* Episode Two: Oat Bars

Today, on COOKING with anna: Oat. . . um, well. . . Bars, kinda. I mean, if you leave them in the pan. Sure.

As always, you must first find a kitchen. I'm using the same one as last time. I suggest you do the same, unless you're too good for that.


Unlike last time, though, we don't need an oven! I know!! It isn't necessary to remove it from your kitchen -- just don't turn it on.


Make sure you turn on some Queen before you start this project. I refuse to be held responsible for any cooking mishaps that occur due to improper music usage.


Here's what you need.
-- two cups of oats (or one cup oats and one cup Rice Krispies or similar cereal)
-- a quarter cup raisins (or currents, if you just happen to have those)
-- a quarter cup packed brown sugar
-- a quarter cup light corn syrup
-- a quarter cup peanut butter
-- about a quarter cup chocolate/peanut butter chips
-- half a teaspoon vanilla
Got it? Ready? GO!


Mix the raisins/currents with the oats in a big bowl. Currents are smaller than raisins (that's the only difference I can detect), making them look more like bugs.


Combine the corn syrup and brown sugar in a small sauce pan. Place it over medium heat until it starts bubbling. It doesn't take very long at all. STIR CONSTANTLY! I don't even want to know what happens if you don't.


Take the mixture off the burner and add the peanut butter and vanilla. Stir with vigor.


Pour the mixture over the other mixture. Stir some more. I ended up using my hands again, as I'm wont to do. It was terrifically messy, and I really wanted to take a picture of my hands, but I also wanted my camera to work in the future, so I opted not to coat it with syrup and oats.


Dump in the flavour-of-your-choice chips and. . . STIR! Woo, look at me go.



Put the oat-y mixture into a pan. I'm using the same pan as I used for the shortbread. I don't have so very many pans.



Tamp down the oats.


Put the pan somewhere it can cool off (the syrup will probably still be a bit warm). I used the fridge, because my entire house is a bit like an oven.



Once cool, cut the oat pan into oat bars. My bars tend to resist being shaped, preferring to gather in oat clumps when removed from the pan. If you keep them in the fridge, they'll hold together in bars. See how easy that was? SO EASY!!!



Except for the dishes. Corn syrup is sticky. A bit.

posted by Anna Torborg at 08:26 AM |