A Southern Grace: sapphires or sweets?

October 6, 2008

sapphires or sweets?

Yum

One of my co-workers recently celebrated his 45th anniversary with the company. Although it's a totally different occasion, I found that the traditional gift for couples who've been married 45 years is something sapphire-related. Good to know.

I gave him peanut butter bars.


Sometimes I think I'd prefer sweets over sapphires. What's more, if given sapphires, I'd be tempted to pawn them and use the money for sweets. But that's just me--I've never been much for bling.

I asked the honoree if anything I'd brought in over the past ten months had tickled his fancy, and he immediately responded, "That's easy--those peanut butter crunchy bar-type thingies." Fortunately, I was able to deduce what he meant.

These are so easy, I almost felt guilty. After all, 45 years with one company should earn a person a much more decadent and labor-intensive treat. Eh, this is what he wanted, so this is what he got. They are awfully good.

Easy Peasy Peanut Butter Bars

6 cups cereal (anything from Cheerios to Corn Flakes to Rice Krispies)(I used those almost-wasted Rice Krispies wannabes)
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup caramel sauce
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and caramel sauce. Heat until mixture boils. Add peanut butter and stir until well-blended. Heat a bit more if necessary. Stir in vanilla. Fold in cereal. Spread into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish lined with wax paper. Cover and chill for 1 hour or until set. Cut into squares.

67 comments:

Beth (jamandcream) said...

These look fab! Im sure he was pleased

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

Forty five years with the same company is unheard of these days. Congratulation to him...it must be a great place to work:D

kat said...

You are on a cereal bar kick. Nice of you to make these for him

Anonymous said...

I don't care if they're easy peasy, what matters is that they're divine, and now you've got me craving for something I know not the taste of :P Your colleague made the right choice!

vanillasugarblog said...

45 years? wow, I can't even begin to think of 45 years at the same place day in day out...groundhog day??
you know I'm a peanut butter freak and will have to make this little gems.

Peter M said...

Something tells me these hold up well in the mail. I'm sending you my address...

Deborah said...

I would rather have these than a sapphire - even though sapphires are my birthstone! But sweets are always better!

krysta said...

sweets over sapphires any day! but with 45 years with the same company shouldn't he be getting a gold watch or something?

Anonymous said...

Good choice! Sapphires are so hard to wrap anyway.

Sharon said...

I swear, I need to work with you. 45 years is quite an accomplishment deserving of any of your creations.

The Blonde Duck said...

That looks better than any sappfire I've ever seen--and it's my birthstone!

Tabby said...

I would sooo rather have those peanut butter thingies than a sapphire, anyday! Looks yummy! And i love peanut butter!

Ann said...

Totally with you. Who wants to eat a sapphire anyway? I just don't think they'd taste NEARLY as good as these damn bars appear to taste.

I do hope the gratefulness of the co-workers is on the up-swing, btw! They should worship you!

Marjie said...

I have a sapphire. It simply isn't as tasty as peanut butter anything!

Maria said...

I love cereal, I can eat it for any meal so why not have it for dessert too? Looks good!

Thistlemoon said...

Yum! I am sure he appreciated these - I sure would appreciate one about now-ish!

OhioMom said...

What is wonderful is that he is one who obviously enjoys your treats, and remembered which one he enjoyed.

How sweet of you :)

Anonymous said...

That's a loaded question, he could have asked you for an opera cake...and you couldn't have said no! These look awesome...as usual. I love Graceland.

pam said...

I'm with you, not so big on bling, but give me yummy dessert anytime!

Bunny said...

Rice krispies and caramel what a combination! I love it!

Leslie said...

Ohh I want some too! Yummo!

Lori said...

I love sapphires, they are my birthstone. I love sweets they are my addiction. Hmmmm. The money I would use to by sapphires would be better used to buy sweets and gas to go get the sweets!

Anonymous said...

YUM!! That food porn closeup looks so good. I actually love peanut butter and cereal although never thought to put the two together in a bar. I can almost taste it from here!

La Bella Cooks said...

Aw, what a sweet gesture. I love little treats like this and I probably would have picked the same thing. I did refrain from licking the screen this time...

Anonymous said...

"It's a Saphire anniversary, so I gave him peanut butter bars." Grace, you do crack me up.
In the end saphires might create a lump in ones stomach, and peanut butter bars go down goooood. So, I say, good call!

Pam said...

I'll take some of these babies They look perfect. What a lucky guy your co-worker is.

La Cuisine d'Helene said...

I have to admit that I love sweets also. What a touch to make these.

Veronica said...

Wow! 45 years?? That's pretty awesome. The bars sound pretty awesome too...I think sweets rule over sapphires!

Lore said...

Something tells me I would've get quite a kick out of your cereal bars and I can understand why he asked for them...I mean just look at those ingredients!

Jessica@Foodmayhem said...

Wow 45 years! Where do you work?

