These are really yummy granola bars. You can do this without the peanuts if you want. You can also substitute honey for the corn syrup.
GRANOLA BARS (GRANOLA MIX)
1/2 C brown sugar, packed
1/2 C light corn syrup or honey (buy the brand that isn't high fructose corn syrup, if possible)
1/2 C peanut butter (natural peanut butter works well)
3 1/2 C GRANOLA MIX
1/2 C spanish peanuts (optional)
Spray or grease a 9 inch baking pan. In a saucepan, combine brown sugar and corn syrup. Cook it on medium heat until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter. Stir in GRANOLA MIX and peanuts until coated. Press into the baking pan. Let it cool to room temperature and cut it into bars (about 3"X1"). Makes about 27 bars.
I have never tried this without the peanut butter, but I imagine it would work fine. We like the mini chocolate chips in our granola bars.
Friday, February 27, 2015
Thursday, February 26, 2015
CINNAMON ROLLS
This is the recipe that people have drooled over and begged me for for years. Have fun making people incredibly jealous that you can create the best cinnamon roll in the world! Enjoy :)
CINNAMON ROLLS (USES HOT ROLL MIX)
1 TBSP active dry yeast (1 1/4 oz pkg)
1 1/2 C lukewarm water
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 C melted butter or oil
5 to 6 C HOT ROLL MIX
2 TBSP melted butter
1/2 C brown sugar (packed)
3 tsp cinnamon (use really good quality cinnamon)
1/2 C raisins (optional)
1/4 C chopped nuts (optional)
Cream Cheese Icing (This is really what makes them FABULOUS)
2 pkgs cream cheese
1/2 C butter
2 TBSP vanilla
5 C Powdered Sugar
2 TBSP milk or cream
If you have a breadmaker with a dough option, you can just put this all in there and let your breadmaker do the work in making the dough. Use the long option, not the short option.
If doing by hand, dissolve yeat in water. Blend eggs and oil into the water with the yeast. In mixer or large bowl, combine the egg, oil, and water mixture with 5 cups HOT ROLL MIX. Knead it until smooth, adding up to 1/2 or 1 C more of HOT ROLL MIX if your dough is really sticky. You want the dough to be slightly sticky to the touch. If it isn't, you have too much flour. If you are using a mixer with a dough hook, mix it on medium/high speed for about 5 or 6 minutes.
When the dough is nice and smooth, put it in a bowl that it can double in size. Spray the bowl with non stick spray first. Cover it with a damp towel or some plastic wrap and let it double in size (about an hour). Grease two baking sheets. Punch down dough. Let it stand about 10 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12" by 24" rectangel. You can even just press it with your fingers if you don't have a roller. You just want a nice, even, rectangle. Sprinkle on brown sugar, cinnamon, (and raisins and nuts if using....I don't). Roll the dough, like a jelly roll. Cut it into 24 1 inch slices. Place the slices on the baking sheets. They will expan about 1 inch around and raise about that high. Let them raise until they are doubled in size, about 30 to 60 minutes. Bake at 375 F for about 25 minutes. They will be slightly golden on the bottom, but not brown. Let them cool.
In the meantime, combine cream cheese and butter in a bowl and mix on high, until smooth and fluffy. Add vanilla and mix. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until smooth. If it is very thick, add the milk or cream, 1 TBSP at a time, until it is spreadable, but definitley NOT runny.
When those babies are cool, smother them with the cream cheese frosting. People LOVE the icing! You will be famous for these, trust me :)
*Dough from Make A Mix Cookbook, with a few of my own little tweaks.
The icing is the cream cheese frosting recipe that I love. You can use any cream cheese icing you like. If you do do not like cream cheese icing, you can use a regular buttercream. You can also use a glaze made from 2 C powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and 4 TBSP milk.
