Homemade Granola Bars

I love Ina Garten's recipe for homemade granola bars because it is so versatile and delicious. Making your own granola bars is nice because you know exactly what is in them. You can feel free to use any dried fruit that you like or even chocolate chips. I used 3/4 cup of Craisins and 3/4 cup of apricots since that is what I had on hand. You can also control the level of sweetness. I accidentally bought sweetened coconut so I decreased the brown sugar to 1/8 cup which worked out just fine. The bars also freeze well. Just make sure to press the mixture firmly into the pan and definitely use parchment paper to line the pan. They tend to break apart easily but any broken pieces are great to have with yogurt.

No excuse to not have a healthy breakfast! I will be grabbing one tomorrow morning as I head for the Garden State Parkway at 7:15 am. Monday morning commutes... ugh...

Homemade Granola Bars
2008, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

Ingredients

•2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
•1 cup sliced almonds
•1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed
•1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
•3 tablespoons unsalted butter
•2/3 cup honey
•1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
•1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
•1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
•1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
•1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
•1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 12-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper.

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the dates, apricots, and cranberries and stir well.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.