Hearty Granola Bar Recipe...

I wanted to make a hearty and healthy granola bar recipe. You know, something with some substance and not just a lot of processed fluff and air. I wanted it to stay together like an actual bar and not just be loose granola in a baggy. I wanted something that would travel well and hold up to bouncing around in a backpack or lunch sack.
This time of year (winter) we like to take the Sprouts snowshoeing from time to time. It is a great workout and lots of fun to boot! It's an especially great workout for those that cart a Sprout around on their back! Fortunately that hasn't been me! It burns a boatload of calories and you really need a great snack along the way.

I was really happy with how this recipe turned out. Added bonus...it can be made vegan...or, not!

Hearty Granola Bars

1/4 cup butter (sub coconut oil if making vegan)

1/4 cup of coconut oil

3/4 cup of any nut butter (I have used peanut or almond)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 TBSP of vanilla (yes, that's right)

1/3 cup raw honey (hopefully someday from our own bees!)

2 1/2 cups organic rolled oats

1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (I like cashews or pecans)

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (sub carob chips for vegan)

1/2 cup oat bran

1/4 cup of flax seeds

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt

2 TBSP water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 X 13 baking pan with parchment paper big enough to hang over the sides.

In a large saucepan combine the butter, coconut oil, nut butter, brown sugar, vanilla, honey and 2 TBSP of water. Cook over medium heat stirring often until you have a uniform syrup.

Remove from heat and add the other ingredients. Stir until it is well coated and blended.

Pour into pan and press firmly with your hands or a large spoon. Sprinkle with the salt. (optional)

Bake about 20-30 minutes or until the edges start to darken.

Leave in pan to cool completely. Then take it out of the pan and cut into squares. It sets up like a granola bar but still has some great chew appeal. Not too crunchy.

These really do hit the spot! They are filling and energy producing and taste amazing.

I wrapped them individually to throw in my backpack. They were a HUGE hit with my hiking mates.
I make them often and mix it up a bit with various nuts and nut butters! Enjoy...

Beginner Beekeeping...

This title may be overstating the extent of our knowledge of beekeeping. I'm not even sure we are to the beginner stage just yet! Honestly, I'm finding it a bit overwhelming. I'm hoping my mind is making it harder than it actually is. I mean, there are a whole bunch of beekeepers out there...right? Is it wrong to assume that we should be able to figure it out? (still kind of worried)...
The information available is overwhelming. There are books and magazines and videos and classes. I have read several books and I'm still somewhat confused. I must admit...bee colonies are fascinating!
What an amazing species....honey bees! Nature came up with something pretty darn special. The way they work together is intricate and beautiful. I guess I knew bits and pieces about how the colony works but was sorely uneducated about the whole system. Bees are important!
I'm sure you've all read or heard about Colony Collapse Disorder by now. I'm sure you know how important the honey bees are to our food supply. Of course you know how much better your garden will be if the bees are stopping by. If not, I urge you to do some research.

I started by making a trip to the library. I was pleasantly surprised at the resources available. I have read through all three of these books and was happy they provided so many pictures and diagrams. Do I think I will now be able to identify the queen bee? Not necessarily...
For the most part honey bees are quite docile. They are busy doing their very important job and don't want to be interrupted. They just want to go about their biz and don't mind hanging out near you if you don't get all crazy and start bugging them.
Sometimes the nice honey bee gets confused with the very mean and ornery wasp or hornet. Now those guys are just down right brutal. They really don't do much except fly around and act like bullies. They will sting you over and over just because they can! They need to get a job like the honey bees as they are always just up to no good! Those bad guys will even go after the hard working and productive honey bees! Sheesh...
I have a confession to make. Even knowing all this I'm still a little bit afraid of having our own bees. Of course I don't want our future bees to know that! I will need to find a way to hide my fear pheromones!
Fortunately Hubs is NOT afraid of bees. He is even a little over zealous in thinking he doesn't need a complete bee suit. He is pretty sure that he and the bees will become as "one". (Whatever that means...)
We still have lots of shopping to do before our adopted bees arrive this spring. We do need to get a smoker. It seems that using a little smoke on our honey bees will calm them down a bit and keep them mellow when we are checking on them. (I'm still a little unclear on exactly what we are checking for).
There are several beekeeping tools of the trade. A soft brush to gently move them away or off your pant leg or sleeve. A tool to help you lift out the screens and make sure everyone is doing their job.
We are also on the hunt for the perfect place in our yard. The bees need a fresh water source. They like to face east so they can wake up with the sun and get busy. They don't want it to be too sunny...or, too shady...or, too hot...or, too cold! They don't want it to get too windy, either! They need a good six foot launch pad above their hive and plenty of space in front of the hive to do their fancy dances and give and receive instructions to each other. We are still looking for that ideal spot.

