Chewy Granola Bars

I haven't eaten enough out of my pantry/freezer to make room for my ice cream maker, however, I did find the time this week to make a new recipe for chewy granola bars from a client of mine. Let me tell you these are good! I think they taste like "Quaker Oats" without all the yucky stuff. Here is the original recipe and here is my adapted version....of course with what I had in my pantry.

Chewy Granola Bars

Yields 12-16 bars

2 cups oats

3/4 cup wheat germ

3/4 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup peanuts, crushed (optional)

1/3 cup flax seed

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

4 Tbsp butter

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

8 oz. dried fruit

Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a 9x13 cake pan with wax paper and spray with nonstick spray. Mix together peanuts, oats, flax seed, wheat germ, and sunflower seeds in a cookie sheet with sides. Toast them in the oven for 10-12 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

In a medium sauce pan mix together brown sugar, honey, butter, vanilla, and salt and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly.

Mix together toasted grain mixture, syrup and dried fruit in a mixing bowl. Pour mixture in prepared glass dish. Spread out the mixture with a wooden spoon or spatula. With wax paper press granola mixture into pan, ensuring even thickness. Let cool completely. Carefully turn granola onto cutting board and peel off wax paper. Cut granola bars into preferred size and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Store in an airtight container on counter for a week or in fridge for 2 weeks.

Notes: Peanuts are optional, either omit or add extra seeds or fruit.

I think my next batch might include some toasted coconut. Enjoy!

Chocolate Syrup

I've been having a serious craving for chocolate milk and wouldn't you know I don't have any Hershey's in the house. Since I'm on my eating from the pantry only kick, I challenged myself to find a way to make chocolate syrup. This recipe is so easy and I think it actually tastes better than store bought so I'm so excited to share it. Plus all the ingredients are everyday items in your pantry, so why spend the extra money and put those questionable ingredients in your body?

Chocolate Syrup
Yields 2 1/4 cups

1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup water
2 cups sucanat sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla

In a saucepan over low heat, mix together cocoa and water until dissolved. Add sucanat and stir. Boil for 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently. Add salt and vanilla. Mix well. Let syrup cool. Pour into sterile container/jar and store in the fridge up to 1 month.


Notes: This won't last a month, you'll consume it much quicker! The syrup thickens as it cools, so don't worry about it being too thin.

For more recipes and homemaking ideas check out Homemaker Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, and Slightly Indulgent Mondays

Frugal boycot

After taking a long hiatus from blogging during the busy summer, I look forward to posting many new recipes, experiments and knowledge that I have gleaned through the time.

After a long day out of the house, I was wondering what to cook and decided to run to the grocery store. I looked through my pantry and cabinets one last time to make sure I didn't forget to pick anything up that I needed and realized how much food we already have in the house! I mean we have grains, proteins, vegetables, fruits and the list could continue. You must consider how much, I have dehydrated, canned and still have fresh from the garden.

At that moment I felt slightly embarrassed for having this much food in the house for two people. How can I justify buying 50 pounds...yes fifty pound of wheat, if I wasn't going to make bread with it and instead buy bread at the store, that I think is always dry. So, as of Tuesday night I am boycotting the grocery store for 10 days. 10 days because I would like to cook Brian a killer meal for his birthday and will not forgo that. I do have three exceptions:

1. Meat
2. Milk - does a body good
3. Eggs

These exception can only be made when we are absolutely out of said item. Actually, there is one more exception being that I will need to go grocery shopping for clients but that list can not include anything for my personal household. So if you see me at the grocery store, please know I am not cheating. It's business.

So, we are actually on day four of no grocery shopping and I think I'm cooking my best meals yet. We are craving a few items that I will play with over the weekend and share recipes for next week. Most things being healthier when you make them yourself and cheaper to so I am really excited.

Next week's recipes include:
Chocolate syrup (you know like Hershey's)
Ranch (with Kefir)
Ice Cream (Brian has a craving for a new flavor)
Chewy Granola Bars

So, I challenge you take stock and clean out those cabinets and pantry's. Of course please do this responsibly and don't compromise your health or dietary needs. However, I know many of you have deep freezers:).

By utilizing what you have you might see a little surplus in your grocery bill this month. So, I want to hear what is your bulk guilty pleasure? I already confessed mine was the bag of wheat.


Check out more frugal tips here.

Look Ma!

Brian and I headed up to the vegetable auction last week and came home with some fabulous fruits and veggies. One I was so excited about was Elderberries. A friend of mine had just been talking about how much she loved elderberry jam and how she couldn't find any this year. So, when I saw them go up for auction and no one bidding on them, I quickly threw up my number and snagged them for a ridiculous price, already thinking of giving my friend homemade jam for Christmas. How excited and thrilled she would be.


So.......I'm sure you've guessed by now she isn't getting jam. More like elderberry brittle candy. I'm not sure what happened and won't go into the full detail of trying to get hard molten elderberry candy out of jars but let me tell you this, it is good! I think next time I'll use a recipe with pectin in it. All I'm saying is that the recipe called for you to cook it thick, well I did.

Lost Ladybug Project

Cornell University is surveying ladybug species and need our help. Through www.lostladybug.org you can send in the ladybugs you find in your backyard and help out their project. It's super easy and a great project for the kids when they get bored this summer. Check it out, here, and let your hunt begin!


We found a little 0ver 20 ladybugs on one plant alone and they were hatching! It was a great find for us.....bad find for the aphids.

Strawberry Jam

After finding strawberries on sale for $1.44/lb, we decided it was time to try my hand at canning some jam. It turned out beautifully. I did learn a few things along the way, and thought I would pass on some words of wisdom:

When canning jam with 12.5 quarts of strawberries........

• Make sure you have PLENTY of sugar. I started with 5 pounds and told my husband to take the car for the day and therefore ended up riding my bike back to the store to pick up 10 more pounds. Let me tell you, hills are not any easier with an extra 10 pounds on your back.
• Give your self plenty of time and schedule in a nap for the day.
• Everything will be sticky.......even Buzz (my dog) had a pink spot on him earlier. Not sure how yet, he wasn't in the kitchen.
• Make sure you have fresh made bread to "try" it out on.
  
• Exercise the day before and probably after - you will eat a gazillion slices of bread with this new love of yours. Yes, the bike ride will help:).

It's quite sweet because this homemade jam reminds Brian of his grandma who used to make it and for me, there is nothing better than enjoying summer's freshest in the middle of a blizzard:).


Enjoy what others are up to at Homemaker's Monday.

P.S. I must brag a little, did you see in the first picture the waterbath pot I got for $2 last year at goodwill. Perfect for canning when a pressure cooker isn't needed.

You scream......

I scream, we all scream for ice cream! It's that season! Last fall on a ridiculous clearance buy we purchased the ice cream maker attachment for my kitchen aid mixer.

We absolutely love it. The attachment came with a recipe book that has been great, but some of our favorite flavors have been pure experimental. Among of favorite is Banana Chocolate Chip. Lately, I've been experimenting with kefir ice cream. Today I made a strawberry-kefir ice cream that turned out fabulous! For all you kefir chugging families here it is:

Strawberry-Kefir Ice Cream

2 cups Kefir
1 1/2 cup strawberry puree
1 cup simple syrup (I make mine from turbinado)

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. Once well chilled follow your ice cream makers manual and start churning.

This recipe has been a great way to use up extra kefir and to also get into our bodies other than just smoothies. For those who haven't stepped into the wonderful world of kefir and it's health benefits check out Lindsay at Passionate Homemaking and she'll explain it to you.