Chocolate Nutella Granola

Is granola still healthy if you add Nutella and chocolate chips? All the healthy elements are still there so let’s say yes! We love to eat it by the handful, yesterday we had it with vanilla yogurt and berries, and today I added banana and vanilla almond milk and had the most delicious lunch.

5 cups crispy rice cereal
4 cups rolled oats
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup rough chopped pecans
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2 cups raisins
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup dried cranberries
2 Tbl cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup Nutella
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325°. In large bowl, mix together crispy rice cereal, oats, wheat germ, almonds, pecans, sunflower seeds, raisins, coconut, dates, dried cranberries, and cinnamon. In saucepan, melt butter, Nutella, and brown sugar together. Add maple syrup, salt, and vanilla. Pour over dry ingredients and stir gently until thoroughly combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread out evenly on two cookie sheets that have been sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for 8 minutes, remove and gently stir and spread out again. Bake another 8 minutes, remove, gently stir and spread out again. Bake 8 minutes more. Remove from oven and cool completely. Store in airtight container. Eat as a snack, in a bowl with milk or on top of ice cream, yogurt, you decide.

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Cranberry Almond Energy Bites

These yummy little babies can be found in our refrigerator to grab anytime you need a little pick me up. Quite often, a couple of these energy bites are my breakfast. Thanks to our daughter for getting us hooked on this healthy snack.

2 cups old fashioned oats
2/3 cup chopped almonds
2/3 cup shredded coconut
2/3 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips
1 Tbl chia seeds
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly, hand mixer works well. Form into balls (I make mine small, using my 1½” cookie scoop). Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This recipe makes approx 48 – 1½” diameter energy bites, approx 86 calories per bite. Original recipe found at thecreativebite.com.

Chocolate Crunch

An excellent addition to your dessert table. Or, just make it and stand in the kitchen and eat it!

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 Tbl butter
1 Tbl oil
1 cup chopped nuts (*macadamia, almonds, pecans, walnuts or peanuts)
1 cup crisp rice cereal
1 cup white chocolate chips

Line a cookie sheet with foil. In a double boiler, slowly melt semi sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, butter and oil. Stir and heat just until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Let cool  to tepid. Stir in nuts, rice cereal, and white chocolate chips. Spread into even layer of desired thickness in prepared pan, recipe will not fill the pan. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes or until set. Break or cut into desired pieces.
*I used a mixture of macadamia and almonds

More Candy!

Pecan Toffee

Cool Mint Oreo Fudge

Crisp Chocolate Truffles

Pecan Caramels

Rocky Road Fudge

Sweet Chex Mix

I am revisiting this recipe because it is such a favorite! This time adding a couple more ingredients. Warning, once you start eating, you may not be able to stop.

7 cups Rice Chex cereal
5 cups Golden Grahams cereal
1½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
1½ cups honey roasted peanuts
1 cup sliced almonds
1 (5 oz) can chow mein noodles
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
Colored Sprinkles (optional)
M&M candies (optional)

In large bowl, stir together Rice Chex, Golden Grahams, coconut, peanuts, almonds, and chow mein noodles. In saucepan over medium heat, stir together butter, sugar, and corn syrup. Bring mixture to boil and continue cooking to”soft ball” stage…about 235° on candy thermometer. Pour hot syrup over cereal mixture in thin stream in stages. After each addition of syrup, gently fold and stir until all ingredients are well coated. If you want to add sprinkles, M&Ms, or other candies continue stirring until cooled enough to add and not to melt. Spread mixture out onto silpat lined baking sheet to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

One Year Ago: Biscoff Brownies

Two Years Ago: Marshmallow Caramel Popcorn

Three Years Ago: Coconut Toffee Ricotta Cheese Cake

Chocolate Covered Everything!

Sometimes I just feel like dipping! My husband and I have a favorite grab-and-go snack, peanut butter crackers. We have done a taste test of all the different brands and have our favorites. My husband prefers Keebler and I prefer Munchies by Frito-Lay. I believe it’s safe to say that we would eat any brand when it’s chocolate covered. After covering quite a few peanut butter crackers in chocolate, I start thinking what else needs a coat of chocolate? Tortilla chips. Oh my goodness, yummy! Please try it sometime. Then, when you have some melted chocolate left, throw in some nuts and raisins to coat and make clusters. This time I threw in almonds and dries cranberries. Happy snacking!

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tsp shortening

In a double boiler over medium heat, melt chocolate and shortening, stirring until smooth. Turn heat down to low or turn off (can turn back on if chocolate starts to set up). When I dip, I use two forks to pick the item up and let excess chocolate drip off. For clusters, use a spoon. Set on sheet of wax paper on a baking sheet to set up. To set up quickly, put in refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

One Year Ago: Ham & Swiss Ring with Mustard Sauce

Two Years Ago: Supreme Pizza Ring

Three Years Ago: Glazed Cinnamon Snack Cake

Halloween Candied Gorp

Monstrously Good! Self control was nonexistent, so I had to wrap it up to give away!

