Granola Bars

The good thing about these granola bars is that you can add anything you want and they will turn out just great!! I am allergic to almonds and the recipe calls for them, so they are always out! But I have put Craisins in, you could put mini chocolate chips, sunflower seeds, etc.  I also am thinking about trying them with the new Chia seeds. They seem to be the new "in" thing. Whatever you add, have fun with it, but a big tip~ generously butter the pan!! No kidding here, slather that butter on or you will be chipping away at your pan. You have been warned. The recipe also calls for dipping them in melted chocolate. While chocolate is NEVER a bad thing; I usually only dip half of them because they are good enough plain.

6 cups rolled oats ( NOT quick oats)
1/4 c canola oil
4 TBSP butter, melted, plus more for greasing
1 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 c honey
1/4 c apple juice (white grape)
1/4 c molasses
3 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c rice cereal
1 c wheat germ
1/2 c finely chopped pecans

optional additions: 1/2 c. Craisins  1/4 c sunflower seeds, 1/2 c mini chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350.

in a large bowl, toss the oats with the canola oil, melted butter and salt.  Spread on 2 baking sheets and toast in the oven  for 15-20 minutes, shaking a few times to make sure they do not burn. Remove from oven and lower temperature to 325.

Meanwhile in a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, honey, apple sauce and molasses. Heat mixture slowly, stirring until combines. Turn off heat and add vanilla.

Toss together the toasted oats, rice cereal, wheat germ and pecans (and any optional additions). Pour in the sugar mixture. Stir to combine. This will be very sticky!

Press into a thoroughly greased cookie sheet and bake until golden. About 25 minutes. Remove and let cool. Cut with a sharp knife into bars.

Optionally you may want to melt some chocolate and dip just the bottoms of  a few bars in the melted chocolate. Place on parchment paper until set.

original recipe is from Ree Drummond