Chewy Granola Bars

The first time I made these, I was pregnant with my first daughter. I could not get enough granola bars. I bought Nature Valley, Special K, Fiber One, I loved them all! I came across this recipe in the Rachael Ray Magazine one month and decided to give it a try. Couldn't be easier. Most of the main ingredients you can get for a good price this week. Publix has granola and raisins B1G1. I stockpiled the chocolate chips a few weeks ago. And with the Target coupon for Kellogg's cereal, you can get a good deal on the Rice Krispies. If you've never made homemade granola bars, you ought to give this recipe a shot. Quick and delicious. Wrap each individual bar in plastic wrap and you've got a Grab-n-Go breakfast!



4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 cups granola
1 cup Rice Krispies
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar with the honey and butter. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower to medium-low and simmer until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Add the granola, rice cereal, and raisins to the saucepan and fold the ingredients to evenly coat with the sauce. Transfer the granola mixture to a 9 X 13-inch ungreased baking pan and press firmly to evenly fill. Gently press the chocolate chips onto the top of the granola. Let the granola mixture set in the refrigerator until firm, about 15 minutes, then cup into 2 1/4-by 3-inch bars.

**The Quaker granola that is on sale at Publix is more like granola clusters. So, I put 2 cups in a zippy bag and crushed it up a little bit.

These are great for breakfast or pack them in the kids' lunchboxes for school. Want to make co-workers happy? Wrap some up, tie with cute ribbon and bring as a "Happy"!

Enjoy!


(adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine)