From the pages of Real Simple

Last night, Melinda and I made our version of this recipe, 20-Minute Shrimp with Carrot Slaw. M made the shrimp as described, but with added garlic. I cut the carrots into discs instead of chopping them julienne and, since I had no cayenne in the house (!), I added a touch of pepper and extra lime for a kick.

Overall, the meal was okay. It was a easy-to-make dish for sure, and we didn't spend more than 20 mins making it. I have a lot of leftover sour cream now, so I have to figure out what to do with it. I'm not sure I'll make carrot salad again, but I certainly don't regret trying it.

How to make: Homemade Granola Bars!

I've made this recipe three times and all three times have been fabulous!! I didn't taste the second batch because it was for a work party and there were no bars left. :) YUMMY!

I'm very very pleased with this recipe because you can add your own mix-ins, it's gotta be cheaper than store bought granola bars, and it's so freakin' easy!! AND: they last forever if you store them properly. So, without further adieu, homemade granola bars (chewy):

2.5 cups rolled oats

2 cups rice krispies type cereal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 cups mix-ins

1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease one 9x13 inch pan (or don't, I had minimal trouble with sticking when I didn't grease it).

2) In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients.

Then add wet (I separate them so I can reuse my measuring cup. Sometimes I can use one cup this way....I don't like doing dishes...).

Stir. Then stir in mix-ins.

3)Press mixture into pan. Bake at 325 for 18-22 minutes (22 works best for me).

4) Cool down and enjoy!!

The original recipe can be found here. I modified it based on other user comments (increasing the butter and honey to 1 cup) and because I didn't want chocolate chips but did want fruits and nuts. I also changed the 4.5 cups of rolled oats to 2.5 cups oats, 2 cups rice krispies type cereal. It gives a better texture, I think.

In the past, I've used slivered almonds, sunflower seeds, and dried cranberries. But you could use whatever mix-ins you want!! I used whole almonds this time which I worried about but I just ate part of a bar and it was a nice, satisfying crunch. Something substantial!!

Some advice:

1) If you really want bars, use the 9x13 pan. The cake pans worked just fine but I have wedges now instead of bars. Not an issue, just different. I was going to use the 9x13 for something else but never got around to it.

2)I used dates this go around because they were on sale, I was recently introduced to them (thanks Tricia the Red!), and I wanted something that was more than just good tasting (dates are high in fiber and I've been lacking in that department). Since they were whole, I cut them up. Observe: 3)You can really keep the cost down on your mix-ins if you buy in bulk and buy what's on sale. Again, gotta be more cost effective than the store-bought variety.

4)You could make these as healthy as possible! You can also opt for local and/or organic honey, flour, cereal, oats, fruits, and nuts. Lots of other homemade granola bars incorporate germ. The possibilities are endless.

5)I'm storing this current batch in a large tupperware type container. The previous two batches I wrapped individually and the first batch lasted at least a month. :) I hope this one lasts that long....if I don't eat them all first!

6)They are very filling. I rarely eat a whole one in one sitting. A lot depends on the size of the bar but usually half a bar is enough to keep me satisfied. I think I probably got 12 bars in the first two batches and 16 wedges this go around.

7)The bars are indeed chewy and moist. They might be a little crumbly and they may dry out depending on your method of storage.

If you make these, let me know how it goes!!

Pic of the day: Mix-ins!

I haven't tried the peanut butter and chocolate. Maybe I will make half a batch of those someday! The top left mix-in is sunflower seeds and the bottom right are dried cherries that were quite expensive. But I wasn't paying attention when I bought those ;)

My Tomato Pie Recipe

This is my version of Tomato Pie. I use 2 pie crusts because more pie crust = more love. Enjoy it!

• 4-5 cups' worth tomatoes, peeled and sliced
  
• 10 fresh basil leaves, chopped (or 3-4 tbsp of "Italian seasoning")
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion (or regular onion, lightly sauteed)
• 2 (9-inch) pie crusts (top and bottom!) (You can find them next to the croissant tubes at the grocery store)
  
• 1 cup grated mozzarella
• 1 cup grated cheddar
• 1 cup mayonnaise (I use light mayo -- it's just as tasty and has less calories)
• Salt and pepper
  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the tomatoes in a colander in the sink in 1 layer. Sprinkle lightly with salt and allow to drain for 10 minutes. (The salt helps "shrink" the tomatoes and the draining keeps your pie from turning into soup while baking.)

