The recipe comes from a great book that I was given last year. Here's the back-story I told my cousin that you simply must sit through to get to this coveted recipe! (haha) I've added a few edits to make it understandable for the masses. (double-haha)
ok, so i got a recipe book from [my dear friend] Carla a few years back called Grazing. It is the greatest cookbook for easy (and somewhat healthy) appetizers and dip-type things. I make the spinach artichoke dip, cinnamon sticky buns and black bean and mushroom quesedillas ALL the time, among many others. I use it so much that I buy it as a shower gift for many people! The last time I did, the lady who helped me find it at [the book store] Chapters told me about the follow up (by the same author) call One Smart Cookie (julie van rosendaal). [My brother] Johnny & [his lovely wife] T gave it to me for my birthday last year! I LOVE this book because there are tonnes [that's how we spell it in Canada] of recipes for squares (which I never used to make) and most of them are made in an 8 x 8 pan, so it's not like having a 9 x 13 of something that mama is the only who likes and then eats it all.... i feel free to try new things because the squares won't be sitting around forever. i've made the date squares a few times and Gav and my dad both love them.
Long story longer, the other day I really felt like baking but didn't have any eggs, so I was flipping through the book to see if there was anything without eggs and found the granola bar recipe. I'm not sure why I didn't notice it before, but G and I had JUST been talking about granola bars (and the cost of them) when I said I could probably find a recipe and make them and wouldn't that be better for the kids, anyway? Tonight was the first time making them and they are literally as easy as making rice krispie squares! There are a few variations. I'll give you the one I made, most kid friendly, s'mores!
GRANOLA BARS:
In a medium-large sauce pan combine 1 Tbsp butter, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup honey. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and stir in 1 1/2 cup rice krispies and 1 cup quick oats. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool slightly. When the mixture is almost at room temperature, stir in 1/3 cup coarsely chopped chocolate chips (I used mini choc chips, no chopping) and 1 generous cup mini marshmallows (those I cut up a little). Press into ungreased 8 x 8 pan and chill until set.
that's it! next time I'm going to double it and put it in a 9 x 13 so they last a little longer. my kids said they were better than store bought. high praise indeed!
So there it is friends. Feel like a rock-star, stop buying prepackaged and make these granola bars!
And better yet, go buy the book One Smart Cookie (and you might as well get Grazing while you're at it!).
Awesome recipe, and while you're at it, it would be super easy to add something like wheat germ or oat bran to every recipe or ground flax seed to add on the health factor, and then swap out the choc and marshmallows for dried cranberries etc. So many variations possible ! I love a good base recipe that you can make so many different ways !
ReplyDeleteThe original recipe (from the book) DID have flax seed (ground) and dried fruit (cut up). Add cinnamon to the honey sugar melty mixture (1 tsp). Parenthesis are (truely) my friend. Ha(ha).
Deletewhat a great recipe! thank you!! i can easily sup. the oats and rice krispies with the gf varieties without any change in taste. yay! Going to check out those recipe books for sure!!
ReplyDeleteP.S I don't think I have seen so many parenthases is a long time, ha ha, kudos !
ReplyDelete