats and sunflower nuts until well mixed. Stir in crushed cereal.
• 4 Press mixture very firmly (or bars will crumble) and evenly onto apples and pecans in pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup apples and 1/4 cup pecans; press lightly into bars. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until set. For bars, cut into 4 rows by 3 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.