Make your own Granola

I have been making an intentional move away from prepared foods. I certainly have not arrived, by any means, but I find myself further down the road than I was a year ago.   I really believe in my heart of hearts that what we are putting into our bodies in the name of convenience is the root cause of the nations' health problems.   On the other hand, I live in a house with two teenagers, and "slow food" is not always an option. We have to have simple to grab and go snacks.   One of our favorite homemade convenience breakfast or snack food is  is homemade granola.  I store it in large 1.5 litre mason jars and try and have a couple variations in my pantry to choose from.  Walnut/ Cranberry and Dried Apple, or  Coconut/ Almond/ Dried Apricots and Blueberries.  or just a Flax Seed/ Sunflower Seed/ and Raisins.   I use whatever combination I have on hand.  We eat granola with milk, homemade yogurt, over berries or bananas, or alone in bagged lunches.

5 c oatmeal (up to 1 ½ c can be substituted with nuts, seeds or a combination of both)
1 c whole wheat flour ( I have to admit, I have used unbleached white flour
1/3 c vegetable oil
1 t cinnamon
1 t salt
1/3   c maple syrup
1/2 c juice (orange, pineapple, or apple)
½  t  flavoring (almond or vanilla extract)
Up to 2 c of dried fruit or coconut

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, flour, cinnamon and salt; mix well. In a separate bowl, combine oil, syrup, juice and extracts. Slowly pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients, using a spatula to fold and evenly coat the dry mixture with the wet. Spread on a cookie sheet or in a shallow pan  ( I use two 9' x 11' pans) and bake. Turn granola every 15 or 20 minutes so that it toasts evenly. Bake until granola is dry and golden (45-60 minutes). Add dried fruit.   Store mixture in an air tight jar.

Homemade Bread- Yum

I love homemade bread, I love the taste, the smell, and the feel of the dough when I handle it.  I have always made my own bread, but over the past year or two, I have made an effort the number of times that I have actually purchased bread or rolls from the store. It is my gift to my family to provide them with wholesome bread, free of preservatives.  I usually make a rather dense loaf filled with whole grains, or oatmeal, honey or molasses. 

This year I have been very lucky to teach the craft of bread making to several classes of high school students, I get raving reviews from their parents and friends about the confidence they have baking from scratch.  Here is the recipe that I use.

Ms. Hatheway’s Basic Bread Recipe

3 cups warm Liquid

1 Tablespoon Salt

4 Tablespoons Fat

1 Tablespoon Yeast

1 Tablespoon Sugar

5 cups Flour

Notes:

3 Cups warm liquid  (water is fine, I sometimes use milk, whey  or yogurt milk mix… left  over potato water works great) heat on stove to a temp hot to the touch

1 T salt

4 T of fat ( I usually use butter , but vegetable oil, olive oil,  shortening or lard will do fine) make sure the water is warm enough to melt the hard fat

note*****(If you are adding cereal, ie.  Red River Cereal, Oatmeal or Cornmeal, add 1 more Cup hot water even left over potatoes, squash or pumpkin)

Let mixture cool to warm to the touch,  then add,

1 T yeast (If I am in a hurry, I add 2, if it is raising over night, only 1 Tablespoon is enough)

1 T Sugar****note: if you are making brown bread, add 1/3 cups of molasses at this stage instead of the sugar

Let set for about five minutes to a foam.

Add 3 Cups of flour (All purpose flour for a white loaf, or multi-grain, whole wheat, or rye flour if making a heartier grain.)

For the remainder, about 2 more cups of All Purpose Flour, knead in to the softer mixture.  The dough should be kneaded for about 5 minutes, until the gluten strands are elastic and stretchy.

Add any dried fruit or nuts, herbs like rosemary or roasted garlic cloves  (up to 1/2 cup) at this time.

Let rise in a bowl covered with a dishcloth.

When dough is double the size, punch down and form into loaves.

Let rise again…

Bake 350 degrees about 45 minutes for a loaf until there is a hollow sound when you tap on it.




Sticky Buns

Make a Smudge

Melt 1/2 cup of margarine, add ¾ c brown sugar and spread in the bottom of a 10 x 13 pan. 

Roll bread dough into a large rectangle, add ¼ c softened margarine and ½ c brown sugar, sprinkle liberally with cinnamon ( optional ½ c walnuts or pecans)

Roll mixture into a large roll, cut into equal parts place in pan (about a dozen rolls to a pan)

Let rise.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes

Turn out onto a parchment lined sheet as soon as they are out of the oven. (Don’t leave in the pan, they will stick.)


Other Bread Dough Ideas

Braided Loaf

Roll loaf in poppy seed, or oatmeal for a more rustic looking loaf

Rolls

Breadsticks (add garlic salt, sea salt, oregano,  or parmesan)

Pretzels (form, poach in salt water and bake on baking sheet)

Roll flat and fry in a dry frying pan as a tortilla

Roll and cut into squares or doughnut cutter, fry in lard, and sprinkle with icing sugar

Pizza crust

Roll and fill with pizza fillings bake

 Sticky Buns / pesto rolls