Irresistible Granola Bars

Granola Bars

These chewy granola bars are irresistible.  Simple to make and they keep for several days.  Great for lunches or breakfast on the go kind of mornings.....


Adapted from Healthy Recipes From the White House to You


Ingredients

6 tablespoons grape seed oil, or other neutral oil, plus extra for brushing the pan
2 cups quick oats
1/2 cup mixed seeds (such as pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds)
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
Pinch of salt
1 cup nuts (optional) walnuts, almonds, pecans, or hazelnuts
1 1/2 cups mixed dried fruit (such as cranberries, raisins, cherries, apricots, papaya, and pineapple — use at least three kinds and cut large fruits into dime-sized pieces) I used only cranberries
1 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon

Directions

This recipe calls for one teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon, so I used 1/2 teaspoon of each.

Heat the oven to 350ºF. Line a nine-by-nine-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, letting a few inches hang over the sides of the pan. Brush with oil.
Spread the oats and seeds and nuts if using them on another baking pan and toast in the oven until they're golden and fragrant, about six to eight minutes, shaking the pan once during toasting.
In a saucepan, combine the oil, honey, brown sugar, maple syrup, and salt. Stir over medium heat until smooth and hot.
Transfer the toasted oats and seeds, dried fruit, and cardamom and/or cinnamon to a large mixing bowl. Pour the hot sugar mixture over the oats, seeds, and dried fruit, and stir until well combined.
While the mixture is warm, transfer it to the prepared pan, pressing it into the pan easily with an offset spatula. Bake until brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow it to cool completely.
Using the overhanging foil or parchment paper, lift the fruit and oat mixture out of the pan and place on a work surface. Cut into 1-1/2-inch-by-3-inch bars.
Serves nine.

Fresh tomato, garlic and basil linguini

This pasta dish is a perfect summer dinner.  We make it all summer long using the fresh ingredients from our garden.  The best part is, it is EASY, FAST and sooo delicious!

4-6 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped ( I added red and yellow tomatoes)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

fresh basil, chopped

linguini pasta

Cook pasta according to package.  While pasta is cooking, chop tomatoes, and add all your ingredients to your pasta serving bowl.  When pasta is cooked, strain and immediately toss into your tomato mixture.  add more olive oil if needed.  Grab some napkins and enjoy slurping up this delicious dinner!

Strawberry Rhubarb Amaretto Jam

Everything tastes better with Amaretto.  When I cam across this recipe, I just knew I had to try it, and let me tell you, what a fabulous way to start any morning!

Strawberry Rhubarb Amaretto Jam

8 cups strawberries, washed and hulled

8 cups rhubarb, washed and chopped

12 cups sugar

4 TBSP fresh lemon juice

2/3 cup Amaretto liquor

Heat fruit and sugar over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.  Bring to a boil and boil rapidly for 20-30 minutes.  Stir in lemon juice.  Remove foam.  Allow jam to cool for 5 minutes.  Stir in Amaretto. Pour jam into hot, sterilized jars, 1/4 inch from the top.  Process for 15 minutes.

ENJOY!

Home made tortillas.....Si Senior!

I will never buy store bought tortillas again!  These soft, fresh tortillas took no effort to make at all.    They freeze well in a large ziplock bag, if they last......they also keep well refrigerated for several days.

I used white flour, but by all means, feel free to use whole wheat.


Homemade Flour Tortillas

4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp salt
1 1/3 cup warm water

1. In a medium sized bowl, stir together flour and salt. Add oil and warm water, stirring to combine. Transfer dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for about 3 minutes, until dough is smooth. Divide dough into equal pieces, rolling each piece into a ball about the size of a tennis ball.   Allow to rest, covered with plastic wrap, for at least 30 minutes.

2. Once dough has rested, preheat pan  over medium-high heat.   Roll out each ball into a circle, about 6 inches in diameter. Cook one at a time in the hot pan, when it starts to puff and a few brown spots have appeared its time to flip it over.  Cook other side for about another minute.

ENJOY!

Artisan Bread

This is by far, the BEST BREAD I'VE EVER HAD!!!!!

You need to plan ahead when making it, but before bed tonight, mix this up.  Tomorrow, you will be so proud of yourself that you could produce such perfection.  BEWARE: you will eat the entire loaf in one sitting......so make a double batch!!

Enjoy!

XO

L.

Adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery
Time: About 1½ hours plus 14 to 20 hours’ rising

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups ( 5/8 cup = 1 1/2 cup plus 2 TBSP) water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour,  put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.
Yield: One 1½-pound loaf.

Hearty Sicilian Soup

There is nothing better then a hearty soup on a rainy day......This is what's on tonight at our place. The best part is that it is a one pot meal, and is wonderful reheated.  Great for lunches too! A steaming hot bowl of this Sicilian soup is sure to warm you up and make you feel cozy.  Comfort food at its finest.  Enjoy!

15-20 meatballs,  large or small, I like bite sized ones
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion,  chopped
2 TBSP olive oil
1 can rinsed kidney beans
2 1/2 tsp black pepper
salt, to taste
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 can chicken broth
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp fresh chopped rosemary
1 can tomato paste

cooked macaroni, or short pasta

Fry your meatballs in a large stockpot with the olive oil until browned.  Add onion and garlic, saute just a minute or two.  Add all the other ingredients, but the pasta.  While the soup is simmering cook your macaroni in another pot.  once they are fully cooked, add them to your soup.

Serve with grated parmesan cheese on top.

Enjoy this one, let me know if you like it....

XO
L.

Good morning everyone!  Just wanted to share this fabulous recipe, a recipe that we enjoy very much at home and one that is great to send to school with the kids for a snack with their yogurt (although I would make it nut free for the kids)  This is such an easy recipe, even a child could make it!
























Homemade granola

4 cups large rolled oats
1⁄4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 cup any type of nut, coarsely chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1⁄4 cup butter
1⁄2 cup honey

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients and stir well to combine. In another bowl, melt butter with honey (microwave for about 1 minute) and pour over dry ingredients. Stir well. Spread a thin layer onto 2 baking sheets and bake until golden, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Store  in an airtight plastic container or ziplock bag.  Makes 6 cups.  Keeps for about 2 weeks.

Serve over yogurt with freshly cut berries or fruit,  eat it plain or sprinkle it over ice cream.

Enjoy!  Let me know if you try this, I'm curious to hear what you think.

Have a wonderful day!

XO

Lucia