Chewy Granola Bars

Last year around this time in August Jason and I went camping at Perrot State Park in Trempealeau, Wisconsin (near La Crosse). Just behind our campsite was the Great River State Trail which is part of the Bike 4 Trails that spans for 101 miles across western Wisconsin. We bike about 75 miles during our trip but I would like to go back and do the entire trail (202 miles from bottom to top and back). Jason's mom came prepared with homemade granola bars which were perfect for our days out biking.

This year we are camping at Kettle Moraine State Forest with our friends Kathryn and Brandon. The trip is this weekend already! I plan to take some pictures and will likely post some here.

Homemade Granola Bars
Recipe from Nora Stiff

Ingredients:
- ½ cup rice syrup (you could substitute honey, corn syrup, or maple syrup if you don't have rice syrup)
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup molasses
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Dash of cinnamon
- ¼ flax seed
- 2 ½ cup oatmeal
- 2 ½ cup rice kipsies (I used a mixture of rice krispies, cherrios, and corn flakes)
- 1 cup raisins

Directions:
1. Heat first 7 ingredients until melted and boil for 1 minute
2. Mix cereals and raisins together. Pour hot mixture over the top and stir.
3. Press into a 13x9 pan and cool. I lined the pan with wax paper and then used wax paper to press the bars down. This seemed to work well, but is not necessary.
4. Cut into bars. Store in an air-tight container.