Date and Cherry Granola Bars
December 03, 2007
Holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas make me think of my mom’s enchiladas and all the desserts I love to eat and make. While I am no Baking Fool, I have attempted some holiday treats for parties I will attend and host. Inspired by a cheesy VH1 special about Wavey Gravey and the Hog Farm Collective who claims to have "invented" granola at Woodstock, and also by a recent story on NPR with Nigella Lawson and her unsavory version of a breakfast granola bar, I give you the Date and Dried Sour Cherry Granola Bar, adapted from Alton Brown's recipe. You can add whatever fruit and nuts you fancy, but this combo seemed the best to me.
You will need:
- 2 c rolled oats (not instant)
- 2/3 c wheat germ (I used Bob's Red Mill all natural wheat germ, found in the heart of a wheat berry)
- 1 1/2 c walnuts, chopped
- 1/4 c packed brown sugar
- 1/2 c honey
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 c chopped dried dates (buy them cheaper whole, remove the stones, and chop them up yourself)
- 1/2 c chopped dried sour cherries (buy these in bulk)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease a small 9X9 cake pan with butter.
Step One: toast the oats and wheat germ on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes, stirring them every five minutes. Toast the walnuts for 10 minutes, also stirring every five minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees.
Step Two: In a stock pot, combine the butter, honey, sugar, salt, and vanilla over medium heat. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon so it does not boil or simmer until the ingredients are all incorporated and the sugar appears dissolved (about 8 minutes).
Step Three: Combine the oats and wheat germ in the pot, continuing to stir. After the dry ingredients are coated with the wet ingredients, remove the mixture from the stove and add in the dried fruit, stirring well.
Step Four: Pour the mixture into your greased cake pan, and with wet hand, press the mixture down. Bake at 300 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Cut into squares and store in a ziplock bag or other air tight container in the refrigerator (remember it has butter). Eat for breakfast and stop starving yourself.
You will need:
- 2 c rolled oats (not instant)
- 2/3 c wheat germ (I used Bob's Red Mill all natural wheat germ, found in the heart of a wheat berry)
- 1 1/2 c walnuts, chopped
- 1/4 c packed brown sugar
- 1/2 c honey
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 c chopped dried dates (buy them cheaper whole, remove the stones, and chop them up yourself)
- 1/2 c chopped dried sour cherries (buy these in bulk)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease a small 9X9 cake pan with butter.
Step One: toast the oats and wheat germ on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes, stirring them every five minutes. Toast the walnuts for 10 minutes, also stirring every five minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees.
Step Two: In a stock pot, combine the butter, honey, sugar, salt, and vanilla over medium heat. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon so it does not boil or simmer until the ingredients are all incorporated and the sugar appears dissolved (about 8 minutes).
Step Three: Combine the oats and wheat germ in the pot, continuing to stir. After the dry ingredients are coated with the wet ingredients, remove the mixture from the stove and add in the dried fruit, stirring well.
Step Four: Pour the mixture into your greased cake pan, and with wet hand, press the mixture down. Bake at 300 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Cut into squares and store in a ziplock bag or other air tight container in the refrigerator (remember it has butter). Eat for breakfast and stop starving yourself.
