Chocolate Chip Apple Strawberry Snack Bars

This recipe uses a lot of food storage items. Freeze dried strawberries, dehydrated apple slices/pieces, Whole wheat, sweetened coconut flakes, oats and granola. These are all items I try to keep in my food storage, as my children love the dried fruits. I had the kids help me add ingredients and asked them if they like the items I put in it. They all said "yes". So I'm hoping that there will be more kids eating these than just me. Last time I made snack bars the boys had one bite and then didn't really want anymore. This time I added more chocolate and chocolate chips to hopefully have them eat them.

Preheat oven 350F

First add Dry Ingredients:
4 cups oats
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups apple slices/dices
2 cups wheat germ
2 cups freeze dried strawberries
1 cup cocoa powder
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Stir to incorporate all dry ingredients. Then add all wet ingredients:

Wet Ingredients:
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pint apple sauce (homemade)
1 cup honey
3 eggs
6 tsp vanilla

Stir to mix all wet ingredients with the dry ingredients.

Spoon or dump all mixture on to a large jelly roll pan. Flatten out and evenly distribute. This should fill the whole pan with mixture all the way to the top of the sides of the jelly roll pan.

Bake 30-35 minutes at 350F and edges are golden brown. Remove from oven let cool slightly and cut in the pan. Makes anywhere from 42-84 snack bars depending on how you slice it.

I loved the last snack bars I made. I'm hoping the kids love these.

Cinnamon Rolls and Chocolate chip cookies

Today we are making cinnamon rolls and chocolate chip cookies. I'm using the recipe from Pinterest that looks amazing and makes a ton for cinnamon rolls so we can share with our friends. I found the recipe here. I am not going to use raisins... those should never be in cinnamon rolls or even bread pudding... I could go into a whole diatribe about that... but I digress... not going to go there today. So that is one thing that will definitely be changed from the original recipe. I am not quite sure but I also love to add not just white sugar to my cinnamon rolls but also cinnamon chips and brown sugar. We will be also making a cream cheese frosting for the top of these delicious nuggets of goodness. I am grateful to be able to have a friend come and make these with me. It will also be a homeschooling lesson for science for my 15 yr old. I've taught my older two sons to make pretzels and bread from scratch. So we are doing cinnamon rolls for this son. This way all of my older three sons will know how to make something with yeast and learn that powerful lesson of how all things are alive... even the bread we make.

My chocolate chip cookie recipe will be from my Better Homes and Garden cookbook Limited Edition 1930-2000. I love a good Chocolate Chip cookie. I also believe whole heartedly they should have butter and shortening. Not many recipes call for both. So it's hard to find those that call for both. They make a far superior cookie. I double the recipe. I will be listing the ingredients doubled here.

Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1 cup shortening
1 cup butter (I use salted)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups unbleached flour
2 pkg semi sweet chocolate chip pieces


1. In a large mixing bowl (I use my kitchen aid) beat the shortening and butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, and baking soda. Beat mixture until combined, scraping sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg and vanilla til combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixture. Stir in remaining flour. Stir in chocolate chips.

2. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons or an ice-cream scoop about 2 inches apart on uncreased cookie sheet or parchment paper. Bake 375F degrees oven 8-10 min till edges are lightly browned. Let sit for a bout 30 seconds to 1 min before removing from pan. Transfer to wire rack or wax paper and let cool. Makes about 120 cookies... I use a large scoop. So makes about 60.

Pancake Muffins

This morning, I decided to make some Pancake Muffins. There is no picture because they were eaten by the boys before I could get a picture. I will make more since they are such a hit with my kids. I hope to be able to update this post with a picture when I make more of these.

Since school started at my house, for my kids. I've been wanting them to have a healthy breakfast before they leave for school. I have seen on Pinterest different posts about Pancake Muffins. I decided to try my hand with it. They are baked in the oven and are SUPER easy to make. My one regret is that I don't have more muffin tins. I can only make 12 at a time. With three boys, sometimes that just isn't enough muffins. My children LOVED these. I hope you like them too. Let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

2 cups Krusteez Pancake Mix
2 scoops protein drink powder (I used vanilla)
4-5 Tbsp agave nector
2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
3 dashes pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp vanilla
and enough water to make slightly thinner than normal pancake batter
Chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven 350F.