We did purchase our hive! It was pretty exciting. It doesn't NEED to be aesthetically pleasing but I'm sure glad it is! I love this hive. For now it's sitting in the garage. If we are successful at caring for bees we may add more hives and colonies. Hubs thinks he might like to build our next hive.
There is still so much to learn and new beekeepers aren't always successful on their first try. If the bees don't like their new home they will just up and move! I'm hoping they will like my lawn full of dandelions and the delectable fruit trees and garden in my neighbors yard. We are planning to plant Russian sage and bee balm and lavender. We want them to "bee" happy here! ;)
I think we all need to take ownership of our planet and the ecosystem of bees and what they bring to our world. I know our dandelions take over our yard now that we don't use harmful chemicals on the grass. My neighbor has a tendency to glare at them when she backs out of her driveway. Bummer...I get great pleasure from seeing the bees happily buzzing from yellow blossom to yellow blossom and satisfaction knowing they are welcome in my yard.
Okay...you know what else? Besides all of the above reasons...they give us honey! Lovely, golden raw honey. Just as nature intended. We use a lot of honey around here. It is chock full of goodness and health benefits and has wonderful healing powers! Wow...its like the perfect food filled with good bacteria and nutrition.
So...this journey is just beginning. We still have much to learn and figure out. We need to order our bees and get their home all ready to go. We need to take a few more classes and watch a few more videos and read a few more books...
Stay tuned...

How To Make Vanilla Extract...

Okay...making your own vanilla extract is hardly rocket science! I have no idea why I've never made it before. This is what happens...you start making your own stuff and it just gets a life of its own. You start looking around your pantry and imagining ways to fill your shelves with healthier products and less processed items.
Now that we make most of our food at home I've noticed I go through a boatload of vanilla extract. It isn't inexpensive! I've experimented a bit cooking with the actual vanilla beans but feel like I'm still a bit of a rookie.
I looked at a few different recipes when I decided to make the vanilla extract. You'd guess they are all exactly the same! I mean how many ways can there be?! Well...it seems there are several options.
You can save up your "spent" vanilla beans. You know, after you split them, scrape out the tiny mushy beans and use them in some delicious vanilla pudding or something equally divine. I opted out of this method. I figured by the time I have enough "spent" vanilla beans to make extract it will be a very long wait.
Vanilla beans are expensive. Buying them in a swanky cooking store or even at a grocery store or restaurant supply will set you back about ten bucks for a little vial of 3 beans. That would defeat the purpose of making your own. I started searching online for a good deal on beans and to see what I could find out. There are beans from Mexico and Madagascar and a few other exotic destinations. It seems for true connoisseurs there are different nuances to different beans depending on what you are going to use them for.
After looking at a few different websites I decided upon these beans...

Did I choose these vanilla beans because of my amazing knowledge of vanilla beans? Nope...I chose these because it says they are "extract grade vanilla beans"!  The description also gave me a couple of pointers. It suggested using one vial (24 grams) per 8 ounces of vodka. I also decided on these because of the price point. They were $9.99 each. I would guess there are even better deals out there.

I had a partially used bottle of cheap vodka leftover from making Kahlua.

Remember...don't waste your money on top shelf booze for making stuff like this...

This is what 24 grams of vanilla beans looks like. I think they may be the scratch and dents from the vanilla bean factory! No worries...a perfectly good use for them. They smell musky and sweet and alluring.

That's it! Nothin' to it! I made a double batch. Two vials of beans and 16 ounces of vodka. This will go onto a dark shelf in my basement. I will agitate it from time to time and plan to let it work its magic for about 8 weeks. You can also cover it with brown kraft paper or a brown paper bag if you don't have a dark hiding place.
I'm super excited about this. This is the start of my perpetual source of vanilla extract. My never ending supply of sweet and enticing burnished liquid. As you use it you just top it off with more vodka and shovel in a few more beans from time to time. I plan to start using more actual vanilla bean in my cooking adventures and will use those spent beans to replenish my bottle.
Oh...and, I love these bottles soooo much. I bought them a couple of years ago and use them for all sorts of fun activities! WECK is the brand. They are beautiful and well made and versatile. You can actually "bottle" fruits and vegetables in them with the unique glass lids, gaskets and clips. As a newbie to canning I found them a bit tedious for my level of experience but have found numerous uses for these fun jars...

