Homemade Granola

Before I get to today's recipe I just wanted to fill you all in on a couple things. 
First, I made an update to the Homemade Coffee Creamer recipe that I shared with you last week and it tastes so much more amazing! So be sure to check that out.
Second, I am starting something new on fb today! I don't know about you but with so many giveaways going on in blog and fb land it's so hard for me to keep up with everything and remember to enter them! So I am creating a status update each week that I'm hoping will act as a sort of giveaway headquarters not only for those who want to promote their giveaway, but also for those who want to easily find giveaways to enter. Here's what the post you'll need to look for on fb will look like...

All you'll need to do is leave a link to your giveaway(s) when you see THIS specific post on my fb page! It would also be great if you could leave a little info on what is being given away and when the giveaway ends. I am hoping that this will not only help my fabulous friends promote their giveaways but that it will help others {such as myself} to keep better track of the giveaways that are going on each week. I am going to try posting this on Mondays but feel free to add to it all week long. I will probably re-share it a couple times during the week as a reminder for everyone. I would absolutely love it if you could help me spread the word on fb, your blog or any other social media outlets you use! 
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Often on this blog I talk about and share my successes in the kitchen. Rarely do I share my epic fails...and there are many of them. So today I thought I'd share one of each! Let's start with the fail...
I came across a recipe on Pinterest for No Bake, Chewy Granola Bars that looked and sounded delicious and pretty healthy. I love the idea of making my own snacks and knowing what goes into them rather than buying a box of processed mystery food. So I decided to give these a try since I already had most of the ingredients in my pantry. 
I was surprised at how super easy they were to make and how delicious they smelled! I couldn't wait to dig in and try one, so as soon as they were cool enough I cut them up and dug right in. OH MY YUM they we AWSOME! Chewy and delicious just as stated! I had to test them out on the boys just to make sure...They LOVED them too!"Woohoo this was too easy," I thought. So I packaged them up and put them away very satisfied with my success.
About an hour later I thought I'd try another one. I opened up the air tight container and pulled one out and excitedly shoved a bite in my mouth. I took a bite...AND NEARLY CHIPPED MY TOOTH!!

The darn thing was as hard as a BRICK!!Out of complete surprise I dropped the other half of the bar on the floor and it shattered like a piece of glass with shards of granola flying all over the kitchen...under the stove, in the sink, and even in the cats water dish.
I was so disappointed. What had I done wrong? Well, that is still to be determined. I think that the recipe itself is still really good but somewhere along the way I screwed up majorly. I think I have an idea of how to fix it but haven't tried it yet. If I have success with these in the future I'll be sure to share but for now I refuse to be responsible for your dental bills and possible need for dentures after having one of these bars.

Moving on to the success story...The granola bar recipe suggested making your own low-fat granola and referenced a recipe that sounded really good so I decided to give it a whirl. Again, this recipe was surprisingly easy and while it was baking in the oven, the smell was intoxicating. After it came out of the oven and cooled off a bit I tried some and it was SO GOOD! So I piled some up on top of my favorite Apple Cinnamon Chobani and went to town.
The original recipe called for adding nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and raisins but since my original intent was to make this into granola bars I didn't really want all that extra foo foo stuff in it so I left it out. If I was not turning it into bars then I would definitely try throwing some of these in.{To view the original recipe please visit Fake Ginger}

Ingredients:2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats1/4 cup brown sugar1 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 unsweetened applesauce1 tablespoon honey1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Other Add In's1 cup nuts {pecans, walnuts, almonds}1/2 cup sunflower seeds1/4 cup sesame seeds1/3 cup raisins
Directions:Preheat oven to 300F
In a large bowl, mix together oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and other add in's except raisins if using. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, warm the applesauce with the honey and oil over low heat.
Mix the applesauce mixture into the oat mixture and stir to coat everything. Spread the mixture onto a 9x13 baking pan.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the granola is a deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and stir in raisins if using. Cool completely and enjoy!
Do YOU have a homemade granola recipe that you love?I would love if you would leave a link to it in the comments sections below!