Granola Bars...

Granola bars are an excellent snack for any time of the day, but they can be expensive to purchase and some bars contain ingredients health-nuts would prefer weren't included. I usually make my own homemade Granola Bars twice a month. That way I will have a healthy alternative to reach for any time I please and it saves me money.

A few weeks back, I posted my own homemade granola, so for this recipe I use that and adapted Ina Garten’s Homemade Granola Bars recipe from “The Barefoot Contessa ~ Back to Basics” to get the right binding agent consistency and proper baking time. It works perfectly and I recommend these nutritional easy bars for your healthy snacks & quick breakfast treats.



George’s Granola Bars

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅔ cup honey
¼ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups Granola ~ your style

Preheat the oven to 3o0 degree F. Butter an 9 x 13 -inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper.

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 4 cups of granola mixture 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 bars. Serve at room temperature.

Makes 12 to 16 bars

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George’s notes:

• Granola was invented in Dansville, New York, by Dr. James Caleb Jackson at the Jackson Sanitarium in 1863. The granola was manufactured from dough that was rolled into sheets and baked. The dried sheets were then broken into pieces, baked again, and broken into smaller pieces.
• Granola was composed of Graham flour and was similar to an oversized form of Grape-Nuts. The same flour used to make graham crackers and pie crusts, among other things.