Chewy Granola Bars

              
I have my favorite granola bars, the ones I like making and eating, those are the ones that disappear around here.  They are the ones I make very regularly.  Mainly because I cant stand paying those high prices for granola bars.  If you buy them all the time and then make your own, you can save A LOT of money.  I mean a lot.

These are quite delicious and quite versatile.  You can change up the add ins as you like.  I list what the kids like to put in them but you can certainly change it up.  So, say, instead of sunflower seeds, you could add peanuts.  Instead of chocolate chips, maybe cinnamon chips.  The coconut really gives it chew so I would not substitute that.  If you don't like coconut then maybe try this granola recipe instead.

Chewy Granola Bars

2 1/2 rolled oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 cup coconut
1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup nuts
1 cup chips (chocolate butterscotch, peanut butter, white...)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix the oats, coconut and the wheat germ together.  Add in condensed milk and butter.  It will be hard to mix but keep at it, it will come together.  Finally, add in the in the nuts and chips.

Press the dough into a greased 9 x 13 baking pan.  Use the back of a rubber spatula to flatten the top. You can wet it a little if it begins to stick.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, just until golden around the edges.  Score bars after it cools for ten minutes.