Granola Fruit Bars

½ cup dried apples, chopped

1/3 cup honey

½ cup raisins and/or dried cranberries

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/3 cup reduced-fat peanut butter

¼ cup apple butter

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ cup old-fashioned oats

1/3 cup toasted wheat germ*

2½ cups raisin bran-granola cereal (or regular raisin bran)

nonstick cooking spray

In a large saucepan, combine the apples, honey, raisins, and brown

sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Cook and

stir 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat; stir in peanut butter

until melted. Add apple butter and cinnamon. Stir in the oats and

wheat germ. Fold in raisin bran-granola cereal.

Press firmly into an 8-inch square pan, coated with nonstick cooking

spray. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until set. Cut into bars and store in

air-tight container in the refrigerator.

*You can buy toasted wheat germ in your local grocery store in

either the cereal or baking aisle. (It is usually sold in a glass jar.)

Yield: 8 servings