I’m excited about today’s post, because not only is it YUMMY, but NO kids were put in timeout or given empty threats in the making (well, at least mine weren’t :)
One of the best cooks I know was awesome enough to write up a post and share one of her amazing recipes with us. Now you have something else besides oatmeal to make with all those oats you’ve been storing! All right, I’ll let Kelsey take it away…
Since I am fairly new to the food storage and emergency preparedness world, I can sympathize with those of you that feel as if you are drowning on knowing what direction to even start in.
Lucky for me, I have wise people that have spent far more hours than I studying and learning while I apparently do who knows what with my extra time. Anyway, you are more than welcome to call Quaker after you make these and tell them you can forever live without their high fructose corn syrup and artificial dyes in their Granola Bars because these homemade food storage savy ones are off the hook!
And you can make as many variations as you like so that your family isnt fighting over who gets the nasty ones that are left when you buy the variety pack. Are we the only family with that dilemma?
So, I offer to you, Chewy Granola Bars. They make my mouth water and even though there is butter and brown sugar in them, I feel health(ier) when I eat them. That, or it’s just my excuse so I can eat 8 of them at once. Whatever.
Chewy Granola Bars
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 ½ cups rolled oats (I usually do a combo of regular oats and quick oats -maybe 3 1/2 cups regular to 1 cup quick – but you can use anything you have on hand. I just think they crumble less if you combine quick and regular oats!)
- 1 cup whole wheat flour (you can use regular white flour too)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup butter – melted
- 2/3 to ¾ cup honey
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- Add-ins…these are some combinations that I’ve liked:
- Chocolate chip (1 cup) and marshmallows (1 cup) – my kiddo’s favorite!!!
- Chocolate chips (1/2 cup) and peanut butter chips (1/2 cup) – my favorite combo! :)
- Craisins, coconut, chopped almonds – really good! Add in a ½ tsp of cinnamon with other dry ingredients!
- Cinnamon and raisins
- Anything that sounds good. :)
DIRECTIONS:
Mix together the oats, flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in any add-ins. Melt butter and stir in honey, vanilla and brown sugar. Pour over oat mixture and mix well. (If the mixture seems too dry, add a little more honey.)
Press mixture into cookie sheet (or just a 9×13 inch pan if you want really thick bars). Press down FIRMLY! If it doesn’t fill the whole cookie sheet because you like them thicker like us, its ok to leave some space.
Bake at 325 for 18-22 minutes (less time for thinner bars, more time for thicker bars).
I press my bars down again after I take them out of the oven with a spatula.
Let cool for 10 minutes in pan, and cut into bars. Let bars cool completely in pan before removing. They’ll crumble if you take them out too soon or don’t press them firmly enough!!!
You can wrap them individually or place in an airtight container. They also store well in the freezer. They actually taste pretty good frozen too!
- 4 ½ cups rolled oats
- 1 cup whole wheat flour (or white flour)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup butter – melted
- ⅔ to ¾ cup honey
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- Chocolate chip (1 cup) and marshmallows (1 cup) - my kiddo's favorite!!!
- Chocolate chips (1/2 cup) and peanut butter chips (1/2 cup) - my favorite combo! :)
- Craisins, coconut, chopped almonds – really good! Add in a ½ tsp of cinnamon with other dry ingredients!
- Cinnamon and raisins
- Anything that sounds good. :)
- Mix together the oats, flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in any add-ins.
- Melt butter and stir in honey, vanilla and brown sugar.
- Pour over oat mixture and mix well. (If the mixture seems too dry, add a little more honey.)
- Press mixture into cookie sheet (or just a 9x13 inch pan if you want really thick bars).
- Press down FIRMLY!
- Bake at 325 for 18-22 minutes (less time for thinner bars, more time for thicker bars).
- I press my bars down again after I take them out of the oven with a spatula.
- Let cool for 10 minutes in pan, and cut into bars.
- Let bars cool completely in pan before removing.
So here’s a reason to store LOTS of OATS! Who doesn’t love granola bars, especially in a disaster? Thanks again Kelsey for sharing!!!
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