Granola Bars

GRANOLA BARS

Ralphie

 
 

 

3 cups quick cooking oats (I did 2 cups oats and 1 ½ cup rice crispies)

1 cup coconut

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ cup sweetened dried cranberries (I didn’t do any dried fruit this time and I like it better – gets in the way of the chocolate, but that’s just me)

½ cup flax seed

1 cup sliced almonds (no nuts either, because B doesn’t like them

1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

2 TBSP. Melted butter

1 tsp cinnamon (cinnamon has a lot of health advantages)

½ tsp nutmeg (I thought that this made it sooo yummy!)

 

In a large bowl, mix the oats, coconut, almonds, chocolate chips and cranberries. Add the sweetened condensed milk and butter and mix well with your hands until well blended. Press the mixture flat into a greased 9x13 pan. Make sure that you tap it down really well so that it doesn’t crumble. Bake @ 350º for 20-25 minutes, depending on how crunchy you want them. Lightly browned around the edges will give you moist, chewy bars. Let cool for 5 minutes then cut into bars (I can get 22 bars from a pan). Let them cool completely before serving, otherwise they will fall apart.

***Georgia’s Note: I like MORE dried cranberries than chocolate, so I usually decrease the amount of chocolate and increase the fruit. I also have never put the butter in, I forgot the first time, and they tasted just fine. I also have never added nutmeg.