Homemade Granola Bars

• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Yields: 10-12 bars

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 cups quick oats
• 1 cup crispy rice cereal
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, optional
• 1/2 assorted finely chopped dried fruit, chocolate chips, nuts, or seeds

Directions

1. Prepare your toppings, oats and cereal.
2. In a medium saucepan melt the butter, sugar and honey.
3. Cook, read bubbling, the melted mixture for two minutes.
4. Stir in the vanilla if you choose, we omit in our house.
5. Remove from heat, add in the remaining ingredients and stir thoroughly until dry mixture is completely coated.
6. Place the mixture into a lightly greased shallow cooking pan, about 3/4″ deep. This will likely only fill half the pan.
7. Pack the mixture down to form a large thin square of granola bar, let this cool two hours before cutting. We use a rolling pin to form an even block of granola and allow the pin to ride on the sides on the cooking pan.

Notes

• Cut the sugar and honey ingredient in half for less sweetness.
• Try many variation of toppings, we regularly use:
  • Dried cherries, dried mango and almond slivers
  • Dried apple, dried apricot and raw sunflower seeds
  • Chocolate chips