Simple Pasta with Garlic, Mild Italian Sausage and Broccoli

Once in a while I hit a home run. "Baseball?" you ask. No. In my house, a home run has nothing to do with sports but with dinner. When I make something that everyone, including my 4 year old with the picky palate, enjoys, praises and devours, then it is a home run! Tonight, it was a quick, simple, less than 5 ingredients pasta. It took about 20 minutes to prepare and even less time for the kids to eat it. What can be better than that? Maybe a slam dunk? (I'll fill you in on that one some other time!)

Simple Pasta with Garlic, Mild Italian Sausage and Broccoli

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

2 cups Garofalo (or penne, spiral or small shaped pasta)

1 cup reserves starch water from cooking pasta

4 mild Italian sausages, casing removed and crumbled

1 small head of broccoli

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Begin to cook pasta according to package directions. When almost al dente, add broccoli and cook until tender crisp, about 1 - 2 minutes.

Remove 1 cup of starch water then drain pasta and broccoli. Set aside.

Cook crumbled sausage in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add garlic near the last minute of the sausage cooking and continue to cook until no longer pink.

Add drained pasta, pasta water and broccoli. Toss until heated through.

Plate individual servings and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Website Recipe Review - Banana Nut Muffins

A few days ago I received a post from Family Friendly Food that featured a Banana Nut Loaf that was toted to be fabulous. Well, I had a few bananas that had seen better days and we were close to out of anything baked in the house so I thought I'd give the recipe a try. I tend to take loaf recipes and make batches of big muffins for the adults and mini muffins for the kids as they are the perfect size for our little ones when they need a snack.

The verdict? As a write this short little entry, Trevor is on to eating his 5th mini muffin and he doesn't seem to be satiated yet. We'll definitely be making these ones again!

Banana Nut Loaf (Or Muffins)

Recipe from http://www.familyfriendlyfood.com/

Use a 8-1/2 by 4-1/2 inch loaf pan, a 24 mini muffin pan. or 2 regular muffin pans.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup flour (I used half whole wheat and half all purpose)

1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup sugar

1 stick (115 grams) butter

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

3 small (about 1 cup) bananas, mashed

1/2 cup chocolate chips – optional

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Grease loaf pan with butter or put paper/silicone cups in the muffin tins.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape the sides. Add the eggs and milk, and beat until smooth. Scrape the sides again. On low speed, add the flour mixture and bananas alternately, beating until smooth.

Fold in the chocolate chips, if using. Pour the batter into the greased pan. Scatter the nuts on top.

For loaf: Bake for 1 hour or until done. (Start checking after 45 minutes. I think I baked it for 45 minutes.)

For Muffins: Make about 15 - 20 minutes, depending on the size off the muffin. They will be golden and lightly browning around the edges.

Cool in the pan for 15 minutes and remove to a platter to cool completely, that is if you can resist not eating it right away…

Broccoli and Swiss Chicken Breasts with Oven Baked Mac and Cheese

If you ask my kids what they want for dinner, they usually give me three answers: Mac and Cheese, Hot Dogs or Pizza. So last night we had Mac and Cheese to keep them happy and chicken breasts stuffed with broccoli and Swiss cheese for the adults. And to be honest, the Mac and Cheese was enjoyed by the adults just as much as the kids. It's a fabulous recipe, easy to prepare, especially if you cheat and buy the already grated cheese. And it can be prepared in advance and refrigerated or frozen if you really want to be organized. As for the chicken, just as easy and quick. A perfect family dinner!

Broccoli and Swiss Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Oven Baked Mac and Cheese

(Serves 4)

*Note: Both items are cooked at 400 degrees F, with the Mac and Cheese taking 5 minutes longer than the chicken so pop the pasta in first and the chicken in 5 minutes later for perfect timing!

