Chewies

This is a recipe I grew up making.  In fact, I made it so often I have it completely memorized.  I would come home from school and quick throw the ingredients for these granola bars together, 20 minutes later I had a delicious, healthy, and filling snack.

A few weeks after we got married, I decided to make a batch of these.  I put it in our brand new microwave and went about my business in another room.  About 10 minutes later, I smelled something burning.  I checked the oven--dinner was fine, so I just assumed something was burning on the bottom of the oven.  A few minutes later I remembered my Chewies and discovered the source of that awful smell.  I hadn't thought about the fact that my new microwave is much more powerful than my parent's 25 year old one; therefore, I ended up with a batch of severely burned Chewies.  To this day, I still can sometimes smell the burned smell when I open my microwave, I probably did some permanent damage!!!  (Oops!)

This time however, I took into account my high-powered microwave and these turned out just how they should, nice and chewy.  I love how versatile these bars are.  I usually make them with chocolate chips, but I decided to mix it up and do raisins this time;  they are also delicious with mixed dried fruit.  You could also mix in some wheat germ or other healthy items to bump up the nutritional content.  I also use this recipe to make my granola.  Rather than baking the bars in the microwave, I put the mixture on a cookie sheet and bake it until crispy; double duty recipe--can't get much better!

You will need:
1/2 cup margarine (1 stick)
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons molasses (can also use light corn syrup)
3 cups old fashioned oatmeal (not quick cooking)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips (or raisins or dried fruit etc)

1.  Place margarine and brown sugar in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for about 35 seconds, until margarine is melted.  Stir until sugar dissolves.

2.  Mix molasses into sugar mixture to form a syrup.

3.  Stir in oatmeal and baking powder until oats are completely covered by the syrup.

4.  Stir in chocolate chips.

5.  Press into a 9x13 microwave safe pan.  Microwave on high for 5 minutes.  Let bars cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting into them.

If you want to make granola instead, for step 5 spread mixture on a large baking sheet.  Place in 300 degree oven for 20 minutes, stirring after 10.  If it's not crispy enough, you can leave it in the oven longer.  Store in an airtight container.