"The Good Granola Bars"

I clipped a recipe out of the USAWeekend a few years ago for granola bars. My husband really likes these. As in he thanks me every time I make them. So I thought I'd share the recipe. ^_^

Granola Bars with Almonds, Chocolate, and Dried Cranberries

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup wheat germ (for GF use 1/2 cup rolled oats ground in a food processor)
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

Mix.

Line a 9x9 pan with foil (you'll thank me for this) and grease it.

Bake for 30 minutes at 325 F.

Pull foil out of pan and cut. Can be stored in airtight container for 1 week or frozen.

Enjoy!

Gardens

It is finally warm enough here to get a garden in. The snow is finally all gone and the grass is turning green. The children and I planted beans today. They had a lot of fun.

Some people really enjoy gardening.  They find it relaxing and an enjoyable hobby. My mother-in-law is a wealth of knowledge about all plants. I often can't tell between the plant and the weed. I garden to get organic foods to eat fresh and can/freeze for winter. I'm hoping my children develop a love of gardening. Something we can do together. Maybe I'll learn to love gardening...

Omma Bars - Dairy and Gluten Free Version

Say hello to "Omma Bars."

My son loves these. He eats them every day for breakfast. Sometimes for snacks too. And he nicknamed them "Omma Bars" when he was 2 so that's what they're known as now.

I have tweaked the recipe many times over the years to make them as healthy as possible while still being desired by my children. Something that is important when you have a child who only eats 6 things!

So here is the current version in case you have a promblem feeder or picky eater in your house!

Dairy and Gluten Free Omma Bars
(I doubled what's listed below.)
1/4 c olive oil butter (I used Earth's Best non dairy butter substitute, thus dairy free)
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 c rice flour (use 1 1/2 wheat flour for non-GF)

1/4 c chia seeds (or flaxseeds)
3 c GF oats
1 Tbl sweet potato (start with 1 tsp and increase as tolerated)
3/4 olive oil (or 1 c grapeseed oil)

Mix - should be moist but not runny
Add 1/2 c of any fill ins such as craisins, raisins, chocolate chips, dates, etc.

Bake 350 for 25 min or until golden brown.

Eat out your Pantry!

I had recently been told that the average American household could live off it's stored food for seven years! Well, I don't think a person could do that in our household but it does raise a good point: We should eat out our pantries!

Or at least eat them down every once in while.  Or at least eat the food before it goes bad. You know, that one can of whatever that never makes it to the front or the one box of something that is left on the self unused.

I like to do this periodically throughout the year. I dispise having to throw away food and yet I don't like to be without some food stored up either. So quarterly (or when the grocerry budget seems tighter than usual) we eat our freezer and pantry stores down.

The added benefit is that we usually rediscover a favorite, or this Omma learns to cook something new and we have a new favorite, or this Omma just has to get plain old creative with what she has on hand.

Vinegar

I know I've probably posted about vinegar before, but I'm adding some more uses for it.

I clean my floors with a little bit of vinegar in a bucket of water (c. 1/4 cup to 1 gallon).

I clean my bathroom and kitchen with a vinegar blend. Take a mason jar and fill it with orange peels, add vinegar to top, let sit 10 days and then it's ready to use.

I clean my coffee maker and pot with vinegar. Take 1 Tbl of vinegar and fill the rest up with water. Run through the maker. Run just water through the maker afterwards as a rinse. Works great!

Bake Bread

I make my own bread. After noticing that even the "good bread" had ingredients in it that I didn't understand I took to baking my own bread.  I use the Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Baking cookbook for my soft whole wheat bread but you can do online searches for free recipes as well.  This is not only healthy but it is inexpensive too.  And it doesn't take as much time as you think it does.  I spend maybe 10 minutes letting my KitchenAid doing the kneeding and then it's a mater of moving it from the bowl to the pans when it's done rising and into and out of the oven. Easy peasy right?! The "hard part" is planning a little so that you have time to let the dough rise. But you can still do things around your house while it's rising! You can even go for a walk or play outside with the kids if you want. The dough will still be there!