Ingredients - Mac and Cheese:

3 cups dry macaroni, cooked al dente

4 Tbsp butter

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 tsp dry mustard

4 Tbsp flour

3/4 cup chicken stock

2 cups whole milk

4 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated

2 cups medium cheddar cheese, grated

salt and pepper

4 slices bread

2 Tbsp butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.Cook pasta until al dente, about 5 -6 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a large pot, melt 4 Tbsp butter. Add garlic and dry mustard and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add flour and whisk until golden, about 1 minute. Add chicken stock and milk, stir and raise the heat to boil. Continually stir until bubbling and slightly thickened, about 5 - 7 minutes.

Remove from heat and continue to stir while adding cheese slowly until melted.

Add macaroni and mix. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into a medium sized casserole dish.

In a food processor, turn bread into crumbs, adding the 2 Tbsp butter halfway through the process so that it is incorporated into the crumbs.

Place bread on top of pasta, spreading it evenly. Cook for 25 - 30 minutes until golden.

Ingredients - Broccoli and Swiss Stuffed Chicken Breasts:

4 chicken breasts, flattened

4 slices Swiss Cheese

1 cup broccoli, lightly steamed (I add 1 Tbsp of water to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place it in the microwave for one - two minutes until tender crisp)

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp dried thyme or 1 tsp fresh

zest from one lemon

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

Directions:

Lay the chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and flatten with a meat mallet (or anything heavy that won't break as you pound!)

Lay tender crisp broccoli in the middle of the chicken with a slice of Swiss cheese on top. Roll and place seam side down on a tin foil lined baking sheet.

In a small bowl, combine mayo, mustard, thyme, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Spread mayo mixture over top of chicken breasts then top with Panko crumbs, pressing gently so they stick.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes until cooked through.

Grampy's Steak Marinade and Sweet Red Onions

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my in-laws are visiting from Toronto. Because we are a busy family, our meals are usually quick and simple. No exceptions made when family visits! Last night we enjoyed some succulent tenderloin steaks that were marinated in Grampy's old standby recipe. No measurements here, just a dash of this and a drop of that, so I will do my best to re-create! The result? Fabulous!

Grampy's Steak Marinade and Sweet Onions

(Serves 4)

Ingredients - Steak Marinade

Olive oil (about 1/4 cup)

Balsamic Vinegar (About half a cup)
Worcestershire Sauce (A few shakes of the bottle)

Liquid Hickory Smoke (Three or four drops)

Fresh garlic, grated (3 or 4 cloves)

Tarragon (Fresh or dry)

Paprika

Lay the steaks out on a dish with sides. On both sides of the steak, pour over olive oil, balsamic, Worcestershire, and liquid hickory smoke. Grated garlic over top and sprinkle with tarragon and paprika. Wait an hour.
Ingredients - Marinated Sweet Red Onions

One large red onion, sliced into rings

Extra virgin olive oil, about 1/4 cup

Balsamic Vinegar, about 1/2 cup

1/2 Tbsp white sugar

Combine ingredients and let sit for an hour.

We grilled our steaks on the BBQ for medium rare, about 5 minutes per side, as they were quite thick pieces of tenderloin. We served the steaks with roast potatoes and yams as well as buttered carrots and of course, the marinated red onion. There was not an ounce of food left and the kids even polished off their steak and asked for more. Smart kids!

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with a Hint of Orange

I receive automatic updates from Evil Shenanigans, an excellent foodie blog and contributor to Dinnervibe. The latest post was for Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies that looked fabulous. I took the recipe and ran with it, adding a little orange zest for some added pow! They turned out wonderfully and will be enjoyed this week by the moms, teachers and preschoolers among us! Isn't it great how a yummy cookie can unite us all? :-)

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with a Hint of Orange

(Adapted slightly from http://www.evilshenanigans.com/ Yields 36 cookies )

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, cold

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

zest from 1 orange

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 - 12 oz bags semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 cups quick cooking oats

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a bowl mix the flour, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer cream the butter and two sugars until mixed, but not fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix well. Add the vanilla, zest, and cinnamon. Stir to combine.

