BAKED OATMEAL

BAKED OATMEAL
My family liked this more than the one in McCleve cookbook.  Jenna likes it with peanut butter and banana on top (me too -yum!)  This recipe came from Jessica Walker.

DOUBLE IF DOING IN A 9x13

Combine all ingredients and put in a 8x8 pan.  Bake for 35-45 min or until golden and middle is firm.  Serve with milk or cream.

1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cup oats
3/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tsp cinammon
1 3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

SIMPLE CREAM SCONES

SIMPLE CREAM SCONES
http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/2013/05/simple-maple-pecan-scones-recipe.html
These were tasty!  Made for Mother's Day 2013.  We made the Maple-Pecan ones.  Used real maple syrup.  I didn't have any pecans so used walnuts.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-in pieces and chilled
• 1/2 cup currants (optional)
• 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until combined. Scatter cold butter pieces over top and pulse until mixture has coarse crumbs and some slightly larger butter lumps remaining, about 12 pulses. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and stir in currants, if desired. Stir in cream until dough begins to form, about 30 seconds.

Empty the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Knead by hand for about 5-10 seconds, until dough forms a rough ball. Press dough into a 9-inch round pan (10" worked). Flip dough out onto surface and cut into 8 wedges.

Arrange wedges on prepared baking sheet. Bake until tops are a light golden brown, 12- 15 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway though. Move scones to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cranberry-Orange Scones

Add 1 tsp orange zest to flour mixture with butter and sub 3/4 c dried cranberries for currants.

Maple-Pecan Scones

Omit sugar. Sub 1/2 c coarsely chopped, toasted pecans for currants. Whisk 3 Tbsp maple syrup into cream before adding to flour mixture. For glaze, whisk 6 Tbsp confectioners' sugar (measure accurate)and 2 Tbsp maple syrup together. Taste before putting on scones.  Then drizzle glaze over cooled scones.

Notes

The key to the perfect scone is to handle the dough as little as possible.

See Martha Stewart paper for more ideas.  Have tried the lemon-ginger and loved them.

HEALTHY NO BAKE OR GRANOLA BARS

HEALTHY NO BAKE
http://amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.com/2010/05/best-recipe-ive-ever-messed-up.html

Oatmeal Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Candy Bars
*it is sorta like a chocolate oatmeal no bake cookie, but extra creamy and special.  it almost reminds me of fudge, but with the added texture of the oats and occasional chewy sweetness of the dried cranberries--yum!

This is pretty tasty.  Not nearly as sweet as regular no bake, but taste very similar.  Would be good if the cranberries (I used dried blueberries) weren't in it too.  So easy to make!  Everyone liked it.  I halved the recipe and put in a 9x9.  Perfect size!  

1 cup peanut butter
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup coconut oil (no substitutes, this is what gives its creamy texture and flavor)
2 cups oats (not instant)
1 1/4 cups mini chocolate chips - regular would work too
3/4 cup dried cranberries or dried blueberries

In a medium sized saucepan, melt together peanut butter, honey and coconut oil.

Remove from heat and add oats, chocolate chips and dried cranberries.  Stir until combined and chocolate chips are melted.

Spread into a 9x13 pan.  Refrigerate until hardened, about an hour.  Store in refrigerator. 

Want to know more about coconut oil and its health benefits?  Read my post about it here.

Here is Heavenly Homemaker's 

Homemade Chewy Granola Bars

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup coconut oil (or another oil of your choice)
1 cup oats
1 cup TOTAL of any combination of: sesame seeds, coconut flakes, sunflower seeds, dried fruit, mini chocolate chips

In a medium sized saucepan, melt together peanut butter, honey and coconut oil.

Remove from heat and add one cup of oats.  Choose your favorite combination of coconut flakes, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, dried fruit and mini chocolate chips, to equal a total of ONE CUP. (She just got out her one cup measuring cup and poured in the ingredients until the cup was full.) Pour in and stir well.

Spread mixture into a 8x8 or 9 x 4 inch pan.

Chill for 2 hours, then cut into bars.

Wrap in plastic wrap for a quick grab and go snack!

I can't wait to try it again.  I tasted the mixture after adding the oats and before adding the last cup of my "combination" and it was peanut buttery goodness.  I "messed" this recipe up by adding so many chocolate chips and not enough of the other fillers.  They melted right away (even though I let the mixture cool quite awhile) and completely changed the peanut butter flavor to a rich and creamy chocolate-y flavor.  Next time if I add any chocolate chips, it will be just a few and maybe sprinkled on top so they won't melt into the batter.

BROCCOLI SALAD

SUSAN'S BROCCOLI SALAD
Cowboy Cookbook pg. 37- dressing needs to be made 4 hours in advance

1 cup mayo
1/2 cup sugar
3 T red wine vinegar
2 bunches broccoli (or 1 bunch broccoli and 1 bunch cauliflower)
1/2 cup crumbled bacon
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, cut into squares

At least 4 hours before mealtime, combine the first 3 ingredients to make dressing.  Combine the remaining ingredients.  Pour the dressing over the salad 30 minutes before serving.

- or -

Recipe from Sister Barnes (was used at Abagail's baby shower):
brocooli heads (she cut up really small)
Granny Smith or Fugi apples
Grapes (halved)
Dried Cranberries
Bacon - cooked and crumbled
Sunflower seeds - roasted and salted

Dressing:
White vinegar or lemon juice
Mayo
Sugar

BROCCOLI COLE SLAW (1/2 if making just for us)
Saw on Food Network - Paula's Home Cooking
We all really liked it. Next time I might try making the sauce the day before and adding to slaw then the next day when eating add the ramen noodles and slivered almonds so they would be crunchy. To me it got better each day.
2 (3 oz) Ramen Noodle - Oriental (other flavors would work too)
3/4 of a stick of butter
1/4 c. slivered almonds
2 bags (12 oz) broccoli slaw
1/4 c. sunflower seeds
Chopped green onions for garnish
DRESSING:
3/4 c. canola oil
1/4 c. brown sugar (white okay too)
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1 Ramen Noodle season packet

Crush Ramen Noodles. Melt butter in skillet over low/medium heat. Add crushed noodles and almonds to the skillet, stirring occassionally until brown (keep temp. low/med). Whisk together all the dressing ingredients. Place shredded broccoli into bowl and toss with the noodles, almonds and sunflower seeds. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Garnish with chopped green onions.