3 1/2 c quick oats
3/4 c shredded coconut
2 c Rice Krispies
3/4 c chopped nuts (I used slivered almonds and cashews)
1/4 c ground flax
1 T chia
1/2 t kosher salt
2 t cinnamon
2 t vanilla
1/3 c oil
1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
2-3 T honey
Add oats, coconut, cereal, nuts and flax to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Mix remaining ingredients (except chia) and stir into dry ingredients until well coated. Add chia last so it "sticks." Spread on well greased cookie sheet. Bake at 30° for 25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Let sit until completely cool and break into chunks.
We try a lot of new recipes. These are some of our favorites. The ones we deem "keepers!"
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Tasty Teriyaki Chicken (Crock Pot)
Time: 5 min. prep + 5-7 hours crock pot cooking
Yield: 7 servings
Recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up!
5 chicken breasts (about 3 pounds)
1 1/2 C water
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C soy sauce
1 t granulated garlic (I used 1/2 t garlic powder)
1 t sesame oil (optional)
3 T corn starch + 4 T cold water
1. Spray the inside of your pretty crock pot with cooking spray. (I used a 4 quart crock)
2. Place 5 chicken breasts into the pot. If you are using chicken that has been frozen, be sure that it is completely thawed before you add it to the crock pot (or reduce water if using frozen breasts).
3. In a separate bowl combine 1 1/2 cups water, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1 t granulated garlic and 1 t sesame oil. Give it a nice stir to combine and then pour it over the top of the chicken. Cover the crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 7.
4. When the chicken is cooked through and easily shred-able remove it from the crock pot and place in on a plate.
5. In a small bowl combine 3 tablespoon of corn starch and 4 tablespoons of cold water. Pour it into the crock pot and stir it in thoroughly.
6. Take two forks and break the chicken breasts up a bit. I don't like to shred mine up too much, just enough that the sauce has a chance to spread through the chicken.
7. Place the chicken back into the crock pot and stir it around allowing the sauce to mix with the chicken.
8. Cover the crock pot and let the mixture cook and thicken for 30 minutes.
Serve over brown or white rice. Enjoy!
5 chicken breasts (about 3 pounds)
1 1/2 C water
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C soy sauce
1 t granulated garlic (I used 1/2 t garlic powder)
1 t sesame oil (optional)
3 T corn starch + 4 T cold water
1. Spray the inside of your pretty crock pot with cooking spray. (I used a 4 quart crock)
2. Place 5 chicken breasts into the pot. If you are using chicken that has been frozen, be sure that it is completely thawed before you add it to the crock pot (or reduce water if using frozen breasts).
3. In a separate bowl combine 1 1/2 cups water, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1 t granulated garlic and 1 t sesame oil. Give it a nice stir to combine and then pour it over the top of the chicken. Cover the crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 7.
4. When the chicken is cooked through and easily shred-able remove it from the crock pot and place in on a plate.
5. In a small bowl combine 3 tablespoon of corn starch and 4 tablespoons of cold water. Pour it into the crock pot and stir it in thoroughly.
6. Take two forks and break the chicken breasts up a bit. I don't like to shred mine up too much, just enough that the sauce has a chance to spread through the chicken.
7. Place the chicken back into the crock pot and stir it around allowing the sauce to mix with the chicken.
8. Cover the crock pot and let the mixture cook and thicken for 30 minutes.
Serve over brown or white rice. Enjoy!
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Chewy Granola Bars
Dallin and Erin love these! Madison & Jason didn't try them. Try adding 1/2 c peanut butter?
www.melskitchencafe.com
*Makes 10-12 bars
INGREDIENTS:
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 cups quick cooking oats*
1 cup rice krispies cereal
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS:
Lightly coat a 9X11-inch pan with cooking spray and set aside. If you don’t have a pan that size, use a similar sized pan, like a 8X12-inch. This recipe is a bit small for a 9X13-inch pan but if that’s all you have, just pack the granola bar mixture into a smaller portion of the pan – the mixture doesn’t spread so that should work fine. (I used a 7x11 glass pan)
In a large bowl, stir together the oats and rice krispies. Set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, honey and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture comes together, stirring frequently. Cook at a simmer (so the mixture is lightly bubbling) for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Pour the wet mixture over the oats/rice krispies and mix with a wooden spoon until evenly moistened. Press the mixture into the prepared pan, pressing down very firmly. If the mixture isn’t pressed down well enough, the bars will be crumbly once they cool. Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips on top. Press lightly if you want them to stick to the bars. Mine tended to fall off, which was just fine since there were a lot of little fingers ready to eagerly pick them up and eat them anyway. Let the bars cool for at least 2 hours at room temperature. Cut into rectangles. Store well covered at room temperature for 2-3 days.
*Note: Don’t substitute rolled oats for the quick oats because the granola bars will fall apart. If you only have rolled oats, give them a very quick process in a blender or food processor (don’t pulverize them!). Also, if you want to take these to a new level, toast the oats in the oven (350 degrees for 4-7 minutes) and let cool before using them in the recipe. Amazing.
www.melskitchencafe.com
*Makes 10-12 bars
INGREDIENTS:
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 cups quick cooking oats*
1 cup rice krispies cereal
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS:
Lightly coat a 9X11-inch pan with cooking spray and set aside. If you don’t have a pan that size, use a similar sized pan, like a 8X12-inch. This recipe is a bit small for a 9X13-inch pan but if that’s all you have, just pack the granola bar mixture into a smaller portion of the pan – the mixture doesn’t spread so that should work fine. (I used a 7x11 glass pan)
In a large bowl, stir together the oats and rice krispies. Set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, honey and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture comes together, stirring frequently. Cook at a simmer (so the mixture is lightly bubbling) for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Pour the wet mixture over the oats/rice krispies and mix with a wooden spoon until evenly moistened. Press the mixture into the prepared pan, pressing down very firmly. If the mixture isn’t pressed down well enough, the bars will be crumbly once they cool. Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips on top. Press lightly if you want them to stick to the bars. Mine tended to fall off, which was just fine since there were a lot of little fingers ready to eagerly pick them up and eat them anyway. Let the bars cool for at least 2 hours at room temperature. Cut into rectangles. Store well covered at room temperature for 2-3 days.
*Note: Don’t substitute rolled oats for the quick oats because the granola bars will fall apart. If you only have rolled oats, give them a very quick process in a blender or food processor (don’t pulverize them!). Also, if you want to take these to a new level, toast the oats in the oven (350 degrees for 4-7 minutes) and let cool before using them in the recipe. Amazing.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Tomato & Mozzarella Bites
adapted from Good Housekeeping, December 2012
2 T olive oil
2 T white balsamic vinegar
1/4 t dried oregano
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
20 fresh mini mozzarella balls
20 grape tomatoes
40 fresh basil leaves
Whisk and toss with fresh mozzarella. Add tomatoes and basil and toss.
(original recipe suggests threading onto skewers)
2 T olive oil
2 T white balsamic vinegar
1/4 t dried oregano
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
20 fresh mini mozzarella balls
20 grape tomatoes
40 fresh basil leaves
Whisk and toss with fresh mozzarella. Add tomatoes and basil and toss.
(original recipe suggests threading onto skewers)