CINNAMON ROLLS (USES HOT ROLL MIX)
1 TBSP active dry yeast (1 1/4 oz pkg)
1 1/2 C lukewarm water
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 C melted butter or oil
5 to 6 C HOT ROLL MIX
2 TBSP melted butter
1/2 C brown sugar (packed)
3 tsp cinnamon (use really good quality cinnamon)
1/2 C raisins (optional)
1/4 C chopped nuts (optional)
Cream Cheese Icing (This is really what makes them FABULOUS)
2 pkgs cream cheese
1/2 C butter
2 TBSP vanilla
5 C Powdered Sugar
2 TBSP milk or cream
If you have a breadmaker with a dough option, you can just put this all in there and let your breadmaker do the work in making the dough. Use the long option, not the short option.
If doing by hand, dissolve yeat in water. Blend eggs and oil into the water with the yeast. In mixer or large bowl, combine the egg, oil, and water mixture with 5 cups HOT ROLL MIX. Knead it until smooth, adding up to 1/2 or 1 C more of HOT ROLL MIX if your dough is really sticky. You want the dough to be slightly sticky to the touch. If it isn't, you have too much flour. If you are using a mixer with a dough hook, mix it on medium/high speed for about 5 or 6 minutes.
When the dough is nice and smooth, put it in a bowl that it can double in size. Spray the bowl with non stick spray first. Cover it with a damp towel or some plastic wrap and let it double in size (about an hour). Grease two baking sheets. Punch down dough. Let it stand about 10 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12" by 24" rectangel. You can even just press it with your fingers if you don't have a roller. You just want a nice, even, rectangle. Sprinkle on brown sugar, cinnamon, (and raisins and nuts if using....I don't). Roll the dough, like a jelly roll. Cut it into 24 1 inch slices. Place the slices on the baking sheets. They will expan about 1 inch around and raise about that high. Let them raise until they are doubled in size, about 30 to 60 minutes. Bake at 375 F for about 25 minutes. They will be slightly golden on the bottom, but not brown. Let them cool.
In the meantime, combine cream cheese and butter in a bowl and mix on high, until smooth and fluffy. Add vanilla and mix. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until smooth. If it is very thick, add the milk or cream, 1 TBSP at a time, until it is spreadable, but definitley NOT runny.
When those babies are cool, smother them with the cream cheese frosting. People LOVE the icing! You will be famous for these, trust me :)
*Dough from Make A Mix Cookbook, with a few of my own little tweaks.
The icing is the cream cheese frosting recipe that I love. You can use any cream cheese icing you like. If you do do not like cream cheese icing, you can use a regular buttercream. You can also use a glaze made from 2 C powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and 4 TBSP milk.
HOT ROLL MIX
Do you love cinnamon rolls, fluffy hot rolls, bread, soft pretzels, pizza crust, bagels, crescents, orange rolls, and french bread? Who doesn't? My cinnamon rolls are kindof famous to those who know me. I have been reluctant to give out my secrets over the years, but this mix is my secret. This mix is so versatile and inexpensive! You will WOW your family with these recipes.
HOT ROLL MIX
5lb (20 C) all purpose flour
1 1/4 C sugar
4 tsp salt
1 C instant dry milk
I put this all in a clean, unscented, white kitchen bag (Kirkland brand) and just tie the top with a knot or a twist tie. Shake it and mix it for a few minutes. Snip the corner of the bag, just enough for the mix to easily pour out. Put it in an airtight container or bag. Label it. Use within 6 to 8 months. No refigeration required. Makes about 22 cups.
If you like the taste of whole wheat, an alternative would be to use 9 C whole wheat flour and 8 C all purpose flour. You can substitute brown sugar for the white sugar in the whole wheat recipe, if you want. I wouldn't recomment the whole wheat for cinnamon rolls.
*From the Make A Mix cookbook
HOT ROLL MIX
5lb (20 C) all purpose flour
1 1/4 C sugar
4 tsp salt
1 C instant dry milk
I put this all in a clean, unscented, white kitchen bag (Kirkland brand) and just tie the top with a knot or a twist tie. Shake it and mix it for a few minutes. Snip the corner of the bag, just enough for the mix to easily pour out. Put it in an airtight container or bag. Label it. Use within 6 to 8 months. No refigeration required. Makes about 22 cups.
If you like the taste of whole wheat, an alternative would be to use 9 C whole wheat flour and 8 C all purpose flour. You can substitute brown sugar for the white sugar in the whole wheat recipe, if you want. I wouldn't recomment the whole wheat for cinnamon rolls.
