Simple Granola

Here is a dilemma that I never thought about... store bought granola has way too many ingredients.  I found a recipe for granola bars that I wanted to try out, but all of the granola I found had tons of stuff in it that I didn't want in my granola bars (like raisins, almonds, seeds, etc.).  So I did the one thing any self-respecting cook would do.  I looked up a recipe I could modify.

Here is ANOTHER dilemma... granola recipes have even more ingredients.  I wanted one that I could make with ingredients that I had on hand.  It was a tough battle, Google almost beat me, but I conquered the challenge and found a site that had a granola base recipe!  I figured I could handle seven ingredients, and low and behold I actually had all of them.  Even better yet, many of the ingredients are exchangeable based on preference.

I'll post my granola bars soon!  In the mean time, here is my success to share with all:

Simple Granola Base
(adapted from Espresso and Cream)

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon (I use Siagon Cinnamon)
1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup honey (I also like using agave, when available)
1/3 cup light cooking oil (vegetable or canola)
1 tsp coconut extract (vanilla or almond)

1. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together honey, oil, and extract.  Pour over dry ingredients and mix well, using your hands if needed.
4. Spread mixture in a thin even layer in a baking dish.  Bake for 40 minutes, stirring once or twice.
5. Remove from oven and cool, stirring occasionally.  When cool, store in an air tight container or Zip-Loc Bag.

Homemade Oatmeal...oh yeah!

I should mention right off the bat...I am the oddity in my family.  My family loves coffee and/or tea...I don't.  My (very Irish) family loves corned beef and cabbage...I don't (at least I have my sister on my side about this one).  My family LOVES hot cereal...I DON'T!  I have never been able to choke down oatmeal, porridge or Cream of Wheat.  To me, the slimy consistency rendered it inedible.

Well, when my oldest son was very little my parents would watch him at least twice a week while my husband and I volunteered at our Church.  It was inevitable, seeing as food options for a one year old are still pretty limited, that they would feed him oatmeal.  And, of course, he loved it.  Two and a half years later, his brother followed suit.  The oatmeal bug was running rampant in my house, and I was powerless to stop it!

I quickly learned to be okay at least making oatmeal for my family, if not eating it myself.  It was pretty easy with all of the instant oatmeal options they have at the stores.  My boys particularly love the Dino Egg Oatmeal that Quaker has out.  But those instant oatmeal packs can be expensive.  I needed to come up with a way to feed the boys oatmeal without breaking the bank (or my gag reflex).

After some searching, I found a recipe that looked promising (and I had all of the ingredients on hand) so I adapted it for taste and made it for the boys.  It turned out super pretty if I do say so myself.

Nutty Cinnamon-Raisin Oatmeal

(adapted from Summer Tomato)

1 cup Water

1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/3 cup raisins (I used Sun Maid)

1/4 cup pecans, crumbeld

1 tsp cinnamon (I prefer Saigon Cinnamon)

1 Tbsp brown sugar
Splash of Milk (soy or almond, too!)

1. Add water and raisins to a small pot.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 4-5 minutes, until raisins are nice and plump.
2. Stir in oatmeal.  Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the oatmeal is your desired tenderness and consistency.  You can add water a tablespoon at a time to achieve this, as well.
3. Spoon the oatmeal into a cereal bowl.  Add a splash of milk.  Top with pecans, cinnamon, and brown sugar.  Stir together.  Add more milk to reach your desired consistency.  Enjoy!

Pre-Summer Good Weather Fun!

It has been unusually warm in our little corner of the world, so we have been trying to coax the boys to spend as much time outside as possible.  Of course, when water guns are involved, I didn't need to twist any arms.  Actually, it was my arm that needed to be twisted.  Being the perennial worrier that I am, I was concerned that being wet outside could only be bad for AJ's asthma and Gordy's recovery from his cough.  Yeah... I know... you can all roll your eyes now.  My husband trumped me.  He DID roll his eyes and told me that as hot as it was getting, the boys would dry between refills on their guns (he was right), so I dutifully pulled out the guns and filled them up.

Of course, this reminded me of the Super Soaker wars that my brother, sister and I used to have in our back yard in the Summers we were growing up.  Does anyone remember the Super Soaker 5000?  It was the MUST HAVE water gun for us.  When we got it it was like being handed the Holy Grail.  We treated it reverently...for like 2 minutes, then we fought over it for the next 2 months.

This also made me nostalgic for other water toys from my childhood.  Wading pools, garden sprinklers, the Skip-It like water bomb that would randomly explode after so many skips, and, of course, the Slip N Slide!  When and if we do move and buy a house, I can foresee a definite return of nostalgic water toys that first summer!

First-time Finger Painting

Recently for Mother's Day, my sister (Dude, she's always trying to make me look bad, lol) gave our mother a canvas and magnet of my niece's finger paint art.  My niece is 14 months old and it was adorable.

It also made one glaring point obvious. My boys, who are 5 and 2 1/2 years old, have never, ever, finger painted.  I don't know why.  My brother even bought AJ finger paints for Christmas when he was 3.  Of course if you want AJ to use anything that might require him to be outside, Christmas is not the time of year to get it for him, as his asthma usually prevents outdoor activities in winter.

You might ask why I won't let them finger paint inside.  Two words sum it up: "rental deposit".  The last thing I wanted was to get finger paint in the carpet.  Of course now that we have been here for nearly five years I realize that the carpet is going to have to be replaced anyway.  This still didn't prevent me from using the fairly temperate weather outside as an excuse for their first experience.

While they were napping I wrapped the easel in parcel paper (and priority packing tape).  I metered out the paint in plastic cups and set the easel outside.  Once they were up I had them don just pants and head outside to start the fun.

At first I had to encourage them to dig in, but they got the idea pretty soon.  Both enjoyed it immensely.

Idea for next time:  the Crayola Washable Finger Paint is more gel than paint.  It made it hard to do hand prints and to mix colors.  So next time I'll stick with standard tempera paint.

Planter Watering Trough

Our family recently got back from a two week vacation to Washington.  It was quite an adventure, and as much fun as we all had with Todd's family, I was definitely glad to be home.  

The first week was spent with Todd's dad and brothers (and sister-in-love) in Soap Lake.  For those of you who are not familiar with this lovely spot in Central Washington, it is right smack dab in the center of ag country in Grant County, east of Ephrata and northwest of Moses Lake.  The humidity while we were there was around 40% almost the entire time (except when it rained and spiked at 50%!).  For someone who is used to 75% humidity on the coast...well let's just say my sinuses were not thanking me.

In the midst of all of this dryness, I spotted the coolest idea ever!  The idea was unintentionally inspired, as my father-in-law had simply put the jug of water in his rhubarb patch as a way to remind him to water them, but still the idea took flight.

After last year's disaster with my herb garden, I was looking for a way create a "trickle irrigation" system without running water all the time.  Seeing that jug sitting in the garden sent my brain whirling.  Why not poke holes in the bottom of a jug of water to keep the garden constantly moist with only having to "water" once a day.

So, as soon as I finished my first gallon of milk I rinsed it and pounced in to action.  All you need is a gallon jug, scissors, a sewing needle (at first I used an upholstery needle, but a smaller embroidery needle is better), and matches (use a candle to keep a constant flame going).

Take the scissors and cut the top of the jug off, leaving the handle.

Light a candle and hold the needle in the flame until it is hot enough to melt plastic (I counted to five).  Immediately poke a hole in the bottom of the jug.  Repeat five more times.  For my first jug I poked twelve holes, but the water drained too fast.  Six holes are truly the best.  Keep them spaced evenly.

Afterwards, place the jug in the planter and fill with water.  It truly works!