Applesauce Oatmeal Cake

I'm telling you right off...this is just a very simple, uncomplicated, humble little cake. It won't knock your socks off, it won't be the best thing you've ever eaten...but, you will enjoy it for breakfast on a cold winter morning!
I had been eyeing my pantry shelves the other morning and admiring all the things I "bottled" last summer and fall. I was casually taking inventory of the goodies I made so we'd be able to enjoy them this winter when local fruit and veggies are scarce and harder to find.
Then I realized...it's already January! It's time to dig in and enjoy the bounty!
On Christmas morning I brought out a bottle of peach pie filling and made a lovely dessert for our Christmas festivities. I was thinking it was kind of an odd choice for Christmas and peach pie isn't necessarily what I think of when I'm planning a holiday menu. But, hey...I took the care and time to preserve those juicy organic peaches last summer so we could enjoy them in the dead of winter! Nobody felt inclined to point out that a peach pie was a random choice for Christmas Day. Instead they just ate it!
I opened a bottle of applesauce to share with one of the Sprouts. She decided she wasn't overly interested in it after eating a spoonful or two. She preferred the fresh scrambled eggs that morning. So, I decided I should make something with my lovely bottle of applesauce and decided on this filling and simple cake.

You start by cooking the oats with the water and applesauce...

APPLESAUCE OATMEAL CAKE

Preheat oven to 350F degrees

Grease a 9 X 13 pan

1 cup of old-fashioned organic oats

1 and 1/2 cups of applesauce

3/4 cups of water

1 stick of salted butter

1 cup of packed brown sugar

1 cup of pure cane sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. of almond extract (or, 1 tsp. of vanilla if you prefer, instead of almond)

1 cup organic unbleached flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. soda

Cook the oats with the water and applesauce. Follow the package directions for oatmeal cooking time.

Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.

Add eggs and almond extract and continue to mix until well beaten.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.

Add dry mixture and applesauce oatmeal mixture to creamed mixture and gently mix together.

Bake for 30 minutes or until a  toothpick or knife comes out clean.

I dusted with powdered sugar after it cooled slightly.

I enjoyed it for breakfast with a hot cup of joe! It was quite hearty and satisfying...especially because I used my prized applesauce ;)

Knitting 101...

Years ago I dabbled in knitting. If I remember correctly, I really enjoyed it! I don't know why I stopped. I never made anything too monumental. A few basic dish cloths and Christmas stockings.
A few years ago my daughter started knitting. I wish I could say I taught her or encouraged her. Nope...she found her own way to a knitting shop in Southern California and started a beautiful, soft, multi-colored wool scarf. I was impressed and envious! I remembered NOTHING about my old knitting days and didn't have a clue where to begin again after all those years.
A few months back, some friends invited me to the kick-off session of a newly formed knitting club. I was so excited. The friend hosting gave us all a handmade knitting bag. They had been lovingly made for all of us by her step-mother. Each one was made with different fabric and buttons and each one was unique and fun. Our first project was that basic dish cloth from my past. Ha...but, I was thrilled to be knitting again and it started to come back to me. I made several of those dish cloths and enjoyed every stitch. Interestingly, some of us embraced knitting with a vengeance and others had absolutely no interest after our first meeting. I couldn't get enough of it!
After my dish cloth phase I moved onto my scarf phase and then to my beanie phase. With the help of classes and YouTube videos I learned more and more stitches and took on more and more projects. I learned how to add stitches and decrease stitches. I learned yarn overs and front and back stitches. I learned funky ways to cast on and cast off. I learned how to make some amazing slippers and felt them and I made the most amazing market bag! I LOVE that bag. I had high hopes of making one for everyone I know! It didn't happen. That bag was challenging and one day I need to re-visit it!
I'm far from an expert knitter. There is still so much to learn and I still get completely intimidated when I make a mistake and have to try and fix it! Sometimes I can't! You do a lot of problem solving in knitting! It isn't that rare that I completely undo a project and start over out of frustration. It's almost always a lesson in patience...
Two weeks before Christmas my daughter and I signed up for a cable knit hat class. I had never done any cable knitting. I was feeling intimidated before the class and hoped I would be able to keep up. I went to the knitting shop early to pick out my yarn and get the right needle size. Before class started I completely fell in love with the required yarn. It is thick and chunky and soft at the same time. The colors are amazing and vivid and hand dyed. It was hard to choose! I entered the classroom with my deep blue ball of yarn, my knitting tools and my newly opened package of cable hooks.
I LOVED this class and I loved the soft feel of the yarn as I knit and I found that doing cables was incredibly fun and rewarding. I was able to keep up and see progress and felt confident I could actually get my knitting homework done before the next week when we would complete the hat in class.

