Chewy Granola Bars

4 1/2 c. quick oats (or 2 c. quick oats, 2 1/2 c. regular oats)
1 c. wheat flour
1/2 c. flax seed (** optional **)
1/4 c. wheat germ (** optional **)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/3 c. brown sugar
2/3 c. sunflower oil (** can use melted butter **)
1 c. honey
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. "extras" - chips, nuts, or dried fruit (** see below **)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix dry ingredients. Add oil, honey & vanilla; mix well. Add extras; mix & press into greased 10x15" pan. Bake 18-22 minutes until golden. Let set for 10 minutes before cutting into bars. Allow them to cool completely in the pan before wrapping individually in Saran wrap. Can be frozen.

** Feel free to play around with the recipe. Here are a few of my favorite variations:

• Peanut butter = add 1/2 c. peanut butter, 1/2 c. butterscotch chips & 3/4 c. milk chocolate chips


• Almond = substitute 1 tsp. almond extract for vanilla; add 1/2 c. sliced almonds & 1 c. craisins


• Cinnamon = add or substitute 1 tsp. cinnamon for vanilla; add 1/2 c. coconut & 1 c. raisins


• Nutty = 1/2 c. coconut, 1/2 c. chopped pecans & 1/2 c. sunflower seeds

Two words.

Sauteed goodness.

Caramelized onions.

Golden mushrooms.

Sliced mozzarella.

Perfectly grilled.

Make it.

Eat it.

Right now.

Weirdly delicious...

This meal definitely falls under the "don't-knock-it-'til-you-try-it" category. It's called "Haystacks" & I actually found several derivations online. But the haystacks we were introduced to by my sister-in-law take it to the next level.

The next level of "weird" at least. ;)
Essentially you make a "haystack" out of a variety of foods - cooked rice, seasoned ground beef, beans, tomatoes, red peppers, lettuce, shredded carrots, shredded broccoli, olives, pineapple, coconut, raisins, shredded cheese, Fritos, salsa, sour cream...the possibilities are endless. And how you "stack" them is completely up to you!

I think what the kids love most is getting to create their own meal. (D's not getting ready to hurl...he was "tooting his own horn" is all!)

A rice - meat - beans - coconut - carrot haystack "a la Noah".

For not being a perfectionist, this child is most meticulous about her food arrangement!

And Miss Sweet-Pea was excited to make her own for lunch the next day.

"Pizza Pie"

I originally found this recipe in a Kraft Foods magazine. I wasn't sure the kids would go for it, since it had steak sauce in it, but they loved it!! Another draw back is that I never buy Bisquick. I found this recipe in my favorite cookbook and have used it for several other recipes.

Master "Bisquick" Mix

8 1/2 c. flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cream of tartar (optional, I omitted it)
1 Tbsp. salt
1 1/2 c. powdered milk
2 1/4 c. vegetable shortening

Combine dry ingredients. Cut in shortening until "mealy". Store in an airtight container. ** Substitute 4 1/2 c. whole wheat flour & increase baking powder to 2 Tbsp. **


I modified Kraft's recipe. For 3 "pizza pies", I mixed 2 lbs. ground beef (pre-cooked with chopped onion & seasoned w/ salt & pepper), 1 bag corn (defrosted), 3/4 c. ketchup, 1/3 c. steak sauce.

For each "pie", mix 2 c. Master Mix with 1/2 c. hot water. Mix only until it forms a dough & knead just a bit. You don't want to work it too much or it won't be soft & luscious. Roll into a 12" circle & transfer to a greased pizza pan. (The dough is really soft & can tear easily, but no worries! Just smoosh it together again. No room for perfectionism here!!)

Spoon on about 2 c. of the meat mixture & sprinkle w/ shredded cheddar cheese. Fold over the extra dough.

If you've been living with temps in the 100s plus...

If your husband is slightly eccentric & has completely banned the use of the oven or stove top due to the counter-productive effect it has on keeping the house cool...

Then you too have been exiled to the grill! Welcome, friend.

I have to admit that I've been surprised at just how many things you CAN cook on the grill. I'm trying pizza next! Cook these at a medium-high heat for about 20-30 minutes. Place them above the fire on a shelf, if you have one. Otherwise turn the heat down so they don't burn. Take them out when the cheese is melted & bubbly, and the crust is golden brown.

