"GRANOLA" BARS

Finally, a recipe for granola bars not filled with butter or oil. Use any combination of chocolate chips, dried fruit, coconut, pecans, almond slices, or any other tidbits you'd like in a granola bar.

BASIC RECIPE

3 cups quick-cooking oats (I used some slow-cooking oats)
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup flaked coconut (I skipped this, of course)
1 cup sliced almonds (I used chopped roasted almonds and chopped roasted peanuts)
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries (I used chopped up apricots)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sweetened condensed milk, butter, coconut, almonds, chocolate chips and cranberries with your hands until well blended. Press flat into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, depending on how crunchy you want them. Lightly browned just around the edges will give you moist, chewy bars. Let cool for 5 minutes, cut into squares then let cool completely before serving.