Granola (no nuts)

I got the initial recipe from the WinCo bulk food section years and years ago.  Bryce changed it up by adding some spices.  Erica requested that we remove all nuts and add coconut.  So here is a new recipe the way Erica likes it.  :)

7 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cups coconut

1 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ginger

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine oats, coconut, and wheat germ.  In a small saucepan or 2 cup microwaveable glass measuring cup, combine honey, oil, brown sugar, vanilla, and spices.  Heat, but do not boil.  Add liquid mixture to oats mixture and stir.  Spread in an oiled cookie sheet (or line the cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat).  Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from oven.  Cool completely before storing in an airtight container. 

Pressure Cooker Beef Tips

 Seth loves this recipe and I couldn't find it the other day.  Therefore, now that I've found it, I'm putting it on here so it doesn't ever get lost again.  :) Of course, we leave out the mushrooms and love to serve it over mashed potatoes.  The recipe says you can serve it over brown rice, noodles or mashed potatoes.

3 teaspoons olive oil
1 beef top sirloin steak (about 1 pound), cubed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup beef broth
1/2 pound sliced baby Portobello mushrooms
1 small onion, halved and sliced
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3-4 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
Hot cooked mashed potatoes

Select saute setting on a 6-qt electric pressure cooker and adjust for high heat.  Add 2 teaspoons oil.  Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper.  Brown meat in batches, adding oil as needed.  Transfer meat to a bowl.  Add 1/3 cup broth to cooker, stirring to loosen browned bits.  Return beef to cooker; add mushrooms, onion, remaining broth, and Worcestershire sauce.  Lock lid; make sure vent is closed.  Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high and set time for 15 minutes (17 minutes at my altitude).  When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer's directions.

Select saute setting and adjust for high heat; bring liquid to a boil.  In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into beef mixture.  Cook and stir until sauce is thickened, about 1-2 minutes.  Serve with mashed potatoes.

Sour Cream Zucchini Bread

 

I made this bread today with some adjustments.  I used applesauce in place of some oil and used cinnamon chips instead of nuts or raisins.  Therefore, I'll type in my adjusted recipe.  Bryce says it is yummy and I don't taste the baking soda, which is a good thing for my relationship with zucchini bread.

3 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt (I didn't use 😊)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups peeled & shredded zucchini

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup nuts or raisins (or cinnamon chips or chocolate chips)

In a medium size mixing bowl combine dry ingredients and stir together well.

In larger mixing bowl beat eggs until a little frothy.  (I used my stand mixer and doubled the recipe.) Add sugar, oil, applesauce, vanilla, & zucchini; mixing well.  Add flour mixture and sour cream, alternately (1/2 at a time).  Stir gently after each addition.  With the last bit of sour cream, add the nuts/raisins/chips.

Divide batter between well-greased loaf pans.  I used my smaller loaf pans and made 5 loaves.  Therefore, it might make 2 larger loaves.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven; 35-40 minutes for small loaves, about 1 hour & 20 minutes for larger loaves.

These loaves came out beautifully from my newer loaf pans, but not so well with my older ones.  Next time, I plan to spray pans, place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom and then spray the parchment paper.  Maybe that will work better.

Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats

AKA "Scotcheroos"

 Logan loves my recipe for these tasty treats.  It is a common request for a birthday treat. I got the recipe from a friend who would bring these treats to all the scouting events when Logan was younger.  I'll include her suggestions for making it, which is the way I try to do it.

2 cups light corn syrup
2 cups sugar
2 cups peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
8-12 cups rice crispy cereal.
1 bag each milk chocolate chips & butterscotch chips

Measure the cereal into a large bowl (Jolyn recommends starting with 10 cups).  In a saucepan, melt together the corn syrup and sugar.  Barely bring the mixture to a boil and then remove it from the heat.  Stir in the peanut butter.  Stir in the vanilla.  Pour this mixture over the cereal.  Stir well.  You can add more cereal, if you would like.  (I don't think I ever do.)  Dump the cereal mixture onto a cookie sheet and gently spread and press into an even layer (don't press too hard).

Melt milk chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together. (I usually do this in the microwave using a 4-cup glass measuring cup.)  Stir well and then spread over the crispies in the pan.  You can chill the treats to help the chocolate set up (if you are in a rush).

Crispy Marshmallow Bars

 Once again, I'm posting a favorite recipe so I always have a back-up in case I lose the tiny cut-out that has this recipe.  Eons ago, I cut it off a bag of Malt-o-Meal Crispy Rice cereal and it has become my favorite rice crispy treat recipe.  I almost always double the recipe and put it in a cookie sheet.  I don't know if it is my favorite because of the vanilla or the ratio or marshmallow to cereal, but here it is:

1/4 cup butter or margarine
10 ounces marshmallows or 4 cups miniature marshmallows
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal

Measure cereal into a large bowl.  In a 2-quart saucepan, melt butter and marshmallows over low heat, stirring occasionally until marshmallows are melted.  Remove from heat; blend in vanilla.  Pour marshmallow mixture over cereal and stir to coat.  Spread into a buttered 9x13-inch pan.  Cool completely.  Cut into bars.  Yield:  24 bars.

Mom's Chow Mein

 Here is another recipe I have written down from when I went to college.  I thought I had better put it on here so it doesn't get lost.  I honestly don't know where to find the original recipe.  So it better be recorded somewhere.  :)

2 cups chicken stock or water (can use bouillon cubes)
3 cups thinly sliced celery
4 ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup soy sauce (mom uses half the soy sauce)
No. 303 can bean sprouts, drained (I use a 14 ounce can)
2 cups sliced cooked chicken, cut into thin slivers

In chicken stock, cook the celery until fork tender.  Add the water chestnuts.  When I have them on hand, I also put in a can of bamboo shoots.

Blend together cornstarch, 1/4 cup water, and soy sauce.  Add this mixture to the vegetable mixture and stir until it thickens.

Add bean sprouts and cooked chicken.  Heat through.  Serve with warm steamed rice and chow mein noodles.

Makes about 4 servings.

Kendra's Minestrone

 I made this the other day and it was a hit.  Everyone enjoyed it after it cooled down a bit.  We burnt a few tongues with those who wanted to take a bite quickly.  :)  I tried using my big cast iron pot, but had to transition to the huge soup pot Mom and Dad gave me years ago.  It makes a lot of soup!  I served it with homemade French bread (made with about 50% whole wheat flour).  The bread was well-liked, also.

¼ cup olive oil
3 cups chopped onions
3 cups chopped carrots
2 cups sliced celery
2 cups diced canned tomatoes
1 can green beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained & rinsed
2 cups chopped cabbage
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
3 Tablespoons beef bouillon
2 Tablespoons chicken bouillon
1 ½ teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
8 cups water
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
½ cup pearl barley
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
 

In a very big soup pot, saute onions, carrots and celery in the olive oil.  Add the remaining ingredients (except garbanzo beans and elbow macaroni).  I used 2 14.5 ounce cans of diced tomatoes and figured a few extra tomatoes were just fine.  I also like to puree the tomatoes so the soup doesn’t have chunks of tomatoes.  Simmer for 45 minutes.  Add the garbanzo beans and elbow macaroni and simmer 7-8 minutes more, until macaroni is cooked.