Oatmeal Trail Mix Bars

I've been craving cooking lately. I even signed up for a cake decorating class (which I am positively stoked about. I was wanting to make a new type of bar (since bars haven't exactly been my specialty), and I just googled "oatmeal bars" hoping to get some inspiration.

Then I found this recipe on Kath Eats Real Food and had an idea. What if, instead of all the different seeds, nuts, and dried fruits... you just measured out your favorite trail mix into the bar? It sounded brilliant (not to toot my own horn)!

So, the "trail mix" that's my favorite isn't exactly a trail mix. It's called "Banana Split". It has dried bananas, cranberries, and pineapple with little pieces of chocolate, caramel, and marshmallows in it and then there are two or three different types of nuts in it as well. It's not exactly healthy, and I'm not sure it can truly even qualify as a trail mix, but I thought I'd use it anyway because it just sounded oh-so-delicious!

Ingredients:

- 2 C your favorite trail mix (I only used 1 3/4 C *pictured* and it seemed to make them just a tad bit too spongey for my taste. I think just a little more trail mix would have helped with that!)

- 1.5 C Rolled Oats
- 1 Egg
- 2 tsp Vanilla
- 1 1/4 C Milk

*Optional: 1/3 C Brown Sugar (I did not use sugar, but if you want them a little sweeter you should probably add it. According to my husband, without the sugar, they "taste healthy"... gosh forbid!)

Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350.

- Mix together your trail mix and the oats.

- Mix together the vanilla, milk, and egg, then add it to the dry mixture.

- Pour the mix in a 9 x 9 pan (prepared with non-stick spray).

- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

You can wrap these individually and freeze them, too, so they're great on-the-go. Or you can warm them in the microwave. A great, healthy snack that gives you a boost of energy.