Pioneer Woman at Heart

  I have had homemade granola bars on my to-do list for months, and have not gotten around to making a batch.  A daughter had requested the recipe, but I have made a few different ones over the years. My Mom gave me a recipe for peanut butter granola bars.  They require a cereal, but when I made them, I found an organic non-gmo cereal variety that worked with with them.  I have no idea if the cereal even exists anymore, but the recipe for those can be found HERE .  I do roast the nuts and oats in the oven, but it's not necessary. I use one of my measuring cup bottoms to press the mixture down into the pan, and fold the parchment over a bit to press down the edges.  Otherwise, it will stick your spatula or hands. Another variety of homemade granola bars, uses a bit of butter, and we do love this one too (more of a fruit/nut bar).  The recipe is posted HERE on my blog, but it does contain sugar (brown sugar).  I have not tried making them with monkf...

It was my turn to take the lead for the day, as Hubby was super tired, exhausted, and plain worn out.   The rain continues to fall, so the expensive electric dryer has been humming more often than not lately.  I'm not happy about it, but I can't do anything about the rain but pray it quits. I think I need a second Mother's Day off from cooking.  Whew.  I dirtied so many dishes yesterday.  After getting a breakfast casserole mixed up, I had to wash dishes just to make dinner. Granola bars - cherry, chocolate chip with hemp seeds. Breakfast casserole.  I dug out my frozen organic cottage cheese for this one.  Worked perfect.  I had to taste it since I never made this one before. Dinner - Chicken spaghetti, and at the last minute decided on corn vs. asparagus.  I'd like to pick a bit more for another meal. Sorry it's all food pictures.  I'm pretty sure you don't want to see rain and clouds.

The weather has been gorgeous here lately.  I have the windows open, and we enjoying the fresh air. I picked this up at a "kitchen" store at the flea market last weekend.  I was reluctant to buy it, as it didn't look like it would hold a full bag of dark brown sugar.  It did, and I love the way the disc is in the lid and I don't have to fight to get the brown sugar when I scoop it out.  I'll be buying another on the next trip.   I have a "funny" to share.  If you've read my posts in the years ago about how my husband drives in the mountains, you'll laugh.  He drove.  We took the truck last weekend.  Amish country roads are hilly, curvy etc.  He went over some railroad tracks too quickly and I swear my head hit the roof.  Of course we all laughed, and I told him the name of the truck (when he's driving) is "Red Lightning."  I attempted to knit prior to that, but quickly put it away after dropping stitches and ...

Our favorite granola bars, and freezer friendly.  Excellent for a snack, for car trips, camping, motorcycle rides (minus the chocolate since it can melt), school lunches and more. Line an 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper.  If you do not have parchment paper, you may be successful lining it with foil and lightly oiling it (I have only used parchment and it works great). In a rimmed sheet pan, place 2 1/2 cups organic oats and 1/2 cup chopped organic nuts of your choice. Heat oven to 350°F and toast oats and nuts for about 8 minutes.  If you chose to add seeds (read below for the additional 3/4 cup of your choice), I like to add them to the sheet pan and toast along with the oats and nuts.  I use hemp seeds often. While that is toasting in the oven, in a small pan heat: 1/4 c. organic butter 1/4 c. organic honey 1/3 c. organic brown sugar Heat on low until sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and add: 1/2 to 1 tsp. homemade vanilla ....

Yesterday I totally went bonkers.  I had the itch to get outside and get flower beds, and the herb garden tidied up.  That itch to get outside was raging like a wild fire I tell ya'. I yanked on my muck boots and got an early start in the very weedy herb garden.  Two buckets of weeds and 1 hour later I felt replenished.  Next visit will require a wheel barrow.  What a mess I left it in, but boy it felt so good to get a start on it and be outside in the dirt.  Green onions and chives are already coming up.  I timed it just right too, and got some sun.  Shortly after, the clouds covered. Aside from regular chores, I dug into the baking mode. I made homemade granola bars.  I couldn't find my own recipe, so I resorted to the internet, adapting with what fruits, nuts and seeds I had.  They were very good too.  Soft and delicious. I got my heirloom cabbage seeds planted.  I so wish I had more space right now.  I rea...

. . . made homemade chewy granola bars . These, al though buttery, were absolutely amazin g.  The flavor is incr edible.  This was the fir st time we used almond flour and ground mace.  I found the almond flour less expensive at the health store, vs. at the grocery store.  I f I find more recipes to use the flour in, I will make my o wn almond flour, using my dehydrator .  The store brand we were buying co ntain ed High Fru ctose Corn Syru p. Chewy Granola Bars (from The Back in the Day Ba kery Cookbook , by Cher yl Day and Griffith Day) 1 1/3 cups quick -co oking oats 1 cup packed light brown su gar 2/3 cup almond flour 1/2 teaspo on ground cinnamon (I used organic) 1/4 teaspoon ground mace 1 cup sal ted cashew pi eces, roughly chopped 1/2 cup dried ap ricots, finely chopped 1/2 cup dri ed p ru ne s, finely chopped 1/2 cup dried blueberries 12 tablespoons, uns alted butter, melted (I used org anic) 2 tsp. vanilla extract 1/4 cup (G...