Homemade Granola

Here is another granola recipe I found and actually tried this one first!

It turned out really good and I can't wait to try Marthas Granola too!

___________________________

Homemade Granola

from www.jackandjillskitchen.blogspot.com

4 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup slivered almonds (1/2 cup almonds and 1/2 cup pecans is also good)

1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes

1/2 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

1/3 cup canola oil

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

________________

Preheat oven to 325. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir together oats, almonds, coconut, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside

In a small saucepan, combine oil, honey and sugar. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Drizzle syrup over oat mixture. Pour granola onto prepared baking sheets and spread out evenly. Bake stirring occasionally until golden brown (about 25 minutes). Let granola cool completely on a wire rack. Break into chunks and store in an airtight container.

Martha's Granola

Melissa gave me this recipe to try and I have heard it is really good! I will be trying it soon!

Martha's Granola ( I got the recipe from Martha Checketts)

5lbs. Old Fashioned Oats (2 boxes or 30 cups)
1 Lg. Bag of Coconut
2 C. Chopped pecans, almonds (whatever type of nuts you like)
1 oz. Sesame Seeds
Stir together in a large bowl.

Melt over medium heat...don't boil:
2c. Honey
2 lbs. Brown Sugar (6 cups)
4Tbsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 Lbs. Butter or Margarine (I use both)

Pour honey mixture over dry ingredients and stir well. Spread into greased
cake pans. Bake at 325 for 30 minutes (Till lightly golden...sometimes it is between 20-25 minutes depending upon the pans I use)
Stir every 10 minutes. (You can use jelly roll pans, but I like the taller edges so I don't spill!
Spread on the counter to cool...Can add raisins or other dried fruit after it is cooled.

I usually half the recipe...it grows - so one container of oatmeal usually ends up to fill almost two containers after cooking!

Frog Eye Salad

This recipe comes from the back of a box of Acini Pepe pasta! I don't always buy this brand so I copied the recipe to use!
Thought I would share a great summer salad!

Frog Eye Salad

1 1/3 cups acini pepe, uncooked

1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks, drained (reserve 1/4 cup juice)

1 3/4 cups milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 pkg (3.4 oz) vanilla instant pudding

1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, drained

2 cans (11 oz each) mandarin orange segments, drained

2 cups frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed

3 cups miniature marshmallows

1/2 cup flaked coconut

Cook pasta 11 minutes. Rinse with cold water; drain well. In a large bowl, beat reserved pineapple juice, milk, sugar and pudding 2 minutes. Gently stir in pasta and remaining ingredients; cover. Refrigerate at least 5 hours. 12 servings!

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

I am a total chocolate lover and so when I saw this recipe I had to try it right away! Luckily I had some way way tooo ripe bananas on my counter and was able to whip this up pronto!

Very very yummy, especially if you like a little banana with your chocolate!

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

from Sisters Cafe

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 1/4 cup mashed bananas (about 3)

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

______________________________

Heat oven to 350. Spray bottom of 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. (I used 2 loaf pans for mine)

Beat sugar, eggs and oil in a large bowl at medium speed until combined. Beat in bananas and vanilla at low speed. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; beat into banana mixture at low speed until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spoon batter into pan or pans. Bake 60-70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (my 2 loaf pans took about 45 minutes, so check your time early!) Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans and enjoy!

Rhubarb Bread

I got this recipe from Sharon and really really like it!

It is a sweet bread, but the rhubarb is really good in it and it gives you another way to use that yummy garden rhubarb!

Rhubarb Bread

Preheat oven to 325.

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2/3 cups oil
1 egg
1 cup sour milk or buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
MIX above ingredients WELL

Add:
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups flour
MIX WELL with ABOVE

Add:
1 1/4 cups rhubard, peeled and cut up (I used a little more than 1 1/4 and it was still great!)

Pour into greased loaf pan (I used 2 loaf pans)

Topping:
1/2 cup sugar (I actually used a little over 1/4 cup)
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp cinnamon
MIX together well and sprinkle on top of loaves.

Bake for 45 minutes or until done!

Glazed Poppyseed Bundt Cake

I found this on the Sisters Cafe and had to try it! It was really good and very moist!

Next time I might try and halve the glaze recipe, it made a lot and I ended up with half the glaze on my counter!!

Glazed Poppyseed Bundt Cake

from The Sister's Cafe

1 yellow cake mix
1 (3.5 oz) box of instant vanilla pudding
1 tablespoon poppyseeds
1/2 cup pinapple or orange juice (I used pineapple)
1/2 cup oil
1 cup sour cream (I use reduced fat)
4 eggs

Mix yellow cake mix, vanilla pudding and poppyseeds. Add juice, oil, and sour cream and mix. Add 4 eggs one at a time, mix well. Grease and flour a bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes (don't overbake).When the cake is about 10 minutes from being done start the glaze.

