Chewy Granola Bars

My aunt Beth was here last week and shared this recipe with us - thanks Beth! We made ours with blanched, slivered almonds and dried cherries - delicious and healthy! They remind me of the Nature Valley chewy granola bars.

-From Joyful Abode

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Gather your ingredients:
2 cups oats (we used old fashioned)
3/4 cup wheat germ
3/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup peanuts, crushed (blanched, slivered almonds)
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
4 Tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Kosher salt (1/4 tsp. table salt)
Approximately 8 oz. dried fruit (we used about 2 cups dried cherries)

Mix the peanuts, oats, wheat germ, and sunflower seeds in a baking dish with sides (9x13 cake pan). Toast them in the oven for 10-12 minutes, stirring every few minutes so that they don’t get burned.

Meanwhile, prepare a glass baking dish, about 11 x 13 inches, for your granola by lining it with waxed paper lightly sprayed with a nonstick spray. (We used a 9x13 pan lined with parchment)

Put the brown sugar, honey, butter, vanilla, and salt into a saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly.

By now, your grains and nuts should be toasted, so mix everything together in a large bowl. The grains, the liquid “glue,” and the dried fruit.

Mix everything really well because you want to make sure the “glue” gets all over everything. Now, dump your granola mixture into your prepared baking dish.

Spread out the mixture with a wooden spoon or spatula. Now fold over the sides of the waxed paper or add a sheet on top, and PRESS HARD all over the granola. You want to compact it together so that your bars won’t fall apart when you cut them.

Wait 2-3 hours or until the granola has totally cooled. Then, open the waxed paper and carefully turn the granola onto a large cutting board, peeling away the rest of the paper. Now, firmly pressing down with a big knife (not sawing), cut your granola into whatever size bars you’d like.

I wrapped ours individually in plastic wrap, so that we could just throw one into our bag or lunch box in the morning. If you’d like to save on packaging though, you can store yours in an airtight container, between sheets of waxed paper so they don’t stick together.

(We put ours in snack-sized baggies.)

Butterfinger Cookies

A chewy peanut butter cookie studded with chunks of Butterfinger - yummy!

-Taste of Home, Carol Kitchens

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 egg whites
1-1/4 cups chunky peanut butter (we used creamy)
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 Butterfinger candy bars (2.1 oz each), chopped (we used 4)

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg whites. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in candy bars.

Shape into 1-1/2 in. balls and place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. removed to wire racks to cool.

(I made larger cookies and got 2 1/2 dozen, baked on silpat on dark pan (325) for 14 minutes.)

Neapolitan Krispie Treats

These are yummy and fun twist on the original Krispie Treats. I made a few changes to the recipe I found in the Taste of Home magazine -they were a big hit!

Vanilla Layer
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 package (10 oz.) mini marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Chocolate Layer

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 package (10 oz.) mini marshmallows
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
6 cups Cocoa Krispies cereal

For the Strawberry Layer  

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 package (10 oz.) strawberry flavored marshmallows*
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
*if you can't find strawberry marshmallows, use a package of regular marshmallows, ½ tsp. imitation strawberry flavoring and 2-3 drops of red food coloring

Spray a straight-sided 9x13 pan with non-stick spray and line with parchment  (or use Demarle Flexiflat with steel frame).

Vanilla Layer: microwave the butter in a large bowl (or Demarle large round mold) for 30 seconds. Add the marshmallows and stir. Return to microwave for 1 minute. Stir to combine marshmallows and butter and then stir in Rice Krispies. Pour into prepared pan and press firmly with rubber spatula. Wash out your bowl (or mold) and proceed to the Chocolate Layer.

Chocolate Layer: microwave the butter in a large bowl (or Demarle large round mold) for 30 seconds. Add the marshmallows and chocolate chips and stir. Return to microwave for 1 minute. Stir to combine marshmallows, chocolate chips and butter and then stir in Cocoa Krispies. Pour on top of vanilla layer and press firmly with rubber spatula. Wash out your bowl (or mold) and proceed to the Strawberry Layer.

Strawberry Layer: microwave the butter in a large bowl (or Demarle large round mold) for 30 seconds. Add the marshmallows and stir. Return to microwave for 1 minute. (If using extract and food coloring, add this now). Stir to combine marshmallows and butter and then stir in Rice Krispies. Pour on top of chocolate layer and press firmly with rubber spatula. Place in refrigerator to firm up.

When the treats have cooled completely, remove them from the pan. Place them on a cutting board. Discard the parchment and cut the large rectangle into slices. Then cut each large slice into smaller squares. Enjoy!