Pour in the flour mixture and stir until the flour is almost absorbed, then add the chocolate chips and mix until the chip are incorporated and no flour remains. (You may need to do this by hand)

Scoop the dough into 1″ balls onto the prepared sheet pans.

Bake the cookies for 15 - 18 minutes, or until the edges are golden. Allow the cookies to cool for 3 minutes on the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

JJ's Poached White Spring Salmon with a Dill Sauce

 

My mother in law, Jen (JJ to our kids) and Grampy are visiting us from Toronto this week. We are having a great time spending precious moments with them and creating fabulous memories. I am also a lucky daughter in law because Jen is a fabulous cook and I always learn a thing or two from her when she works in the kitchen. Like tonight.

Jen made an excellent poached white spring salmon with potatoes, asparagus and peas. I've never poached salmon and I didn't even know it came in a mild, white version. It was a meal simple in design but incredible in flavour.

Poached White Spring Salmon with a Dill Sauce

(Serves 4)

Ingredients - Salmon:

4 (6 ounces each) spring salmon, white or pink(red)

Juice of 1 lemon (*or you can use 1/4 cup dry white wine if you prefer)

4 dill sprigs

fresh ground pepper

water

Ingredients - Dill Sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise

3 - 4 springs of dill, chopped fine

lemon juice from 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup red onion, chopped fine

1/4 cup celery, chopped fine

Ingredients - Sides:

Boiled potatoes with butter and salt

Steamed asparagus and peas with butter.

Directions:

In a large pot, pour in approximately 2 cups of water, juice from 1 lemon, a few grinds of fresh pepper and dill sprigs.

Bring to a rapid boil then reduce heat to a gentle simmer.

Poach fish for 6 - 8 minutes until just cooked through.

Serve with dill sauce and vegetables.

An Official Foodie

Do you know when you become an "official foodie"? When your four year old son asks you to come to the playroom to see his restaurant. So, like a good mom should, you go to take a look and there before you is a table (AKA big bucket turned upside down) and 4 chairs set around it. On the table is a variety of plastic play food, plates, cups, and cutlery. Your son then asks you to go get the camera because, "I need to take a picture for Dinnervibe!" Well, there you have it. Dinnervibe hasn't even officially launched and I've got my four year old working for me. Sweet!(Dinnervibe: A subscription based electronic newsletter delivering a weeks worth of family friendly dinner recipes complete with shopping list. http://www.dinnervibe.com/ launching soon! I promise!)

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

If you are going to make a batch of cookies in the near future, these are the ones to try. Moist, chewy, with just the right amount of spice. Of all my cookie recipes, this one is up there at the top. They remind me of the perfect store bought oatmeal raisin cookie but without all the additives, preservatives and other junk. Once baked, store them in an airtight container and they'll be moist and chewy for days, if they last that long...

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

(Makes 24 cookies)

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, at room temperature

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups old fashioned oats (not quick oats)

1 cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat butter with sugars until well blended. Add vanilla and eggs and mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, add together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Mix well.

Add dry mixture to wet and use a wooden spoon to mix.

Add in oats and raisins and continue to mix until just combined.

Drop by the tablespoon onto a cookie sheet.

Bake 9 - 10 minutes until just beginning to brown. Remove and let cool slightly on the pan before placing on a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Crispy Orange Beef (With Steamed Carrots, Green Beans and Rice)

Dinnervibe is so close to being launched I can almost taste it! (OK, yes, that was supposed to be a pun and it was intended. Sorry!) I've been working my tail off searching out other foodies and sites who are willing to contribute their family friendly recipes and photos to be featured in Dinnervibe. I was giddy with excitement when http://www.allrecipes.com/ gave me permission to use some of the recipes from their site and Crispy Orange Beef is one of them. If you know allrecipes, you know that all the recipes are rated by the users that cook them. Since last count, Crispy Orange Beef has been rated 308 times and has earned 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. (Interestingly enough, when I read a bunch of the reviews from those that gave the dish 4 stars, the majority of them had changed and adapted the recipe slightly! Well, duh!)

