Homemade Chewy Granola Bars: Take 2!

I've made Homemade Chewy Granola Bars before.

In fact, I've even blogged about it before!

(You can read about that here.)

Even though I've already shared a Chewy Granola Bar recipe with you,

I found another, made it recently and couldn't help but share it too!

So without saying much more,

take a look at the process to making these treats!

The Goods:

Oats

Butter

Brown Sugar

Honey

Cinnamon

Salt

Vanilla

Raisins

Sunflower Kernels

Almond Slices

Chocolate Chips

Toffee Bits

Coconut Flakes

Feel free to change up the recipe and use your favorite add-ins.

Add as many or as few if you'd like.

As you can see above, I went a little crazy and 

basically added everything but the kitchen sink to mine!

I'm always looking for different ways to make things I enjoy, 

so If you have a Chewy Granola Bar recipe you love - please send it my way!

Everything Cookies

A few weeks ago, I got a hankering to make some homemade cookies.

While I love making simple chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin cookies, 

I knew I wanted to do something just a little different!

So what exactly did I do different?

I decided to use oatmeal, raisins, chocolate chips and 

pretty much everything else but the kitchen sink!

Hence me deciding they needed to be called:

EVERYTHING COOKIES!

These cookies are so simple to make.

And if you have a stand mixer like I do, 

the mixer does all the work!

Take a look below at how to make these easy, yet delicious cookies!

The Goods:

8 oz (2 sticks) Butter, Softened

1 1/4 cup Brown Sugar, Packed

3/4 cup Granulated Sugar

2 teaspoons Vanilla

2 Eggs

1 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups Old Fashioned Oats

1/2 cup Chocolate Chips

1/2 cup Raisins

1/2 cup Shredded Coconut

1/2 cup Toffee Bits

Before I go any further - I have to apologize.

I got really into making these cookies 

and FORGOT to take step by step pictures.

I'm sorry, I know I was a BAD blogger again. 

Since there aren't step by step pictures,

Follow the steps below to make these yummy cookies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat butter, sugars, and vanilla until creamy.

Mix in eggs until light and fluffy.

Add flour, baking soda and salt until blended.

Stir in your oats and all your goodies!

Form dough into balls (I used a 35 mm scooper)

and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are starting to brown.

Centers should be still quite soft - this will keep them super chewy!

Cool on cookie sheet about a minute, 

then remove to wire rack until completely cool.

I took these AMAZING cookies to work the day after making them.

There were about 60 or so cookies in my office kitchen in the morning 

and EVERY SINGLE ONE was devoured before lunch time!

These babies were just that good.

I will, without a doubt, be making them again.

But now it's YOUR turn to do so.

Go make them and see how good they really are!

Trail Mix Deliciousness!

I love trail mix. I always have. I grew up eating my mom's homemade trail mix, and now from time to time I make my own. 

The ingredients change each time and what I put in it depends on what I'm craving at the moment. This time, the whole trail mix was inspired when I randomly ran across unsweetened coconut flakes at Gelson's. 

Putting the mix together is a cinch, so take a look at the very quick process.

The Goods:

Flaked Coconut

Dried Cranberries

Raisins

Almonds

Pepitas

Chocolate Chips

Peanut Butter Chips

Toffe Bits

Mini Marshmallows

Add all the ingredients....

Almonds

Pepitas

Dried Cranberries

Raisins

Flaked Coconut

Toffe Bits

Peanut Butter Chips

Chocolate Chips

And finally the Mini Marshmallows!

Mix it all up!

And store in baggies or airtight containers! 

Somehow I almost alway end up with way too much! Oh well - my friends are able to benefit from the deliciousness too! 

Homemade Chewy Granola Bars

I've tried to make Granola a couple times, but for some reason I cannot get it to come out right! Because of that I was a little reluctant to make these granola bars, but they sounded AMAZING and I'd discussed it with my brother so I decided I'd give it a go. Plus - I already had almost everything I needed on hand so I wasn't going to be spending that much!

I won't say anymore before I show you how to make these homemade treats!

The Goods:

Oats

Sugar

Butter

Raisins

Craisins

Pecans

Almonds

Shredded Coconut

Peanut Butter

Honey

Corn Syrup

Vanilla

Cinnamon

Salt

aka 

The Kitchen Sink!

Combine ALL the dry ingredients including the fruit, 

nuts and chocolate. 

Mix together the melted butter, corn syrup, 

honey and peanut butter.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and combine. 

It'll look something like this!

Dump into a parchment lined square baking dish.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

When done, it should still be a little soft to the touch!

Once cool, cut into individual bars.

I wrapped them in plastic wrap and 

kept them in a zipper baggie.

I'm happy to report that my track record with regular granola did NOT follow me and these came out amazing! I am, without a doubt, going to be making them again and I cannot wait to try other fun combinations!!

Homemade Trail Mix

I remember eating my mom's homemade trail mix on many occasions! On road trips, camping, at sporting events, for snacks...the possibilities are ENDLESS! Not only are there many places to eat the delicious mix, there are many different ways it can be made. And it's SO easy to make too!

I recently made a batch that was based on the one my mother made - M&M's, raisins, mixed nuts, and mini marshmallows, but I added a few more thing. I bought a few of the items, but threw in other things I had in my pantry. So what ended up in my delicious mix?

Let me show you! 

M&M's (Milk & Dark Chocolate), Raisins, Craisins, Salted Peanuts, Sunflower Seeds, Slivered Almonds, Mini Marshmallows and Coconut Flakes. 

Mix it all together and you're done!

Store in a ziplock bag or other airtight container.