Homemade Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

I've done a few "hippie-ish" things lately.  Made my own laundry soap, made bread and cakes from scratch (well, may that's not as much hippie as it is smart, because they're delicious), and now I've made my own granola bars.  Hippie...Granola...Is there a little similarity there?  I've also entertained the thought of making homemade cheese crackers, maybe in the shape of fish.  You know, for the kids.  Yep, the kids, that's right.  *wink*

This recipe is a mish mash of a recipe from Allrecipes.com and my own concoction.  I admit, these taste a bit more like dessert than a granola bar.  In fact, the honey carmalizes a bit and gives these a much richer flavor.  Leaps and bounds above those store bought granola bars made by the company that rhymes with Squaker.

Notes: It's crucial that you use the mini-chocolate chips for these bars. The regular size chips are too big and bulky for this recipe. Believe me, I tried. They fell apart instantly.
The recipe says to use a 9x13 pan, but I usually use a large cookie sheet with sides. It makes the bars thinner, but I think they're better that way.

Homemade Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
(adapted from Allrecipes.com)

3 c. rolled oats
1 1/2 c. crisp rice cereal (aka Rice Krispies)
1 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. honey
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
3/4 c. mini-chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9x13 pan (or larger, if you want them thin).  In a large bowl, combine the oats, cereal, flour, baking soda, vanilla, softened butter, honey, and brown sugar.    Add chocolate chips and stir until incorporated throughout dough.  Lightly press mixture into prepared pan.  Bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool about 15 minutes, then cut into bars.  Let cool, in pan, completely before eating. 

*Extra points to whoever caught the Uncle Buck reference.