Fruit & Nut Granola Bars (oh so yummy!)

 Photo Source: Foodnetwork.com, Barefoot Contessa, Homemade Granola Bars

 

Ingredients:

2 c. old fashioned oatmeal 

1 c. sliced almonds (I get the slivered ones in the bulk section of Sprouts, a local grocery store)

1/3 c. sunflower seeds

1 c. shredded coconut, loosely packed

½ c. toasted wheat germ or wheat bran

 3 Ta. butter

 2/3 c. honey

 ¼ c. brown sugar

1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

¼ tsp. kosher salt

½ c. chopped dried apricots*

¼ c. cranberries

¼ c. raisins

1/2 tsp. – 1 tsp. ground cinnamon (optional and amount depending on taste)

* Any combination of dried fruit would work. 

Preheat oven to 350.  Butter an 8 x 12 baking dish and line it with parchment paper.  Because I like my bars to be a bit thin, I used a cookie sheet and didn’t spread the mixture all the way to the end of the sheet.

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan (not the one buttered and lined with parchment paper) and bake for 10 – 12 minutes.  Stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.  **if you use slivered almonds don’t toast them or they will get too browned and burn during the 2nd round of baking.  Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ.  If you decided to add some cinnamon to this mixture, you would add it at this time.  I always add the cinnamon, because it just smells so good and adds such yummy taste to the bars.  

Reduce oven to 300.

Place butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a full boil over medium heat.  Cook, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes.  Pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture.  Add dried fruit and stir well

Pour the mixture onto the parchment lined pan or cookie sheet.  The mixture will be hot and sticky,  I used wax paper as a barrier between my hands and the mixture to firmly press it evenly on to the pan.  Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until light golden brown.**

 **Because I use a cookie sheet miine only take about 15 minutes until they are a golden brown.

Once removed from oven, press the mixture firmly again.  Then let cool a few minutes and slide the parchment paper onto a cutting board and cut into bars.  I’ve found that if I let the mixture cool too much before cutting then I end up with lots of broken pieces, which still make an excellent granola, but is dissapointing if you wanted bars.