School days again ~ Granola bars

Homemade granola bars

I love these because they are FILLING - not full of puffed rice like the ones in the stores and not $4 a box .. I have never calculated what they cost me but I would say $1-2 dollars for 12 if I had to guess. Oh and my kids LOVE them.. I have to hide them or they will eat the whole pan in a day LOL

- I like to do two batches at once so just start with two bowls. If you notice my photos seem to swap out ingredients that is why. I made a raisin chocolate chip batch and a peanut butter chocolate chip batch at the same time.

Ingredients
4 cups oats - mine were honestly no-name quick oats (yeup I am a mom on a budget)
1 cup flour
1tsp baking soda
2/3 cup butter
1/3 cup brownsugar
1/2 cup honey (or corn syrup works too)

2.5 cups 'other ingredients' - these are the fun stuff. You can be creative and add what you like. Here are some ideas: Raisins, chocolate chips, craisons, nuts, sunflower seeds, peanut butter (don't use a whole 2.5 cups only like 1 cup max), dried fruit.

Directions

• Add all dry ingredients together in large bowl. Add butter and mix (with hands works best) until completely blended.
  

• Add in your "extras" and honey and mix again. I usually use a spoon then finish it again with my hands because I hate being sticky.
  

• Press mixture into lightly buttered pan

• Bake in 375 oven for 10 minutes then pull out and using a spatula press firmly down into the pan. I cannot stress this part enough because your bars WILL puff up when you bake and if you want them to stay together you need to squish them down.

This is before I pressed them down completely, see how puffed up it is.
I had pressed half of the raisin ones down you can see how much flatter the top half the pan is.

• After pressing down return to oven for another 10 minutes. Remove and once more press down as hard as you can with the spatula.
  

• Let cool for 20 minutes then slice in the pan. Once sliced leave them to cool completely before removing. Two hours or so.
  

NOTES: I think in my new oven I would cut the baking time down to 7 and 7 minutes since they got a bit browner then I like but still good!