*From the Make A Mix cookbook
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
CLUB CHICKEN CASSEROLE
CLUB CHICKEN CASSEROLE (USES CHICKEN MIX)
2 C Chicken Stock
1 C uncooked long-grain rice
3 TBSP butter
3 TBSP flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 can evaporated milk (1 2/3 C)
2 C Chicken Mix
1 10 oz pkg frozen broccoli (or peas), cooked and drained
4 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
Lightly grease your baking dish (an 11 X 7) works well.
Combine your chicken stock and rice and cook according to directions on rice pkg
Preheat oven to 350 F. Melt butter in large saucepan. Stir in flour and salt. Gradually add evaporatede milk. Cook over medium heat, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until it thickens. Add chicken mix, cooked rice, broccoli, and mushrooms.
Put it in a baking pan and top with toasted almonds or shredded cheese. You can sprinkle with a bit of paprika if you want. Bake it about 35 minutes, until bubbly. Serves about 8.
*From the Make a Mix cookbook
2 C Chicken Stock
1 C uncooked long-grain rice
3 TBSP butter
3 TBSP flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 can evaporated milk (1 2/3 C)
2 C Chicken Mix
1 10 oz pkg frozen broccoli (or peas), cooked and drained
4 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
Lightly grease your baking dish (an 11 X 7) works well.
Combine your chicken stock and rice and cook according to directions on rice pkg
Preheat oven to 350 F. Melt butter in large saucepan. Stir in flour and salt. Gradually add evaporatede milk. Cook over medium heat, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until it thickens. Add chicken mix, cooked rice, broccoli, and mushrooms.
Put it in a baking pan and top with toasted almonds or shredded cheese. You can sprinkle with a bit of paprika if you want. Bake it about 35 minutes, until bubbly. Serves about 8.
*From the Make a Mix cookbook
CHICKEN BURGERS AND BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA
CHICKEN BURGERS (USES CHICKEN MIX)
2 C chicken mix
1 C BBQ sauce
8 hamburger buns
Combine Chicken Mix and BBQ sauce in a sauce pan Heat about 10 minutes, until heated through. Serve over hamburger buns. Makes 8 "burgers".
BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA
Make the BBQ chicken, as described above, only put it on top of your favorite pizza crust. Top with any cheese you like. A good mix is Cheddar and Monterey Jack. You can throw on some green onions or some crunchy bacon bits. Put fresh, shredded cabbage on it after its cooked. Use your imagination. An alternate to BBQ sauce would be alfredo sauce. Enjoy!
2 C chicken mix
1 C BBQ sauce
8 hamburger buns
Combine Chicken Mix and BBQ sauce in a sauce pan Heat about 10 minutes, until heated through. Serve over hamburger buns. Makes 8 "burgers".
BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA
Make the BBQ chicken, as described above, only put it on top of your favorite pizza crust. Top with any cheese you like. A good mix is Cheddar and Monterey Jack. You can throw on some green onions or some crunchy bacon bits. Put fresh, shredded cabbage on it after its cooked. Use your imagination. An alternate to BBQ sauce would be alfredo sauce. Enjoy!
Sunday, February 22, 2015
CHICKEN MIX and STOCK ( BONE BROTH)
This is one of my favorite mixes, because it is so versatile. You can do so many things with chicken! You also get another great mix from the chicken.....bone broth! Here is how I do it. You will need a big crock pot. If you have a smaller crock, it will work, you will just have to cut the chicken up so that it will fit. You can also buy a whole chicken, cut up. You want chicken bones. I have found that dark meat only, like thights and drumsticks, are too heavy and fatty. A whole chicken provides a beautiful broth that isn't heavy. The mixture of the light and dark meat is always moist and flavorful. All white meat is very dry, in my opinion.