Rice Krispie Treats

Here's the classic Rice Krispie treat - more for my reference than anything. I think there might be two different versions, the one from the Rice Krispie box that uses more cereal, and the one from the marshmallow bag that uses more marshmallows (the one I prefer) :).

1/4 cup butter
1 pkg large marshmallows - Kraft
6 cups Rice Krispies

Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

Mix in Rice Krispies. Stir until well coated.

Spread the mixture using a buttered spatula or waxed paper evenly into a 9x13 pan coated with cooking spray.

Three Meat Stromboli

This was a huge hit! I used my own white bread recipe (used 1/2 dough for one large stromboli and made a loaf of bread with the rest) and just approximated the other ingredients for 1.5 lbs bread dough. I forgot I had used all of our pepperoni for a pizza last week, so I just had salami and ham - it was still delicious. Kids say this is on the top three favorite dinners list.
-Taste of Home, Jude Mulvey

4 loaves (1 pound each) frozen bread dough, thawed (or homemade white bread dough)
1/2 pound thinly sliced deli salami
1/2 pound thinly sliced deli ham
1/2 pound thinly sliced pepperoni
1/2 pound thinly sliced provolone cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon pepper
1 egg yolk, beaten + 1 tsp. water

Let dough rise until doubled, according to package directions.

Punch down. Roll each loaf into a 15-in. x 12-in. rectangle (or larger if using more dough). Arrange a fourth of the salami, ham, pepperoni and provolone cheese over each rectangle. Sprinkle each with a fourth of the mozzarella cheese, Romano cheese, garlic powder, oregano, parsley and pepper.

Roll up each rectangle jelly-roll style, beginning with a long side. Seal seams and ends. Place seam side down on two greased baking sheets (or line with parchment). Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese. Bake at 375° for 25-30 (35) minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm. (Serve with marinara sauce) Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 4 loaves (8 slices each).

Stacked Burrito Pie

Another reason I love Family Fun Magazine - yummy family-friendly recipes! This is a Mexican take on lasagna and was easy to serve in pie-like wedges after being baked in a springform pan.

-Family Fun, August 2009

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 pound lean ground beef
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup salsa
8 ounces Cheddar or Monterey Jack, grated

1. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and sauté another minute.

2. Increase the heat to medium, then add the ground beef, chili powder, and cumin. Cook the mixture until the beef is browned and no longer pink, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Add the salt, water, black beans, and corn, and bring the mixture to a boil. Allow it to continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates, about 20 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes.

3. Heat the oven to 350°. Using the rim of a 9-inch springform pan as a template, trim 3 of the tortillas to the size of the pan. Leave the fourth tortilla untrimmed. Note: You can also bake this dish in a 9-inch round cake pan and serve it like a lasagna.

4. Butter the bottom and the sides of the pan. Press the untrimmed tortilla evenly into the pan's bottom. Spread 2 tablespoons of the sour cream over the tortilla, followed by 1/4 cup of the salsa. Spoon and spread a quarter of the beef mixture over the salsa, then sprinkle a quarter of the grated cheese evenly over the top.

5. Place one of the trimmed tortillas on top of the cheese, then repeat the layering of the sour cream, salsa, beef, and cheese. Continue this way until the ingredients and tortillas are used up. You should end up with four layers, topped with the final sprinkling of cheese.

6. Bake the pie until heated through, about 30 minutes. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes, then remove the rim from the springform pan, if you used one. Slice the pie into wedges using a sharp knife.

Baked Chicken Taquitos

I've been meaning to try this recipe for quite awhile and wasn't disappointed! They were a tad spicy for the kids, but that could be easily remedied by using a more mild salsa.

-My Kitchen Cafe

Makes 14-16 taquitos

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup green salsa
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 green onion, sliced finely (white and green parts to equal about 2 tablespoons)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I cook large batches of chicken in my crockpot with a little chicken broth and salt, shred it and freeze it for meals like this)
1 cup grated monterey jack cheese (use pepperjack if you like a little heat)
small yellow or white corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.In a medium-sized bowl, mix softened cream cheese, green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.You can prepare this step ahead of time (which I did - I made it the morning of). Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Working with a few tortillas at a time, place 3-4 between two damp paper towels and microwave for 30-45 seconds, until tortillas are soft and pliable and don't crack while rolling. Place 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture on the lower third of a soft tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Then roll it up as tight as you can. (A few of mine wanted to rebel and come unrolled so I stuck a toothpick through them to keep them right and tight.)

Place filled taquitos seam side down on the baking sheet, making sure they don't touch each other. When ready to bake, spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and lightly sprinkle some kosher (coarse) salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Serve immediately. Taquitos can be dipped in in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or any other combination you can dream up (my kids liked ranch dressing - go figure).