I knew the last Monday of this month would arrive at a particularly busy time, when we would be barely moved into our new home, trying to adjust to the new environment. I didn’t want to miss the party, so I had my contribution to “The Secret Recipe Club” taken care as soon as I got my assignment. This month I was matched with the blog “Life and Kitchen”, hosted by Lindsay, a super-busy young mom with a full-time job and a master’s thesis under way. In other words, she struggles with a gazillion commitments, but still finds time to keep a great blog going! Her writing is quite refreshing, I caught myself smiling all the way through reading many of her posts. I finally settled on a recipe I’ve always wanted to make: granola bars. They were a major hit in the Bewitching household, as I married a former-hippie. Hope you try and like them too! 😉
GRANOLA BARS
(from Life and Kitchen, originally adapted from Ina Garten)
2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 cup whole almonds
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup honey
2 Tbsp brown sugar, lightly packed
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup dried cranberries
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 8 x 12 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Toss the oatmeal and almonds together and then toast them on a sheet pan by baking them for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When you take the toasted mixture out, reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the toasted wheat germ. Then add in the honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt while it is still warm and mix it all together. Add the raisins and dried cranberries and stir well.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers and press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours at room temperature before cutting into squares.
ENJOY!
to print the recipe, click here
Comments: No matter how frantic your life might be, it’s good practice to read a recipe carefully before attacking the preparation. It’s called common sense. Otherwise, you may set yourself up for trouble, like some people.
Indeed, I started by toasting 2 cups of rolled oats instead of oatmeal. Once everything was nicely toasted, I realized my mistake, and did the only sensible thing to do: frantically ran around the house screaming at myself “I am SUCH an idiot”; “I am THE QUEEN of the idiots”! Where’s George Costanza, my long lost brother?
Crucial decisions had to be made. I had no time to start all over, and found only about one cup of oatmeal in our pantry. I grabbed the baking sheet and scooped the mixture with one of those handy Chinese type tools, that kept the almonds and allowed the oats to fall back in the baking sheet. By the way, oats that fly and fall on the kitchen floor will cool enough during their journey so they won’t pose a risk to your pets. Quite the opposite, they will be happy to do the cleaning for you.
Once I got toasted rolled oats separated from toasted almonds, I saved 1 cup for the recipe, and mixed with 1 cup of oatmeal. Proceeded without toasting the oatmeal, as the clock was ticking, and we had tickets to go see Prometheus at the IMAX. No way we could miss that.
As a result, the bars were a bit more crumbly than they should, as oats don’t bind as well as oatmeal, for obvious reasons. But, you know what? The crumbled pieces made FANTASTIC granola!
I ended up with enough squares to last us for a while, nicely wrapped (just make sure to let them dry well for a full day before wrapping).
Lindsay, it was great to “meet” you through this month’s Secret Recipe adventure!
And a reminder for my readers: if you click on the crazy looking frog at the bottom of this post, you’ll see the contributions of all other members of Group D for this reveal day. Make sure to check them out!
ONE YEAR AGO: Awesome Broccolini
TWO YEARS AGO: A Twist on Pesto
THREE YEARS AGO: Ciabatta: Judging a bread by its holes
Bewitching Kitchen 
Those look really yummy – I need to start making granola bars at home because my family goes through them like crazy! Happy Reveal Day!
Sarah E.
http://fantasticalsharingofrecipes.blogspot.com/
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Happy Reveal Day to you too…. always makes for an exciting Monday, even if this month I could not indulge….
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I have had a few of those frantic run around moments too:-) Your granola bars look great though!!! I have just started making granola bars too:-) Love how easy they are to do!
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They are even easier if you follow the recipe to a T… 😉
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I do that ALL THE TIME! Good recovery, though, and your granola bars turned out spectacularly! There is something just so amazing about homemade granola bars, too, they are so good!