Delicious...

Fish...and leftovers

I've been working my way through the contents of my freezer. Dual purpose really. Trying to save a little on the grocery bill & trying to clean out my freezer. Late this Spring, Phil took the boys fishing & they brought home quite a lot. Phil cleaned the fish, soaked the meat in salt water & then we bagged it up in quart freezer bags. Usually one bag is plenty for our family for one meal.

This week I fried up two bags. It's a simple recipe, without precise measurements, but it's good. After frying the fish, I like to keep it warm in the oven (or the grill if you've been banned from using the oven during this heat spell!) & it ensures that the fish will be done all the way through.

The day after, I heated up the fish patties & made fillet o' fish sandwiches for lunch with home-made tartar sauce (mayo & sweet relish).

Fish Breading

2 eggs
1 c. dry bread crumbs
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. parsley flakes

Heat thin layer of olive oil in skillet. Beat the eggs in a bowl & set aside. In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients. Rinse & drain fish. Pat dry, then dip in eggs and then in breading. Fry on both sides in olive oil, gently turning the pieces over. Place fish in a 8x10 pan & cover with foil. Heat in 350 degree oven for 15-20 min.

For sandwiches: Heat fish. Layer fish, slice of cheese, and tablespoon of tartar sauce on hamburger bun. Enjoy not having to cook lunch! ;)

Biscuits

I have a love-hate relationship with biscuits.

I love to eat them...but I hate to make them. They are the bane of my existence.

Not really. They might be if I had to make them on a weekly basis.

But I don't.

So I never do.

All the rolling & cutting out, and rolling again. It's just too much hassle. And don't tell me to just pop open a can. If you've ever tasted home-made biscuits that are melt-in-your-mouth good, you'll know the store-bought sealed ones cannot compare.

So I swore off biscuits. Until recently.

It's all thanks to the Cafeteria cooks at my school. They make home-made biscuits & gravy every Friday morning for breakfast. They don't pop open a can. Or fifty. They do it the old fashioned way with shortening, and flour, and salt, and baking powder, and milk.

And then they do something amazing! They press the dough into baking pans, cut it into squares & pop the pans in the oven. The biscuits cook up evenly - the center's of the pan's not doughy. And they're just as delicious and tender (if not more) as the round ones you roll & cut out, minus the work!


It's a win-win any way you look at it. Yummy biscuits without the blood, sweat, and tears. Okay maybe not blood. But definitely sweat. And tears. Many tears shed asking, "Why am I wasting my life rolling and cutting and rolling and cutting?"

You get the picture.

Yum. Delicious perfection.

I saved so much time making my biscuits, I had enough energy to make cookie dough. By why be industrious and bake cookies when you can bake cookie "bars"?

I love being lazy.

Biscuits

4 c. flour

2 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. sugar

2/3 c. shortening

1 1/2 c. milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut in shortening. Add milk and stir until just blended. Press into a ungreased 12x18" baking sheet & cut into squares. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned.

Stuffed French Toast

This is my first attempt at this recipe (given to me by my s-i-l), though I've been eyeing it for a long time. It takes some planning ahead, which I'm not often good at. But the planning & the work was well worth the warm delicious-ness...

Stuffed French Toast

2 small loaves of French bread
cream cheese
1/2 c. butter (one stick)
1/2 c. sugar
1 tbsp. cinnamon
4 eggs
2 c. milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice French bread into thin slices (about 1/2" wide). Spread cream cheese between slices to make "sandwiches"(about 10). Melt butter & pour into a 9x13" pan. Sprinkle sugar & cinnamon over the top. Place sandwiches over that. Beat eggs & milk; pour over top. Bake for 25 min. To serve, flip over onto plate so that cinnamon sugar side is facing up. Serve with syrup or fruit.

Pizza

I love pizza. I'm pretty sure I could eat it every day and not get sick of it. Living in Chicago has made me a Giordano's-deep-dish-pizza-fan-for-life, but my husband doesn't share my sentiments. The thinner the crust, the lesser the cheese, the better. We've arrived at a happy compromise, and we both agree that homemade pizza tastes the best...

