Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

recipe from Once Upon a Chef

Makes 18 bars.
Cook time: 10 minutes   Total time: 2 hours

Ingredients:
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons honey
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Heaping 1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups quick-cooking oats (such as Quaker Quick 1-minute oats, do not use regular old fashioned oats)
1-3/4 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup flax meal or wheat germ
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions:
1. Line a 9x13 baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a large pot, combine butter, brown sugar and honey. Bring mixture to a boil over med-high heat, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and simmer until the sugar dissolved and the mixture is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt.

3. Add the oats, rice cereal, almonds and flax meal (or wheat germ) to the pan and fold with a rubber spatula until well combined.

4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press down lightly with a rubber spatula to even out. Sprinkly the mini chocolate chips over top, adding more or less to suit your taste, and press down firmly with the spatula so the chips stick. The mixture should be tightly compacted in the pan. Place the pan in the fridge for 1-1/2 to 2 hours to cool.

5. Use the foil overhang to transfer the uncut bars to a cutting board. Using a sharp knige, cut into rectangles. Store bars in an airtight container in the fridge. If you have to stack them, be sure to use parchment paper or foil in between the layers, otherwise they'll stick together and fall apart.

Note: If you are subbing dried fruit for the chocolate chips, mix it in along with the other ingredients as opposed to sprinkling over the top.