Granola Bars

September has arrived, the last moments of summer are fleeting by. I love back to school shopping, and although I am done school nor do I have little ones who are going; there is still a deep longing in me to by notebooks, and black Uniball pens with the liquid ink. I want to go to book stores and buy a big university books on poetry or World War Two history.  I want a cute leather bag, like the one Reed carries in Criminal Minds. I wish I needed glasses so I could get a cute pair and wear a vest and boots, and go to some fancy university like Harvard. Ok well to be truthful my idea of school is a little romanticized. Unless I was taking writing courses or poetry I would probably go a little crazy. 

Before leaving Canada I was making lots of snacks for our road trip, granola, blueberry muffins, oatmeal cookies, etc, etc....( there was no etc, I brought microwave popcorn because that is our weakness. It was a good start for our adventure) I had a new acquaintance who told me that she makes homemade granola bars. I was so excited, too excited in fact I forgot to make them! But now that September has arrived in all his charm and wonder I've decided to make them and my whole house smells wonderful.

In a bowl ( a nice colored one preferably, mine is orange because I love fall, and it was here when we moved in, but it is a lovely bowl.)
1 & 1/2c of Oats
1/2c of - Flour
            - Brown Sugar ( this is my favorite item! I think it goes better with everything!)
       

    1/2c of - Dried Fruit ( half a cup of each) (currently I had dried blueberries, Goji berries and coconut, I'll let you know how it tastes)

1/4c of Wheat germ
               Flax seed
              Sesame seeds (I didn't have either of these things but I really wanted to have them)

1tsp of Cinnamon
1tsp of Nutmeg ( because these are the flavours of fall)

In another bowl;
1       Egg
1/4c  of vegetable Oil
1/4c of Corn syrup

 I was at the store because I am practicing planning and not just winging it all the time. I walked by the corn syrup and right next to it was the molasses.

  The molasses started talking and it said, " I love you more than the corn syrup does, I am pretty in color, dark and luscious. Corn syrup has the word corn in it and corn is not nutritional, I am. I am an antique, I've been around for ages and everyone from Road to Avonlea cooks with me. Just imagine that your surrounded by cast iron and wooden spoons" I was shocked at my self, staring at the molasses smiling awkwardly. It was pretty. I was surrounded my cast iron and wooden spoons.  So I bought it specifically for my granola bars. If you don't like molasses my heart is broken for you.  Corn syrup will not over power the taste of the granola bars molasses will, so if your not a fan (I say this with a kleenex) use corn syrup.

I did 1/8th c molasses
1/8th c real maple syrup (because I am from Canada)
 2 Tbsp of honey









 Mix the dry goodness of fall in with the wet ingredients



(blurry shot of a spatula)

Press in to a 9 inch square baking pan.
Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes ( watch so they do not burn, you do want then to be light brown however.)

When they are done set on a cooling rack and cut.
Wrap individually and freeze.










The beauty of this recipe is you really can put anything in to them such as; raisins, cranberries, chocolate chips, marsh mellows, almonds, pecans, flax seed, bran, stevia or sweetener!


Grab the molasses and get cracken!
xx