Homemade Granola Bars

Granola Bar Recipe

My friend and co-worker Norma shared this recipe with me.  Norma was a shy, quiet graphic designer from Hawaii.  I caught her eating this interesting looking sooped-up rice crispie treat.  I loved rice crispie treats with a passion, so I made her promise to bring me the recipe.  I changed the raisins to dried cranberries and have loved making it for hiking trips, road trips, special occasions and ordinary days.

Norma was an unassuming risk taker.  One day she asked me if I wanted to go swing dancing--something, she admitted was entirely out of her comfort zone.  It was at her Asian-American church.  Some graduate students from Pepperdine University who were really into swing dancing were giving lessons.  We did a lesson for an hour and had open dancing the rest of the night.  I had never seen so many Asians 'cutting a rug'.  I mean where were the movie producers to hire these experts!  Moving from Ohio to California, I had loved all my Asian American friends, but so far they seemed quiet and reserved as a cultural norm.  Kind of like these granola bars, the experience put together things I loved and helped me realize how much fun they were together!  The gentlemen were so polite, making sure all the ladies got plenty of time dancing.  This was not a meat market; there was serious fun to be had!  And what fun we had!

Anyway, that recipe...

2 1/2 cups oats
2 1/2 cups rice crispies
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries (or raisins)
1 cup peanuts (salted or unsalted)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter or margarine (I prefer butter)
1 pkg (smaller 10oz bag) mini marshmallows (or 40 large ones)

Grease 9x13 pan.
1. Heat oats in a frying pan over low heat until lightly browned (I recently warmed them in the microwave for 1 minute in a steamer and that seemed to work also.)
2. Mix oats, rice crispies, cranberries and peanuts together in large bowl.
Heat butter on low heat in a large pot until nearly melted. Add peanut butter and melt. Add marshmallows and stir constantly until melted. (Important: stir continually and adjust heat so that the ingredients don't bubble or burn.)
3. As soon as everything is melted, removed from heat and quickly add the dry mixture.  Stir all ingredients quickly until coated.
4. Spread and press evenly into pan.  Allow to cool and cut into bars.  Store for a few days in air tight container.