granola bars

i made granola bars! crossing off #39: make granola bars of the wolsey to do list!

yet again, i have found a great recipe from the martha stewart everyday FOOD magazine that my sista jill scripps got me hooked on.

emeril's nutty granola bars
p. 36 of the march 2011 issue

ingredients:
3/4 cup honey (separated, a note that would have been helpful for me!)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/3 cups slivered almonds (6oz)
coarse salt
1 cup raisins or other dried fruit (i used whati had in the cupboard... what i thought were dried blueberries but are actually craisins flavored with blueberry juice)
1/3 cup cream almond butter or other nut butter (any guesses on what i used? yep, PB!)
1/4 cup light-brown sugar

1. preheat oven to 325*. in a small saucepan, heat 1/4 cup honey and butter over low. (i didn't pay attention to the 1/4 cup... i just went with the whole 3/4 cup... oops!) cook, stirring,until butter melts, 2 minutes.
2. in a large bowl, combine oats, almonds, and a pinch of salt. drizzle honey mixture over oat mixture and stir to combine; wipe saucepan clean. spread mixture evenly on a large rimmed baking sheet. bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes, stirring occassionally. let cool completely on sheet, 10 minutes. return to bowl and add raisins or dried fruit of your choice; stir to combine.

3. lightly butter an 8-inch square baking dish. in saucepan, combine 1/2 cup honey (i went with about 1/4 cup since i had used toooooo much in the first place, and this might have helped hold them together better), almond butter (or PB) and brown sugar over medium. Cook, stirring occassionally, until mixture comes to a boil and sugar dissolves, 10 minutes. Drizzle over oat mixture and stir until combined; transfer to baking dish. with a spatula firmly press granola into dish.

refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour, then cut into 16 bars or squares. (store in an airtight containter at room temperature, up to 5 days).

a couple notes: i am not sure why an 8x8 is needed. i think a 13x9 would be just fine and make for more traditionally sized granola bars. also, i would recommend an unsweetened dried fruit. these are mighty tasty but with the additional honey due to my mix up and sweetened craisins/bluisins it is defintely on the sweet side.

these are great for snacks. i should have made a drive to mesa, gilbert or queen creek this week to share. i'm not sure tim and i will make it thru all of these on our own.