Granola Bars

***These are super yummy***

2 cups rolled oats

1/4 cup packed Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Wheat Germ

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup flour

3/4 cup extras (raisins, choco chips, PB chips, sunflower seeds, nut etc.)

3/4 teaspoon salt

****

1/2 cup honey

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

****

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 9 X 13 pan.

2. Mix the first group of ingredients together. Make a well in the center of the mixed ingredients and pour the rest of the ingredients in the well. Mix well using your hands. Press into 9 X 13 pan.

3. Bake about 25 min for chewy bars, 30-35 min for crunchy. Cool for 5 min and then cut.

*My notes*

*I didn't use all the oil it called for. If you want healthier bars you could play around with using Applesauce instead of oil. Or maybe Coconut Oil.

*The batter is super sticky! Use the back of a spoon that has been covered in butter to press into pan.

*If you want more flavor you can add Nutmeg.

Chocolate Belgian Waffles

For mother's day Ben made me these chocolate waffles with vanilla sauce, strawberries and whipped topping. Ben also put on his some peanut butter. They were so yummy I thought I would share.

What you need:
4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. CALUMET Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1 Tbsp. powdered sugar

To make it:
HEAT lightly greased Belgian waffle maker.

MICROWAVE chocolate and butter in small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 to 1-1/2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted; set aside.

MIX flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Add milk, sour cream, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Stir in chocolate mixture.

USE batter to make 8 waffles as directed in manufacturer's directions.

SERVE warm topped with berries and powdered sugar.

This is where we found the recipe. It is worth trying.
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/chocolate-belgian-waffles-121334.aspx

Turkey Burgers

This is a pretty simple recipe, but is really good. We have been trying to eat a little healthier and lose a little weight, so I went in search of healthy recipes and this was one that I found. I actually really like it! Ive been making a whole bunch, shaping the patties and then freezing them for whenever I want. Its pretty good. Anyways, on to the recipe.

1 lb ground turkey
1/2 lb lean turkey sausage
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 medium zucchini, finely grated
1 garlic clove, crushed through a press
1 tsp dried oregano leaves, crushed
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp soy sauce

3 ripe tomatoes, cut crosswise into 1/2 in slices
Lettuce

Directions
Combine the turkey, sausage, celery, zucchini, garlic, pepper and soy sauce in a bowl and mix gently. With wet hands, shape into 6 (1/2 inch) patties.
Grill or Broil the burgers 4 inches from heat until cooked through, 8-10 minutes, turning after 6.
Place the tomatoes on the grill or broil until charred and hot, 5 minutes, turning once and sprinkling with pepper.

The changes I made were that I didnt add the zucchini because I never have it. I also dont do the tomatoes because I dont like them :) Makella eats these too with no problem. Very yummy!

Lemon Bars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Crust:

Cream together 1 C. Butter (room temp)

1/2 C Powdered Sugar

Add to butter mixture 1/2 tsp. salt

2 C. flour

Pat into a 9x13 greased pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 min.

Filling:

Mix together well and pour over hot crust;

4 eggs, slightly beaten

2 Cups sugar

1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 Cup Flour

1/4-1/2 cup lemon Juice

rind of 1 Lemon, grated

Bake at 350 degrees for 20- 25 min.

Notes:

*I use 1/2 c. lemon juice, it's more lemony.
*You can use reconstituted lemon juice, but real lemons taste sooooo much better.

*Right after you take it out of the oven run a knife around the edges.

*They taste really good cold!

Upsidedown German Chocolate Cake

This is sooooo yummy!

1 Cup Coconut

1 Cup chopped Pecans or Walnuts

1 German Chocolate Cake mix

1 1/4 C. Water

1/3 C. oil

3 Eggs

3 1/2 C. Powdered Sugar

1 C. Margarine or butter (room temp

1 8oz. Cream Cheese (room Temp)

Grease 9x13 pan. Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Sprinkle coconut and nuts evenly over bottom of pan. Combine cake mix, water, oil & eggs. Mix at low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes on high. Spoon batter evenly over coconut & nuts.

Combine butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth and creamy. Spoon as evenly as possible over batter. Don't get closer than 1 in from edge of the pan.

Bake 45-55 min.

Check to see if done by inserting a toothpick in center of cake, it should come out clean when it's done.

Top with Whipped Cream

A few notes:

*This cake will overflow if you put it in a normal glass 9x13 pan. So put a cookie sheet under the pan in the oven or if you have one use a 9x13 pampered chef casserole pan.

*This cake is very rich and doesn't really need whip cream on top.

*I love this cake because it looks awful- but tastes great!

Baked Oatmeal

My sister's kids really like oatmeal and she made this recipe for us when we stayed with her a while ago and I finally got the recipe from her. Ben loves this stuff. I think it is really good and I am not an oatmeal fan. Here is the recipe.

Baked Oatmeal

2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups quick uncooked oats

Mix ingredients with hand mixer. Pour into lightly greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake @ 350 for 25-30 minutes. Do not over brown.

Try it, it is good!!

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cake

Half of white cake, bake in 9x12 pan, use rest of batter for 10 cupcakes.

Center: 8oz. Philly Cream Cheese softened
Pint whipping cream
two cups powdered sugar

Topping: Cooled Strawberry Danish Dessert, in jello section on top shelf
Fresh Strawberries

Cook and cool cake,

mix whipping cream to stiff peaks and add powdered sugar and then softened cream cheese, mix thoroughly.

Spread on cooled cake.

Make ahead Danish dessert and cool, use two cup water recipe.
when completely cooled poor and spread carefully on top of cream cheese filling and gently spread to sides of pan to seal in cream cheese, top with sliced strawberries.