Monday, August 06, 2007

I HAVE ONE!!!

A real honest to goodness measured amounts included recipe!!! Actually, I have two of them.... I'm so tickled! Okay, okay, I know I'm making a really big deal of it, but in all honesty I rarely have them. I kind of cook "on the fly" usually and rarely do I bother myself to actually measure things out but I've done it a few times to perfect these two recipes and I love them just like they are now. I'm so happy to finally have actually written down recipes that I thought I would just go ahead and post them on here. I've been meaning to do it for awhile now but being the frog in the frying pan has kept me.... well hoppin' (hahahahaha sorry, couldn't help myself). Anyway, here ya go.

My favorite granola bars
These are sweet but not sugary, in fact there is no sugar added to them! Plus they have yummy good for ya stuff in them too. They don't sound like they would be good at all but they are highly addictive! Don't say I didn't warn you.

1 1/2 cup honey (no it doesn't have to be purple, but mine is!)
1 1/2 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth, I don't care)
5 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins
3/4 cup grated carrots
3/4 cup coconut

In a large pan ( used my dutch oven) over low heat melt together the peanut butter and honey then take it off the heat and add everything else. Stir it all together and let it cool until you can comfortably handle it. Press it all firmly and evenly into the bottom of a baking pan ( I used my big cookie sheet/jelly roll pan). Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees. Taaa Daaaa, you now have the yummiest absolutely healthy food you can make and it's so easy to make that you can write down the instructions and have one of the kids make them and call it school ...... reading comprehension ya know. I know what you're thinking, you're thinking that it can't taste good and have carrots in it, but you never even know they are in there! Go ahead and try it you big chicken.... I double dare ya!

*Notes*
You can make these with almost any ingredients added to the honey, peanut butter and oats. For example, dried cherries instead of raisins, or dried apricots or blueberries. You could also opt for the not quite so healthy version and use chocolate chips instead of dried fruit. I'll save the chocolate for cookies though.


Honey Balls
This is turning into one of our favorite snacks! I like these so much that I just might even start buying an occasional box of corn flakes just so we can keep having them.

1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup powdered milk
1 cup crushed cereal ( I used corn flakes, but just about any of it would work)

Mix together the honey and peanut butter til smooth, then gradually stir in the powdered milk. Put it in the fridge because it's lots easier to handle when it's chilled. Butter your hands and then make bunches of little balls with the "dough". Roll each little ball in crushed cereal and chill until their firm.

*Notes*
We've tried this with 1 tsp of cinnamon in the dough and I really enjoyed it that way. We've also added chocolate chips and used coconut flakes instead of cereal but I felt guilty about the chocolate and went back to the cereal. I've considered crushing dried banana chips to roll the balls in, but I don't have any of those on hand right now.


Well, there ya have it, my first real recipes!! I've been trying to make a recipe book for my daughter to use with my sweet and beautiful little granddaughters so most of the cooking I'm working on is really kid friendly. Of course the "experts" will tell you that you should not give honey to a child under the age of 1, I'm not saying that I agree with the "experts" but I thought I should mention that.

I'm off to finish working on supper now. I hope everyone is having a good week so far.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Jeannie I am in a bookclub that just read "The Secret Life of Bee's and I would love to buy some of your Purple honey if you still have any please email me back at mika@cdevents.biz.
Thank you