A "New" Recipe

So I am not really a new recipe "tryer" when cooking. However in the baking department I am 2 ways, either I make good ol' Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies or I make something totally new that I have never made before. I love to try new recipes. I have sometimes repeated them, although not often, I usually get too excited about something else and am off to the next best thing. Or I quickly realize that I have NO patience to repeat the experience- hello Cake Balls, what a mess of a process!!

Anyway I don't think I have ever accidentally made the same recipe twice without realizing it, until now which means thank heaven for Pintrest because that opened up a whole new world of recipe finding, all with pretty little pictures!
About a year ago I made these and followed her botched recipe because they looked simply irresistible and I was trying a new healthier baking technique inspired by the blog writer herself!

About a week ago I was looking for a granola bar recipe and remembered that a friend had stated on facebook that she was trying one a few weeks ago and promised to let us all know how they were. So I looked back and there was the recipe she used and all the helpful comments from friends on how to successfully make chewy granola bars (these promised no corn syrup).
So, I tried it too! And they were wonderful! I didn't have any coconut oil on hand but I had butter so I thought I would try that and they tasted amazing. Not anything you should eat the whole pan of (like I remember doing when I made them the last time following the botched recipe).
Here is the recipe that I used however I made it again and changed it a bit because 300+ calories for a granola bar was frightening me when that was about a fourth of the calories I am eating right now and they were sooo gooey that I had myself convinced that there was some wiggle room with these.

Chewy Granola Bars (adapted from Heavenly Homemakers)

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup coconut oil or butter
1 3/4 cups of oats
1 1/4 cup of "extras" - which I used 1/2 cup toasted almonds, 1/2 cup coconut & toasted sesame seeds, flax seed, wheat germ enough to fill the 1/4 measuring cup :o)

Melt PB Honey and Butter
remove from heat and add oats and "extras" (if using choc chips wait until mixture has cooled or you end up with the "botched recipe" from above).

I found that now with the extra cup of dry ingredients you can put it in a 9x13 and it makes 15 nice sized servings and brings the calories down to around 200.

cover the dish with plastic wrap and press the mixture firmly with your hand to pack it all together. I have never had issues with them sticking to the pan at all. I cut them into the serving size and keep them in the fridge for a week now and they stay nicely.

I am going to have to take a break from making them again though because it is becoming too tempting to eat more than one a day!

Sorry I don't have any pictures to tantalize you with. :o(