I've tried many crust recipes, but this one is by far my favorite. Second to my love of pizza, is my love of bread. I used to think it was a hassle to make, but now it's become therapeutic. Especially the kneading & punching-down part. Thanks to my Aunt Verna, for teaching me how to properly take out my aggression on my dough. :)



Pizza Dough

2 c. hot water
2 Tbsp. yeast
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 c. milk
1 Tbsp. salt
7-8 c. flour

Combine yeast & hot water in mixing bowl. Add sugar & let set until foam begins to form on the top. Stir in milk & salt. Add flour; stir well. Knead until dough is no longer sticky, but still soft. Set aside in a greased bowl & cover with a damp cloth; allow to rise for about 30 min. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Divide dough - into thirds for large (10x15" baking pans) or fifths for small pizza pans - and roll out. Grease pans with olive oil. Sprinkle with corn flour (optional) & place dough on pans. Bake for about 15 min. Remove & top with pizza sauce, toppings, and cheese. Return to oven for another 15-20 minutes until crust is crispy & brown.

The kids each got to make their "own" pizza & choose their toppings. Noah was most excited about this, as he generally spends most of his meal picking toppings off his pizza! Unfortunately he thought it was his personal pan pizza & wasn't too keen on sharing what he had so painstakingly created. ;)

Chili

My husband says my chili is "too rich", but that's just the way I like it. This recipe is a mixture of several recipes & often has variations, depending on what I have on hand.


1 lb. pork sausage
1/2 lb. hamburger
1/2 lb. venison
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small can diced tomatoes
2 cans chili beans
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 pkg. chili soup seasoning
1 Tbsp. chili seasoning
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
tortilla chips

In a stockpot, cook meats & onion until browned. Drain fat & return to pot. Add tomatoes & chili beans. Drain black beans & kidney beans; add to chili. Add seasonings & let simmer for 30 min. to an hour on low heat, stirring occasionally. Serve with cheese sprinkled on top & a drop of sour cream; chips on the side.

All-Bran Muffins

I would like to thank God's Pantry for supplying Bethel Camp with an over abundance of All-Bran cereal. I thank my sister-in-law for sending me home with several boxes & for providing me with this recipe, as I had no desire to eat dried up cereal balls for breakfast. And I especially thank my youth pastor's wife for letting me borrow her pans - without them I would not have attempted to bake these without some heavy-duty non-stick spray!!

2 c. All-Bran cereal
1 c. boiling water
1/2 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. buttermilk **
3/4 c. raisins, optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pour boiling water over cereal & let stand for 15 min. In a mixer, cream shortening & sugar. Add eggs, beating until fluffy. Add bran mixture. Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk. Fold in raisins. Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 way full. Bake for 20-25 minutes in metal muffin tins or 13-15 minutes in silicone muffin tins. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen muffins.

** If you don't have buttermilk on hand, just pour 2 Tbsp. of lemon juice (or vinegar) into a 2 c. container & fill the rest of the way with milk. We prefer these without raisins. Also, you can store this in the refrigerator for several weeks in a tupperware container, or bake immediately & store baked muffins in the freezer. Pop them in the microwave or toaster in the morning & you've got an easy breakfast "to go".

Hot Cocoa

I have memories of my Mom relying on her "Jungle Camp Cookbook" from Wycliffe the many years we spent in Brazil. It came in handy & was used for everything from substitutes to conversions, to simple recipes containing basic ingredients. Eleven years ago, my Daddy gave me this cookbook. It's the updated version of the one my Mom used. Mine has been well loved, as evidenced by the missing cover & food splatter on various pages. It's one I'll want to pass on to my daughters someday.

Abbie made this hot cocoa recipe for our sledders this morning.

4 c. water
2 Tbsp. cocoa
3-4 Tbsp. sugar
1 c. powdered milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a pot. Stir consistenly while heating on med-high heat. Cocoa will float on top & will take a while to mix in. Heat until warmed through, but not to boiling. Makes 4 cups.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

It's not Fall anymore, but these muffins are easy to make & meant to be enjoyed all year long!

