Cranberry Oat Cereal Bars

These are a fun easy to make treat with dried cranberries, cheerios and marshmallows. They pretty similar to rice krispie treats but seem a little healthier with the dried cranberries and the cheerios. My kids love making them and eating them. The recipe is from Everyday Food Magazine and was featured as part of a "Bake Sale" article back in September 2006 when I first started getting the magazine. If I could only subscribe to one food/cooking magazine this would be the one. I love the small size of the magazine, the photographs, and the simplicity of the recipes and ingredients. It is the one I look forward to getting each month.

Cranberry-Oat Cereal Bars

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bag (10 ounces) marshmallows
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 cups toasted oat cereal
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions:
1. Spray a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Line with waxed paper; spray paper with cooking spray, and set aside.

2. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add marshmallows and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until marshmallows have melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in cereal and dried cranberries.

3. Immediately transfer mixture to prepared baking sheet. Using a spatula (or your fingers) coated with cooking spray, press in quickly and firmly. Let cool, about 1 hour; cut into 24 bars (3 rows lengthwise by 8 rows crosswise). Store in an airtight container up to 2 days.
I cut little squares of wax paper to put in between the layers of bars in my container.

Enjoy!