Put your chicken in the crock pot. Put in an onion, a lemon (or a TBSP of vinegar), ceveral celery stalks with leaves (about 4), a few carrots (about 3 or a good handful of baby carrots), some garlic (or powder), and some fresh parsley leaves and stems (a bunch). You can put a few bay leaves if you want. Cover it all with water (filtered is best). Add a good amount of quality salt (Redmond Salt, pink himalayan salt, kosher salt). I like it on the saltier side so I add about 3 TBSP of salt, maybe even 4. I also have a large crock pot. After you make this a couple of times, you will have a good idea about how much salt you want to add.
Turn your crock pot on low heat and let it cook over night, at least a good 12 hours, even up to 24.
When it is finished, let it cool for a bit. Strain the chicken and veggies from the stock. Set the stock aside and let cool. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, carefully separate the chicken from the bones and discard the bones and vegetables. Run the stock through a screen strainer so that you can get all of the little things out of it. Put it in the refigerator or you can freeze it in freezer containers. I ususally freeze it in 2 cup portions. Store it in a big jar in your refigerator for easy use in recipes.
Here is the difference between broth and stock (bone broth). Broth has a light golden color and remains liquid when cold. Broth ususally results from a shorter cooking time (8 hours or under). Stock, or bone broth, has a dark golden color and turns gelatinous when cooled, and results from longer cooking times (12 hours or more). The acid (lemon or vingegar) helps pull out the minerals and tenderize the chicken. Stock is more nutritious than broth. It contains the minerals and collagen from the chicken bones. It is really one of the best things you can eat. It requires patience, but its worth it. It tastes FANTASTIC! You can drink it warm, with a splash of cream or milk, as a nice hot drink. It coats the digestive tract and helps soothe it. It is full of enzymes too. Very healing.
When it comes time to shred your chicken, you can do it two ways. The first one is just to throw the chicken pieces into a mixer and gently turn it on and off until your chicken is shredded. You can use beaters as well. The second way is to use forks or just shred it by hand. I ususally store this is two cup portions as well. Store it in the refigerator for 4 or 5 days or in the freezer up to 6 months.
Put your chicken in the crock pot. Put in an onion, a lemon (or a TBSP of vinegar), ceveral celery stalks with leaves (about 4), a few carrots (about 3 or a good handful of baby carrots), some garlic (or powder), and some fresh parsley leaves and stems (a bunch). You can put a few bay leaves if you want. Cover it all with water (filtered is best). Add a good amount of quality salt (Redmond Salt, pink himalayan salt, kosher salt). I like it on the saltier side so I add about 3 TBSP of salt, maybe even 4. I also have a large crock pot. After you make this a couple of times, you will have a good idea about how much salt you want to add.
Turn your crock pot on low heat and let it cook over night, at least a good 12 hours, even up to 24.
When it is finished, let it cool for a bit. Strain the chicken and veggies from the stock. Set the stock aside and let cool. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, carefully separate the chicken from the bones and discard the bones and vegetables. Run the stock through a screen strainer so that you can get all of the little things out of it. Put it in the refigerator or you can freeze it in freezer containers. I ususally freeze it in 2 cup portions. Store it in a big jar in your refigerator for easy use in recipes.
Here is the difference between broth and stock (bone broth). Broth has a light golden color and remains liquid when cold. Broth ususally results from a shorter cooking time (8 hours or under). Stock, or bone broth, has a dark golden color and turns gelatinous when cooled, and results from longer cooking times (12 hours or more). The acid (lemon or vingegar) helps pull out the minerals and tenderize the chicken. Stock is more nutritious than broth. It contains the minerals and collagen from the chicken bones. It is really one of the best things you can eat. It requires patience, but its worth it. It tastes FANTASTIC! You can drink it warm, with a splash of cream or milk, as a nice hot drink. It coats the digestive tract and helps soothe it. It is full of enzymes too. Very healing.
When it comes time to shred your chicken, you can do it two ways. The first one is just to throw the chicken pieces into a mixer and gently turn it on and off until your chicken is shredded. You can use beaters as well. The second way is to use forks or just shred it by hand. I ususally store this is two cup portions as well. Store it in the refigerator for 4 or 5 days or in the freezer up to 6 months.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
GRANOLA MIX
I love the cookbook, "Make A Mix". You can find it about anywhere. If you buy it, purchase the revised version. It has a lot more recipes than the origial. This recipe is from that book.
