Granola Bars

Every morning is a mad rush to get ready and out the door. I know there is not a parent on earth who has not experienced morning madness. I also have an aversion to the corn syrup laced granola bars that are very convenient but have an ingredient list that makes me cringe. I personally need an arsenal of convenient snacks to hold my little tike over until he has breakfast at daycare or while out and about. His boundless energy also turns him into a ravenous little animal who turns beastly if not fed on demand. What to do? Make them myself. As with everything else in life, they taste a million times better coming from my kitchen than they ever could coming from a box.

These are very sweet but I am convinced that the sugar holds them together well, a critical element of any kids snack. You can also play around with the ingredient list and add different nuts, dried fruits and spices according to your taste. Once these have cooled completely, I like to wrap them up individually so they are easy to grab and hand to little hands while running around like a crazy person. Posts with homemade crackers and other kid friendly snacks are in the works. Until then, enjoy the granola bars! AJ

Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa, Back to Basics by Ina Garten

Ingredients

2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 cup chopped almonds
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut, loosely packed
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 12-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper.

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 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 F.

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 dates, apricots, and cranberries and stir well.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Press the mixture evenly into the pan with the back of a rubber spatula. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.

NY Times Olive Oil Granola

Ok, take every granola recipe you have and throw them all out immediately. I came across this recipe a while ago, ripped it out and have had it sitting in my mile high recipes to try stack since July. Then something interesting started to happen. I started noticing the cooking blogosphere lighting up with, you have to try this recipe! One blog saying it is a fluke, eight different blogs saying it is quite another story. So, finally, this past weekend, I made this blessed concoction of fruit, nuts, oats and olive oil and let me just say that is has solidified my belief that the Times is one great publication.

Warning, this stuff is highly, highly addictive. Make it immediately!

Source: Adapted from the New York Times, A Good Appetite: Granola with a Perk of Olive Oil (July 15, 2009)

Recipe:

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups raw pistachios, hulled
1 cup raw peanuts
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
3/4 cup chopped dried apricots

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine oats, pistachios, peanuts, coconut, maple syrup, olive oil, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, cardamom and apricots. Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown and well toasted. I would recommend using parchment paper as the syrup sticks horribly to the pan if you do not remove it right away to a bowl.

2. Transfer granola to a large bowl immediately before the syrup sticks to the sheet pan.