Glaze:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter (1 cube)

Bring ingredients to a boil and keep bubbling until ready to pour over cake. You can either pour the glaze over the cake while it is in the pan or turn the cake out onto a cooling rack and pour the glaze over the cake that way. It is really like syrup that soaks in. (Some commenters have said that glazing the cake in the pan makes it hard to remove because the glaze gets sticky. I glazed it out of the pan and it worked great.) Give it a few minutes to soak in and then turn it out onto a cake plate.
Optional: dust top of cake with powdered sugar.

Taco Stack

Here is a very kid friendly meal that even gets them eating some beans! I was given this recipe a while back through a recipe exchange and finally tried it!

It was a success at our house!

______________________________

Taco Stack

1 lb ground beef

1 (1.5 oz) pkg. taco seasoning

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup corn

1/2 cup canned black beans, drained

1 bag tortilla chips, or 4-6 flour tortillas

lettuce

tomatoes

grated cheese

green onions

sour cream

______________

In a large skillet, brown and crumble ground beef; drain off fat. Stir in taco seasoning and water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes; stirring occasionally. Add corn and beans; cook until warmed through. Place in serving dish. Layer this with your chips and lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, onions, sour cream etc.! Enjoy!

Makes 4-6 servings!

5 minute Chocolate Mug Cake

Deanna sent this to me and thought I would share!

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.EAT ! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

Taos Chicken and Pasta

I found this on a blog and tried it the other night! It turned out really good, next time I think I will use a little less oil and add some vegies to it!!

______________________________________

Taos Chicken and Pasta

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 large bell pepper, cubed

1/2 cup chicken broth (I substitute 1/2 cup water mixed with 1/2 tsp bouillon)

1 tbsp dried basil leaves

1/2 tsp ginger

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 lb chicken breasts, raw

1 lb pasta of choice (bow tie is our favorite)

_________________________

~~Combine soy sauce, broth, oil, basil, ginger and garlic powder. Marinate this mixture with the chicken (cubed) for 2-3 hours in the refrigerator. Stir or mix occasionally.

~~Pour off marinade and save. In large skillet, coated with non-stick spray, cook chicken until lightly browned and no longer pink in the center. Add bell pepper or any other vegies you may want and saute 5 minutes.

~~Remove from skillet and add marinade to skillet. Stir in cornstarch and cook until thickened. Add back chicken and vegies.

~~Cook pasta according to package directions. Serve over cooked pasta.

Serves 8.

Cupcake Pops

I found this idea on http://www.bakerella.blogspot.com/ ! She has great ideas and cupcake pops on there! This is just a basic attempt or modification I did for Ben's birthday and they were really good and fun! It is so easy and you can make them as hard or easy as you want!!

Cupcake Pops
(these are the basic directions, go to the website for more info and ideas!)
1 cake mix
1 can frosting
candy melts, dipping chocolate etc.

After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.

Mix thoroughly with 1 can frosting. (I use the back of a large spoon, but it may be easier to use fingers to mix together. But, be warned, it will get messy. Also, you may not need the entire can of frosting, so start out by using almost the entire can and add more if you need to.)

Roll mixture into quarter size balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50) (I used my cookie scoop to make the balls for mine)

Melt chocolate in the microwave per directions on package. (30 sec intervals, stirring in between.)

Dip the tip of your lollipop stick in a little of the melted candy coating and insert into the cake balls. (Insert a little less than halfway.) ~~make sure to do this it helps to keep the stick from falling out of the cupcake ball!

Place them in the freezer for a little while to firm up. (I put mine in the refrigerator because I didn't dip mine in candy coating or chocolate, I just dipped mine in sprinkles and then in the refrigerator!)

Once firm, carefully insert the cake ball into the candy coating by holding the lollipop stick and rotating until covered. Once covered remove and softly tap and rotate until the excess chocolate falls off. Don't tap too hard or the cake ball will fall off, too.

Place in a styrofoam block to dry.

Cheesy Broccoli Pasta Bake

1/2 pound whole wheat pasta
8 c fresh broccoli florets
2 T all purpose flour
1 tsp dry mustard
1 2/3 c fat free milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup shredded fat free cheddar cheese
1 clove garlic minced

preheat oven to 350. spray pan.
bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook 5 min. Add the broccoli and cook stirring occasionally, until the pasta and broccoli are tender. Drain and put in pan.
In another pot cook the milk, garlic, mustard, salt, and flour until thick.
Mix all together and sprinkle the top with cheese.
Bake for 15 to 20 min.