Cinnamon Maple Granola

A Parker summertime tradition, homemade granola. My husband’s favorite is cinnamon, my favorite is dark chocolate peanut. It’s great for snacking, eating as cereal with milk, or sprinkled on yogurt or ice cream (especially delicious on homemade ice cream!). You can follow the basic recipe and make it your own by adding your favorite ingredients.

 

5 cups rice krispies
4 cups rolled oats
1 cup rough chopped walnuts
2 cups raisins
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup craisins
3 Tbl cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°.  In large bowl, mix together rice krispies, oats, walnuts, raisins, coconut, dates, craisins, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  In saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar together.  Add maple syrup, salt, and vanilla.  Pour over dry ingredients and stir gently until thoroughly combined.  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 and cool completely.  Store in airtight container.

More Granola!

 

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Nutty Chocolate Chip Banana Bran Muffins

Sometimes I’m in the mood for healthy and low calorie, that is when I bake something like Bran Muffins. Today I throw all those cares to the wind and bake a bran muffin with sugar, chocolate and lots of nuts. I fool myself with the words banana and bran, that there is some health benefit in there somewhere. My workout tonight will have to be a little longer, but that’s OK, my craving is satisfied. ;o)

3 bananas, medium, mashed
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup All-Bran cereal
1¾ flour
1½ tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 400°. Coat 12 cup muffin pan with nonstick spray.
In large bowl, stirring by hand, combine banana, eggs, buttermilk, applesauce, vanilla, brown sugar, and All-Bran cereal. Let sit 5-10 minutes. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; add to banana mixture. Stir just until all is combined. Stir in chocolate chips, pecans, and walnuts. Scoop mixture into prepared muffin cups, they will be full. Sprinkle some mini chocolate chips and nut pieces on top if desired. Bake 20-22 minutes.

Other Muffins:

    

    

    

    

 

Chocolate Chip Coconut Fudge Bars

I combined a couple of my favorite recipes today, yummy!

Chocolate Chip Coconut Base & Topping
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
2¹/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup shredded coconut

Fudge Filling
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°. With electric mixer, in large bowl cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in mini chocolate chips and coconut. Press 3/4 of dough into sprayed 15″x10″ baking sheet pan (I use my fingers sprayed with nonstick spray). Set aside and prepare the fudge filling.

In a small saucepan, stir together sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips. Heat over low to medium-low heat just until chips are melted. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and walnuts. Mixture will be thick. Drop by spoonfuls over dough in pan. Evenly spread fudge filling over entire dough surface. Using your hands sprayed with nonstick spray, drop remaining 1/4 chocolate chip coconut dough by little bits evenly over surface of the fudge filling. Press down just a little to flatten dough bits. Bake 25 minutes. Remove and cool completely to cut into clean squares. Oh course, cut and eat sooner if you can’t wait!

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

Healthy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

When our daughter came for a visit she made these delicious healthy bars. The recipe is found at sallysbakingaddiction.com. I am thinking maybe the name Healthier Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars would be better. They probably are healthier than many other dessert bars, but there are still a fair amount of calories in each bar. So, it’s all about portion control, or, do as my husband and I did and just have these bars for dinner! We are so happy…and healthy!

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk (almond milk works)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Optional add-ins – chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips, Craisins, pecans, sunflower seeds, etc.

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 8×8 or 9×9 baking pan with foil and spray with nonstick spray. With electric mixer, cream brown sugar and peanut butter. Mix in vanilla. Add flour, oats, baking soda, and salt; mix just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips, raisins, and walnuts (or whatever add-ins you choose). Press dough into prepared baking pan. Bake 17-20 minutes, until bars are lightly golden and set in center. Allow to cool completely and cut into squares.
Makes 16 squares, approx 240 calories each.

One Year Ago: Chewy Granola Bars

Two Years Ago: Cinnamon Sugar Cookies Honey Buttercream

Three Years Ago: White Chocolate Blondies Raspberry Pecans

Four Years Ago: Zucchini Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies

Brownies Supreme

In my mind and taste buds, these are Brownies Supreme. A mixture of dark chocolate, chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. What is your idea of a supreme brownie?

Brownies:
1 cup butter, melted
3 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
1½ cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa
1 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13″x9″ baking pan with foil (leaving overhang on each end) and lightly spray with non stick spray. In large bowl, stirring by hand, mix melted butter, sugar, and vanilla. Mix in eggs one at a time. Add flour, cocoa, dark cocoa, and salt; mix thoroughly. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread in prepared pan. Bake 35-40 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Toward the end of brownie baking time, start preparing frosting.

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

In saucepan over medium heat, bring butter, evaporated milk, and sugar to boil. Boil for about 5 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, coconut, and nuts. Pour and spread over cake as it comes from the oven. Cool completely, remove from pan to cutting board using foil overhang. Carefully peel foil away from sides and bottom of brownies and cut into squares.

