Fruit And Oatmeal Bars

Fruit and Oatmeal Bars

Michelle Obama's Fruit And Oatmeal Bars

Time: About 50 minutes, plus time cooling

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons grapeseed oil, or other neutral oil, plus     
       extra for brushing pan
2 cups rolled oats
½ cup mixed seeds, such as pumpkin, sunflower and 
     sesame
½ cup honey
½ cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
Pinch of salt
1 ½ cups mixed dried fruit, such as raisins,
   cherries, apricots, papaya, pineapple and
   cranberries (at least 3 kinds, cut into small
   pieces if large)
1 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon
2 tablespoons of butter

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.

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Line a 9-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, letting a few inches hangs over side of pan. Brush with oil.

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Spread oats and seeds on another baking pan and toast in oven just until golden and fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes, shaking pan once.

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In a saucepan, combine oil, butter, honey, brown sugar, maple syrup and salt. Stir over medium heat until smooth and hot. In a mixing bowl, toss together toasted oats and seeds, dried fruit and cardamom. Pour hot sugar mixture over and stir until well combined.

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While mixture is warm, transfer to prepared pan, pressing into pan evenly with an offset spatula. 5. Bake until brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer pan to a rack and let cool completely. Using the overhanging foil or paper, lift out of pan and place on a work surface Cut into bars, about 1 ½ inches by 3 inches.