Homemade Chewy Granola Bars

Have you ever taken the time and looked at the ingredient list of store bought granola bars?  I have, and I was truly appalled to find so many strange ingredients listed in the nutritional info of several well known brands. Shouldn't something so wholesome be well, wholesome? Shouldn't you be able to feel good if you are packing them for your kids lunch or as a snack? I certainly thought so, and after seeing quite a few fantastic looking granola bars pop up on some of the blogs I read, I set out to find a version my family would love.

I didn't have to look further than Foodnetwork.com which had a basic granola bar recipe from the incomparable Ina Garten. I figured it was a great starting point. I loved the simplicity of her ingredients in the bars and only added a few of my own touches to end up with something that my kids think is "sell-worthy", but then again, they are kind of biased and I pay them to say things like that.

I used the recipe as more of a guideline and encourage you to do the same. The sky is the limit as far as flavor combinations are concerned. There are truly so many options when it comes to this recipe. You can chose any nut (I used almonds) but anything from pecans, to walnuts or pistachios would be wonderful. The dried fruit part is equally adjustable to your taste preferences. I used dried cranberries, but again anything from raisins to dried apricots or cherries would be lovely. I do think a couple of things are key though. Use only high quality ingredients in this recipe, they are a must for flavor. Also, watch the oats and nuts along with the coconut closely while toasting in the oven, you definitely don't want to burn it. The recipe calls for toasted wheat germ, I just toasted it on top of the stove in a dry pan but it also requires a watchful eye. There is not much difference in the time between a perfectly toasted batch and burned wheat germ, sometimes that means only a matter of seconds. Last but not least, I rounded out my granola bars with semi-sweet chocolate chips and some roasted sunflower kernels.

These bars are wonderful! Once baked and cooled they can be stored in an air-tight container for at least a week, that is, if they last that long. This is going in my recipe file and I will be making them many more times. The best compliment was probably from my husband though, who is not a granola bar eater like the rest of us, but who fell in love with them and has been eating one every day for his breakfast. I definitely know they are good when that happens.

Homemade Chewy Granola Bars

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut, loosely packed

1/2 cup toasted wheat germ

3/4 cup sunflower kernels, roasted

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2/3 cup honey

1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and line with parchment paper.

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the toasted wheat germ and sunflower kernels.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the cranberries and stir well. Let the mixture cool for about 5 minutes then stir in the chocolate chips. If you do this any earlier they will just melt.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into rectangles or squares. Serve at room temperature.

Adapted from: Ina Garten

Kids "Truffles"

Sometimes I can't believe the amount of food we go through at our home. It especially seems to pick up during vacation time, when there seems to be a lot of "boredom eating" going on between my three kids.

My first line of defense is always to point them to a piece of fruit or vegetable and while they all enjoy eating those, it usually cures their "hunger" immediately. Every once in a while though I do know they are truly hungry, which right now is usually after swimming in the pool for a few hours.

That is when the kids need a quick "pick me up" snack that delivers, one that isn't too big so they won't spoil their appetite for dinner. Enter this fabulous little morsel packed full of flavor that I came across on Kathy's great blog named polwig. I was browsing the blog one day when this recipe caught my eye. Kathy calls them Chocolate Earth Balls on her blog, but I thought it would be a lot more appealing, especially to my teenager, if I made them sound more decadent, hence the Kids "Truffles" name (sneaky, right?).

These are an easy no-bake snack that can easily be customized to your families taste. If your kids don't care for cranberries, try them with raisins or chopped up dried apricots. Don't care for the coconut? Add sesame seeds instead and also roll the finished balls in them. You could also take the peanut flavor even further by substituting peanut chips for the chocolate, but I love adding a little bit of extra health benefit to them by using a good quality dark chocolate chip.

I really love that these "Truffles" are a great healthy alternative to have on hand for my kids. They are made quickly and don't require for you to turn on the oven. I have made several batches already that I keep ready in the refrigerator for when the hunger pains strike. Following below is the recipe, or head on over to polwig for a great step-by-step tutorial!

Kids "Truffles"

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter

1/3 cup honey

2 teaspoons cocoa powder

1/2 cup of dried cranberries (or raisins, apricots etc.)

1 cup unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
Place peanut butter, honey and cocoa powder into a bowl. Mix well until incorporated.
Add cranberries and 1/4 cup of coconut. Stir in chocolate chips. Mix well.
Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

Place remaining coconut (you might have to add more coconut) on a plate. Scoop up the "dough" and roll into 1 1/4 inch balls. Roll them in coconut.

Place finished balls on a cookie sheet or plate and refrigerate for an additional 30 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Adapted from: polwig

Sonoma Chicken Salad

Shopping at Costco is always an adventure. You never know what you can come across. On weekends when all the testers are out, you can actually make a meal of it, and unfortunately it also means more impulse buys since you think you "have" to buy the product you just tasted.

Costco's Sonoma Chicken Salad was one of those buys. It had cranberries, pecans and poppy seeds in it. This sets it apart from a lot of the chicken salads that are out there. It was mighty tasty and we all enjoyed it. The only downside of the Costco chicken salad is that for one, it is expensive, and for two, it also has some unpronounceable ingredients mixed in along with a high calorie count.

So in true fashion I decided to replicate the recipe, and we haven't bought one chicken salad from Costco since. It is a different kind of dish than what you might be used to since I add pecans, dried cranberries, poppy seeds, and grapes to my version which makes it incredibly delicious and look beautiful. Many people who I have served this to who were initially turned off by all the fruit, ended up liking it after all and I keep getting requests for the recipe. 

This salad can be served with crackers, with a loaf of good artisan bread or on a split croissant. It also travels well for picnics and potlucks. I hope you'll give my creation a try!

