Granola Bars: It's Snack Time!

2 cups of rolled oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup honey
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Now, this is the part of the recipe that allows you to get creative!  You can add whatever you would like to your granola bars; raisins, almonds, peanut butter, dried cranberries, wheat germ, flax seed...the list could go on forever!  This is what I added to mine:

Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Chopped pecans 
These are things that I have added in the past:



Chopped white chocolate chips
Slivered almonds
Dried cranberries
 Steps:



Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.



Grease a 9X13 cake pan with cooking spray.  After greasing the pan (very generously), I like to pour 1/2 cup white sugar in the pan and rotate to coat the bottom.  By coating pan with sugar, it makes it easier to remove the granola without sticking.



In a large bowl combine the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and salt (also include any other dry ingredients you have chosen to use: raisins, chocolate chips, wheat germ...)

































Once the dry ingredients are mixed together, create a well (a indentation) in the center and pour in the honey, egg, oil, and vanilla.

































Mix well.  This can be done with a wooden spoon, however, I found it much easier to mix the ingredients with my hands.



Evenly spread the mixture into the prepared cake pan (again, I found it easier to use my hands to do this).