Homemade Granola Bars

One of my girls has an anaphylactic peanut allergy.  For all you non-food allergy families that probably just sounds like a total inconvenience.  For us food allergy families it's so much more.  We can't just go to the store to grab snacks, we can't order cakes from bakeries, we can't trust other people to feed our kids.  (It's not personal, it's just that it's not your everyday life to read labels and check everything.)  

The one thing I have learned is that my child can have all those same treats, and they are actually (in my humble opinion) so much yummier!  One of the main snacks for school age kids are granola bars.  By making them at home I can assure her safety, but also I can save money, and make really custom flavors.  I use organic, natural ingredients, we make all sorts of varieties and I wrap them up so they sort of look like they've been individually prepared.  Gives my girl a sense of being just like everyone else.

(I add the chocolate chips right after the honey mixture, so they melt...the upside, it hides all the healthy stuff like wheat germ and flaxseed and taste delish!)

Here is my basic recipe:

2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 tbls flax seed

3 tbls unsalted butter
2/3 cup honey
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp kosher salt

add in:
1 cup coconut
1 cup nuts (slivered almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts)
1 cup chocolate chip (or other flavor chip)
1 cup loosely crushed graham crackers
1 cup marshmallows (coarsely chopped)
1 cup coarsely chopped dried fruit (cherries, apricots, figs, dates, blueberries, strawberries)

Heat oven to 350 degrees, on a baking sheet toast oats, coconut, and nuts (if your using them).  Bake for about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper.  (I like a thicker granola bar)

Transfer the oat mixture into a large mixing bowl, add wheat germ and flax seed.   Reduce the oven heat to 300 degrees.

In a saucepan mix; honey, butter, brown sugar, vanilla and salt, over medium heat bring to a boil.  (Here's a handy hint, spray your measuring cup with Pam before you pour in the honey, and viola! it slides right out!)  Cook at a boil for one minute and pour over the oat mixture.  Add chocolate chips, fruit and any other mix ins now. 

Lightly dampen fingers with water and press the mixture into the baking sheet.  Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.  Let cool completely before cutting (2-3 hours).  Cut in 3inch x 1 inch rectangles.

Our favorite mix is oats, flaxseed, wheat germ, coconut, chocolate chips, marshmallows and graham crackers. 

Apple Pie Bars

"Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness." -- Jane Austen

These are fast becoming a family favorite, I can pack them in lunches, serve them at family dinners or take them as snacks for a day of running around town.  With all the lovely apples in the Pacific NW we can live on apple treats for months without tiring of them.  I can justify eating an apple dessert for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  And nothing makes me happier then the sweet, soft smells of apple and cinnamon caressing my house with it's warm ways.

This is a lengthy recipe.  It takes some time and planning, but you get down time to do other things in the midst of chilling dough and cooling apples. 

Crust:
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
7 tbsp. very soft butter (not melted)
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp. water (plus more if needed to get the crust together)

Start by making the crust, mix ingredients in a stand mixer, it will form a ball.  Press dough into a 11x7 baking dish with the dough going 1/2 inch up the sides (lined with parchment) and cool for 20 minutes.
Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees, covered with foil
Remove foil, lower temp to 350 and bake for another 5 minutes
(you may use pie weights if you want, but I'm just not that fancy)

Filling:

3-4 big Granny Smith Apples

2  tbsp. butter

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

2 tbsp. water

 

Peel apples and slice thinly, mix all ingredients into a medium size saucepan and cook over low heat (covered) for about 13-15 minutes or until apples are soft.  Then remove the lid and let all the liquid thicken (it'll get good and carmelly!)

 

Topping

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1/2 cup quick cook oats

4 tbsp. cold diced butter

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla

 

Mix all ingredients in a stand mixer to blend (I use the dirty bowl, it's all good!)

Set aside for later.

 

Caramel:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tbls. butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

 

Mix all ingredients and cook over medium heat.  Whisk for 5-7 minutes while the caramel boils, it will thicken.   (You may use store bought caramel; 1/2 cup; but it's so easy to make and amazing!)