Sonoma Chicken Salad

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 Rotisserie Chicken, skin and bones removed, roughly chopped

2 stalks celery, finely diced

1 cup green grapes, cut in half

1 cup red grapes, cut in half

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Dressing:

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl add chicken, celery, green and red grapes, and dried cranberries.

For the dressing whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice and poppy seeds. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Gently toss chicken mixture and dressing together. Refrigerate for about 1 hour.
Fold in toasted pecans right before serving.

A Susi's Kochen und Backen Original Recipe, inspired by Costco

Confetti Couscous Salad

Many years ago I was looking for a recipe to serve along side grilled shrimp. After searching through tons of magazines I found this recipe for Confetti Couscous Salad. I don't even recall in what publication I found the recipe but it has been a family favorite ever since. 

The first time I make a recipe I usually follow almost everything exactly, and then make notes if I do end up changing something as I'm sure a lot of cooks do. This salad however did not need one thing different or changed, the recipe was great as is. The salad is made very quickly and full of delicious flavors.

The name of the salad comes from the beautiful color of bright green celery, orange carrots and the  dark red of plump dried cranberries. Couscous, toasted almonds and a light vinaigrette round out this tasty dish.  I serve this salad most often with grilled seafood or chicken but it would taste great with just about anything. I truly hope you will give this one a try, it is a great salad.

Confetti Couscous Salad

~serves 4-6~

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup uncooked couscous

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1/2 cup carrot, shredded

1/4 cup green onions, finely sliced

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Dressing:

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

In a small saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Stir in couscous; cover and remove from the heat. Let sand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork; cool.

In a serving bowl, combine the couscous, celery, carrot, onions, and cranberries.

In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Add almonds just before serving.  This salad can be served chilled or at room temperature.

Irish Soda Bread

Irish week is continuing at Susi's Kochen und Backen. So far I've posted recipes for Glazed Corned Beef, Irish Colcannon Potatoes and Fried Cabbage. Today will be all about the Irish Soda Bread.

I had baked soda breads in previous years and even resulted to buying a few at the grocery store. Every time it received very mixed results from my family. My husband and I didn't mind (but they didn't taste fabulous) and the kids just plain out rejected every single one of them.

Most of the breads I had made before called for raisins. I thought they were almost too sweet. I also tried recipes using currants. I really enjoyed those loafs but again, my kids declined to eat them.

As I was looking for the "perfect" recipe I found out that Soda bread gets its name from being a quick bread in which baking soda is used for leavening rather than the more common yeast. Traditional ingredients include flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk. Other ingredients that can be found int various recipes are raisins, currants, eggs, or even nuts.

Soda bread is to this day a staple in the Irish cuisine and is served often with meals.

I ended up finding the perfect recipe. It might not be considered traditional but that wasn't what I was going for. I was looking for taste and Ina Garten's version is by far the best soda bread we've ever eaten. I ended up replacing the currants with craisins since I couldn't find currants but that turned out to be a great decision. I will be baking this recipe more frequently now and the best part is my kids love the bread and told me to make it again and again!

Irish Soda Bread

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for Craisins

4 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher Salt

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk, shaken

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 cup dried Craisins (dried cranberries)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lin a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.

With a fork, light beat the buttermilk, egg, and orange zest together in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Combine the Craisins with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. The dough will be VERY wet.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf. Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound when done.

Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Leftover bread can be stored for up to 3 days well wrapped. If the bread gets a little dry you can always toast it the next day for a great breakfast treat.

Adapted from: Ina Garten

Coming up tomorrow: The conclusion of Irish week, Irish Cream Cupcakes with Baileys Frosting

Chocolate Chip Cookies 3-Ways

 

Everyone has to have a "go-to" Chocolate Chip cookie recipe. It doesn't matter what age you are, there is nothing better then a tall glass of milk along with a freshly baked cookie. My cookie recipe is a fairly basic one that always delivers the perfect combination of crunch and chew. This time though I decided to "play" around and add my own touches to it. There are 3 cookies : Coconut-Cranberry-Chocolate Chip, Espresso Chocolate Chip and of course the old favorite Chocolate Chip. I had my taste tester Lukas give them all a big thumbs up!

Chocolate Chip Cookies 3-Ways

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 (11.5 ounce) package Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips

1 cup chopped Walnuts

1 packet Starbucks Via Ready Brew Italian Roast (extra bold)

1/2 cup sweetened Coconut

1/4 cup Craisins Cranberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl and give it a good whisk to get any lumps out.  

Beat butter, white sugar, light brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy and light in color. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Gradually beat flour into the butter/sugar/egg mixture.

Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Divide dough into thirds.

Add the Starbucks Via to one third.

Add coconut and cranberries to another third.

And the final third of dough will stay as is.

Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto a parchment lined cookie sheet .

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for a couple of minutes and then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Coconut-Cranberry Chocolate Chip

Espresso Chocolate Chip

Chocolate Chip

Tips for Great Cookies:

• I always line my cookie sheets with Parchment paper, even if they are non-stick
• In order to prevent over-salting my cookies I like to use unsalted butter
• I let all my ingredients  come to room temperature before starting to bake
• Invest in good quality ingredients. If I spent the time, I want to have the best possible end product.
• A good chocolate or chocolate chip is a must. The cookies can be made with any kind of chocolate chip but in my opinion with a darker chocolate the cookies don't get over powered with sweetness. There are a lot of brands of chocolate out there. You can go VERY wrong with cheap chocolate. I found that Ghirardelli or even Lindt Chocolate (chopped by hand) provide the best flavor without breaking your pocket book
• Buy an Ice Cream Scoop, it will produce uniform cookies every time
• And most of all, have lots of milk on hand. Trust me, you'll need it ;o)