Home-made Granola Bars in a Hurry (one bowl, 10 minutes)

The summer has ended and Ryan and Chloe are about to go back to school. Ryan received a letter from his teacher (Mrs. Yotis) in the mail today. She seems like a lovely, welcoming and nurturing lady. He can’t wait to start Junior Kindergarten. Chloe’s first day at pre-school is also coming up. We have no doubt, she’ll fit right in due to her outgoing personality. Granola bars are great additions to school lunches. These are simple, delicious, and good for the kids. Feel free to add whatever you have on hand, the recipe is versatile. Much better than the store bought variety, more cost effective and quick. My 95 year old grandmother likes them too.

Home-made Granola Bars in a Hurry

3 cups quick-cooking oats

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons butter, melted (you can also use peanut butter)

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup sliced almonds (you can also use ground almonds)

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a rectangular baking pan. Melt butter in a large glass bowl, add remaining ingredients, and mix until well combined. Press flat into pan and bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before cutting into bars.

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Great Goat Cheese Scones

We are always looking for breakfast alternatives. These great, tangy, cheesy, buttery scones are an adaptation of Art Smith’s. To be honest, Ryan and Chloe don’t love them as goat cheese is an acquired taste, but Mark can eat five or six in one sitting. Suggest you serve them warm with butter or without. The kids will stick with plain Cheerios as their gourmet tastebuds slowly develop. In the meantime, raise your coffee mug to another one bowl gourmet wonder.

Great Goat Cheese Scones

2 cups flour with 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

4 tablespoons cold butter

4 tablespoons goat cheese

1 cup milk mixed with 1 tsp vinegar (or buttermilk)

Extra butter to grease pan and top biscuits

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place pan into the oven while it is preheating. Place flour and salt into a bowl. Cut in the butter and goat cheese. Make a well in the middle of the ingredients, pour in the milk and stir. Remove the hot pan from the oven and place a tablespoon of butter into it. When the butter has melted, drop small ball of batter into the pan. Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter if desired. Bake from 14–16 minutes until browned.

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Super Fast S’mores Bars

Imagine a camp fire, without the camp fire. These bars taste like a combination of caramel and chocolate, with a chewy marshmallow crunch. They are beyond addictive so beware. You need 5 minutes to prepare the bars, and another 5 to wash the pot. Thank you, Betty.

Super Fast S’mores Bars

1 bag mini marshmallows (5 cups) plus 1 cup to add at the end

1 1 /2 cups milk chocolate chips plus 1/2 cup to add at the end

5 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup corn syrup

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 box Golden Grahams cereal (8 cups)

Grease (and flour) a square pan. In a pot, heat chocolate chips, marshmallows, corn syrup until melted and combined. Add vanilla. Stir in cereal. When slightly cooled, add extra marshmallows and chocolate chips. Press mixture evenly in pan using the back of a buttered spoon. Refrigerate for 1 hour before cutting into square.

Thank you Betty Crocker. (Adapted.)

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Supreme Snack Cake (chocolate)

This chocolate cake is an amazing creation, perfect for this website: one bowl, ten minutes. The original recipe was created during the Great Depression when ingredients were scarce, so no butter, no eggs. Still the texture remains moist and light. You can also add other flavourings like peppermint and/or almond for a different taste. Today was a busy day in the garden during the long weekend. Mark and Ryan planted our vegetables, (zucchini, two types of tomatoes, corn, basic, rosemary) while I threw this together for a barbecue later in the afternoon. I actually had some time on my hands while Chloe napped as Ryan spent countless hours in the backyard with his new bubble mower. Maybe this cake is just too fast. Try it, you’ll make it again and again.

Supreme Snack Cake (Chocolate)

3 Cups flour

2 cups sugar

6 tablespoons cocoa

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 tablespoons vinegar

3/4 cup canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups water

1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease (and flour) rectangular cake pan. Mix together dry ingredients. Add other ingredients and mix well. Pour into baking pan and bake 50-60 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Ice with your favourite icing, or glaze with melted chocolate chips.

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Best Banana Bread, Really (healthy and light)

Baking is my passion. I find it relaxing, especially after a long, busy day. This unbelievably moist and surprisingly healthy bread can be whipped up in minutes. You can use a combination of white and brown sugar, and whole wheat and all-purpose flour to make it even better for the kids. For a lighter version, substitute applesauce for half the oil. This recipe keeps and freezes well, so make a double quantity and store one loaf in the freezer in case of emergency drop-ins by friends and relatives. It’s the BEST, especially with coffee or a chai tea latte – I’m on a potassium high.

Best Banana Bread

2 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup buttermilk (or 1 tsp vinegar added to milk)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup mashed bananas

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease (and flour) a loaf pan. Mix the eggs, buttermilk, oil and bananas. Add the sugar, flour, baking soda and salt, and stir in nuts. Mix well. Pour into the loaf pan and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

(adapted from All Recipes)

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