Granola Bars

After much testing I think that we finally have a "Granola Bar". Adapted from Smitten Kitchen who adapted from King Arthur Flour. Makes about 30 servings, 228 calories per serving.

3 1/3 cups oats
1/3 cup demerara cane sugar
2/3 cup oat flour (or 1/3 cup oats, processed till finely ground in a food processor or blender)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup flaxseed, ground
1/2 cup craisins
3 cups almonds, chopped*
2/3 cup almond butter
2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons water

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an cookie sheet with parchment paper, allowing it to go up the opposing sides. Lightly grease the parchment paper and the exposed pan, or coat with a non-stick spray.

Stir together all the dry ingredients, including the fruit and nuts. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla, melted butter or almond butter and water. Toss the wet ingredients with the dry until the mixture is evenly crumbly. Spread in the prepared pan, pressing them in firmly to ensure they are molded to the shape of the pan. (A piece of plastic wrap can help with this, as you press down on the back of it.)

If you want more control over portion size take a cookie cutter and scoop 1/3 cup of the granola into it. Press down the mixture until it is packed, remove the cookie cutter and repeat.

Bake the bars for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re brown around the edges — don’t be afraid to get a little color on the tops too. Cool the bars in their pan completely on a cooling rack.

Once cool, a serrated knife (or bench knife) to cut the bars into squares. To store, wrap the bars individually in plastic or stack them in an airtight container. In humid weather, it’s best to store bars in the refrigerator. They also freeze well.

*Suggestions: Dried cranberries, apricots, pecans, sunflower seeds, coconut, walnuts, sesame seeds, pepitas, dried pples or even chocolate chips. My mix: 1/2 cup wheat germ, 1 cup dried cherries, 1 cup walnuts, 1/2 cup pecans and 1/2 cup dried unsweetened coconut flakes.

Fire Roasted Tomato Soup

Jamie found this recipe and she adapted it to our diet.  I found it very tasty and would definitely make it again whether I was on a diet or not.  She prefers her soup to not be smooth so after pureeing the soup she adds two more cans of fire roasted diced tomatoes.

1 tablespoon I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cans (14.5 oz each) fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (14 oz) reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves, cilantro leaves or Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1 teaspoon Splenda
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

In 3-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until onion is crisp-tender.

Stir in tomatoes, broth, 1 tablespoon of the basil, the sugar and pepper flakes. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat; pour mixture into large heatproof bowl; cool slightly, about 15 minutes.

In blender, place half of the mixture. Cover; blend until pureed. Return to saucepan. Repeat with remaining mixture. Heat over medium heat until hot. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon basil.

Ground Beef Spins

A recipe that Mom used to make when we were kids.

1 pound hamburger
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/3 cup celery, diced
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup bullion
1 can Crescent rolls or biscuit dough

Cook onions and celery with seasoned meat until meat is brown.  Stir in 2 tablespoons flour into 1/2 cup boullion* and then add to meat.  Cook until thickened, stirring constantly.  Roll biscuit dough to 1/4" thick in a rectangular shape.  Spread with ground beef mixture and roll up lengthwise.  Cut in 1" pieces.  Bake at 450 for 15 to 20 minutes.Serve with gravy made in the pan the meat was cooked in.

*1 bullion cube to 1 cup boiling water

Eggwiches

Mom and I have been cooking up a storm and then freezing it.  I found this recipe on Once A Month Mom and we

12 English Muffins, toasted

1 Dozen Eggs, scrambled
12 Cheddar Cheese Slices
12 Deli Ham Slices
butter (optional, smear the toasted muffins)

Scramble eggs; while eggs are cooking, split and toast muffins (adding smear of butter if you wish). Once eggs are cooked, set up an assembly line of muffins, eggs, cheese and ham; assemble and wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze wrapped eggwiches in freezer bags or freezer boxes. To serve nuke for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Makes 12.

The beauty of the eggwich recipe above is that it is basic; you can spruce it up however you'd like with different cheeses, meats, veggies, and spices.

Razzleberry Pie

This recipe came from Becky with a few alterations. Maybe when she received this recipe it was for fresh berries but I had frozen berries and needed to change things up a bit. You could use any berries that you have, I used raspberries, marionberries and boysenberries.

5 cups water
3 1/3 cup sugar
2 cups blackberries
7/8 cup water
2/3 cup cornstarch
3 cups boysenberries
3 cups blackberries
2 cups raspberries

Combine water and sugar; bring to boil. Add blackberries; bring back to boil. Combine cornstarch and water; add to berry mixture and cook until thick. Fold in boysenberries and raspberries (DO NOT COOK). Cool and pour into 9" unbaked pie crust. Bake at 375 for 1 hour. Makes 4 pies.

Make ahead
After putting into crust, do not cut vents and freeze overnight. Wrap in cellophane and foil.

To cook, cut slits for vents, cover with foil and bake at 450 for 15 minutes; reduce to 375 bake 15 minutes more. Uncover and continue baking for 55 to 60 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is Mom's recipe.  For some reason her cookies always look better than mine, I usually just have a pool across the cookie sheet.  I will have to give these a try at home.

1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoon soda
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon vanilla
5 cups flour
2 cups chocolate chips

Cream shortening and sugars.  Add eggs.  Mix water, soda, salt and vanilla together, then add to sugar and egg mixture.  Add flour mixing thoroughly.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes.

Peanut Butter Cookies

This is one of my favorite cookie recipes from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book.

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Thoroughly cream butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg and vanilla.  Sift together dry ingredients; blend into creamed mixture.  Shape in 1-inch balls; roll in granulated sugar.  Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Crisscross with fork tines.  Bake at 375 degrees fro 10 to 12 minutes.  Cool slightly; remove from pan.

Strawberries and Candied Nut Salad

Lettuce Greens - your favorite
Strawberries - quartered
Poppy Seed Dressing
1 1/2 cup Nuts - your choice, I used almonds but I have had walnuts before
1/2 cup sugar

Pour sugar into a medium saucepan with a thick bottom. Have nuts nearby, ready to quickly add to the pan at the right time. Cook sugar on medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon as soon as the sugar begins to melt. Keep stirring until all the sugar has melted and the color is a medium amber. Add the nuts to the pan, quickly stirring and coating each piece with the sugar mixture.

When the nuts are coated with the sugar mixture, spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use two forks to separate the nuts from each other, working very quickly. Let cool completely.

I served this salad with everything in separate bowls so they could make it to their liking but if you know everyone will love it mix everything together.