Homemade Syrup for Pancakes and Waffles

2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons honey
1 1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon maple extract

In a small saucepan, combine all the ingredients except the extracts.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat, cover the pan with a lid, and simmer for 15 minutes.  Do not stir while simmering.  Remove from heat and let cool for 20 minutes.  Stir in the vanilla and maple extract.  Store in the fridge. 

Chewy No-Bake Granola Bars

Store these bars individually wrapped and they are great to pack in lunchboxes or for a snack on the go.

adapted from mykitchenescapades.com

2 cups rolled oats
1 cup puffed brown rice cereal (can find near the bagged cereal at Walmart for $1)
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter (optional, but makes the bars softer and chewier)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
your choice of mix-ins

Pulse the oats and coconut in a blender or food processor until chopped into smaller pieces.  In a large mixing bowl stir together the oats, rice cereal, and coconut.  In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the honey, brown sugar, and salt.  Stir, then allow it to come to a boil without stirring.  Let boil for 2 minutes 15 seconds (start timing when bubbling occurs around the entire edge of the pan).  Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and peanut butter, if using.

Pour the butter and sugar/honey mixture over the oats.  Mix well until everything is completely coated.  Add in your mix-ins and press firmly into a lightly greased pan (I used a 7 1/2x11" pan).  Put the bars in the fridge to cool, about 20-30 minutes, before cutting.

The mix-ins I used were: 2 Tablespoons ground flax seed, 3 Tablespoons hemp seeds, 1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon mixed in with the dry ingredients, and 3 Tablespoons mini chocolate chips sprinkled on top.  (I froze the mini chocolate chips so they wouldn't melt while pressing them into the bars.)  I store these individually wrapped in plastic in the freezer. 

The following mix-ins come straight from mykitchenescapades.com:

Chocolate Chip
Add 1/2 C of mini chocolate chips to the finished mixture before pressing into the pan, allowing it cool just a bit or you will end up with melted chips.  Sprinkle on a few extra chips over the top after they are pressed into the pan.
White Chocolate Cranberry
Add 1/3 C of white chocolate chips and 1/3 C of Craisins to the finished mixture before pressing into the pan, allowing it to cool just a bit first or you will end up with melted chips.
Candy Bar
Add 1/3 C of Heath bar pieces, 1/3 C of mini M&M's and 1/3 C of chopped pretzels to the finished mixture before pressing into the pan.
Peanut Butter
Add 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter (this is the same peanut butter from the ingredients list, don't add more) to the finished sugar mixture before pouring it over the oats.  Once mixed with the oats, add 1/2 C peanut butter chips before pressing into the pan.
Raisin Nut
Add 1/3 C of chopped raisins and 1/3 C of chopped pecans to the finished mixture before pressing into the pan.