So, here it is! A little taste (I know, I know...) of a Dinnervibe feature dinner that will appear in our 1st week of family friendly recipes once we launch! (Soon! I promise!)


Crispy Orange Beef (with Steamed Carrots, Green Beans and Rice)
(From http://www.allrecipes.com/ Serves 6)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds beef top sirloin, thinly sliced
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup long grain rice
2 cups water
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons orange zest
3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 cups vegetable oil for frying
2 cups green beans, lightly steamed or blanched
4 large carrots, sliced thin and lightly steamed or blanched

Directions:
Lay beef strips out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Allow to dry in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, rice vinegar, orange juice concentrate, salt and soy sauce. Set aside.

Meanwhile, combine rice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until rice is tender. Add more water at the end if necessary.

Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Toss dried beef in cornstarch to coat. Fry in the hot oil in small batches until crispy and golden brown; set aside. Drain all of the oil from the wok except about 1 tablespoon.

Add orange zest, ginger and garlic to the remaining oil, and cook briefly until fragrant. Add the soy sauce mixture to the wok, bring to a boil, and cook until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Add beef, and heat through, stirring to coat. Serve immediately over steamed rice with vegetables.

Grilled Vegetable Orzo Salad

A simple salad for a summer picnic that is easy to make and delicious! We had our end of the year preschool beach celebration tonight and I needed to pull a salad together in an hour. This one did the trick and I think it was well enjoyed as there was not an orzo tidbit left in the bowl by the end of the night!

Grilled Vegetable Orzo Salad

(Makes about 8 cups of salad)

Ingredients:

1 small package (200 grams) of orzo, cooked according to package directions then drained and cooled.

1 large zucchini, chopped

1 large red onion, chopped

1 small eggplant, chopped

4 large Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 each of red, orange and yellow pepper, cored, seeded and chopped

4 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 tab;lespoon fresh oregano, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F or set BBQ grill to high.

Toss all the vegetables and the garlic with the 1/4 cup of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and either roast in the oven for about 30 - 40 minutes, turning the veggies a couple of times, until browned on the edges or place in a BBQ grill pan and grill 20 - 30 minutes.

Remove veggies from oven and let cool. Once cooled, roughly chop, making sure to get the garlic.

Place orzo, cooled veggies, feta, and oregano in a large bowl. Stir gently until mixed.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

Taylor asked me to make some cookies, "without any vegetables or grainy bits!" so I relented and made him some good old fashioned chocolate chip peanut butter cookies, the kind my mom used to make us when we were kids. No whole wheat flour, wheat bran or flax here, I'm afraid. But we need to indulge once in a while, right?

Chocoalte Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

(Makes 36 big cookies)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter at room temperature
3/4 cup white sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup peanut butter (I use creamy but you can use chunky too!)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer and cream the butter with the white and brown sugar until smooth. By hand, stir in the peanut butter, vanilla and egg until well blended.

In a seperate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt.

Add to the wet batter and mix using a spoon until moistened.

Add the oats and chocolate chips and combine well.

Place dough on baking sheet by the tablespoon.

Bake for 12 minutes until golden and edges are starting to brown.

Ribs Dinner by Heidi

It was Mystery Dinner Night tonight! Every Tuesday my friend Heidi brings dinner over and every Thursday I take dinner to her house. Tonights dinner was kick butt ribs along with a rice salad and Moroccan Carrot Salad. It was so good that there was actually a silent few minutes at the table followed by Trevor happily moaning, "Mmmmmm! Yummy ribs!" He loved the ribs so much, the little monkey reached over and stole one of mine right off my plate after he had finished his! A two year old thief! Lovely!

