Peanut-Free Granola Bars

With a peanut ban in the classrooms at school, finding a peanut-free granola bar recipe required a little more digging than normal!  I was delighted to have found this similar recipe from The Crafting Chicks.   It is moist & chewy.  My 4 boys begged me to let them have their portion for tomorrow's lunch now!  So, I gave in & decided to just make another batch in the late night, as I didn't have enough portioned for tomorrow's lunch.  I'm able to use up the big bag of dried cranberries getting ready to expire; they don't even notice they were in the bars!  (Phew!)

Ingredients:
1 stick melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar homemade
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2-1 cup chocolate chips
1/2-1 cup dried fruit raisins or cranberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325.  Spray a 9x13 pan with a nonstick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients in order & mix well.  I found that if I portion my 1/2 cup with the 1/4 cup of oil, the honey comes out much easier---not as sticky!

Spread the mixture in the 9x13 pan, pressing down evenly with a sheet wax paper.

Bake for 20 minutes.  Do not cut or serve until completely cooled; it will fall apart.

**In the picture shown, I added a full cup each of the cranberries and chocolate chips.