Seriously, I'm in love with this yarn. The brand is "Malabrigo". It is kettle dyed pure merino wool and it is delicious...

I was able to complete my hat project and finish it up in the 2nd class. I enjoyed it so much I started another one in class that night! (I needed some assistance to remember the new "twisted German" cast on method we just learned).

Cables rock! I was excited to give this hat to my gorgeous daughter-in-law...

Luckily I was able to complete a second one for my son.  Okay, I stayed up until 1a.m. on Christmas Eve to get it finished...but, it was totally worth it!

I don't think I'm overstating this to say they were the most popular gifts I gave! I got 2 random emails Christmas night with requests for the same hat!

Lookin' good in the new hats! Super warm as well...

And, so...I headed back to the yarn shop the day after Christmas to get another skein of this lovely yarn.

Half way there! Each one is beautiful! When I get this one finished I am going to make one for ME!

I LOVE knitting! I already have several projects lined up for the new year...

This amazing cable knit hat pattern is available on: Ravelry.com

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/annewinter2000/an-unoriginal-hat

note: I used these recommended modifications on this hat pattern. It allows you to finish using just one skein of the scrumptious "Malabrigo" yarn.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

Ha! I actually took the time to look up where the phrase "winner winner chicken dinner" originated. Supposedly, it had its start in Las Vegas years ago. Back in the day when you could get a complete chicken dinner for under two bucks in that glittery gambling mecca. I guess if you were a lucky $2.00 winner you could go treat yourself to a tasty chicken dinner with all the fixin's!
For some reason those words are just stuck in my head right now...whenever I'm putting together some goodies for our hens it starts playing in my brain. :/
The days are still short here in the Northern Hemisphere and the temps are downright chilly. There is about 8 inches of icy frozen snow on the ground. We have a flock of 11 laying ladies. We are only getting 1 or 2 eggs a day. Mother Nature has slowed everything down and the chickens are conserving energy to stay warm and they keep taking turns molting! Some days there is hazy sunshine and they squawk to get out of the coop and roam freely like usual. When we let them out they are sorely disappointed that their tender juicy grass shoots are covered with an icy layer. They can't find their wriggly worms and hidden bugs.
One sunny day after a large snowstorm they were begging for their freedom. I gave in and let them out for a bit. Sadly...they would walk into the snow, be taken by surprise and completely stop! It was like a game of "statue"! They didn't know what to do, so they just came to a complete standstill! I ended up lifting them from their snowy prison cells and carted them all back to the coop!
We don't feed our chickens laying pellets or crumbles. We supply them a never ending supply of organic hen scratch. For three seasons they supplement with all the bugs, worms, snails and growing greens they can stuff their bellies with. This time of year I feel we need to help them out!

In the almost four years we've had our feathered friends it never gets old being able to give them all our produce scraps. I absolutely LOVE not filling up the garbage can or disposal with fruit and veggie trimmings. We keep a nice sized stainless steel bowl close by the chopping and dicing board and make sure none of these yummy scraps go to waste.
They really love cabbage and they were getting bored being all "cooped" up in the snowy weather conditions. Hubs decided to rig up something to entertain them as well as supplement their usual grub.

How 'bout a hanging head of cabbage?!

Then we remembered that birds like "suet". Back in the day I remember making suet bird feeders with my own Sprouts. We started saving our bacon grease and layering it in a freezer safe container with random goodies. Nuts, dried fruits and grains.

A little here, a little there...and soon you have saved a container full...I layered a bit of uncooked quinoa and some dried cranberries this time.

The frozen and solid grease and goodies! Oh...may I point out my amazing vintage pastel yellow Pyrex dishes? May I mention I am in love with them and that I found six of them at a yard sale for $1.00 each?! I was giddy when I found them and they haven't disappointed. They are the perfect teeny size for all kinds of fun!