Omma Brand Shout Out

I have a confession, I dislike cooking. I love to bake. I could bake all day (ok, I have actually done that). But I just find cooking to be such a chore.  That's why I love to use my slow cooker! And why I love to make big batches of whatever I do cook and freeze a portion of it for next week.  It's like making two meals at once!

And I have to give a shout out to http://onceamonthmom.com/ who has great slow cooker recipes that you can freeze.

You need gluten free and dairy free? She has it.

You need baby food ideas? She has it.

You need vegetarian meals because you are vegetarian or are just trying to save on meat costs? She has it.

Sticky Stuff

I love to cook with honey.  It's a good substitute for sugar too.  Use 3/4 cup honey for 1 cup sugar.  But that measuring cup....always gets really sticky with honey.  So I spray the measuring cup with butter first.  The honey comes out easy peasy.  Also works great for other sticky items like molasses.

Peanut Butter

Ah peanut butter, what a wonderful food. Full of wonderful protein, great for sandwiches...and so hard to get off the container! I use a spatula to ensure all the wonderful peanut buttery goodness makes it out of the container and onto my sandwich.  It also makes cleanup of the container for recycling so much easier.

Buy Local

Find out what's unique about your area, perhaps there's an orchard nearby, perhaps a dairy farm, a farmer's market, etc.  Chances are you can get the best deal around by going there to buy it.  And chances are that it is organic.  How cool is that? Inexpensive and organic?!

60 ways to use baking soda

Thanks to my friend Cheryl and my Grandma S for this post idea!

Bicarbonate of soda or baking soda has many different uses in the household. Although much more expensive products have been developed over the years to do the same jobs, baking soda can work for you just as well, if not better. Use it in the following ways:

1. To make your own baking powder, stir and sift together 2 parts of Cream of Tartar to 1 part baking soda and 1 part cornstarch.

2. Be sure to keep an extra box of baking soda by your stove in case of grease or electrical fire. Scatter the powder by the handful to safely put it out.

3. Keep a container of baking soda in your garage as well as in your car to put out a fire. It won’t damage anything it touches.