Have you ever noticed how expensive granola is? This recipe makes A LOT of granola for pennies. It so easy and yummy.
You can use it as a topping on pancakes, make fruit and yogurt parfaits, put it on ice cream, mix it into bread or muffins, or just eat it with milk (I like almond milk). It fills you up and gives you energy. It has real "stick to the ribs" power.
You can leave out the nuts if you want. I like the sunflower seeds in it but I leave out the almonds because my kids wouldn't eat it otherwise.
GRANOLA MIX
10 cups rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1 C wheat germ
1/2 lb shredded coconut (I like the unsweetened, unsulphered kind)
3 cups chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts (optional)
1 cup sesame seeds
2 cups raw sunflower seeds (or toasted ones if you can't find raw)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cup water
3/4 cup butter or vegetable oil, coconut oil, or palm oil (Costco has a nice Mediterranean blend that I like)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup molasses (can substitute corn syrup if you want)
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tsp vanilla
raisins, dried fruit, mini chocolate chips, or whatever you like in granola
Preheat oven to 300F. I like to combine all dry ingredients in a clean, white, non scented, kitchen bag. You can mix it in a big bowl too. Once its mixed, you will need to put it in a bowl so that you can pour the syrup on it.
Cobine the sugar, molasses (or syrup), oil, honey, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a sauce pan. Heat it enough to dissolve the the sugar, but do not let it boil. Pour it over the dry mixture and make sure all of the dry mixture is coated. Line some baking sheets with parchment paper. Use as many as you can fit in your oven, because this mix will take several batches to bake. I even resort to using cake pans and such. Spread it out in an even layer on the pan and bake it for 20 to 30 minutes. You want it to start to turn gold. Once it is done baking, you can pour it out onto pieces of parchment paper or foil to cool. You will want to load those pans up again and bake the next round. Add dried fruit, chocolate chips, nuts, etc., once its cooled. Store it in ziploc bags, plasic containers, or glass. Just make sure its airtight. Will keep for 6 months (although it never lasts that long around here :) ). Enjoy! Makes about 20 cups.
Have you ever noticed how expensive granola is? This recipe makes A LOT of granola for pennies. It so easy and yummy.
You can use it as a topping on pancakes, make fruit and yogurt parfaits, put it on ice cream, mix it into bread or muffins, or just eat it with milk (I like almond milk). It fills you up and gives you energy. It has real "stick to the ribs" power.
You can leave out the nuts if you want. I like the sunflower seeds in it but I leave out the almonds because my kids wouldn't eat it otherwise.
GRANOLA MIX
10 cups rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1 C wheat germ
1/2 lb shredded coconut (I like the unsweetened, unsulphered kind)
3 cups chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts (optional)
1 cup sesame seeds
2 cups raw sunflower seeds (or toasted ones if you can't find raw)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cup water
3/4 cup butter or vegetable oil, coconut oil, or palm oil (Costco has a nice Mediterranean blend that I like)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup molasses (can substitute corn syrup if you want)
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tsp vanilla
raisins, dried fruit, mini chocolate chips, or whatever you like in granola
Preheat oven to 300F. I like to combine all dry ingredients in a clean, white, non scented, kitchen bag. You can mix it in a big bowl too. Once its mixed, you will need to put it in a bowl so that you can pour the syrup on it.
Cobine the sugar, molasses (or syrup), oil, honey, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a sauce pan. Heat it enough to dissolve the the sugar, but do not let it boil. Pour it over the dry mixture and make sure all of the dry mixture is coated. Line some baking sheets with parchment paper. Use as many as you can fit in your oven, because this mix will take several batches to bake. I even resort to using cake pans and such. Spread it out in an even layer on the pan and bake it for 20 to 30 minutes. You want it to start to turn gold. Once it is done baking, you can pour it out onto pieces of parchment paper or foil to cool. You will want to load those pans up again and bake the next round. Add dried fruit, chocolate chips, nuts, etc., once its cooled. Store it in ziploc bags, plasic containers, or glass. Just make sure its airtight. Will keep for 6 months (although it never lasts that long around here :) ). Enjoy! Makes about 20 cups.
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