Homemade Granola Bars

LM loves granola bars, almost as much as she loves eggs. Last time they were on sale at Publix, I bought 20 boxes. (I'm not kidding.) They were BOGO and I had some $1 off coupons and some $1/2 coupons, so I really didn't pay very much for them. That was sometime last summer.

We just ran out.

So I decided to try and make my own, since some of my friends were raving about how well theirs had turned out.

I basically used this recipe.

you'll need:

2 c oatmeal
1 c flour
2/3 c chocolate chips
1 1/3 c dried cranberries
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c wheat bran
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 whole egg, beaten
1/2 c honey (I only had 1/3 c, so here's hoping)
1/2 c canola oil
2 t vanilla extract*

*I didn't have any, so I just left it out. I hope it doesn't matter

how you'll make it:

~preheat the oven to 350 degrees
~line a 9 x 13 baking dish with foil, then spray with cooking spray (I don't use it, so I smeared butter on the foil)
~mix all the dry ingredients in a big bowl
~mix all the wet ingredients in a medium bowl
~pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well (use you hands, come on, it's fun!)
~press the mixture into the baking dish
~bake for 15 - 20 mins for chewy bars and 20 - 25 mins for crunchy bars.
~let them cool for a few minutes, then cut with a pizza cutter
~let them cool completely, or they will crumble

The Verdict:

Oh my goodness, these are delicious. The rest of my family may not get to eat any of them because LM and I will probably eat the entire batch before the others even knew we made them. I am hooked! I will probably be making these at least once a week for the rest of my life.

Next time I will add ground flax seed, leave out the cinnamon and use the right amount of honey. I will also spread them in a bigger pan, because they are kind of thick.

Up next, crock pot granola.