Sunday, August 31, 2014

Best ever granola



Who doesn't love yummy and crunchy granola in a big bowl with cold milk or mixed with Greek yogurt and fresh berries? Well, if you don't, then stop reading. If you're still reading, you must love it like I do!  I make granola with dried cranberries, coconut, chocolate, walnuts, apricots, matzah....lots of different types! I saw this on Pinterest and thought "why not?!" I tweaked it to suit my tastes and voila! This recipe is healthy, quick, easy and delish! Adapt it to suit you and your family, or keep it simple-as-is and thank me later.

Ingredients:
4 cups old-fashioned oats (not instant; I use Trader Joe's or Quakers)
1 cup almonds, raw or toasted
4 tablespoons coconut oil 
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla 
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a silpat, parchment paper or foil.
Pour oats into a large mixing bowl.
Using a food processor (can be done by hand), pulse 1/2 cup of almonds until finely ground. Add to bowl.
Pulse remaining 1/2 cup 2-3 times until roughly chopped. Add to bowl.
In a glass measuring cup, measure the honey and then add the oil. Melt in microwave at 20 second intervals until melted-should take 40-60 seconds.
Add vanilla and sugar to the warm mixture. 
Combine liquid mixture with the oat mixture and mix well. Toss with salt.
Spread on baking sheet into a single layer and bake for 6 minutes. Stir and bake for another 6-8 minutes until golden brown. 
Let cool on silpat or wax paper, then break into pieces and store in an airtight container up to one week (but it won't last that long!)

Eat and enjoy and make for a friend! 


Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Kitchen Sink Cookies

While my posts have definitely been far and few between, my cooking has not! Sometimes I throw together what's in the fridge, other days I defrost from the freezer, and when I have time I actually plan and shop for and prepare our meals. The same goes for baking-if I have time to search Pinterest and google recipes then I will buy the ingredients I need for Pumpkin Chiffon Cake or Banana Bread or S'mores bars. Then there are the days where my kids request cookies and I reach in the fridge to take out the butter, and....oh, there's none left! 1/2 stick of margarine won't get me very far, and neither will a scant half bag of milk chocolate chips. Luckily enough batches have been baked in my kitchen that throwing together this recipe wasn't too difficult, and luckily was super delish! It's also a winner when the recipe can be made in one bowl-less to wash!! Good to know we can always improvise with what we have on hand, and when made with love the results are always yummy!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup oil (canola, coconut, vegetable, grapeseed)
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs, room temp
1 generous tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups rolled oats (not steel cut; I use Trader Joe's)
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips

**optional: 1/2 cup shredded coconut and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place a sheet of parchment/baking paper on each of 2 cookie sheets. 
  • Combine oil, sugars, eggs and vanilla and mix well with a wooden spoon, using the back to break up the lumps of brown sugar until mixture is smooth. Add flour, salt and baking soda and mix well. Add oatmeal and chocolate chips and stir to combine, getting an arm workout at the same time! 

**At this point, you can bake as is (and they are fabulous!) or you can empty your pantry more and add the coconut and walnuts, both or either. You can substitute pecans if you like.

  • Use a medium size cookie scoop or drop by tablespoons on the baking sheets, 12 per sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes depending on your oven, rotating halfway. Let cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet then remove to wire cooling rack. Repeat on both sheets. This batch will make 4 dozen cookies, depending on the size of your cookie scoop.
  • Store in a covered container, cookie jar of zippered food storage bag for up to a week, though they won't last that long!
  • Eat and enjoy!