Baked Oatmeal

Recipe is one of the hundreds of recipes, medicine, and crafts to be found in "Through the Seasons"

Baked Oatmeal
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups milk
2 large eggs
1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp coconut oil or butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup fruit (dried)
1/2 cup nuts

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 x 8 cooking pan.
Mix the wet ingredients together well, and then combine dry ingredients into that mixture.
Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, until top is firm and a toothpick comes out clean in the center. Serve with milk if desired.
So many different additions can go into this breakfast mixture. All kinds of fruits, nuts, spices, things like shredded carrots, chocolate, seeds - only your imagination holds you back.

Homemade Granola Bars

I must be on a healthy granola kick!! Here's another great recipe I found on the web. Oh so yum!

    

I wanted to make a hearty and healthy snack that was easy to make.  I decided on granola bars because they are healthy and portable.  I read tons of recipes but couldn’t find one that had ingredients that I liked until I stumbled upon Ina Garten‘s recipe.  I substituted and cut out a few ingredients but overall, all the ingredients were natural.  I liked that Ina’s recipe calls for honey instead of molasses.  These granola bars were so addictive!  I ate one for breakfast everyday for a week and had to start giving them away to some friends because I was in danger of eating the entire pan by myself.  They were perfectly chewy.  They didn’t have a distinct flavor like cranberry or apricot but I was ok with that.  On a side note, you really have to let the granola bars sit for 2 – 3 hours after they bake for the granola bars to come together.  If you don’t, they will fall a part.  Now that I found this recipe, there’s really no going back to the store bought granola bars.
Ingredients

• 2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed
• 1/2 cup toasted ground flax seed
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 12-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper. Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.
2. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the ground flax seed. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
3. Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oat mixture.
4. Add the apricots and cranberries.
5. Stir well.
6. Pour the mixture into a prepared pan. Lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown.
7. Cool for 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares.

Mama's Morning Casserole

Mama's Morning Casserole

Adapted from Gooseberry Patch Old-Fashioned Country Christmas .   I modified the recipe by using Dijon mustard instead of mustard powder and adding more cheese.  I prefer sharp cheddar  in this dish.   Makes 6 to 8 servings.  

6 eggs, beaten

2 cups milk

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup biscuit baking mix (I use Bisquick)

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 pound bulk pork sausage, browned, drained and cooled (I prefer Jimmy Dean Original)

To beaten eggs, add milk, mustard and oregano.   Whisk until blended.

  Add in baking mix, cheese and sausage.  Mix well with a heavy wooden spoon.

 Pour into a greased 9×13 casserole dish.   Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for  60 minutes or until browned.  Serve warm.

Good-For-You Choc-Oat-Chip Cookies

Good-For-You Choc-Oat-Chip Cookies

Prep:

15 mins

Cooking:

9 mins

Cooling:

15 mins

Yields:

48 cookies (4 dozen)

These Good-For-You Choc-Oat-Chip Cookies are fun to make. Totally easy...totally tasty!

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease baking sheets.

COMBINE flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in small bowl. Beat brown sugar, granulated sugar, margarine and applesauce in large mixer bowl until smooth. Beat in egg whites and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats, morsels and nuts; mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies or 12 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. 

 

 

Cajun Caramel Corn

Cajun Caramel Corn

Cajun Caramel Corn Recipe! In February-buy2 Snack & Dip Seasonings-save $1.00 on each! Blazin' Cajun Snack & Dip Seasoning, (3.5 oz) 02069 Turn "ordinary" into "extraordinary" with our versatile Gourmet Snack & Dip Seasonings. Just mix with regular or low fat sour cream, pureed cottage cheese or plain yogurt to create delicious dips and spreads for everything from crackers to crudités. Mix with cream cheese for flavorful spreads for roll-ups, cheese balls and canapés. $8.99 Order yours today, click here! Cajun Caramel Corn Makes a great Super Bowl snack   8 cups popped popcorn 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar 1/2 cup butter 1/3 cup light corn syrup 1 tsp lemon juice 2 to 4 tsp Watkins Blazin' Cajun Snack & Dip Mix 1/2 tsp baking soda Heat oven to 200° F/95° C. Pour popcorn into a large roasting pan. In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, butter, syrup and lemon juice. Mix well. Cook on medium, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil until mixture reaches 260° F/125° C (hard ball stage). Remove pan from heat. Quickly stir in 2 tsp/ 10 mL of Watkins Blazin' Cajun Snack & Dip Mix and the baking soda. Pour over popcorn and stir to coat well. Bake for 1 hour in preheated oven, stirring every 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Empty popcorn onto waxed paper. Break apart with hands. Sprinkle with additional Blazin' Cajun seasoning to taste, if desired. Store in a tightly-covered container. Makes 18 (1 cup) servings

.