I use organic ingredients as much as possible, although in this recipe, usually the dried fruit, vanilla and wheat germ haven’t been.  Otherwise, they’re mostly organic ingredients.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2 cups oats

3/4 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

3/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, crushed

1/2 cup slivered almonds

2/3 cup brown sugar (or less if you prefer)

1/2 cup honey

4 Tbsp butter (can use Smart Balance or other butter substitute)

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

8 oz. dried fruit (Craisins, blueberries, chopped apricots, raisins, whatever you like)

Mix the almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, oats and wheat germ in a baking dish with sides. Toast them in the oven for about 12 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes so they don’t burn.  After they’re toasted, take the pan out and turn the oven off.

Get an 11 x 13  glass baking dish and line with wax paper that’s lightly sprayed with Pam cooking spray.

In a saucepan, add, the sugar, honey, butter, salt & vanilla and bring to a nice simmer, stirring so it doesn’t burn (this part smells so good!).

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the toasted stuff together with the warm liquid (I use my hand mixer, which incorporates everything very nicely).

Dump the whole mixture into the prepared glass dish on top of the sprayed waxed paper.  Spread it out evenly to the sides of the dish using a wooden spoon.  Take a second piece of sprayed wax paper and lay over the top of the granola.  Using a flat measuring cup (or your hands if you like) press down HARD all over the granola to compact it tightly.  This will help the bars stay firmly together after they’ve set. 

Wait about three hours until the granola has cooled completely, then turn it out over a cutting board.  Using a large knife, cut into squares or bars.  Wrap each individually in plastic wrap or Press &  Seal, then store in the pantry. 

These are delicious and really stay with you.  Plus, the kids LOVE them!  Enjoy!

7.14.10.1.Chris’s Granola Bars

Girl Scouts, your youthful entrepreneurial ambitions are lofty. But you dominate the minty-cookie market, and some healthy competition would be good for you. So we present our versions of three of your most anticipated springtime treats. Your Tagalongs cannot compete with our real-peanut-butter Left-Behinds. Your Thin Mints are thin on flavor compared to our Slim Mints. Our Fijis will take down your Samoas. We think our cookies deserve a badge all their own.

Twinkies

TIME/SERVINGS

Total: 1 hr 30 mins

Active: 30 mins

Makes: 8 cakes

INGREDIENTS
3 large eggs, separated
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Cream

INSTRUCTIONS
1.  Heat the oven to 325°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Butter and flour the wells of the baking pan; set aside.

2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat egg yolks on medium speed, adding sugar a little at a time, until mixture is thick and light in color, about 5 minutes. In a separate large bowl, whisk egg whites until medium peaks form. Fold whites into yolk mixture until well incorporated. Sift flour and baking powder into batter, and fold just until incorporated. Mix in vanilla extract.

3.  Divide batter evenly among the baking pan wells and bake until cakes spring back when touched, a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, and cakes are golden brown, about 20 to 22 minutes.

4.  Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes; then loosen from the sides by running a knife along the edge of the pan. Invert onto a rack, remove cakes, and cool completely.

5.  Once cakes are cool, flip each over, and with a straw or the end of a spoon make three incisions running the length of the cake. Scoop Vanilla Cream into a pastry bag fitted with a medium-size plain tip (or snip the corner off of a small plastic bag).

6.  Place the tip into each incision, and press cream into the incisions until full. When cakes are completely full, turn them back over and serve.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30-45 minutes

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:

• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup flour

Mix together sweet potatoes, granulated sugar, ½ cup butter, rum, eggs and vanilla.  Spread into a greased 9×13 inch baking dish.

Mix together 1/3 cup melted butter, pecans, brown sugar and flour.  Spoon on top of sweet potato mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.  Potatoes should be nice and fluffy and delicious!

1½ hours | 1 hour prep

SERVES 24 , 24 cookies

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground turkey

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

1 clove minced garlic

1 egg

2 heaping Tbsp. salsa

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper to taste

3/4 c. dry oats

Add any or all of the following ingredients, as much or as little as you like (Chris uses all of them, every time):

Fresh spinach, chopped (Chris uses about 3 big handfuls, about 1/3 bag)

Green onions, chopped (as much as you like)

1/2 large green pepper, chopped

10-12 baby carrots, chopped fine

1 cup (or more) baby bella mushrooms, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, mix all ingredients by hand until well blended.  Pack into a 9×5 loaf pan and bake 50-60 minutes until top is browned and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

The kids LOVE this and it makes great meatloaf sandwiches the next day!

Let us know if  you make this!

Granny never shared her recipes, but I got this one from her shortly before she passed away.

This is her recipe verbatim!

At the family reunions in Kentucky each woman would bring her own variation of this, some add cheese to the top, some add diced peppers, but I like this one plain, simple and full of love from Granny!

6 eggs

2 cans corn (white or yellow)

3 cans creamed corn

1/2 C condensed milk

1/2 stick butter

1-2Tbsp Sugar (or Splenda)

pinch of salt and dash of pepper

Lots of Love and don’t forget to talk to it as you are making it!! (she made sure this direction was in the recipe so I never leave it out)

(feeds 6 or less if you really like it)

Heat oven to 350.  Whip the eggs really well.

Butter a casserole dish that is at least 2″ deep. (you can use Pam for this)

Melt the 1/2 stick of butter.

Mix, corn, cream corn, milk, melted butter, sugar, salt and pepper into whipped eggs, blend completely. DON’T forget to keep talking to it and giving it lots of love!

Pour into buttered dish.

Bake until it is puffy and brown.  Around 30-45 mins

Eat nice and hot!

From Granny Howard (care of Amy)

Bonnie Blair sent us her aunt’s pumpkin pie cake recipe.  Thanks, Bonnie!

Here is a recipe for Pumpkin Pie Cake that I got from my aunt.  I’ve had people tell me they like it better than pumpkin pie and it is much easier and faster to make.  It is great!

1 can Pumpkin – 15 oz.

1 can evaporated milk

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Mix ingredients

1 pkg yellow cake mix

¾ cup oleo

1 ½ cups chopped nuts

Cool whip.

Put Pumpkin mixture in 13 x 9” pan

Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin

Drizzle melted oleo or butter over cake mix.

Top with pecans or walnuts.

Bake @ 350 for 1 hour

3 Boxes of Mini Filo Shells

8oz of Mexican Velveeta Cheese

12 oz can of chunk chicken breast in water

1/4 cup of chopped green onions

Melt cheese in microwave then drain water from the can of chicken.  Crumble the chicken into the cheese then add onions, mixing well.  Put mixture in the shells, bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Enjoy!