Upon arriving in Chicago, I was met by my friend T in her red convertible (top up, of course). She welcomed me with a big hug and a bag of her homemade granola bars, guessing that I might be a little hungry from my flight. She was so right! I happily munched on these crunchy and slightly chewy bars, full of almonds, cranberries and coconut flakes , throughout our ride back to her house. It was hard for me to just eat one bar because these are so good. Luckily, the recipe comes from a cookbook I happen to own so I knew I’d have to make a batch up myself once I got back home. Since I’m now back in Southern California, here they are. This recipe comes from Ina Garten’s Back To Basics cookbook. I added whole almonds, dried figs, dried prunes, golden raisins and cranberries. Get as creative as you’d like. Maybe you can even add some mini chocolate chip morsels, or throw in some macadamia nuts or cashews instead of the almonds. And don’t forget to make a double batch!
Homemade Granola Bars ( adapted from Ina Garten)
Ingredients:
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup sliced almonds (I used whole almonds)
1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed (I left this out because I couldn’t find this at the grocery store but I recommend adding it)
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dried, chopped figs
1/2 cup dried, chopped prunes
1/2 cup golden raisins
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Butter an 8×12 inch baking dish and line with parchment paper.
Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut (if using) together on a sheet pan and bake for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ.
Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees.
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 toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the dried fruits 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 lightly brown. Cool for at least 2-3 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature. Enjoy and share some with your lucky friends!
2 comments
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February 3, 2010 at 8:35 pm
T
Hi Augustina! I agree with you about the chocolate chips. I considered it when I made mine, but B. wanted to keep them healthy and nixed the idea. I’ll have to make the next batch when he’s at work and sneak in the choc chips.
February 21, 2010 at 8:31 pm
T
Hi Augustina! This afternoon I made another batch of granola bars. They are becoming a staple in our house. I tried something new that turned out fabulous . . . After cooking the honey and brown sugar on the stove, I stirred 3 heaping serving spoonfuls (approx 1 -1 & 1/2 cups?) of crunchy peanut butter into the honey mix before adding it to the oats. It’s REALLY YUMMY! The peanut butter and honey each retain their flavors and play well together as they dance across my taste buds.
I made a few other modifications. I tried sprinkling some chocolate chips on top and pressed them in just before popping them into the oven. It worked much better than stirring them in with the fruit, which resulted in them melting into the oats. Instead of the almonds, I used cashews and pecans. I wasn’t sure how the fruit would work with the peanut butter, so I only used dried cranberries. They also played well together!