4. Baking soda will also put out fires in clothing, fuel, wood, upholstery and rugs.
5. Clean vegetables and fruit with baking soda. Sprinkle in water, soak and rise the produce.
6. Wash garbage cans with baking soda.
7. Soak and wash diapers with baking soda.
8. Oil and grease – stained clothing washes out better with soda added to the washing water.
9. Clean your fridge and freezer with dry soda sprinkled on a damp cloth. rinse with clear water.
10. Deodorize your fridge and freezer by putting in an open container of baking soda to absorb odors. Stir and turn over the soda from time to time. Replace every 2 months.
11. Soda absorbs kitty litter odors. Cover the bottom of the kitty box with 1 part soda; then add a layer of 3 parts kitty litter on top.
12. Always add 1/2 cup soda to your washing machine load.
13. Clean combs and brushes in a soda solution.
14. Wash food and drink containers with soda and water.
15. Wash marble-topped furniture with a solution of 3 tablespoons of soda in 1 quart of warm water. Let stand awhile, then rinse.
16. Clean formica counter tops with baking soda on a damp sponge.
17. Wash out thermos bottles and cooling containers with soda and water to get rid of stale smells.
18. To remove stubborn stains from marble, formica or plastic surfaces, scour with a paste of soda and water.
19. Wash glass or stainless steel coffee pots (but not aluminum) in a soda solution ( 3 tbsp. soda to 1 quart water).
20. Run you coffee maker through its cycle with a soda solution. Rinse.
21. Give baby bottles a good cleaning with soda and hot water.
22. Sprinkle soda on barbecue grills, let soak, then rinse off.
23. Sprinkle soda on greasy garage floor. Let stand, scrub and rinse.
24. Polish silverware with dry soda on a damp cloth. Rub, rinse and dry.
25. For silver pieces without raised patterns or cemented-on handles: place the silver on aluminum foil in an enamel pot. Add boiling water and 4 tbsp. baking soda. Let stand, rinse and dry.
26. Reduce odor build-up in your dishwasher by sprinkling some soda on the bottom.
27. Run your dishwasher through its cycle with soda in it instead of soap to give it a good cleaning.
28. To remove burned-on food from a pan: let the pan soak in soda and water for 10 minutes before washing. Or scrub the pot with dry soda and a moist scouring pad.
29. For a badly-burned pan with a thick layer of burned-on food: pour a thick layer of soda directly onto the bottom of the pan, then sprinkle on just enough water so as to moisten the soda. Leave the pot overnight, then scrub it clean next day.
30. Rub stainless steel and chrome with a moist cloth and dry baking soda to shine it up. Rinse and dry. On stainless steel, scrub in the direction of the grain.
31. Clean plastic, porcelain and glass with dry soda on a damp cloth. Rinse and dry.
32. Remove that bad smell from ashtrays with soda and water.
33. Sprinkle a bit of dry soda in your ashtrays to prevent smoldering and reduce odor.
34. Clean your bathroom with dry soda on a moist sponge – sink, tub, tiles, shower stall, etc.
35. Keep your drains clean and free-flowing by putting 4 tablespoons of soda in them each week. Flush the soda down with hot water.
36. Soak your shower curtains in water and soda to clean them.
37. To remove strong odors from your hands, wet your hands and rub them hard with soda, then rinse.
38. Sprinkle baking soda on your wet toothbrush and brush your teeth and dentures with it.
39. Sprinkle soda in tennis shoes, socks, boots and slippers to eliminate odor.
40. Add 1/2 cups or more of baking soda to your bath water to soften your skin.
41. Putting 2 tbsp. of baking soda in your baby’s bath water will help relieve diaper rash irritations.
42. Apply soda directly to insect bites, rashes and poison ivy to relieve discomfort. Make a paste with water.
43. Take a soda bath to relieve general skin irritations such as measles and chicken pox.
44. Take 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/2 glass of water to relieve acid indigestion or heartburn.
45. Gargle with 1/2 tsp. baking soda in 1/2 glass of water. Freshens and cleans your mouth.
46. Used as a mouthwash, baking soda will also relieve canker sore pain.
47. To relieve sunburn: use a paste of baking soda and water.
48. Bug bites: use a poultice of baking soda and vinegar.
49. Bee sting: use a poultice of baking soda and water.
50. Windburns: moisten some baking soda and apply directly.
51. Making Play Clay with baking soda: combine 1 1/4 cups water, 2 cups soda, 1 cup cornstarch.
52. Use soda as an underarm deodorant.
53. If your baby spits up on his shirt after feeding, moisten a cloth, dip it in baking soda and dab at the dribbled shirt. The odor will go away.
54. When scalding a chicken, add 1 tsp. of soda to the boiling water. The feathers will come off easier and flesh will be clean and white.
55. Repel rain from windshield. Put gobs of baking soda on a dampened cloth and wipe windows inside and out.
56. Add to water to soak dried beans to make them more digestible.
57. Add to water to remove the “gamey” taste from wild game.
58. Use to sweeten sour dishcloths.
59. Use dry with a small brush to rub canvas handbags clean.
60. Use to remove melted plastic bread wrapper from toaster. Dampen cloth and make a mild abrasive with baking soda.

Pot Luck Cooking

I love trying out new recipes, but there's always that fear of "What if everyone hates it and we're stuck with a whole dish?" Because I know I'll be the one that's choking it down if no one likes it.

So I invite friends over.  We cook up all those new recipes we have been wanting to try, eat some, and divide up the food between everyone to take home!  Everyone loves it!

Cereal

Here's an Omma Brand shout out to Three Sisters Cereal.  All their cereal comes in ziplock bags to save on packaging (part of the savings is passed on to you too).  It's natural cereal that tastes great.  My little girl likes the Three Sisters Honey O's over the name brands.  AND you can really stock up when there's a sale, waaaay cheaper than the regular boxes of cereal.

Shop Around

I have become my grandpa's granddaughter and have started going to different grocery stores to get the best deal.

