Oatmeal Granola Bar

Tweens eat everything unless they don't. Table counterpart has this crazy high metabolism and is always hungry. Trying to find healthy snack options other than nuts is always at the back of my brain. Every time I pursue Pinterest, read a blog, watch video feeds on Facebook, the never ending need for a new healthy snack is ever present.

Sure, sure one can buy "healthy granola snacks" but they are expensive, loaded in extra ingredients, and never truly healthy. After having made a list of healthy components and purchased ingredients have on hand that are packed in good stuff, I once again set off to find a new snack such as these Peanut Butter Granola Bars.

Modifications Made:

Almond butter replaced peanut butter, cinnamon replaced vanilla. Coconut oil was completely omitted and one tablespoon of sugar in the raw was added during honey cooking process as almond butter is not very sweet.

Scales for Likability: Good

Not once in the history of making granola, either bars or clumps for cereal, has the granola ever turned out in correct form. Tasty, yes. Bar/clump format not so much.

What I liked most about this recipe was the simplicity. No extra nuts, chocolate chips, fruits, etc... just oatmeal and its binding ingredients. So the bars were more like cereal bites but that just made grabbing a handful of snack easier. Not so sweet it couldn't be eaten for breakfast and just sweet enough it could be a tasty dessert treat. Not gonna be added to the T&T list but it will be kept for future usage. Maybe with an added chocolate swirl across the top. Almonds, oatmeal, and chocolate.... Sounds like a winner already.

Papas a La Mexicana (Ranchera)

It is a crying shame that there are six hens and not a egg in sight. What am I supposed to do with homemade ranchero sauce? Thankfully with a few quick searches of the internet a recipe from my hometown newspaper was discovered: Papas Ranchera . Not once in the thirty years I lived in my hometown did I ever eat at a local food joint serving papas rancheras. No time like the present to remedy this cultural dish. Because this recipe is hidden behind a paywall (grrr...) I have included it here for you: Servings: 4-6 Ingredients: 1 pound potatoes, diced 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 large onion 1 1/2 medium tomatoes 3 jalapenos 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup juice from canned tomatoes Instructions: Fry potatoes in vegetable oil until lightly browned (about 4-6 minutes). Saute onions, tomatoes, jalapenos until soft. Add garlic powder and salt. Add tomato juice until vegetables are covered (may need to add water). Bring to a boil and then add po...

Better Than Campbell's Old Fashion Vegetable Soup

Went to the store with the hopes of gathering fresh produce for soup. With more than 45 people in line for two packages of any meat product and the produce section containing only avocado, orange, and most randomly, strawberries, I settled upon canned soup. Well not canned soup since that section was still void of food, too. Instead soup made from canned goods as the canned vegetable section had been mostly restocked. Soups like this 15 Minute Vegetable Soup are ideal in dire food situations such as current times. Modifications Made: Plain petite diced tomatoes omitted, frozen carrots instead of canned, green beans and corn undrained, peas omitted (gross, nasty little pods), one cup celery, three cups diced potatoes, one can tomato sauce, two beef and two pollo de tomate bouillon cubes, six cups water. Once onions were softened, carrots/celery/potatoes/juice of green beans and corn, sauce, bouillon cubes, water were added and allowed to simmer until carrots almos...

Sour Cream & Chive Scalloped Potatoes

Can't believe the Month of the Potato is over. There are so many more potato recipes saved. Guess I will have to work them into another month. Last week's scalloped potatoes were one of the best new recipes during the month of potatoes. With today being the last day in the Month of Potatoes, I decided to go out with a bang by cooking another batch of scalloped potatoes but this time sour cream and chive. The Best Scalloped Potatoes , or so they said. Modifications Made: Recipe was reduced by half. Mayo was omitted and one entire package of chives were chopped and added to sauce before pouring onto layers. Scaled for Likability: Good Betty Crocker Sour Cream and Chive Box Scalloped Potatoes were the standard for this recipe. These were a family favorite for years but have long since been discounted. Bummer. Trying to replicate this seemed easy enough. Alas, it was not. These had a nice texture but were too oily from the cheese ...

Eating Waffles

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