Sweet Saturday!

Happy Saturday, my sweet friends! :o)

I was unable to complete a card last night, but at least I have a fun little treat to share today. :o) This is one of my favorite types of things to make because it's a homemade version of a popular store-bought treat. Not only does homemade always taste better, but it's also comforting to know exactly what's in the tasty morsel you're giving a loved one. :o)

I made these particularly for my sweetheart, who is super busy and always on the go. Granola bars are convenient and tasty, but they're pretty pricy in the packaged version and can be made 'healthier' at home. I was positively delighted when I kept seeing versions of this recipe popping up on my favorite food bloggers' websites over the last month and I finally made them this week. Homemade Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars! Color me sparkly!

Oh how I wish this photo was happier. These turned out as delicious as I had hoped. Chewy, packed with granola yet doesn't weigh you down, sparkling with a slight honey flavor, and sprinkled with mini chocolate chips. Fantastic! (I may have been overly generous with the chippers... but really, can you ever have too many chocolate chips?) My sweetie loves them and has certainly taken advantage of their portability, munching on them on the drive to work and also on the way to the gym. Not only are they tasty and a fabulous replacement to the packaged versions, but they're also easy peasy! No oven, no odd-ball ingredients, and no fuss. My only mistake was pressing too firmly on the chocolate chips, thus melting the ones that were pushed too far into the warm granola. Merely cosmetic! They tasted amazing. 

Another bonus is that this recipe is highly adaptable to suit what you're in the mood for. Fruits, raisins, nuts, different flavored chips, coconut, peanut butter, etc. These are now a staple and I'm excited to have a batch made for him to snack on while he's away during the work week. (Due to distance, I mostly only see him on his days off.) If you try them, I hope you love them! 

Thank you for fluttering on by today! I hope you have a beautiful weekend. :o)

Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Yield: 10 bars

Ingredients:

⅓ cup light brown sugar

¼ cup honey

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups quick-cooking oats

1 cup crispy rice cereal

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking dish; set aside.

In a large bowl, stir the oats and the rice cereal together; set aside. In a small saucepan, melt the brown sugar, honey, and butter together over medium-high heat until it begins to bubble. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Pour the melted mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well to moisten all ingredients. Pour the oat mixture into the prepared pan and press down firmly to ensure that the ingredients are tightly compacted in the pan. Sprinkle the top evenly with the miniature chocolate chips and press down on the top lightly with the back of a spoon.

Cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours or until the chocolate chips are set before cutting into bars. Wrap in plastic wrap or keep in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Source: Brown Eyed Baker