GRANOLA BREAKFAST BARS

My sister found this delicious recipe and shared it with me.  They are super healthy and hearty...perfect for a breakfast-on-the-go or mid-afternoon snack.

2 cups oats

1 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup milled flax seeds

3/4 teas. salt

1 cup chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or dried fruit

3/4 teas. cinnamon

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup honey

2 teas. vanilla

1 egg

*Peanut butter bar : 1/2 cup oil = 1/4 cup oil + 1/4 cup peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 9x13 baking pan.  In large bowl, mix oats, flour, brown sugar, flax, salt, choc. chips, and cinnamon until combined.  Stir in oil and remaining ingredients until well blended.  With wet hand, press oat mixture into pan.  Bake for 24 minutes, until pale golden on edges.  Cool completely in pan.  When cool, cut with pizza cutter and wrap.  Makes 24 small bars.

Restaurant-Style Tomato Soup

I have been on a quest for the perfect tomato soup, just like the kind I order at "Stacey's" one of my favorite restaurants in Northern California - this one is really close.
2-28 oz cans diced tomatoes
EVOO
Salt and Pepper
3 stalks celery, diced
3 carrots, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
4+ cloves garlic, minced
2 cans chicken broth
2 bay leaves
Bunches of fresh basil
dash of cayenne pepper
Heavy Cream


Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Strain the diced tomatoes, reserving the juices, and spread onto a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with 1/4 cup EVOO. Roast until caramelized, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat about 1/2 cup EVOO over medium heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion, and garlic, cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the broth and tomato juice. Add the roasted chopped canned tomatoes when finished roasting. Add the bay leaves, cayenne, and basil. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Add more fresh basil, puree with a hand held immersion blender until smooth. Add 1/2 cup+ heavy cream. Serve with crusty sourdough bread from San Francisco!

Banana Chocolate Cupcakes

1 box Yellow Cake Mix
1 cup water
1 cup mashed bananas
3 eggs
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Mix ingredients 30 sec. on low, then 2 min on medium. Pour into cupcake papers and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.

I frosted them with chocolate butter cream made of butter, cocoa, vanilla, powdered sugar and milk.


Banana Split Cupcake Variation
(This is the original recipe)
Make cupcakes as above, only add 1 cup chopped, drained maraschino cherries.

Marshmallow frosting:
1 cup marshmallow creme
1 tsp. shortening
1 1/2 cups vanilla frosting
Mix all ingredients, frost, drizzle with 1/2 cup melted chocolate chips and top with a cherry.