  

1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup broken pretzel (pretzel sticks broken in thirds)
1 cup Reeses Pieces
10 Halloween Oreos, coarsely chopped
1 pkg (16oz) CandiQuik Vanilla Candy Coating (or the like)

In a bowl, mix together peanuts, raisins, almonds, pretzel pieces, and Reeses Pieces. Pour out onto silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet, arrange neatly. Place Oreo pieces evenly in with other ingredients, gently pressing and creating an even, level, organized pile ;o) . Place a quart size ziplock bag in a tall glass, folding over around the edge. Melt CandiQuik as directed on the package until totally liguid. Pour into prepared plastic bag, remove from glass. Hold securely and snip off one corner of bag and drizzle melted vanilla candy evenly over gorp mixture to cover. Using rubber spatula, lifting up and down, gently push the candy coating down into the gorp so when set up it all holds together (don’t stir, it will ruin the nice look of the candy). Let sit to set up. When set, break into pieces.

One Year Ago: Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Two Years Ago: Orange Hug Cookies

Three Years Ago: Chocolate Malt Brownies

Coconut Almond Chex Mix

April Fools! The joke is, you make this recipe of Coconut Almond Chex Mix and you won’t be able to stop eating it! It is so very good, sweet and chewy. Oh dang it, in order to make this post I made this Chex Mix and it is sitting right here in my kitchen…I guess the joke is on me!

7 cups Rice Chex cereal
5 cups Golden Grahams cereal
1½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup

In large bowl, stir together Rice Chex, Golden Grahams, coconut, and almonds. In large saucepan over medium heat, stir together butter, sugar, and corn syrup and bring to”soft ball” stage…about 235° on candy thermometer. Pour over cereal mixture and gently stir until all is well coated. If you want to add M&Ms, or other candies continue stirring until cooled enough not to melt when added. Spread mixture out onto silpat lined baking sheet to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

One Year Ago: Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

Two Years Ago: Coconut Toffee Ricotta Cheese Cake

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools such as Silpat & Perforated Baking Sheet please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

Almond Cream Cheese Bars

A sweet little bar. A shortbread crust, almond cream cheese filling, almond buttercream frosting and the crunch of toasted almonds on top. Yum! Recipe from cooking.com.

Crust:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter, cold

Filling:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
2 eggs, room temp
1 tsp almond extract

Frosting:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1½ cups powdered sugar
1½ Tbl milk
1 tsp almond extract
½ cup sliced almonds, toasted

Preheat oven to 350°. For the crust, stir together flour and powdered sugar. Cut cold butter into dry ingredients and pat into 9”x13” pan. Bake 20-22 minutes until just starts to turn golden. While crust is baking, mix up filling. With electric mixer, mix cream cheese and sugar. Beat in eggs and almond extract. Pour over hot crust as it comes from the oven. Bake 15-18 minutes more. Cool completely. For the frosting, whip butter until creamy and light in color. Add powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract; mix well. Spread evenly over cooled filling. Sprinkle toasted almonds on top and gently press into frosting just a little to secure from falling off. Cut into bars.

One Year Ago: Eggnog Chocolate Chip Mini Loaves

Two Years Ago: White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies

Fruit & Honey Graham Granola

It is summer, and I always make granola. Why? Well, I did it one year to take with us on our family vacation to Sun Valley ID and then did it the next year and now…well it’s tradition! We can’t go without it, it just wouldn’t be right! Great for breakfast or snacking anytime.

3 cups Rice Krispies
2 cups chopped (chunks) graham crackers
4 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped dried apple
1/2 cup chopped dried banana
3/4 cup Craisins
1 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey

Preheat oven to 350°. In large bowl, stir together Rice Krispies, graham cracker, oats, almonds, raisins, apple, banana, and Craisins. In medium bowl, stir together melted butter, brown sugar, and honey. Pour over oat mixture and gently stir to coat. Spread evenly in two baking sheets sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for 8 minutes, take out and stir. Trade tray placement in oven, top goes to bottom rack and bottom goes to top rack, bake for 8 minutes more. Remove and stir, trade placement of trays in oven again and bake for 8 minutes more. Watch closely, don’t want the granola too brown (stir again if necessary). After removing after third 8 minute baking, let trays of granola cool completely. Break into chunks, desired size and keep in in airtight container. Ready to crunch, yum!

You might want to check out these other granola recipes:
Pumpkin Pie Granola
Dark Chocolate Peanut Granola
Homemade Granola

 

One Year Ago: Summer Vegetable Tian

Two Years Ago: Jam Filled Sweet Muffins

Caramel Nut Bars

For my mother who is nuts about nuts! Love you Mom.

Crust:
1¾ cups flour
2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cups cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 13″×9″ baking pan with parchment paper or foil, with 1″ overhang on short sides of pan, spray well with non-stick spray.

Stir flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch and salt until combined. Cut in butter. Press evenly into bottom of prepared pan and bake until set and lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Set aside while preparing topping.

Nut Topping:
1¼ cups brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
6 cups deluxe mixed nuts
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tsp vanilla

Stir brown sugar, corn syrup and butter in saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and mixture boils. Boil 1 minute. Add nuts and cream and boil until slightly thickened, about 3 more minutes. Stir in vanilla and pour over crust.

Bake until caramel has darkened and bubbles, about 20 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack. Remove by lifting overhanging ends of parchment or foil and transfer to cutting board. Cut into bars with heavy sharp knife.

One Year Ago Today: Double Frosted Milk Chocolate Malt Cookies

Two Years Ago Today: Lemon Pound Cake with Candied Lemon Frosting

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.