Scratchy-ish Granola Bars

I like to bake.  I like to make things from scratch.  But I like things to taste good too.  And I've tried so many times to make delicious granola bars, and they just don't work well enough to say, "Yes!  That's the recipe!" 

I also like shopping once a week and sticking to a tight budget.  So this week, when we ran out of granola bars at the beginning of the week, then ran out of snacky veggies as well, I knew it was time to try again.  Desperate times call for desperate measures.

I went back and looked through the three recipes I had tried.  I couldn't do them as they were written since they weren't satisfactory the first time through.  So I improvised and mish-mashed a couple recipes with what I had on hand to make these:

The Best Granola Bars I've Ever Made

(which isn't saying much)

3 cups of your favourite granola cereal*

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk*

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup unsweetened coconut

1 cup pecans or almonds

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup raisins

Preheat your oven to 350 F.  Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl with a heavy wooden spoon.  Grab a 9x12 rimmed cookie sheet and line it with parchment paper so that it just hangs over the edges when pushed down.  Plop the mixture onto the cookie sheet and with that same heavy wooden spoon spread the granola mixture evenly over the pan.  If you want to use your hands, slather them up with some butter.  They'll get pretty messy.

Bake for about 25 minutes in the preheated oven.  Let cool for 30 minutes, cut into 24 squares then let cool completely before serving.  These will last for over a week in a tightly sealed container...  Unless you eat them all first!
 
*Since I do enjoy making things from scratch, let me give you a recipe for granola and one for sweetened condensed milk.
 
My friend Moni has a great granola recipe here:
http://sproutculinarystudies.blogspot.com/2010/04/all-natural-majorly-healthy-granola.html
 
You should read her blog.  She's funny, insightful, caring, and generally has really great stuff to share with people.  And she's my friend, so you would like her.
 
Here's my Aunt Nancy's recipe for sweetened condensed milk.  I don't know where she got it, but I love it!
 
Sweetened Condensed Milk Substitute
 
1 cup instant dry milk
2/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup boiling water
3 Tbsp butter

Blend until smooth in the food processor. Store in refrigerator. Equals one can Eagle Brand Milk.

So there you have it.  Granola bars from scratch.  Or almost from scratch.  Or partly from scratch.  However you do it, it will be good and you will like it.  And if you don't like it you can invite me over to eat them and I will like it.  And then we can chat while I eat your delicious granola bars.