Chewy Granola Bars

Chewy Granola Bars

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups walnuts (I used pecans)

2 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 cup raw sunflower seeds - unsalted

1 cup dried apricots (I used dried blueberries)

1 cup brown sugar (I used white sugar)3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons water

1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies cereal

1 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup honey* - this is optional.  I added this myself since I was using white sugar rather than brown sugar.

Instructions:

1.  In a 13x9 baking pan, make a foil sling.

a.  Place a piece of foil lengthwise  - pressing down in corners and edges

b.  Place another piece of foil perpendicular to the other piece - pressing down on all edges.

2.  Lightly spray foil with vegetable oil.

3.  Pulse walnuts in food processor until very fine.

4.  On a different rimmed baking sheet, spread the walnuts, oats, and rimmed baking sheet. 

5.  Bake at 325 degrees for 12-15 minutes.  Stir halfway through.

6.  In food processor, mix in the dried apricots, sugar, and salt - process until finely ground - about 15 seconds.

7.  While processing, add water, oil, and honey.

8.  Continue to process until a paste forms - about 1 minute.

9.  Transfer this paste to a large bowl.

10.  Add the warmed oat-walnut-sunflower mix to the paste.

11.  Stir with a rubber spatula until coated.

12.  Transfer the mixture to the prepared 13x9 baking pan

13.  Use parchment paper to press down on the top of the mixture to even it out.

13.  Set oven to 300 degrees.

14.  Bake for 25 minutes.

15.  Remove pan from oven and let cool for 1 hour.

16.  Using the foil sling, keeping the granola in the foil, remove the granola and place on wire rack to let cool for 1 hour.

17.  Discard the foil and place the granola mix on a large cutting board.

18.  Cut granola in half crosswise to form two 6 1/2 by 9 rectangles.

19.  Cut each of these in half again crosswise to form four 3 1/4 x9 rectangles.

20.  Cut each strip crosswise into 6 equal pieces.

21.  Granola bars can be stored at room temperature up to 3 weeks.

Mark's Notes:

I once made a granola mix thinking I was making granola bars.  It didn't gel together like granola bars should.  My wife read the recipe and informed me I had in fact made a simple granola mix rather than granola bars.  So, when I found this recipe, I decided to make a healthy snack for my family.

I did quite a few substitutions from the original recipe.  I used pecans rather than walnuts.  I used dried blueberries rather than dried apricots.  I couldn't find dried cranberries so I used a mixture of dried cherries, cranberries, and raspberries.  I also used white sugar instead of brown sugar and so I added the honey to help make the granola bars gel together.

I used a pan that was slightly smaller than 13x9.  We had more like large granola squares than bars.  It is still super yummy and very healthy.  My one daughter commented that she did like it but it was kind of dry.  So, have so water or milk ready for a wonderful late afternoon snack.

Enjoy. 

Jesus is Risen.

He is Risen Indeed.

Pita Bread

Pita Bread

Ingredients:
2 2/3 flour (or 1 1/3 wheat flour and 1 1/3 cup regular flour)
2 1/4 teaspoons rapid rise yeast
1 1/3 cups ice water
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons honey
1 1/4 teaspoons salt

Instructions:
1.  Whisk flour and yeast together in a bowl of stand mixer.  If you don't have a stand mixer, then mix flour and yeast together in a bowl.
2.  Add ice water, oil, and honey on top of flour.
3.  Fit stand with dough hook and mix on low speed - 1 to 2 minutes.  No stand mixer - knead with hands for 4 minutes on lightly floured surface.
4.  Let dough stand for 10 minutes.
5.  Add salt to dough and mix on medium speed until dough forms satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of bowl, 6-8 minutes.  Without stand mixer - knead for 10-15 minutes with hands.
6.  Remove dough from stand mixer to a lightly oiled counter and knead by hand for 1 minute.
7.  Shape dough into 8 equal smooth balls.
8.  Transfer the dough pieces to a rimmed baking sheet.
9.  Lightly spray the dough pieces with oil spray.
10.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 16-24 hours.
11.  Set oven rack to lowest level.  Place baking stone on rack.  Heat oven to 425.  If you don't have a baking stone, place an inverted rimmed baking sheet on the lowest rack and cover with parchment paper.
12.  Remove dough from refrigerator.
13.  Coat the 1st dough ball with flour.
14.  Pull the edges/sides of the dough ball up to the top.  Hold the ball in your hands and pinch the seams together at the top to seal.
14.  On well floured counter, place the dough ball seam side down.
(I suggest flattening out the dough balls on a well floured piece of parchment paper - when the dough balls are flattened, place the parchment paper with the two dough circles on it on the baking stone).
15.  Flatten out to five inch circle with hands.
16.  Using rolling pin, gently press into a seven inch circle.
17.  Repeat with 2nd dough ball.
18.  Using a pizza peel (or in my case parchment paper), slide the dough rounds onto the baking stone.  Cooking for 1-3 minutes.
19.  Using a pizza peel (or in my case a large wooden spatula), flip the pitas over and let cook another minute.
20.  Remove pitas from oven and let cool.
21.  Repeat steps 13-20 for the next 3 sets of dough balls.
22.  Enjoy.

Mark's Notes.
Where to begin with this one.  I saw this recipe in Cook's Illustrated.  Thought it looked simple enough.  My wife likes pita bread.  So, I thought I'd try it.  There were so many things that went wrong. 
1. My stand mixer wasn't properly mixing the dough with the dough hook.  I had to knead it by hand some as the stand mixer wasn't mixing everything.
2.  I forgot to coat the dough balls in flour before flattening.
3.  I didn't read the notes about pulling up the sides of the dough balls to pinch the seams at the top.
4.  Flipping the dough circles was difficult without a pizza peel.  I actually used a large wooden spatula and another fork to help flip it.  I also used these to get these out of the oven.
5.  The next day, I watched the Cook's Illustrated video on how to make these.  Apparently, pita bread is supposed to "poof" in the oven.  It should expand - a lot in the oven.  I never saw this happen.
I didn't know pita bread was supposed to "poof" like that.  If it doesn't poof, it'll still be quite good.  Just not quite as fluffy.

So, I'll have to try again.

Anyway, it was quite good.  I had one kid who put butter on it.  My wife tried it plain.  My other kid saved it for the morning, scrambled some eggs, put some vegetables in it, put it all in the pita bread.  She said that was really good.

So, enjoy.  Hopefully, your pita bread will turn out better than mine.  If and when I try again I'll update this with my notes and instructions.  So, remember - Jesus loves you.