 

When the dough comes out of the oven allow the dough and the apples to cool completely before pouring the apples onto the dough.    Pour your lovely caramel sauce over the apples and pop the whole thing into a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes.

 

Remove the baking dish and top with the oat mixture, bake for another 15 minutes.  Allow it to cool before cutting.  I cut mine in "granola bar" size and wrap tightly with saran wrap.  ENJOY!

Teacher's Survival Box

How can August be almost over? It doesn't seem possible that school starts in a couple of weeks...guess it's time to start organizing supplies, finding curriculum, and making treats for our Teachers and Educational Supervisors.

This year marks a new adventure for my family.  My oldest is going to be going to a traditional Charter School, and my youngest will continue to be home schooled.  I'm looking forward to both.  Gigi loves people, loves to be surrounded by noise and bodies.  Lili relishes quiet, and can be alone for hours happily.  I'm looking forward to watching G grow and gain Independence, and spending time alone with L.  Something we don't often get to do.

We don't know who Gigi's teacher will be yet, we find out in 3 days.  The suspense is killing her.  We do know that we will treasure this teacher, be thankful for her love of learning and teaching and will be grateful for the dedication she shows her students and their families. 

Through homeschooling we have found a lovely school that is for homeschooling families only.  It has so many resources available, and classes I don't really want to teach.  We know our Educational Supervisor there well, we adore her and can't wait to have our first meeting in September!

In thinking how much I appreciate these women, I wanted to do something little for them...I did lots of searches on pinterest and google before finding just the right thing and then I tweaked it a tiny bit.  (It was nearly perfect, so I just added things I thought teachers would want more.)

I started with a small tackle box, that I bought at Fred Meyer for about $3.00.

Then I gathered and bought little things to fill the box with that a teacher might need to get through a day of teaching, conferences, or a field trip. 

 

In total the boxes cost about $10-$15.00, I didn't really keep close track of my purchases and had many things already around the house.

 

Items included: breath mints, chap stick, Advil, nail clippers, hand sanitizer, rubber bands, band aids, cough drops, chocolate, white out, drink mixes, paper clips, folder clips, paper clips, erasers, a few hard candies, and file markers.

 

 

Then (and I am not crafty with clip art) I made some labels for the boxes, bought matching ribbon and made a tag which the girls signed for their teachers.

 

 

 

And finally tied it all up!

 

 

 

 

Elastic Hair Ties

My girls love hair accessories.  They come by it naturally.   Much like makeup, I've rarely met a hair clip I didn't have to have.   It came as no surprise when we were back to school shopping that half of the purchases were for sweet head bands, darling barrettes and spools of ribbon.   But it all came to a screeching stop when at Nordies my oldest spotted ribbon hair ties made by emi-jay .  First of all, they're really darling, second they are so overpriced ($11.99 for 5).  I could make those...it's just elastic.  I could make lots of those for far less then $12!

I set out to find a resource, and I found loads of them!  
http://www.sunshineshoppesupply.com/Stretch_Elastic_and_Trim_s/1832.htm   This is the company I purchased from.  I got 8 yards for $3.50, and paid $3 in shipping and handling.  

Here are some other great choices:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ElasticByTheYard?ref=seller_info

http://www.etsy.com/listing/99087010/10-yards-58-and-12-fold-over-elastic?ref=sr_gallery_4&ga_search_query=5%2F8+fold+over+elastic+by+the+yard&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_min=0&ga_max=0&ga_search_type=all

One yard should yield 3 large, or 3 medium and 1 small tie.

I made 3 medium from each yard and then the one little one, it'll be perfect for a little pony.
1. You'll want to get 5/8 inch fold over elastic. 

2. Cut into 10 inch strips (I put /dritz-fray-check- on the ends of the elastic, but you don't have too)

3. Fold in half and tie end into an overhand knot (pulling the long end through)

4. Viola! Your done! My eight yards made 32 bands...32 bands for $7.00! 

I'm off to order more elastic, this is addicting.  It took me less then 20 minutes to make these.