Homemade Granola Bars

This recipe was recently shared at a recipe/menu exchange group I created a year ago called My Girlfriends Kitchen.  It is a group that shares our tried and true favorite recipes based around a chosen theme for the month.  The month of September I thought I need new ideas for home lunches for school and after school snacks.  Many great ideas were shared, but this one was my favorite! Annette is a fabulous cook and baker and cake decorator extraordinaire.  Check out her blog to see for yourself.   http://www.violetscustomcakes.blogspot.com/

Homemade Granola Bars—Annette Moss

1 cup sugar (granulated or brown)

1 cup corn syrup or honey

1/2 cup peanut butter (or almond butter)

Stir until combine

Add:

2-3 cups old fashioned oats

2-3 cups rice krispy cereal

Combine and add more oats if needed.  (More oats make it drier/crunchier, less oats makes it chewier).

At this point stir in whatever you want like:

Chocolate chips

PB chips

Coconut

Raisins

Craisins

Pretzel pieces

Graham crackers/ Marshmallows/ and chocolate chips s’mores flavor

Line 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper so it comes up to the sides.  Dump granola bar mix into the pan. Press flat and cut into bars. Wrap individual bars in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container.  (If they last that long!)

Apples with Toffee Dip

I was introduced to this yummy fall treat years ago when we were grad students in Connecticut. Our dear friend Lynnette was such a gourmet cook that it was always great when she shared something so simple like this that I could put together. She has inspired me to learn more about cooking and enjoying it over the years of our friendship. Here is her recipe word for word:

Every time I make this I get requests for the recipe, so here it is. I know it seems a little pampered chef-like, but I promise it's really good. Don't use fat free cream cheese because it turns into a watery mess. Also, the toffee bits will eventually dissolve, so you might want to wait to stir them in at the last minute. 

¾ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (8-ounce block) 1/3-less fat cream cheese, softened

¾ cup toffee bits

apples for dipping

Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl, beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add toffee bits, mix well. Cover and chill.

Cinnamon Churro Chex Mix Treat

I saw these on pintrest and they sparked my interest as a fun treat. At my house Muddy Buddies or AKA Puppy Chow or many other names are beloved and evil all at the same time.  My favorite is still the original Muddy Buddy flavors, but it didn't take long for these little munchies to disappear either.  

Cinnamon Churro Chex Mix 

http://zitzmanfam.blogspot.com/2012/03/cinnamon-churro-chex-mix.html  adapted from this pin

9 cups rice Chex cereal

3 cups cinnamon chips

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Pour Chex cereal into a bowl. Set aside. Combine sugars and cinnamon in another small bowl. Set aside.

In a microwavable bowl, melt the cinnamon chips. Heat for 1 minute then stir. Heat for an additional 30 seconds. Stir. Continue with additional 30 seconds until completely melted. Pour melted cinnamon chips over the cereal. Stir until cereal is well coated.

Sprinkle with half of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Toss to coat. Pour out the cereal onto a cookie sheet. Continue to sprinkle and toss the cereal with the rest of the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Scotcheroos

My little sister that lives in New York keeps me on my toes. Oh how I love her! We live far to many miles apart, which makes me forever grateful for the technologies of todays day and age. Am am grateful that she makes me feel so good by occasionally using my blog. She is a great editor by the way! She catches all my little mistakes and I love it!

We both inherited the "sweet tooth" gene! This morning she was asking for some good cookie recipes to take to her weekend filled with parties.  I starting thinking of all the yummy cookies and  bar cookies. Then I thought thats the last thing someone 36 weeks pregnant wants to do is stand in the kitchen making batches and batches of cooks.  So I gave her all my favorite no bake options.  I am grateful that she actually uses my blogs because she helps me discover my favorites that I don't have on her yet! So today I will post a few cookie recipes for her. These are always a huge hit no matter the occasion. I can't make them very often because I can eat the whole pan by myself one sliver at a time in about 24 hours! Serious.

Scotcheroos

1 cup Sugar
1 cup Peanut Butter
1 cup Corn Syrup
6 cups Rice Krispies (of Corn Chex for a gluten free version)
1 (6 oz) bag chocolate chips
1 (6 oz) bag butterscotch chips

In a large saucepan, combine sugar and corn syrup. Heat to dissolve sugar and bring to a boil; remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter. Add Rice Krispies and mix well until blended. Press into a buttered 9 x 13 inch pan. In small saucepan, melt together chocolate and butterscotch chips. Spread combined mixture over top of Rice Krispies mixture. Cut into 36 bars. More like 16 if I am eating them!