So, here I stray from my typical (at least somewhat) healthy recipes.
My uncle’s mother is one of the sweetest women i know and she comes to the beach with us nearly every year. This year she brought some interesting looking cookies with her. I admit that i was apprehensive at first, but these cookies taste better than they look. They are super simple to make and serve as a satisfying, crowd pleasing dessert.
- 2 C mini marshmallows
- 4 C rice crispies
- 1 C peanut butter
- 1 C raisins
- 1 C crasins (or other dried fruit)
- 2 lb bar or blocks of white chocolate
- 2 C dry roasted peanuts (unsalted)
- heat white chocolate in a large bowl in the microwave for approx. 2 minutes, stir, then repeat to melt completely
- add peanut butter till mixed
- add peanuts, fruit and rice crispies and drop 1/4 cup portions onto a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate to harden for at least 2 hours.
Filed under: BREAKFAST, SNACK | Tags: apricots, nuts, oats, peanuts, raisins, vegetarian
This is a simple, two step thing. First, to make the granola, then form the bars. I have made granola a few (three) of different ways in the past and have my favorite recipe prettymuch down. To make the bars, i just added a bit of maple syrup to my usual granola recipe, to make it more sticky. Next time i might add some chocolate chips…
Homemade Granola Recipe:
- 2 C rolled oats
- 1 C peanuts or toasted almonds
- 1/4 C sesame seeds
- 1/4 C flax seeds
- 1/2 C toasted sunflower seeds
- 1/2 C coconut (this time i used the fresh coconut i had hand cut at the beach)
- 1/4 C fiber one (crushed in a coffee grinder)
- 1 t sea salt
- 1/2 C raisins (i like to mix golden and regular)
- 1/2 C dried fruit (dried apricots + craisins)
- scant 1/4 C canola oil
- 1/2 C honey
- 1/4 C maple syrup
- Mix the oat, 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 and then pour out into a baking pan. I use a large roasting pan, as it keeps everything contained. A cookie sheet with a lip also works, but you have to stir it slightly more carefully if you use that.
- Bake at 300° F for 30 minutes, turning it with a spatula every ten minutes or so. You want everything to be an even golden brown.
- When it is finished cooking, returned the baked granola to the mixing bowl, add the raisins and fruit and stir to combine.
- To form bars, line a rectangular baking dish with wax paper. Immediately pour the warm granola into the dish, cover with another piece of paper, and press down HARD, packing the granola as tightly as possible.
- Let the pressed granola harden cool for at least 3 hours (i let mine sit overnight) before cutting. My pan yielded 14 thick granola bars. For lack of more sustainable packaging ideas, I wrapped them up in some saran-wrap.
Guest cook in the kitchen tonight – Joe Jenkins! (Just kidding, Joe)
1 lb chicken breasts
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoon oyster sauce (we use the vegetarian oyster sauce)
1 can coconut milk
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons peanut butter or Harris Teeter thai peanut sauce
bag of baby spinach
1/2 a red bell pepper, diced
handful peanuts
Cut the chicken into bite sized cubes. Mix 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce with the corn starch and a little bit of water. Pour the mixture on the chicken and let sit for a few minutes.
Meanwhile pour about half the can of coconut milk into a skillet and mix together with the curry powder. Heat over med-low heat until it starts to simmer. Add the chicken into the sauce and let it cook for 3 or 4 minutes.
In a bowl, mix the coconut milk the rest of the oyster sauce, the sugar, and peanut butter. I had some extra Harris Teeter brand Thai peanut sauce from a previous meal so I added that in too. Pour the concoction into the pan. Cook together with the chicken for about 8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked all the way through. Add in the spinach until it wilts. Serve with rice and garnish with red pepper and peanuts.
Busy day in the jenkins kitchen. the Anadama bread nearly took up my whole day! I mixed in some chili galic sauce with my chicken, and it was so good, i would have added it to the pot from the beginging.
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 T corn starch
- 1 T oyster sauce (from an Asian grocery store)
- 1 can unsweetened coconut milk (reduced fat is okay)
- 1-1/2 to 2 t curry powder
- 3 T oyster sauce
- 3 T sugar
- 1/4 C peanut butter
- 1 T lime zest
- 7 ounces fresh spinach
- 1/2 C finely diced red bell pepper
- 1/2 C finely diced onions
- Trim excess fat from meat and cut into thin strips or small chunks as appropriate. Whisk the cornstarch with the half-tablespoon of fish sauce and pour over meat. Toss lightly to coat. Set aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Pour about 1/2 cup of the coconut milk into a medium sized saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Whisk the curry paste into the simmering coconut milk and blend until smooth. Add the meat and continue to simmer gently.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar and peanut butter. Add this mixture to the pan, along with the lime zest. Simmer gently for about 5 to 7 minutes to blend the flavors and cook the meat through. Taste for heat and add more curry paste if desired.
- Add the spinach leaves, a handful at a time, and stir in to wilt in the hot liquid. Serve immediately, topping with the red bell pepper and onions. Serves 4.
two skinny jenkins 