I went searching for a recipe one afternoon, with the intent of using up one lonely can of pumpkin I've had sitting in the pantry since Thanksgiving. I found this recipe in an old church cookbook. They didn't last long around our house & I've decided that canned pumpking will make it to the list of "necessary staples" I want to keep on-hand. ;)



4 eggs
2 c. sugar
15 oz. canned pumpkin
1 1/2 c. oil
2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
3 c. flour
2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Beat eggs. Add sugar, pumpkin & oil; mix well. Add dry ingredients & stir. Add chocolate chips & stir until well mixed. Fill paper-lined muffin tins 2/3 of the way full, and bake for 15-18 min. until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Do not overbake. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen muffins.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

I love Fall. It's my favorite season of the year - the rainy days, the cooler temps, the changing colors, snuggling by the fire, scarves, hot chocolate, and an excuse to roll up my sleeves and get gooey! We didn't pick up quite as many pumpkins as a few years ago, but we were given several & I had fun roasting pumpkins seeds again this year. My recipe is basic & easy. I have a friend that made Ranch, BBQ, and Teriaki flavored seeds - so I'm thinking of giving that a try next year.

First remove the seeds from the pumpkins. (You get about 2 c. of seeds per pumpkin.) Rinse them off & remove as much of the pulp as possible. Boil seeds for 5-10 min. Drain.

Measure & spread on a baking sheet. For every 1 c. of seeds, mix 1 Tbsp. of melted butter & 1 tsp. of Worchestershire sauce. Drizzle over seeds & sprinkle generously with seasoning salt. (I like to use Lawry's.) Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until they are nice & crispy.

Allow seeds to cool on baking sheet before storing them in an air-tight container or Ziploc bag. I've also stored seeds in the freezer for up to 6 months. Enjoy!

Anniversary Dinner

After being married for 13 years, I'm beginning to take on my husband's practical mindset. :) Okay. Not all the time, but I have my moments. And today was one of them.

I decided that instead of spending the money on a babysitter & dinner out - it would be more practical & cost-effective to enjoy dinner in, especially on a school night. So I splurged some on the ingredients & tried out two new recipes. They both turned out delicious.



The first one I found in Taste of Home, and altered it just a bit. It made lots - enough for leftovers or lunches later on this week, which means another meal I won't have to make! ;) We lit candles, added a salad & sparkling cider to make our anniversary meal complete.

Greek Chicken Pasta

4 c. uncooked penne pasta (approx. 1 box)
1/4 c. butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 c. flour
2 c. chicken broth
2 c. rotisserie chicken, cubed (I just used leftover grilled chicken)
1 jar artichoke hearts, drained
1 c. crumbled feta cheese
1/2 c. chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/3 c. sliced pitted Greek olives (or can use black olives instead)
2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley

Cook pasta according to the package directions. Chop chicken, artichokes, tomatoes, & olives. Drain pasta & set aside. In the pot used for cooking pasta, melt butter. Take off heat & stir flour until blended. Add the chicken broth & return to heat. Bring to a boil; cook & stir for 2 min. until thickened. Stir in pasta, chicken, artichoke, tomatoes, olives, cheese, & parsley. Serve warm.

I also made this Lemon-Blueberry Swirl Cake for dessert. One word: Yum.

(I think I ate too much.)

Sinfully delicious

With this being Sunday & all, I decided I shouldn't have to go to too much work for something yummy to eat. I found this recipe in a Kraft foods magazine & wanted to try it out. Bad idea. They are way too easy to make & sinfully delicious. And now that I have stumbled, I'm leading you down the wayward path of sugar & calories right along with me!

Crunch Bars

35 Saltine crackers (1 plastic pkg. - 1/4 box)
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 pkg. (8 squares) Baker's Semi-sweet Chocolate, chopped OR 1 1/2 c. semi-sweet choc. chips
1 c. chopped Walnuts

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place crackers in a single layer in a foil-lined 15x10" pan. Cook butter & sugar on medium-high heat until butter is melted & mixture is well blended, stirring occasionally. Bring to a boil; cook 3 min. without stirring. Spread onto crackers. Bake 5-7 min. until topping is golden brown. Immediately sprinkle with chocolate. Let stand 5 min. or until chocolate is softened; spread over crackers. (OR I melted the chocolate chips in the microwave & spread them right away.) Sprinkle with nuts. Cool. Break into pieces. OR - Be impatient & just pick up a hot piece, burn your tongue, but decide it was totally worth the pain to taste the goodness!

