Working Mom's Recipe of the Week

No-Bake Granola Bars

Servings = 12 bars

Ingredients

1/3 c roasted, unsalted almonds

1/3 c roasted, unsalted sunflower seeds

2 c rolled oats

1 c chopped dates

1/2 t cinnamon

dash salt

1/2 c mini chocolate chips

2/3 c honey

Directions

In a food processor, pulse almonds and sunflower seeds until broken up. In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients. Heat honey in microwave for 30 seconds; pour over oats. Mix with spoon. Cover a cooking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Dampen your fingers with water and then scoop the oat mixture onto cookie sheet. Press into an 8 by 12 inch rectangle, dampening your fingers if the mix starts to stick. Place in freezer for 20 minutes. Cut into 12 bars. Individually wrap and keep in fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Notes: If you don't want to use chocolate chips, replace with currants, raisins, dried cranberries or any other dried fruit. You can use roasted, unsalted pecans or pumpkin seeds instead of sunflower seeds.

Adapted from Sunset Magazine.

Working Mom's Recipe of the Week

Banana Bread Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Time = 45 min

Ingredients

1/2 c bread flour

3/4 c whole wheat flour

2/3 c sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c shortening

3 small very ripe bananas

2 eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine all the dry ingredients and stir to mix. Using the back of a large spoon, cream the shortening into the dry mix until it is crumbly. In a small bowl, beat the bananas and eggs together, then pour into the flour/shortening. Mix until just combined. Fill lined muffin tin 3/4-full. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean. Cool on wrack.

Options: You can fold in 1 c of raisins, walnuts and/or chocolate chips before scooping in to the muffin tin.

Working Mom's Recipe of the Week

Two recipes this week, both for after school snacks.

The first is a fun way to cook bread with the kids. The idea came from "Kids Cookbook" by Souther Living. I nick-named the recipe "Depression Bread." First, the next time you use canned beans or veggies, save two or three cans, remove the labels and wash thoroughly. Second, choose a bread recipe. It needs to be non-yeast and the dough needs to be thick so that you spoon it into the cans, not pour it. I used a molasses bread - 1/2 cup each whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour and fine corn meal; 1/2 teaspoon each baking soda and salt and 1 teaspoon cinnamon mixed with the flours; 1 cup plain yogurt, 1/3 c molasses and 1/2 c raisins mixed into the dry ingredients. My recipe makes 2 cans. Third, spray the inside of the cans with cooking oil. Then spoon the bread in, filling each about 2/3's full. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the can for 10 min. Remove and cool for another 15 minutes before cutting.

The second recipe comes from my daughter. Jordan's school district (Battle Ground) participates in the Future Chefs competition each year. This year Jordan submitted a recipe for healthy after schools snacks. Her recipe was chosen, along with 26 others (out of 250+ submitted) as a finalist. She spent a day at the competition making 40 samples of her recipe and helping her teammates make theirs. Local chefs judged. Jordan's recipe won one of five awards, "Easiest Preparation". Pretty neat!

Ladybugs on Snow

9 3-inch pieces of celery

cream cheese

36 dried cranberries

Kids can use a butter knife to cut the celery. Use a spoon to fill the center of each celery piece with cream cheese. Top each with 4 dried cranberries. Enjoy!