To make these bars, coat dried apples and apple-cinnamon cereal in a gooey sauce of peanut butter, caramel ice cream topping, and brown sugar.

• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• ¾ cup caramel-flavored ice cream topping
• 3 Tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 3 cups apple-cinnamon-flavored round toasted oat cereal (Cheerios)
• 1 cup coarsely chopped dried apples
• ½ cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

1. Line an 8-inch-by-8-inch-by-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil up over edges of pan. Butter the foil. In a large saucepan combine ¾ cup of the peanut butter, ½ cup of the ice cream topping, and the brown sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat just until mixture starts to bubble. Remove from heat. Add cereal and apples; stir gently to coat. Transfer to prepared pan; press firmly into pan.
2. In a small bowl stir together remaining ¼ cup peanut butter and ¼ cup ice cream topping. Spread evenly over bars and sprinkle with peanuts, pressing lightly. Let bars stand 1 hour to set. Use foil to lift from pan. Cut into bars.

Makes 16 bars.