1) This all stems from knowing how much something should cost and what a good price is.
2) Then it is shopping all your local stores to find out who has the best price.  If you get the newspaper or have the internet, you can check the fliers weekly to see where the best deals are.
3) Make a list for each store (I prefer this to circling items on the fliers, helps me get everything I need).  Put the coupons you need with your list so everything is all together in one spot.
4) Pick a day of the week to do all the errands or go to one store a day.

Meals

Ah, it's supper time and everyone in the house is hungry. They all turn to you and ask "What's for dinner?"  Good question.  So what do you do?

There are a number of suggestions you could try.

Meal List
You could type up a list of all your favorite meals that can be made with the items you typically keep in stock. Then when you're stuck on a idea, you look at the list and pick something.

Meal Calendar
This is a take on the list but a bit more organized.  For either the week or the month fill in what you will make on which days.  You can organize your shopping around this, prep ahead of time, and not be scrambling at the last minute to make something.  Don't forget to add in leftovers days!

Meal Box
This is a different take on the meal calendar.   A lady once told me that all I need are 30 recipes and then I can rotate them in a box.  The next one up is the meal for the night.

Cook for a week in one day
For the super organized (and I have never done this by the way) you can cook for the whole week (or month) and then freeze the food.  Then it is simply a mater of taking the meal out of the freezer and heating it up for the evening.

Date Your Cans

This is a little trick my grandparents use on their canned goods.  As you're unpacking them from the car into your pantry, date them.  Now you can choose either to put the date you bought the can on the top or put the expiration date on the top so it's easy to find (because they aren't always easy to find).  Whichever way you choose to do this be consistent or you'll get very confused.  Then make sure you put them in order and use the can that's closest to expiring first.

Freezing Food

I don't like to cook.  I can bake all day long but dislike cooking.  Which is odd for a person who likes food but that's just how things are.

So I make double batches for certain items when I cook.  Then I can freeze them for a quick meal later, usually when we're rushing about and need an "instant" meal.  Instead of grabbing a highly processed frozen meal of some sorts I can grab my home cooked instant meal.

Works great for all sorts of things.  Casseroles, waffles, pancakes, bars, bread, etc.

Mac and Cheese

We've all been there, the day was crazy and now you need to feed a bunch of hungry family members.  So we grab a box (or two) of mac and cheese.  Here's ways to stretch that a bit.

1) Make an impromptu casserole.  Use a box of mac and cheese and throw in a can of peas or corn and a can of tuna or salmon.  Ta da! A bit more hearty and healthy.

2) Make the cheese pack last longer.  Use half the amount suggested.  I keep a container in my pantry for the leftover powdered cheese.  Then you can use bulk noodles and add 2 T of powdered cheese.

3) Make your own mac and cheese.  Use bulk noodles and right after the drain the water (noodles still hot) throw some shredded cheese on it, let it melt, and then stir.  Added bonus: cheaper and healthier.

Make your Tea and Coffee Go Longer

If you drink tea or coffee than this is the post for you.  Because really, when we come down to it, we don't need either of those items.  They cost money and they're a diuretic.  But they taste sooo good!

Reuse your tea bag.  If you're going to drink more than one cup, steep your bag and then put it in a little bowl.  When you're ready for your second cup, use the same tea bag.  But only use it a total of two times or else you loose the flavor.

Coffee grounds.  If you make more than one pot of coffee you can just add a little bit more grounds to the filter already full of them.  Second pot will still taste just as good as the first and you only used a little bit more instead of refilling the whole thing again.

When you're done with your grounds, add them to your plants.  They'll thank you for it.

Day old food

It's amazing what one little day can do.  One day the grocery store can charge full price, the next they legally can't sell it.  It's that little thing called the "sell by date."  I know some people do a major part of their shopping this way but I don't have time for that.  But if I happen to see something that's a day or two past the "sell by date" (depending on what it is of course, let's not be cheap) I'll throw it in the cart and get it for free.  Saves them from having to throw out that box of Mac 'n Cheese that I'll promptly cook up for lunch.  Isn't that nice of me to take that off their hands?  ^^