Chocolate Chex Caramel Crunch

Ingredients:

1 box Chocolate Chex cereal
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
6 T. butter
3 T. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup vanilla or white chips

Directions:

In a large microwave-safe bowl, pour cereal (original recipe called for 8 cups, but I used entire box); set aside. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper (I used my Silpat).

In a 2-cup microwave-safe measuring cup, microwave brown sugar, butter and corn syrup on high 1-2 minutes until smooth, stirring after 1 minute. Stir in baking soda until dissolved. Pour over cereal, stirring until as evenly coated as possible. Microwave on high 3 minutes, stirring every minute. Spread on baking sheet. Cool 10 minutes (or longer). Break into bite-sized pieces.

In small Ziploc bag, melt vanilla chips in microwave; knead until smooth. Drizzle over snack. Let cool until set. Store in an airtight container.

Yield: 16 (1/2 cup) servings

* From the Fall 2008 Taste of Home Cooking School