Muse Breaks

Bonjour!

Last night I couldn't sleep, so around 5 AM or so I got up and started devising a breakfast for the man-creature.  I knew he'd only stick around a few minutes before rushing out the door to work (today was a really crunched day for him), so I wanted to make something he could grab and go.  I got the bright idea to make cereal bars - but his cereal was SO old it had gone bad!  I grabbed my brand new box of cheerios and got to experimenting.

An hour later I caved and looked up online what I was doing wrong, heh.  It turns out I ALMOST had it, and it's really very simple!  In the future I'll experiment with different textures and flavors, since just cheerios and sticky is a little on the...overwhelmingly sweet side.  Nuts might be nice, or dried fruit even...or maybe a different cereal.  ;)

Here's the recipe I used:

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup peanut butter

3 cups cereal of your choice, and other tidbits mixed in if you'd prefer

1.  Bring sugar and honey to a boil in the pot and keep it boiling for, eh, 3-5 minutes.

***If you want to test it how tough or chewy the bars will be when you're done, drop a tiny bit into a cup of cold water.  If it's hard by the time it hits the bottom, your bars will be on the tougher, more cohesive side (this comes from boiling longer).  If it disperses and swirls around on its way to the bottom of the cup, your bars will be on the very soft, pliable side (this comes from boiling it less than enough).  I boiled mine maybe 2-3 minutes and they keep their shape well yet were easy to cut, chew, and tear apart.

2.  Add peanut butter and mix in, then dump in your cereal and other ingredients of choice.  Stir until all ingredients are thoroughly coated, keeping the heat on so it will remain easy to work with.

3.  Pour whole mix into a non-coated (non-stick will get damaged when you need to cut them out) pan - how large will depend on how thick you want them to be.

4.  Allow to cool completely and then cut into bars.

Neat idea - wrap each bar individually in clingwrap for a snack you can grab and take with you!

I'm also working on a bit of lace - my very first lace project to be exact.  I'm kind of amazed at how easily lace works up.  I thought for sure I'd have trouble seeing it or working with the thread!  When it's finished it will be this doily, but for now it looks so ruffled I just can't see it ever laying that flat!  The pattern assures me, however, that it'll iron out flat when it's through.  I certainly hope so...otherwise I'll have to find some hilarious use for an extremely ruffled circle of lace.  Ideas?

See you soon!