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl, except the chocolate chips. Place in Non-Stick sprayed muffin tins. Sprinkle with chocolate chips (these will sink to the bottom). Bake for 15 min. Remove from muffin tins and enjoy!

My kids ate these all UP. My middle child was begging for more. These are a nice alternative to typical pancakes with syrup. No syrupy mess and the kids can eat it on the run. They also bake while your helping to get the kids ready for school. I don't have to stand over the griddle making pancakes. I just mix it up, pour in muffin tins and move on to the next thing. You can add fruit or really anything to this. I hope you find these as easy as I do. I'm going to try to make up a bunch and freeze them. So they can just grab, heat in microwave and go to school.

This recipe made 12 plus enough batter left for at least 2 more.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bars

I have started a part-time job, so I haven't had much time for cooking from scratch lately, trying to juggle work, school, kids, family you know all the stuff that makes us busy, busy, busy! I have taken advantage of a few extra hours today, since it's stake conference at church. I have made some yumminess to add to my boys lunches this week. I doubled the original recipe, so we could have a few as a snack today and still have some for lunches. I also had 6 bananas that I needed to use.

These bars are moist and delicious. My kids have been begging for more. I guess that's a sign of success! :)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 cups mashed ripe bananas (4-6 medium)
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 pkg (2 cups) chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)
1 1/2 cup walnuts (optional - I didn't use any nuts)

Directions:

1. Grease 2 large jelly roll pans 15X10X1 baking pans. set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the grandulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt, beat til combined. Beat in the eggs, bananas, and vanilla til combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in the chocolate pieces and if desired nuts.
2. Spread the prepared baking pan with the mixture. Bake in a 350F oven about 25 minutes or til golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes a bunch, depending on how big you cut the bars.

This recipe comes from my 1930-2000 Limited Edition Better Homes and Gardens New CookBook. This recipe is already doubled. If you want to make a smaller batch, just cut the ingredient amount in half. This is great for those bruised/ultra soft bananas.

These are nice and moist, so tasty! :)

Pumpkin chocolate butterscotch cookies

I love baking cookies! Don't you? Doesn't everyone?! I can't see why not. I love the joy of eating the cookie dough, the smell of the cookies baking in the oven, and the warm cookie with a cold glass of milk... ah... the good stuff, that's the joy of life... isn't it... I think so...

Well, enough about me and my obsession with cookies, well, baking in general. I believe that cookies make the world a little brighter place. Today's recipe came about because at first I was going to make some pumpkin chocolate chip bread. Then i thought, I know a scary thing... Can I make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. I found a recipe on allrecipes.com for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. I liked the recipe that used oil instead of butter, since I'm out of butter... I know another travesty... So, I decided I would double the recipe so I have enough for my kids to have some and for me to give some away. (I love sharing food with others :)) So, in doing that, I realized that I had 1/2 a bag or 1 cup of butterscotch chips that needed used, and I wasn't wanting to put them in regular chocolate chip cookies. I thought (I know I need to stop that) these would be good in my pumpkin cookies.... So here is what ingredients I used :) Enjoy!

And yes, I've already had some of the dough and a fresh warm cookie... mmmmm tasty... I think I will eat another one soon... now I'm craving them! Darn them!!!

Ingredients:

2 cups canned pumpkin

2 cups white sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 egg

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons milk

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips*

Directions:

Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir in. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.

Add vanilla, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips*.

Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.

Makes at least 4 dozen cookies

Recipe from Allrecipe.com

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Today I made some chocolate chip banana bread loaves. 5 small loaves and 1 medium loaf. I had 9 banana's that needed used. So this was a great idea to use the banana's.

Ingredients:

4 1/2 c all purpose flour

4 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp cinnamon (ground)

3 eggs

3 c mashed bananas (9 medium)

2 1/4 c sugar

3/4 c cooking oil

3 tsp finely shredded lemon peel

1 1/2 c chocolate chips

1. Grease the bottom & 1/2 inch up sides of loaf pan; set aside. In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, & 1/4 tsp salt (optional). Make a well, in the center of dry mixture, set aside.

2. In another bowl combine the egg, bananas, sugar, cooking oil, and lemon peel. Add egg mixture all at once to dry mixture. Stir til just moistened.

3. Spoon batter into the prepared pan. Bake in a 350F oven 30-35 min for mini loaves or 50-60 for regular loaf, til a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 min. Remove loaf from pan. Cool on rack. Wrap in syranrap & store over night before slicing