Heidi's Rib Dinner

(Serves 4)

Ingredients and Directions - Ribs:

4 pounds pork spareribs
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup rum
1/3 cup canned tomatoes (pureed)
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 Tbsp Vietnamese Garlic Chili sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 dash ground black pepper

1. Cut spareribs into serving size portions, boil in water for 1 hour or longer (until meat falls off the bone)

2. In a bowl, mix together brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, rum, pureed tomatoes, vinegar, chili sauce, garlic, mustard, and pepper. Put ribs in ziploc bag(s) and add sauce. Marinate at room temperature for 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight.

3. Preheat grill on high heat.

4. Brush grill grate with oil. Place ribs on grill, and cook for 30 minutes at medium heat, basting with marinade.

Ingredients and Directions - Rice Salad:

2 cups cooked brown rice
1 pint grape tomatoes (halved)
1/2 cup goats feta (crumbled)
3 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped

3 Tbsp Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts (toasted in a 350 degree oven for 8 mins)
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar

2 Tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

1. Make the brown rice according to package directions and then let cool in the fridge.
2. Mix vinegar, oil, salt & pepper in small bowl.
3. Add tomatoes, feta, basil & parsley to rice.
4. Pour in dressing and toss.

Ingredients and Directions - Moroccan Carrot Salad:

6 carrots, sliced on the diagonal
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp mint leaves, chopped fine
1 Tbsp Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
salt & pepper to taste

1. Blanch carrots in a pot of boiling water. One minute in hot water then toss into bowl of ice and water to stop cooking.
2. In small bowl mix lemon juice, oil, garlic, sugar, cumin, mint, parsley, salt pepper.
3. About 1 hr or less before serving, add dressing to carrots and toss. If you do it too soon the carrots get sour.

Oven Roasted Tomato and Spinach Salad

Sometimes I forget how the most simplest of recipes can sometimes be the tastiest. For example, along with our lasagna from the other night, I made a spinach salad with oven roasted tomatoes. It didn't take a lot of ingredients or too much effort and the result was a gorgeous, flavourful salad that everyone enjoyed.

Over Roasted Tomato and Spinach Salad

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 small package of baby spinach
8 Roma tomatoes, chopped or a pint of grape tomatoes (I used both as I had both on hand.)

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tsp sugar
fresh ground pepper
salt

fresh grated Romano cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Combine tomatoes, garlic, balsamic, olive oil and sugar in a bowl. Toss gently to combine. Spread mixture out onto a foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and a few twists from the pepper grinder.

Place in oven and roast for 60 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Place spinach in a salad bowl. Top with tomato mixture and fresh grated Romano cheese. Serve.

Eggplant and Ground Beef Quick Lasagne

I made some of my favourite eggplant supper stew the other night and went a bit crazy on the amount I made as my intentions were to freeze it for a later date. Well, while shopping for groceries yesterday I saw some fresh whole wheat lasagna sheets I've been dying to try. In an instant, I had a fabulous brainwave! (And trust me, they are not all that fabulous.) I would combine my yummy eggplant supper stew with the fresh pasta and a little cheese to make an eggplant lasagne like no other! Quick, easy and delicious, this ones a keeper.

Eggplant and Ground Beef Quick Lasagne
(Serves 8)

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp extra virgin oilive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 kg extra lean ground beef
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large eggplant, diced (Tip: Find the heaviest one for its size)
4 carrots, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Italian diced tomatoes, drained (I like Eden Organic)
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 package whole wheat fresh lasagne pasta sheets
1 1/2 cup Romano cheese, grated (or Parmesan or mozzarella)

Directions:

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the onion, beef, and garlic until the beef is evenly browned. Drain off any fat. Stir in the eggplant, carrots, celery, and tomatoes.

Mix the brown sugar, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in to the beef stock then stir it into the stew . Cook until heated through.

In a large baking dish, alternate layers of eggplant beef mixture, a sprinkling of cheese and the lasagne sheets so that you have done it twice.

Bake covered in foil at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 - 25 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and brown.

