Homemade Granola Bars

Being hunting season, this is a big hit with the hunters. I don't remember where I found the original recipe, but here it is with my tweaks. You do not need to be precise with the ingredient amounts.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Honey
2/3 cups Peanut Butter
3 cups Granola-I used a homemade soaked granola that was very plain
Your choice of Mix-ins: dried fruit, nuts, coconut, chocolate chips, etc

Butter 9" x 9" pan (or equivalent size)

Heat honey in a heavy sauce pan on medium-low. Let boil one minute. This will make it thick enough to be the glue for holding your granola together.

Stir in the peanut butter. (Personally, I only use *real* peanut butter. You know the kind that is only peanuts and salt!) Mix well.

Next stir in the granola. I turn the heat off after the first cup has been added. Keep mixing until all the granola is coated with the honey-peanut butter.

Now stir in your mix-ins. If you want your chocolate melted throughout mix it in right away. If you want chunks of chocolate, just put the chocolate on top of the mix in the pan immediately before scooping out the granola into the square pan. (Milk chocolate will melt easier than the darker chocolates.)

If you want a layer of goodies on the bottom of your granola bars-put the goodies into your pan before cooking the honey-peanut butter mixture.

Press the mixture firmly into the pan. Cool in refrigerator. Cut into bars (I usually opt for 8-10). Wrap individually in plastic wrap. Keep in refrigerator or freeze.

By running hot water immediately into your pan, clean up will be much easier.