Granola Bars

These little gems are quick, easy and so delicious. I've lost count on how many times I have made these since my friend gave me the recipe last spring. My MIL has requested that we bring these when we visit and her 89 sister wasn't going back to Kentucky without the recipe.  (then called me when she tried to make them because it appeared I had neglected to include an ingredient) She was serious about making these bars. ( I DID forget to include the brown sugar when sharing the recipe, I was trying to give her the recipe by memory)

Granola Bars
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup mixture honey/corn syrup/pure maple syrup
1 1/2 cup nuts (almonds, peanuts, pecans) (these can be omitted, or amount changed)
4 cups Rolled Oats
3/4 cup melted butter
(optional add in's can include chocolate chips, cranberries, coconut, raisins, sunflower seeds etc)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Mix the brown sugar, salt and oats. Add the vanilla and honey/syrup mixture (I do this different each time, I get a 1/2 cup measuring cup, add mostly honey, then corn syrup, then pure maple syrup to equal 1/2 cup total. Add your add in's and nuts ( I usually add pecans, sunflower seeds, cranberries, and chopped coconut to equal about 1 1/2 cups, you don't have to be exact) Then add your melted butter and combine all ingredients. Press firmly into a well greased 10x15 baking sheet (I use parchment paper, my friend uses a stone) Bake 10-12 minutes until bubbly and brown around the edges. Cool and cut into bars. Makes about 3 dozen

I've been adapting the recipe to suit our tastes and you can easily do the same. I bake a little longer because I like them crispy but they are good chewy, and since the humidity tends to be high where we live, the bars end up being chewy in a couple of days anyway, but don't let that stop you from trying these, you won't be sorry.