GRANOLA BARS

• 2 cups oatmeal
• 1 cup chopped pecans (or sliced almonds)
• 1 cup shredded coconut

Toss above ingredients together on cookie sheet and put in oven on 350 for 10-12 minutes or until toasted. Transfer to a bowl.

Reduce oven to 300

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• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Put above ingredients in sauce pan on stove and bring to boil and stir for a minute.

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Pour over oatmeal and toss in

• 1 1/2 cups of dried fruit. I used all cranberries.

Can be a combination of 1/2 cup cranberry, 1/2 cup apricot, 1/2 cup dates etc.

• I also added 1 cup chocolate chips to make it chocolate flavor . :) (optional, but It was a great addition :)

Toss all together and put in a parchment paper lined 8 x 12 baking dish. Press down.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or till brown.

Cool 2-3 hours before cutting.

This is a really tasty granola recipe that I concocted after researching other recipes.  The combination of the sweet cranberries and chocolate made it extra special.  :)

~Carol~

Congo Squares

Ingredients
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter, softened
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups chocolate chips


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. Combine butter and sugar using a mixer until blended. Add eggs, one at a time to sugar mixture, mixing on low in between each addition. Add vanilla and mix. Add flour and mix until combined. Stir in chips.
Coat a 9×13 pan with non-stick spray and spread batter evenly into dish. Bake 30 minutes, then cover top with foil to avoid over-browning. Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out with moist crumbs. Don't over bake.
Note:
I baked mine for 45 minutes.  I probably will bake 40 minutes next time as the sides were a little crispy.  Every oven is different! 
Carol

Update: July 31, 2018  I made this recipe using my homemade brown sugar and the Congo Squares were the best tasted square I ever made! I baked it 30 minutes uncovered plus 10 minutes covered. 

Best Brownies

1/2/ c. butter, melted

1 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/3 c. Hershey's cocoa

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. chopped nuts (opt)

CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING

3 tbsp. butter, softened

3 tbsp. Hershey's cocoa

1 tbsp. light corn syrup or honey

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. confectioners' sugar

1 to 2 tbsp. milk

                OR

Melted Sarris Chocolate drizzled on when removed from oven.  

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease square pan, 9x9x2 inches. In large mixing bowl blend melted butter, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, using spoon, beat well. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt: gradually blend into egg mixture.. Stir in nuts, if desired. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool, frost with Creamy Brownie Frosting, if desired. About 16 brownies.

(spray PAM in pan. I mix everything in together and mix with a whisk.)

FROSTING: In small mixing bowl cream butter, cocoa, corn syrup and vanilla. Add confectioners' sugar and milk: beat to spreading consistency.

(Picture shown are brownies with melted Sarris Chocolate :)

As of late, I have been using Nutella instead of frosting or chocolate.  Put dollops of Nuttella on top of the batter before its baked.  Take a fork and swirl it into the batter.  Yum  :)