Obligatory Granola Bar Post

What is a blog without a recipe for home made granola bars? It's nothin' I tells ya, nothin'! So today, we're making granola bars. With pictures.

(yes, I know I made a Snapguide with the same pictures and instructions a few months ago, but hey. Hey! Hey. Yup.)

Preheat your oven to 350, ladies and germs!

Line a 8x8 baking pan with aluminum foil. Why do you need foil if you're using a pan that's probably non-stick? Well, it's probably non-stick until you're ready to remove the granola 'slab' from the pan. Then it's super sticky, and you need to attack it with pointy implements of torture. If you're not going to use foil, then you'd probably need to grease the pan. That greasing medium is going to go right into your granola bars, and healthy blah blah granola blah blah trans-fatzzzzz..... just use the foil. It aids the browning process (meaning tastier food), and makes removal a breeze.

If you're still with me, ready a food processor, cutting board and measuring cups & spoons.

You will need: Dry ingredients 1 cup cereal (Shredded Wheat, Kashi) 1 cup oats 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt Wet ingredients 2 eggs 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup peanut butter 2 Teaspoons vanilla Optional ingredients 1/2 cup cranberries 1/4 cup chopped nuts 1/2 cup chocolate chips/chunks

Combine all of the dry ingredients in your food processor. Pulse until the cereal and oats are finely chopped and everything is thoroughly combined. In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth.

Add the dry stuff to the wet stuff. Stir to combine, ensuring there are no "dry spots". Gently fold in the extras (fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, etc.)

Spread the mixture in to prepared 8x8 pan, leveling the surface with an offset spatula - the flatter the better. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the edges start to brown. Cool in pan on wire rack until the granola is cool to the touch.

Using the foil as an aid, remove the granola slab from the pan, and flip it foil-side-up onto the cutting board. Peel back the foil to expose the hearty goodness that you're going to eat for breakfast from now on because you don't have time to make a freakin' omelet every day, and you needn't starve to start your morning! No one should! Once we've all calmed down from that little spell of breakfast rage, cut the slab into 8 bars. Wrap them individually with cling wrap and store in an airtight container or zip-top freezer bag.

And that's how you make granola bars. I hope you like them.