Apple Carrot Raisin Bran Flax Muffins

I've been doing a lot of baking posts lately because I've been trying not to buy anything processed for my kids. I am also updating all my dinner recipes with photos so we're having a few repeat meals in our house.

But back to the muffins! These muffins are definately nutritious, vitamin and fibre packed, as well as kid pleasing. I make them as muffin tops and then they are just the right size for little hands. No oil is used in making these muffins, which is a bonus as there is minimal fat. When trying these out, mix everything by hand to keep them from getting too tough.

Apple Carrot Raisin Bran Flax Muffins

(Makes 15 medium muffins or 15 large muffin tops)

Ingredients

1 cup unbleached white flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup ground flax

3/4 cup bran cereal

1 cup brown sugar

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 cups grated carrots

2 grated apples (I leave the skin on but peel if you want)

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup pecans (or if not using nuts, another 1/2 cup raisins)

3/4 cup milk

2 beaten eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine flours, flax, bran cereal, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Stir in carrots, apples, raisins and nuts.

Combine milk, beaten eggs and vanilla. Pour into dry mixture and mix by hand until just combined. DO NOT OVER MIX.

Use paper muffin cup liners or lightly grease muffin pans. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and bake 12 - 20 minutes, depending on size.

Another Yummy 9 Grain Granola Bar

I can't seem to make the same granola bar twice! I'm just having too much fun trying out new recipes and using my kids (and my kids' friends) as guinea pigs. I experimented some more with the 9 grain cereal when making these and really like how they turned out. The bar also got rave reviews by the under five bunch and I think it's got to be one of the top 3. It's a mix and match bar. You can choose what you want to put in it, omit some items and double others to make up for the omitted ingredients and it will always work well. Once cooled, keep them in the fridge and they will stay together quite nicely.

Yummy 9 Grain Granola Bar

(Makes about 24 bars)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups 9 Grain Cereal
2 cups rice cereal (like Rice Crispies)

1 cup unsweetened coconut

1 cup pecans (or almonds, walnuts, peanuts, etc, whatever you like)

1 cup dried fruits, chopped small

1 cup pumpkin seeds (or sunflower)

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup honey

1 cup brown sugar

Directions:

Grease a 9" x 13" pan and set aside.

Combine all dry ingredients in a medium bowl then set aside.

Put butter, honey and brown sugar in a large pot and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until bubbling.

Add dry ingredients, stir well, and continue to cook until a light golden brown, about 6 - 7 minutes.

Pour into pan and press hard (I use the back of a spatula). Let cool completely the place in fridge to chill. Cut into bars and enjoy!

*My combination this time was no nuts, 2 cups of dried cranberries and apricots (instead of 1 cup because I omitted the nuts) and 1 cup of pumpkin seeds.

Next time I am going try 2 cups of dried apple, no coconut, 2 cups pecans and no seeds. I might even drizzle them with a caramel topping. It will be messy but it should be yummy!

Nine Grain Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've been trying to only use whole grains and whole wheat flour in my baking. Lately, I've been experimenting using 9 grain cereal and with great results. My latest find is a recipe that I adapted from the Rogers 9 Grain Cereal and Baking Mix. In it is wheat flakes, oat flakes, wheat bran, barley flakes, rye flakes, triticale flakes, oat flour, millet, cornmeal, flax seed, sunflower seed, and wheat germ. How's that for nutrition! The kids love the cookies and I love the fact that they are getting a huge helping of goodness when they munch away.

Nine Grain Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Adapted from Rogers 9 Grain Cereal Recipe - Makes 30 cookies)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups nine grain cereal

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, soft

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cups chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Combine dry ingredients then set aside.

In a separate large bowl, beat butter with brown sugar. Add in egg and vanilla and beat until combined.

Add dry ingredients and chocolate chips. Mix well.

Drop by the teaspoon on a greased cookie sheet and flatten with a fork then bake 10 - 12 minutes until golden.