Chewy S'mores Granola Bars Guest Post

 

 There is a sense of accomplishment and joy when I make our food from scratch. Whew! Lots of hours in the kitchen though! But it's worth it to me knowing where our food comes from and what exactly is in it. I've been trying to make more snacks as well so this post is perfect for our household!

 

 If you haven't read Maya's blog over at Alaska From Scratch, head on over there after you read her yummy recipe for Chewy S'mores Granola Bars posted below. She has some amazing recipes and beautiful photos to look at. Whenever I look at her photos of food, it makes want to jump through the screen and eat it. Just look at the granola bar below! Don't you want to grab and take a huge bite! I can already taste the yumminess and feel how chewy it is! I need to go make these, but first, take it away Maya!



 

 

 

 Hi Alaska's Kids Readers! I'm Maya from Alaska from Scratch. I'm a mom of three, a pastor's wife, an associate pastor, and a food blogger from the Kenai Peninsula. Since our family of five transplanted to Alaska from California two years ago, I've been cooking from scratch to help keep our grocery bills down and to provide wholesome meals and snacks for my family. One of our favorites are my Chewy S'mores Granola Bars and I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to share the recipe with you here at Alaska's Kids. A regular box of popular brand granola bars in our part of Alaska can run right about $5 for 10 bars, occasionally less. In addition to saving money, there's a certain satisfaction that comes with making these at home and knowing exactly what goes into these favorite lunchtime snacks.

When I determined to start making them at home, I was overwhelmed by how many granola bar recipes are out there. I've tried several with many different ingredient variations and cooking methods- some we liked and some went in the trash. Some were too dry, others too complicated, some fell apart when removed from the pan, still others tasted like bird food.

 

These are the ones. I held out until I found and tweaked a recipe I could be proud of and put my name to. They are chewy and sweet and hold together nicely. On top of that, they are no-bake and only take about 5 minutes to put together, which is a huge bonus considering I make them every other week or so. The kids love them- especially the s'mores version - and so do I. I even catch my hubby, whom I affectionately call Pastor Alaska, snacking on them, too.

 

Chewy S'mores Granola Bars

1/4c butter
1/4c brown sugar
1/4c honey
1/2t vanilla
2c quick oats (rolled oats cannot be substituted)
1c crispy rice cereal

1/4c mini marshmallows

3T mini chocolate chips

pinch of salt

Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add butter, brown sugar, and honey. Cook until melted and sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes at a low simmer. Stir in vanilla. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine oats, cereal, and salt. Stir. Pour hot butter mixture over oat mixture and stir until well combined. Fold in marshmallows. Pour into an 8x8 non-stick pan. Press down firmly. Sprinkle chocolate chips over top and press them down firmly. Place pan in refrigerator for 30-45 minutes, until set but not hard. Using a knife, make a cut directly down the center, then slice into 10 bars. Remove bars from pan and wrap in plastic or place in snack-size zipper bags. Store at room temperature for up to a week. Adapted from Rachael Ray.