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I love to know I’m not the only one… I skipped the profanity words to keep the blog civil, but trust me, there were plenty flying around
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HI Sally!!! I had your blog for this months SRC!!! I can’t tell you how excited I was to pick through so many delicious recipes and all your tastes for so many different cultures… it was amazing. I am making your blueberry almond muffins next weekend for my grandmothers birthday, they looked outrageous. I am so sorry my post went up a little late, I hit save instead of publish for this to go up at 12pm (dingbat) so my apologize, but I have to say this salad was excellent. Perfect for the season and perfect for my belly. Yummm. Thanks again 🙂
http://www.ahealthyjalapeno.com/2012/06/celery-and-apple-salad-src.html
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I look forward to your update on those muffins, they are delicious, but then we are blueberry fanatics!
Thanks again for the wonderful write up on your post!
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Even with mistakes homemade granola bars rock.
If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to check out my group “A” SRC entry: Candied Popcorn.
Lisa~~
Cook Lisa Cook
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It had a happy ending, which was much needed, I would not have a second chance to make them with the present state of the Bewitching Kitchen…
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I’m glad you liked these bars! I want to make them again soon!
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Sorry I messed up the preparation, believe me I read several times the recipe, but still….. (sigh)
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aren’t homemade granola bars the best? yours look like they turned out deliciously!
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they turned out great and lasted for a while, we would open a package and just nibble a few pieces off – delicious!
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Yum – I love homemade granola bars! I feel like they never make them enough. Looks good!
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I must repeat this recipe and do a better job to get nicely cut bars. Next time I’ll get it right!
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i love making homemade granola bars! delicious!
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It was my first time, but won’t be the last…
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Too funny.. glad to read I’m not the only one! I always forget to look ahead and end up throwing ingredients in.. in the wrong order!! I, too, am a die-hard hippie..and would love these!
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Apparently there are lots of great people with this type of handicap… united, we will win!
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Despite your little oops, I’d say these turned out really well! They look really good!
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Love the “little oops” – might have to borrow this expression for future situations 😉
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What a fun recipe Sally and it looks delicious. Love the photo you snuck in there of yourself. As soon as you mentioned Costanza I immediately yelled, “Serenity Now!” in my head. 😉 By the way, Miss A would love these.
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You noticed the photo… 😉 I tried to sneak that one in… it was actually a shot from a mishap in the lab in L.A., but I thought it would work well here
Serenity Now…. I’m just in that kind of a mood…. moving. Not. For. Sissies.
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Granola bars are always a hit in our home and we go through them quite fast. Great idea to make them at home! Happy SRC reveal day!
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I cannot quite think about turning the oven now, at 106F predicted for the afternoon…. but, once the Summer mellows down a little, I might make another batch
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first, i love the little packaging! and anything that gets oats and fruit into me is a good thing.
second, how the crap was Prometheus??? i want to see it so badly!
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Prometheus was great, the IMAX experience always makes it even more interesting… there were some flaws in the plot, of course
without disclosing important info, the idea that a biologist would act like a complete idiot when facing a new species is beyond belief. They didn’t have to go that route, an 8 year old would write a better script for that part.
I love Noomi Rapace, she is a great actress, has such a dramatic face. There will be a second movie, they leave that open at the end.
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Pingback: Old Fashion Raspberry Bars – My Lovely Little Spot
I might be a hippie in the wrong era. I love granola bars! The fruit, nuts, and wheat germ sound great in these. Did you enjoy Prometheus? I wanted more answers about those aliens!
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Those bars looks great, mishap or not! Visiting you from SRC Group D
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I definitely need to get back in SRC because it gives me such inspiration! These granola bars look delicious
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Hi! I had you’re blog from January’s SRC assignment. I thoroughly enjoyed looking through all of your recipes, everything sounds delicious! Can’t wait to try some of your breads. We really enjoyed these granola bars. Thanks for sharing!
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So glad you liked the granola bars! Thanks for the great write-up, I will jump there to leave a comment right away!
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Hi, I noticed you said Old Fashioned Oats ….you can’t use quick cook oats ? Are these granola bars soft or hard?
They looked great, and we love granola bars & granola…..but I think I prefer the soft granola bars…..
Thanks…..Kentuckylady717
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Hello there! unfortunately you need the old fashioned ones, a bit heartier. The quick cooking ones will be too soft
but if you like soft granola bars, who knows? maybe it will work!
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