One Year Ago: Peanut Butter Oatmeal M&M Cookies

Two Years Ago: Rocky Road Rice Krispie Treats

Three Years Ago: Peach Cobbler Cupcakes

Four Years Ago: Brownie Cookies w/Toffee

Banana Snack Cake

With, how to use over-ripe bananas and make something sugar-free for my honey, as the question…this is the answer. It’s a healthy, sugar-free, low-calorie, moist, flavorful banana snack cake. Yes, my husband chooses not to eat sugar. You might be wondering how a sugaraholic/chocoholic gal and a sugar-free guy are married and work things out? Well, things are pretty good, we have it worked out and it will be 30 years in April. I eat as much sugary/chocolatey sweets as he eats tortilla chips…it’s magical!

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener
2 eggs
1¾-2 cups mashed ripe banana
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup wheat flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
1½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup coconut (it is sweetened, a tiny cheat)
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°. In large bowl with electric mixer, cream butter, applesauce, and Equal. Mix in eggs, mashed banana, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add flour, wheat flour, oats, baking soda, and salt; mix just until combined. Fold in coconut and chopped nuts. Pour cake batter into sprayed 9″x13″ baking pan. Bake 25-30 minutes. Cool. Cut into 20 servings, approx 180 calories per serving. It is a very moist, flavorful, healthy cake!

The I don’t care about healthy, no sugar and calories version:
*Omit applesauce and add 1 cup butter total
*Replace Splenda with sugar
*Omit wheat flour and add 2 cups all-purpose flour total
*Add 1 cup chocolate chips
*Frost with Buttercream or Cream Cheese Frosting
*Please don’t be fooled that making these changes keeps the calorie count per serving at 180. ;o)

One Year Ago: Dark Chocolate Heaven Cake

Two Years Ago: Caramel Filled Peanut Butter Brownies

Three Years Ago: Quick Dinner Muffins

 

Harvest Apple Pie

Here’s another pie! Can you ever have enough pie? I think not. This one is filled with apples, cranberries, raisins, walnuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Fall time all wrapped in a flaky pastry!

4 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
zest of 1 orange
1½ cups fresh cranberries
1 cup raisins
1/2  cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1½ tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 Tbl butter, cut in chunks
Pie Pastry for double crust pie

Preheat oven to 400°. Line 9″ deep dish pie plate with half the pastry for bottom crust. In large bowl, stir together apples, orange zest, cranberries, raisins, and walnuts. Add flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss gently until all is well coated. Pour into prepared pie plate, dot with chunks of butter, roll out pastry for top crust, cover and crimp. Sprinkle liberally with sugar. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve warm with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream!

One Year Ago: Pumpkin Cupcakes w/Chocolate Buttercream

Two Years Ago: Fresh Cranberry Cake w/Caramel Sauce

Three Years Ago: Favorite Stuffing for Thanksgiving

Glazed Apple Crumb Cake

A delicious moist little snack cake. Glazed Apple Crumb Cake from layersofhappiness.com.

Crumb Topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter, cold

Cake:
1½ cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla
1 large apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Warm Vanilla Glaze:
1½ Tbl butter, melted
1½ Tbl brown sugar
1½ Tbl sugar
1½ Tbl milk
1/4 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°. Make topping by mixing flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly, set aside.

For the cake batter, in large bowl stir together flour baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a medium bowl whisk together oil, brown sugar, sugar, egg, egg white, and vanilla. Stir liquid mixture into dry ingredients just until combined. Fold in apple and walnuts. Spread cake batter in well sprayed 9″x9″ baking pan. Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over cake batter, press down. Bake 30-35 minutes, until done in center.

For the glaze, in small bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, sugar, milk, and vanilla. Add powdered sugar and whisk until just combined. Drizzle over cake. Enjoy cake warm or room temperature.

One Year Ago: Confetti Cream Cheese Bars

Two Years Ago: Apple Fritter Cake

Three Years Ago: Orange Cream Swirl Brownies

Breakfast Cookies

Grab ‘n’ Go!

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1 cup wheat flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup crushed Total Whole Grain Cereal
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup shredded coconut
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°. In large bowl with electric mixer, cream butter, applesauce, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla. In medium bowl, stir together flour, wheat flour, oats, Total cereal, baking soda, and salt. Mix dry ingredients into creamed mixture just until combined. Mix in walnut, coconut, and mini chocolate chips. Drop 2″ scoops of batter onto silpat or parchment lined baking sheets. Press down with bottom of glass dipped in sugar to flatten to 3″ in diameter. Bake 7-8 minutes. Makes 32 cookies. 140 calories and 20 carbohydrates per cookie.

One Year Ago: Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Two Years Ago: Cake Mix Rice Krispie Treats

Three Years Ago: White Chocolate Macadamia Blondies