Chewy Granola Bars

I've been testing granola recipes for years, and many times, the granola is baked, resulting in a crunchy, sometimes too crunchy, texture. This is fine for me, but The Man likes chewy granola bars...particularly, those made by a popular cereal company. However, I think they're terribly overpriced, nutritionally lacking, and stuffed full of mystery ingredients. So, when I came across a recipe on Pinterest lately for a chewy granola bar, I just had to try it out!

So I did just that, with a few modifications of my own, of course. Take a look at the original Pinterest version of the recipe.

This recipe is extremely easy...even your kids can help make it with some supervision...and you'll know exactly what's in it!

Note: When I make things like this (to replace a junk product The Man likes), I *must* get his approval, or he'll never eat it. Luckily, with this, I got almost instant approval!

(makes 10 granola bars)

1/4 c butter
1/4 c honey
1/3 c brown sugar, packed
1/8 t Kosher salt
1/2 t vanilla2 c quick cooking oats (not rolled oats)
1 c crispy rice cereal
2 T flax seed meal
1 T wheat germ
1 T wheat bran
2 T mini chocolate chips

Before beginning, line a small baking pan/dish with parchment paper, leaving enough length to be able to lift the parchment from the pan after the bars are set. (I have found, with some experimentation, that my square corner 9x5" loaf pans work perfectly for this recipe.) Set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine butter, honey, brown sugar, and salt. Heat until just boiling, stirring occasionally (be careful not to let it boil over). Remove from heat and add vanilla extract.

In a medium bowl, combine oats, rice cereal, flax seed, wheat germ, and wheat bran.

Add butter and sugar mixture to the oat mixture and stir until well-combined.

Spread the mixture evenly in the lined pan, and use another pan to pack the granola together as evenly as possible. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. Let cool completely before removing from the pan and cutting.

Store in an airtight container.

Variations
I've made a cranberry almond version for myself. I started by soaking 1/2 c dried cranberries in warm water for about 15 minutes. Then I drained them, prepared the granola as directed above, omitting the chocolate chips. Before I pressed the granola in the pan, I stirred in the dried cranberries and 1/4 c sliced almonds.

I've got a few other variations in mind that I hope to post later. What flavors would you like to try?

Enjoy!

Kitchen Therapy

A stressful day filled with bad news about sick family members and friends has led me into the kitchen for some therapy. I don't mean eating...I mean baking.

For me, being in the kitchen is like meditation or yoga, even with The Munchkin following me around in her walker and running into the back of my heels! There is something so soothing about the whir of a Kitchenaid stand mixer combining raw ingredients into wonderful treats that will bring smiles to the faces of others...and myself.

And today, I've given the mixer and my oven quite a workout. It all started with a loaf of bread and my mom's Upside-Down German Chocolate Cake to complete an early Christmas dinner for some friends of the family. Once those were done and ready to be delivered, I turned to cookies to share with our coworkers and families.

One of The Man's favorite cookies is Paula Deen's Monster Cookies. I make them with chocolate chunks, M&Ms, and raisins. Sometimes I'll add white chocolate chips as well, but The Man prefers them without, so today I obliged. You can add to the base cookie whatever you and your family like. After all, it's your cookie!

The second cookie is one I found on Pinterest. The Lemon Burst Cookie could actually be done with any flavor cake mix. I just happened to have a lemon cake mix laying around, but I think chocolate would be wonderful (of course!) or even a french vanilla cake mix rolled in powdered sugar and cocoa. The possibilities are endless! Let your imagine run wild with this one.

In the end, the cookies turned out wonderfully, and the kitchen therapy really did help. The cookies are so wonderful, we are having a hard time staying out of them! I do hope to package some up for each of us to take to work to share with our coworkers, but I'll have to make sure we have some left! :) And, I found myself focusing on the food and enjoying the process instead of dwelling on the bad news of the day.

I had hoped to make more Cranberry Walnut Bagels, some Zucchini Muffins and Hot Cocoa Cookies, but The Munchkin wasn't going to allow that...so, maybe tomorrow after her 9 month checkup.

Stay tuned for more goodies!