Lemon Crumb Cake

2 c. buttermilk **

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 c. flour

1 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 (15 3/4 oz.) can lemon pie filling

TOPPING:

1 c. flour

2/3 c. sugar

1/3 c. cold butter

1/4 c. sliced almonds, toasted

In a large bowl, beat buttermilk, sugar, eggs, butter & vanilla until well blended. Combine flour, baking powder, salt & baking soda; slowly beat in until blended. Pour into greased 9x13" pan. Drop pie filling by teaspoonfuls over batter. In a small bowl, combine flour & sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in almonds; sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 min. Cool for 10 min. on wire rack. Serve warm.

** If you don't have buttermilk, you can make your own. Pour 1 Tbsp. of lemon juice (or vinegar) into a 1 c. measuring cup & fill the rest of the way with milk. Let it set for a minute, then add to the recipe. **

I found this recipe in Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking magazine. Though I'm not sure that it technically qualifies under the "healthy" category. But it sure was yummy! I am & will always be addicted to chocolate, but I am gradually falling more in love with other flavors.

Moist Caramel-Apple Cake

1 pkg. yellow cake mix

1 pkg. vanilla instant pudding

1 c. water

4 eggs

1/3 c. oil

3 apples (Granny Smith)

caramel ice cream topping

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Peel apples; chop coarsely. Beat cake mix, pudding, water, eggs & oil on low speed until blended. Beat on high speed 2 min. Stir in apples. Pour into greased fluted tube pan. Bake 50 min. or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool cake for 15 min. & invert onto cake plate. Drizzle ice cream topping over cake.

Abbie made this cake over the weekend. It was moist & delicious, despite the fact that I forgot to set the timer & it was plenty "crispy" around the edges! :) We substituted regular apples for the Granny Smith & it was just as yummy. Definitely a new Fall favorite!

Spinach Manicotti

1 (15 oz.) ricotta cheese
1 (10 oz.) pkg. chopped spinach
½ c. minced onion , chopped
1 egg
2 tsp. parsley 1 ½ c. water
½ tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. garlic powder
1 ½ c. shredded mozzarella cheese
½ c. parmesan cheese
2 (26 oz.) jars spaghetti sauce
1 (8 oz.) pkg. manicotti shells

Saute onion until tender. Combine ricotta, spinach (thawed & squeezed dry), onion & egg. Season with parsley, pepper & garlic. Mix in 1 c. mozzarella & ¼ c. parmesan. Stuff uncooked manicotti shells with ricotta mixture. In a separate bowl, mix spaghetti sauce & water. Spread 1 c. of sauce in a 9x13” pan. Arrange manicotti in a single layer. Cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining Mozzarella & parmesan. Bake @ 350°for 45-55 min. or until noodles are soft. (Serves 6-8)

I love this recipe, because it really is not that hard to make, and the uncooked shells are pretty easy to stuff. I usually have a little extra filling, so you can buy an extra box of shells & keep the empty ones until you make this again. This freezes well, so I often double the recipe & freeze the shells...adding the sauce & water later.

Menu Plan Monday!

With the kids back in school, it's time...time to get organized & back to weekly menu plans!

Here's what's cooking at our house this week. For more great ideas, check out these great menu plans.

Monday - Tuna cakes , fried okra & grilled potatoes wedges

Tuesday - Mexican Casserole

Wednesday - Ham & Bean soup & cornbread

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Homemade pizza

Saturday - Chicken & Rice casserole

Sunday - Tender Pork Chops, pasta, & mixed vegetables

Tender Pork Chops

8 pork chops
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. ground mustard
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Lawry's seasoning salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 small can of mushrooms

Add 1 c. flour, mustard, garlic, salt & pepper in a Ziploc bag. Add chops & shake to coat. Brown chops in oil. Transfer to a greased crock-pot. Mix soup with 1 c. water; add 1/2 c. flour & mix well. Pour over pork chops. Cook on low for 3-3 1/2 hours.

These are fall-off-the-bone tender and there's plenty of gravy for some pasta or rice on the side!