Lea's Fabulous Breakfast Bars

Lea's fabulous breakfast Bars

Breakfast bars (thank you Lea Roberts​ for this recipe!!)

I doubled the recipe; added pecans and dark chocolate chips; used cherries instead of raisins; and used 1/2 flax flour and 1/2 almond flour for doubled 

Lea made these for me and Susan one weekend we had a girl's weekend at PK
1/2 c coconut oil
1/2 c honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 c almond meal 
1 c shredded coconut
1 c pumpkin seeds
1 c sunflower seeds
1/2 c chopped almonds
1/2 c raisins (cranberries or cherries are great)
 **if you want, add chocolate chips, pecans, or flax seeds just add a little more honey and coconut oil to make correct consistency
-grease pan and press mixture into the large rectangled baker
-bake 20 min at 350
cool in pan for 2 hours before cutting and store remaining in the refrigerator

I will always think of her when I make them! 

Granola for EVERYDAY!!!

Let me begin by saying that I eat this everyday over FAGE (no other will do!!) Sometimes

even for 2 meals:)

ingredients:

5 cups rolled oats 

1 cup sliced almonds 

1 cup chopped pecans (good ole Texas must!) 

1 cup Pepita seeds 

1 cup ground flax 

1 cup wheat germ 

1 cup sesame seed 

2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut 

1 cup hulled sunflower seeds (I use salted) 

1 cup oil (sesame best, or canola) 

2 cups local unprocessed honey *I add some sea salt (certainly optional!) 

2 cups unsweetened dried cherries 1 cup dried blueberries 

2 cups dried cranberries (unsweetened if you can find it) 

directions: *preheat oven to about 325 *IN A HUGE BOWL:)))) stir together all ingredients EXCEPT FRUIT!!! (if you will heat the honey a bit it will mix much easier) *Pour into LARGE oiled pan (I use the same kind of pan in which I cook Thanksgiving turkey) *HOW LONG??? This is the only tricky part..... most granola recipes will say for about 20 minutes.... I've found that it takes much longer with this much stuff:) I put it in the oven and every 10 minutes (or shorter as it cooks) I stir the mixture especially the edges. As it gets done... your entire kitchen will get the aroma of honey toasted oats and nuts! YUMMMMMMMMMMY When it gets brown all through, take it out and let it cool for a short time. When you can touch the pan, stir in the dried fruits. Continue to cool the mixture... as it cools, it will begin to get crunchy. I find it easiest to stir it as I come into the kitchen until it is completely cool. Store it in airtight containers. 

CAUTION: only share it with family and friends if you want to ALWAYS make big batches... well maybe that is only applicable to VERY good friends and wonderful daughters:) Enjoy!!! Truly... this is a staple at our house... and TRULY FAGE yogurt is best!

Tahtee's Peanut Butter Cereal Candy

Peanut Butter Cereal Candy

(with Tahtee changes)

(from the ACU women's cookbook...

a gift from my mother at my bridal shower in 1975)

*this has been a family favorite for years... much better than the marshmallow cereal bars*

3 cups Rice Krispies cereal

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cut white corn syrup

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Combine sugar and syrup, cook, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a full rolling boil.

Remove from heat, stir in peanut butter and vanilla, and immediately pour syrup over cereal mixture, stirring gently to coat.

Pat mixture into buttered 8'X8"X2" pan. Cool, cut into bars.

*this is the original recipe.... in my bars, I substitute and add whatever I want to make it healthier.

*I also usually double the recipe for our family

GET NUTRITIONALLY CREATIVE

ex: substitute Almond butter for Peanut butter

*use LivActive cranberry cereal for 1/2 of cereal mixture

*add nuts (whatever kind you like) or sesame seeds

*add chocolate chips (be sure to do this last minute as the hot mixture will melt the chips)

*add bran, or flax seeds... raisins, cranberries (don't use the sweetened ones), oatmeal, etc.

***caution... as you are adding, be sure not to add more than the liquid mixture can handle or the bars will not be chewy, but hard and crumbly ;)

**for Christmas it is pretty to use pistachios and cranberries in the candy... and good!!**

Tahtee's V8 Texas Chili

Early Spring and we never know what kind of weather we are gonna have! This March 2008 is no different. Last night we had typical Texas Hailstone bombard our house for about 15 minutes and leave the skies clear and starry for a beautiful night. So what's for dinner...

Chili Tahtee style (a bit healthier than from the can) and a whole lot more adaptable to different tastes.

* 1/4 lb per person (for the purpose of this recipe we will figure 2 lbs)

Lean natural (or organic) beef (or you can use free range ground turkey)

*4 T good fresh chili powder (you can season more or less according to your taste for heat)

*1 large onion (chopped)

*T butter

*garlic (to taste... I use lots!!!!) minced

*2 pkgs of Taco seasoning

*1 medium size bottle of V8 juice (not the lemon kind... you can use low sodium)

optional: beans, corn, sour cream, avocado, and cheese

-in cast iron pot put 1-2T of butter to melt

-saute onion and garlic in butter till transparent

-add meat

-cook until browned

-add spices and seasonings (Salt and pepper to taste) Stir to mix

-add V8 until it covers mixture and let it simmer for at least an hour to mingle seasonings

*you can add any of the optionals for a fancier bowl of chili (its pretty to layer the chili, cheese, avocado, and then a dollop of sour cream)

*you can also do the good ole standby Frito pie with this great chili... wonderful and better than the can stuff!!!!

*good on a baked potato too

enjoy any time of the year, but especially a great Tornado season dish!