My favorite Granola

My son who is in the Air-Force has asked for some granola. This is one of my favorite granolas. I added walnuts, rasins, cranberries, banana chips, dried apricots, dried pineapple and dried mango that I chopped up.




3 cups rolled oats
1 cup blanched slivered almonds
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup oat bran
6 tablespoons pure maple syrup
6 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons warm water
1/2 teaspoon salt


Preheat the oven to 250  Lightly grease a cookie sheet with sides, or a large pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, toss together the oats, almonds, wheat germ, coconut, and sunflower seeds. In a separate bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, brown sugar, oil, water and salt. Pour the liquid over the oat and nut mixture, and stir until evenly coated. Spread out on the prepared cookie sheet. If you want some chunky bits, squeeze some small handfuls into little clumps.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally until evenly toasted. Mix in raisins. Cool, and store in an airtight container at room temperature

Add your favorites. I love different dried fruits.

Granola

I really like this granola. If you like more clumps in your granola then only stir a few times during cooking.

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup walnuts

3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 250 degrees

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.
In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.
Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add cranberries and mix until mix well.

Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tea cinnamon
1 tea nutmeg
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup Raisins
1 dried Cranberries
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt cinnamon, nutmeg; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, raisins and cranberries, and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
So I made the top recipe for all those who do not like nuts...I mean how can you not like nuts. anyhow, I added a bag of white chocolate chips, 1 cup coconut, a small bag of trail mix, 1 cup walnuts...yep lots of nuts! I also doubled the recipe.

I said smile for Mommy

Buddies


Someone loves his Uncle

Chicken Scampi

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

6 cloves garlic minced

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 lemon juice and zest

4 boneless chicken breast halves, sliced lengthwise into thirds    

     

In a skillet heat the butter or margarine and oil over medium high until the butter/margarine melts. Add the parsley, basil, oregano and garlic and salt and mix together in the skillet. Stir in lemon juice and zest.

Then add the chicken and saute for about 3 minutes or until white. Lower the heat and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. More butter can be added if needed.

Banana Custard Caramel Chocolate pie

How is that for a title for a pie? I have been sick for a few days so I figure the best way to get over it would be to make a pie. Well not sure it will help me get over it but I just thought it would be nice to make a pie.

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup white sugar

2 egg yolks

1 egg

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/3 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract      

Graham Cracker crust

Heavy Whipping cream that has been whipped. (You can use cool whip if you like)  

Hot Fudge sauce

Caramel sauce 

4 bananas

In a heavy saucepan, stir together the cream,milk and 1/4 cup of sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and egg. Stir together the remaining sugar and cornstarch; then stir them into the egg until smooth. When the milk mixture comes to a boil, drizzle it into the bowl in a thin stream while mixing so that you do not cook the eggs. Return the mixture to the saucepan, and slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly so the eggs don' t curdle or scorch on the bottom.
When the mixture comes to a boil and gets very thick, remove from the heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla, mixing until the butter is completely blended in. Let cool a little. This mixture will be thick.
On the bottom of the crust add some of the hot fudge sauce that has been heated so it will be easy to spread, add some sliced bananas, custard, then drizzle some caramel sauce on top of custard. Then another layer of bananas, custard and on top of this layer add both fudge and caramel sauce on top. Top with whipped cream and chill.

Chicken With Apples

http://cookiesxo.blogspot.com/2012/03/secret-recipe-club-reveal.html

Saint Patrick's Day cake.

I make this every year, this is the fist time I have not made it round and I will be the first to admit it looks better round. But I figure it would save some time this way.
This is a really good cake and super easy but it does take some time waiting to the jello to set up to put on top of the cake. I do not have a recipe for this but I will write it down as best and I can.

1 box white cake mix.  + what the box says you need to bake the cake.
1 large box lime jello
1 large can crushed pineapple, drained but save juice
1 cup chopped walnuts
Heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powder sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Bake cake as directed on box for round cake. While the cake is cooking make the gelatin  by pouring 1 1/2 cups boiling water into a large bowl, mix very well until gelatin is dissolved. Add reserve pineapple juice and water to measure 1 3/4 cups pour into gelatin and stir, add drained crushed pineapple and stir to mix in. Put in the fridge for about 20 minutes, add walnuts and put back in fridge until almost set. After cake has cooled line pans with plastic wrap and put cake back into pans. spoon gelatin mixture on top, half on each cake round. (This is a tricky mixture to get out of the pan that is why I made a long one this time.) put back in fridge and chill overnight. Use the sides of the plastic wrap to take cake out of pan, the bottom layer will be easy to put on a serving plate, putting the second layer on top of the first is the hard part. Whip Cream with powder sugar and vanilla until it holds together and solid enough to frost cake. Keep chilled until ready to serve. I like to color a little left over cream green and make a four leaf clover on top.

Green Jello

I have to work on Saint Patrick's Day so we will be celebrating tomorrow. I love Saint Patrick's Day!! My husband made a remark that some people act like it is a official holiday. I think any chance you get to celebrate with family and enjoy good food should be considered an official holiday. I just happen to be Irish so of course I'm going to go all out.

2 (15 ounce) cans pear halves

1 (3 ounce) package lime flavored gelatin mix

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons milk

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

           

In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup reserved pear juice to boiling. Pour over lime gelatin in a small bowl; stir until dissolved. Set aside. 
In a blender, blend pears until smooth. Fold pears and whipped topping into gelatin mixture. Pour into a mold. Chill until set, about 2 to 3 hours. 

Dip mold in warm water for approximately 5 seconds. Invert onto a serving plate

Danny's 13th Birthday

March 18 will welcome my youngest son into the realm of teen-hood. For some reason this is making me feel kind of old. I guess as long as you have a little one still it helps you think you are young. Well he is having a sleep over with a few friends tonight and has decided on pizza and a sleepover. Jessica is one of the cake decorators at my job. She does a wonderful job and I am always telling her she needs to start her own business. She did a wonderful job on my 16 year olds Doctor who cake, I asked her at the last minute if she could make me a Manga cake. She did a wonderful job. Daniel has not seen it yet and I can't wait. He is going to love it!

DIY Cake Mix

http://www.alighterjourney.com/2012/02/20/cake-mix-diy/