If suet cakes could be considered adorable I think this one would be.

Another hanging surprise! I have a few more of the awesome little Pyrex containers getting all layered up in my freezer. The girls all seem pretty happy with the extra treats this winter.

I'm still trying to come up with ideas to supplement their diet through the cold and dark weeks ahead. I'm happy to report they all seem healthy and happy this winter despite the freezing temperatures and the occasional boredom from being confined to the coop on the super cold and snowy days...

Our friends and family are anxiously awaiting the increase in egg production that will come in the next month or so...once you've had farm fresh eggs you just can't go back!

How To Make Cheese Crackers!...

Holiday merriment is in full swing. Or, possibly holiday stress and dread is in full swing! Either way, it's inevitable that December 25th will a make an appearance...
I wish I could say I get all giddy during the Holidays...I don't...Years of working in retail management squeezed the Holiday right out of me.
The upside...I don't get stressed over the impending festivities. What little shopping I do is from the comfort and warmth of my own computer. Wrapped in a warm blanket, wearing nubby socks and drinking green jasmine tea is my way of taking on the task. I enjoy the UPS or FedEx workers dropping packages at my front door. I don't miss the frenzied shoppers and short-tempers permeating the mall halls and shops. I don't miss frazzled sales associates doing their best and trying to keep their mouths shut when being berated by someone who can't understand why the doll or outfit or perfect color is already sold out for the season. Somewhere along the way the "reason for the season" got lost in the fray. At least for me...
This year, the cookie baking party was one of the highlights of the season. I DO love party planning anytime of the year! Nothing more warm and fuzzy than a kitchen full of little sweethearts rolling dough and sticking teeny fingers in a bowl full of frosting.
I am attending a few festive gatherings with close friends and family. Such fun to get together and catch up with good people.
Saturday night I went to one such get-together with a group of 8 women that I golf with. We met years ago golfing on a local ladies league and have stayed in touch ever since. These women are fabulous friends and this party is highly anticipated each December. It includes good food, good fun, good beverages and good conversation. It always lives up to expectation...this year was no different. I did have a hard time deciding what to bring. One of the gals mentioned she was making soup...aha! I decided I would make homemade crackers to compliment her delicious cauliflower, bean and bacon soup. She promised she would share her recipe with me!
I'm still searching and learning how to make better quality food and have found that making things from scratch is a must. When I can source my ingredients, choose organic and GMO free as often as possible and use meat and dairy with no added hormones or antibiotics I feel good about the finished product. I make it...I know what's in it!

I was so happy with how these crunchy little crackers turned out! I used the small tree cookie cutter I had hiding in my cupboard. They are really crispy and flakey and cheesy. I plan to search out some fun cookie cutters for future baking. A goldfish cutter would be adorable!

Please don't be intimidated to make your own food! It's really very easy and takes less time than I would have thought.

Cheesy Crackers :)

3 TBSP cold butter

1 1/2 cups organic all-purpose flour

1 tsp. dry mustard powder

1 tsp. of ground pepper

1 tsp. salt

6 oz. of good grated Cheddar cheese

2 tsp. organic distilled white vinegar

ice cube

Combine the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk together. Cut the butter into 1" squares and add to the mixture. Mix on low speed until crumbly and the butter is incorporated. Add the shredded cheese and mix on low for a few more seconds.

In a liquid measure combine 3/4 cup of water, the vinegar and the ice cube and let sit for a couple of minutes. Start by adding 6 TBSP. of the liquid to the dough and mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Continue to add liquid 1 TBSP at a time until it forms a ball around the beater. Form a dough ball and wrap in plastic wrap for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Remove dough from fridge 15 minutes before rolling. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place parchment paper on 2 large baking sheets. Roll dough on a floured surface to 1/8" - 1/4" in thickness. Cut with cookie cutters of your choice. Place on parchment lined baking sheets and place in oven. (optional...lightly sprinkle with salt)  Set timer for 15 minutes and rotate pans. Set time for addition 10 -15 minutes, watching closely until the edges are lightly brown. Turn off oven leaving crackers inside as the oven cools down and for at least an hour.

note: I tried one buttered cookie sheet and one with parchment paper! I liked the parchment results the best!

It's incredibly satisfying to make your own crackers! Ha...seriously...we loved them. I can't wait to make up another batch with the Sprouts!

Hoping you can find ways to enjoy a peaceful and meaningful holiday season. Stress free of course...