Peanut Butter Cereal Bars

I'm sure at one point or another, we've all received text messages by mistake.  Private messages that were intended for somebody else.  A couple of years ago, my phone number was mistakenly added to a family group text.  I didn't recognize any of the other phone numbers so I sent a text politely asking to be removed from the group. This is the day I learned that a person cannot remove themselves from a text thread created by someone else. 🤷🏻‍♀️  The only person who could have my number taken out of the group, was the original creator of the group text.  And after several dozen hilarious exchanges with this mystery family, it was determined that it wasn't within "Aunt Pattys" capabilities to remove my number. 😅

The mistaken texts continued for nearly a week and the most historical part of the whole mix up was that no one in the family group text seemed disappointed or annoyed by the fact that an outsider was receiving all of the messages.  As a matter of fact, I was encouraged to participate in family discussions, weigh in on topics and give my opinion on several upcoming events.  At one point, my husband and I sent a selfie of ourselves to the group which was followed up with an invitation to "break bread together" at a family bar mitzvah!  No joke.  🤣

Nearly a year after the first set of messages, I got another message from the same text thread, asking for my RSVP to an upcoming wedding.  When I politely declined, assuming again that I had received the message in error, they most graciously extended a cursory invitation to the wedding anyway.  🤣  I didn't go, by the way, even though they are quite possibly the most hospitable family I've never met.  I can't explain how I ever got added to this family's group text or how "Aunt Patty" ever managed to remove my number, but it's been a least 2 years since I've heard from them.  I kind of miss my text family who so graciously accepted me into their group.  🤷🏻‍♀️ 

I feel like God placed these people in my life at exactly the right time.   Like He always has.  Only once has He done it through an anonymous group text but He's always put someone beside me who can help me walk through whatever I'm walking through at the time.  Two weeks ago it was 24 Kindergarteners that I needed to brighten up my week.  24 hugs, high fives and five year old toothless smiles from my daughter's Kindergarten class was exactly what this girl's heart was craving.  And to make their little hearts happy - I took them a little treat of my own.  

Peanut Butter Cereal Bars
4 cups Cheerios
4 cups Crisp Rice Cereal
2 cups Peanuts
2 cups M&M's
2 cups light corn syrup
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups Creamy Peanut Butter
1 3/4 tsp vanilla

Combine cheerios, rice cereal, peanuts and M&M's in a bowl.  

​In a medium sized saucepan bring the corn syrup and sugar to a boil, stirring frequently.

Remove from heat.  Stir in peanut butter and vanilla. 

Pour over cereal mixture and stir to coat. 

Press into a greased 15x10" pan.  Allow to cool.  

Invert onto a cutting board. 

Slice.

These Peanut Butter Cereal Bars are all decorated for Easter with pastel M&M's but you could easily make them suitable for any occasion by adding your favorite M&M's.

​Ciao!

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