you'll thank me later

My apologies, Ina, but I changed your recipe. For starters, I didn't have flaked coconut in my pantry. But also, I prefer dried figs and raisins to pitted dates. And I have to have my milled flax seed....really, it's not that I don't respect your cooking expertise...I just wanted to make it my own way.

Deidre's Granola Bars

2 1/4 cups quaker quick oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1/4 cup milled flax seed
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup chopped dried figs
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8x12 dish and line with parchment paper.

Combine oatmeal, walnuts, and flax seed. Spread on a sheet pan and toast in oven for 10 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add wheat germ.

Turn oven down to 300 degrees.

Combine butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir, and pour over oatmeal mixture. Add the figs and raisins and combine well.

Pour mixture over parchment paper and press evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool for a couple of hours. Cut into squares. Eat. Enjoy!