Chewy Oatmeal Snack Bars

Hello! This year my sister-in-law made a bunch of different cookies for Christmas, then gave a few of each one along with the recipes for them. That's a pretty good idea, I think. So this was one of her recipes, although I don't remember these being in the cookie bag. These actually came out more like homemade granola bars. The reason I tried them was to see if they would be something healthy and yummy. And they are pretty good, as long as you think of them as granola bar-like things and not like a dessert thing. They are quite hearty.

Chewy Oatmeal Snack Bars
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup maple flavored syrup
2/3 cup cruncy peanut butter (I used creamy, we don't really like crunchy)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup dried cranberries (I used dried mixed berries because it sounded like it would be better)
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 cups quick oats
1 cup wheat germ (yes, I did buy and use this. Steve doesn't know yet though)

Grease bottom and sides of 13x9 pan with shortening. In large mixing bowl combine cranberries, graham cracker crumbs, oats, and wheat germ. Melt butter in 2 qt saucepan over med/low heat. Stir in brown sugar & maple syrup, heat to boiling. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in peanut butter and vanilla til smooth. Pour mixture over dry mixture in mixing bowl and mix together well. Press evenly into prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Cut into 24 squares.

And even though usually if we make brownies in a pan this size we get like 8 brownies, really if you cut these into 24 squares, one will be enough for a serving. So there's my foray into healthful eating.