Layer the tomato slices, basil, and onion in pie shell. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Combine the grated cheeses and mayonnaise together. Spread mixture on top of the tomatoes, cover with pie crust and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Let sit for a few minutes, then cut and serve.

Hint: Cover the edges of the crust with tinfoil. This will keep them from burning.

What's in season?

If you're like me, you have no clue when various veggies and fruit are "in season." Well, I found this CDC website that has a handy chart! You can also check out recipes for said fruits and vegetables...very helpful for figuring out what to do with the more exotic selections that end up in your organic delivery box.

The things we do for love

Yesterday, Mr. Wonderful did not have to be at work at a specific time so I suggested he make a stew! You know, one of those "throw all this stuff in the crockpot" kind of things. Well, he did (after modifying a recipe) and I was greeted at 5:50 with a wonderful, wonderful stew! I call it Impromptu Stew and it is full of hearty goodness that is too good to keep a secret. So here it is (I don't know the measurements for everything so I'm just going to put down ingredients with some guesstimates):

Mr. Wonderful's Impromptu Stew

2 tablespoons of oil

1 teaspoon of oregano

1 lb of bison stew meat (or use whatever meat you wish)

zucchini

squash

small red potatoes

onion

1 can of corn

flour for thickening

at least 1 cup of water

1 tablespoon of beef granules

I think that was it. It is soooo yummy! I dunked whole wheat sourdough bread and then whole wheat bread from Texas French Bread until it was so soaked, I had to use my spoon to get it out! You can put in whatever veggies you like, your own meat, just whatever you want!! I especially liked it because everything we used (with the exception of the canned corn) was local and it will be a good solution to "hurry!! we gotta eat this NOW!"

I'm surprised I had never thought of this before but then again, I'm a little gunshy in the kitchen.

Bison Bill sez: "Try bison meat!! You'll love it!"

Paula's Tomato Pie

Last night I made this recipe for Tomato Pie. It turned out pretty well, but not because I followed Paula's recipe. First, the temperature is way too low to finish baking a pie stuffed with 4 large tomatoes in 30 mins. You should set your oven at 400 degrees and wrap the edges in foil so they won't burn. I ended up baking at 350 for 65 minutes. Way too long to wait for dinner.

Second, you should layer some of the cheese/mayo spread on the bottom of the pie, not just on top. This will spread the flavors around better and the pie won't separate so much when you cut it.

Third you should add a bit of garlic to the recipe for a stronger flavor. The green onions only add so much. Overall, this pie is a damn tasty one, but the recipe needed some work.

Chicken-By-the-Seat-of-My-Pants Chicken

Last night I was charged with making dinner for the household plus 2 guests for a total of 5. Melinda told me she had put chicken in the fridge to thaw. I thought they were chicken breasts, so I searched for recipes matching that ingredient. I found one for Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Spinach, Bacon, and Bleu Cheese. It was easy and tasty-sounding. SOLD!

So I headed to HEB, bought a bunch of fresh spinach (ignoring the recipe's call for the frozen variety), some Amish-made bleu cheese, and some Doritos to snack on while I concocted dinner.

I had made 12 strips of bacon, set them to dry, and crumbled the cheese. I washed and chopped the spinach and mixed them all in a large bowl. Then I took the almost thawed chicken out of the fridge and realized there were no breasts, only tenders and dark meat. Oh dear, no stuffing was going to be possible.

After stress-eating a handful of Doritos, I calmly washed the chicken pieces and layered half on the bottom of a casserole dish. I then put the cheese/bacon/spinach mixture on top, and covered that with the remaining chicken pieces. I baked the dish (covered) for 45 minutes at 375. It turned out fairly well. Unfortunately I forgot to make a starch...rice or something so Melinda graciously made toast. As everyone finished their bowl o' chicken, I think the experiment turned out fairly well.