Chewy Granola Bars

This is supposedly a no-bake recipe, but you toast the oats and nuts, so if your goal is to avoid heating the kitchen, choose a different recipe!

Chewy Granola Bars

2 1/2 cups regular oats
1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, divided

Place oats and almonds on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven at 350° for 8-10 minutes, stirring once. Set aside.

Combine honey, butter, brown sugar and salt in a small saucepan and heat until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, then mix with the oats and nuts.

Cool for five minutes. Stir in the cranberries and half of the chocolate chips. Press mixture VERY firmly into a foil-lined 9" square pan. Top with the remaining chocolate chips. Cover and chill for 2 hours. Remove from pan and cut into bars. Makes 16.

As you can imagine, this is a recipe well-suited to variations. Try different combinations of nuts and dried fruit. I imagine adding some peanut butter would be delicious. I also imagine the chocolate chips could be optional, but why would anyone want to omit them?

This second recipe does use the oven, and seems to be more of an oatmeal bar cookie than a granola bar, but aren't granola bars just a form of bar cookies? It's also a good way to use up the last of the Bisquick in your cupboard.

Chewy Granola Bars #2 

• 1 1/2 cups biscuit mix
• 1 12 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips

Mix the first 5 ingredients until moistened, then stir in the chocolate chips. Press into a 9x13" pan, using wax paper to really pack it down). Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, until the center is set. Cool a few minutes, then cut into bars while still warm. Makes 27.