I don't know anyone who doesn't like a good deal. Including me.
My husband and I have two teenage sons, which makes us a family of 4. Like many American wives and mothers, I am constantly searching for ways to put healthy food in front of all my guys, and money can sometimes be tight. So I like to find recipes and methods that help me use leftovers and scraps that I already have on hand. Mining my pantry and fridge usually results in a motley crew of seemingly unrelated ingredients that I must cobble together into some kind of recognizable food product.
Today is just such a day. I'm finishing this weekend's freezing, drying and storing of what we gathered out of the gardens Saturday and Sunday. I need space! I cleared out some store-bought cereal boxes and dumped the remains into a bowl. There was also a half-empty carton of rolled oats and a bag of wheat germ. It only took me minutes to come up with this recipe.
Part of the beauty about using what you have on hand is that the result is always slightly different! Nobody ever gets tired of the same old sugar cookie or pound cake. The only problem is keeping these granola bars from disappearing!
Box Bottom Granola Bars
½ -1/3 box/bag any kind of cereal you like. About 3-4 cups ( I use the leftovers in the bottom of all the cereal boxes, and mix them)
4 cups rolled oats
1 cup flaked or shredded coconut
1 cup nuts of choice
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup chocolate chips
½ cup honey (heat for 10-20 seconds in the microwave to make it less sticky to mix in)
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk Mix all ingredients and press them into a sheet pan. Be sure to line the pan with parchment or spray with pan spray. Oil your hands or spray with pan spray to make pressing the mixture in easier.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Allow to cool and cut into bars.
My husband and I have two teenage sons, which makes us a family of 4. Like many American wives and mothers, I am constantly searching for ways to put healthy food in front of all my guys, and money can sometimes be tight. So I like to find recipes and methods that help me use leftovers and scraps that I already have on hand. Mining my pantry and fridge usually results in a motley crew of seemingly unrelated ingredients that I must cobble together into some kind of recognizable food product.
Today is just such a day. I'm finishing this weekend's freezing, drying and storing of what we gathered out of the gardens Saturday and Sunday. I need space! I cleared out some store-bought cereal boxes and dumped the remains into a bowl. There was also a half-empty carton of rolled oats and a bag of wheat germ. It only took me minutes to come up with this recipe.
Part of the beauty about using what you have on hand is that the result is always slightly different! Nobody ever gets tired of the same old sugar cookie or pound cake. The only problem is keeping these granola bars from disappearing!
Box Bottom Granola Bars
½ -1/3 box/bag any kind of cereal you like. About 3-4 cups ( I use the leftovers in the bottom of all the cereal boxes, and mix them)
4 cups rolled oats
1 cup flaked or shredded coconut
1 cup nuts of choice
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup chocolate chips
½ cup honey (heat for 10-20 seconds in the microwave to make it less sticky to mix in)
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk Mix all ingredients and press them into a sheet pan. Be sure to line the pan with parchment or spray with pan spray. Oil your hands or spray with pan spray to make pressing the mixture in easier.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Allow to cool and cut into bars.