The bars sound yummy yummy!

Anonymous said...

Grace, what a lucky fellow to work with you! I'm a fellow peanut butter lover and that looks like it would go so well with my cuppa coffee right now. 45 years at the same company is mind-boggling!

Prudy said...

I'd certainly choose sweets over gems-especially if they came from you. I love these easy souped-up cereal bar recipes. I've always got what I need on hand and there sure to be a hit.

Gloria Baker said...

This look absolutely taste and nice,love it, this is so nice!! xxGloria

Tabitha Blue said...

Wow, these look so tasty... and easy at that. It's definitely something I could handle in the kitchen. :) Thanks!

Cookie baker Lynn said...

The bars look way tastier than sapphires!

Sandie said...

"Those peanut butter crunchy bar-type thingies..." Ha! This sounds like something my husband would say, to which I would respond, "Could you be a little more vague?"

45 years with ANYTHING is a loooonggg time, much less with one company. That man deserves these bars AND sapphires to go along with them!

While I'm thinking about this, has anyone ever met a man who didn't like peanut butter?

anudivya said...

This looks amazing... all that with rice crispies... yum
First time here, very nice blog.

Katie said...

Its always funny what people ask for, if you are in the mood to make something fancy they ask for something simple. Its all a matter of tastes I guess. And these do look tasty.

Jamie said...

Those look yummy...45 years, oh my goodness!

Elle said...

Forty five years? Holy I*don't*know*what, but wow! And he's easy to please, too. The bars look delicious!

Brittany said...

Congrats on your anniversary! 45 years? WOW!
I think i'd probably rather have those sweets- I'm more addicted to desserts containing rice krispies than any precious gem.

Emily said...

Ha ha, Brittney.

Aww, that was so nice of you to bake him a treat.
Peanut butter bars are comfort food, so I can see why he'd want these.

Mike of Mike's Table said...

45 years is a whole lot of years at the same place. And lol about how the question was posed...I'd be happy with peanut butter bars, too!

Vera said...

This is a delicious looking treat, Grace!

Alicia Foodycat said...

Those look amazing, but my sapphires don't make me put on weight...

giz said...

Okay - open for debate - what does "awfully good" mean - is it awful or is it good?
Although I do like my bling - these bars definitely feed into my obsession with peanut butter.

Susan @ SGCC said...

Holy crap! These look amazing! I'm a sucker for anything with krispies in them.

Unknown said...

wow! i'd go for the sweets....although your idea of pawning some sapphire to get more sweets is also tempting ^_^

Anonymous said...

Sweet Jeebus, Grace! These are amazing! And so eeeeeasy! My kids thank you.

Anonymous said...

hahahaha you're so cute!

Chef Jeena said...

Yummy I love any kind of cereal bars and yours look fabulous!

LyB said...

Mmmm, cramel sauce... A recipe can't go wrong with caramel sauce as an ingredient. :)

Anonymous said...

Wow! 45 years? Sounds like a great place to work, esp having someone like you bearing peanut butter yummies! I followed you from Foodista and you can expect that Ill be visiting here more often!

RecipeGirl said...

It's that easy stuff that people end up raving about (not the stuff we labor over all day long!)

Marilyn said...

45 years! That's almost as amazing as 54 comments! Seriously, Grace, those are pretty delish-looking, and I just kidded you over at Simmer about "putting peanut butter in everything." Do I know my bloggers or what?

Gloria Baker said...

Grace I have an award to you in my blog,xGloria

Natalie Que said...

WOW 45 friggin' years?! Seriously. I'm jealous of you, you must have some sweet hookup of a job if people are sticking around for the greater part of their lives.

I swear I've had these before, I think my MIL makes them, and yes, I'd pawn the bling too. I'd use it to buy sweets and cheaper bling made out of gaudy beads.

Sophie said...

Yeah, edible treats make the best gifts :)! Plus, the homemade touch makes 'em extra special. Yummy.

Simply...Gluten-free said...

Wow, 45 years at the same place - amazing. What a lovely thing to do, make homemade sweets!

Y said...

Peanut butter bars! I'm sure they're worth their weight in gold! .. or sapphires! :)

test it comm said...

Rice Krispies with peanut butter and caramel sound really good.

Jaime said...

wow, i cannot wait to make these! pb AND caramel? :)

Robin said...

Oh man I go away a week and come back to these! Your peanut butter bars look the best! With caramel sauce to boot! I think I will have to make these soon.

Dee Light said...

With those ingredients it has to be good!! Yummy!

Laura said...

I take sweets over bling myself--any ole' day. Looks great.

Anonymous said...

Well I can't eat sapphires so I know what I'm going for :)

Jeanne said...

45 years with one company?? Wow. That's longer than I've been alive. They should give him a survivor's trophy!

I don't usually like cereal bars that don't contain chocolate, but I'm intrigued by the peanut butter twist. My choice of cereal would be Cornflakes all the way!