Yummy Hippie Granola Recipe!

This is some awesome granola! We love it on our hot cereal in the mornings! I can't remember exactly where I got it. But so glad I did! I always double this recipe so it lasts alittle longer.

2 cups Rolled Oats (not instant)

1 cup Peanuts or Toasted Almonds

1/4 cup Sesame Seeds

1/2 cup Toasted Sunflower Seeds

1/2 cup Coconut (I usually use sweetened although the original recipe calls for unsweetened)

1/4 cup Toasted Wheat Germ

1/2 cup Raisins

1/2 cup Dried Fruit (I usually use have Craisins, and half Aprocots)

Scant 1/4 cup Cooking Oil

1/2 cup Honey

Mix the oats, nuts and grains in a large bowl. Measure oil into the measuring cup and swirl it around before pouring into bowl. Then measure out the honey in the same, unwashed cup. The oil will help the honey exit the cup. Toss everything together until evenly coated.

Then pour out into a 9x13 pan. Bake at 300 for 30 minutes turning it with a spatula every ten minutes or so (I usually bake it at about 275 for about 45 minutes, stiring every 1 minutes). You want everything to be an even golden brown.

When it is finished cooking, return the baked granola to the mixing bowl, add the raisins and fruit and stir to combine.

Stir gently several times as it cools so it doesn't clump together too much. Enjoy!

Bagel Time!

Ok, So I have finally found a direction to go with my blog. I love to cook! And I enjoy showing people what I cook, so I will share some of my favorite recipes and pictures here. Enjoy! You never know, you might actually find that vegitarian food isn't so bad. ((wink))

This recipe here is my first attempt at making bread machine bagels. I was quite happy with the way they turned out although I do have high hopes for an even better looking bagel my next try. I even had an old bagel bag from the store to put them in. I don't think I will ever have to buy another package of bagels again! These taste just like the real thing!! And I am not very easily swayed away from the real thing when it comes to food.

Please excuse any spelling or grammer errors, I am tyring to get this typed while the kids are distracted!

Basic Bagels (For the Bread Machine)

1 3/4 hrs-Total time / 1 1/2 hrs-prep (including bread mixer)

Serves 10

1 1/4 cups lukewarm water

3 cups white bread flour

3 1/3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 teaspoons fast rise yeast or 3 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Egg Wash (opional, I use pam spray instead)

1 egg, plus

1 tablespoon water

1. Remove dough from the machine after the first knead approximately 20-30 minutes.

2. Place dough on floured surface.

3. Divide into 8 parts.

4. Form balls, gently press thumb through center of ball and slowly stretch into bagel shape.

5. While bagels rise, bring 3 qts of water and 1 Tbs sugar to a rapid boil in a large sauce pan.

6. Drop test dough (see first success hint, below)

7. Using a slotted spoon, drop 2-3 bagels into rapidly boiling water.

8. Boil on each side for 1 1/2 minutes.

9. Remove and cool on rack 1 minute, brush with egg wash and sprink;e with sesame seeds, if desired.

10. Bake at 400 F on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal, until golden brown-approximately 15 minutes.

11. Bagel Success hints: When forming bagels, set aside two 1/4" balls of dough

12. When bagels have doubled in size, drop the test dough into boiling water.

13. Dough should pop to the top right away.

14. When this happends, it is time to boil the bagels.

15. A quick spray of non stick vegitable coating on top of the bagel may be a substitute for the egg wash.

16. To make bagel sticks, cut bagel before rising and lay out in a straight line.

17. Roll sticks in a combination of sesame and poppy seeds with a pinch of a garlic powder.

18. Let sticks rise,m boil, and back as described in Basic Bagel process steps above.

19. To make bagel chips, slice leftover bagels horizontally into thin slices.

20. Brush with butter or margarine on one side.

21. Lay (butter side up) on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 325 F for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.

First one...now what?

Ok so this is my first blog posting on here. So now what do I do? Don't really have a whole lot to talk about, it has been a long day and I am tired! I worked out in the back porch today installing our new screen door. I am so glad to finally have one! It will be really nice come this fall! I guess I will keep this short since I am so tired tonight. So I will just post acouple of pictures from today.