Chewy Granola Bars

• 2 1/2 cups (230 grams) old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/3 cup (113 grams) honey
• 1/4 cup (56 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (67 grams) mini chocolate chips

Directions

Prepare Oven and Pan

Heat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line bottom and sides of a 8-inch or 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil. Then lightly oil or spray with cooking spray.

Toast Oats

Add oats  to a small baking sheet then bake 5 minutes, stir and bake another 3 to 5 minutes until lightly toasted. Transfer to a large bowl.

Prepare Granola Bars

Combine butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla extract and the salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until butter melts and the sugar completely dissolves.
Pour butter mixture in to bowl with toasted oats. Mix well. Let cool about 5 minutes then add  a 1/4 cup of the mini chocolate chips. Stir to combine. (The chocolate chips will most likely melt a little. This is fine, they turn into glue and help to hold the bars together).

Transfer oat mixture to lined pan then use a rubber spatula or damp finger tips to firmly press the mixture into the pan. (Press hard here, this way the bars will stay together once cooled and cut — We press for about one minute to be extra safe).

Scatter remaining 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips over pressed granola mixture then use a rubber spatula to gently press them into the top. Cover then refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Remove block of granola mixture from pan then peel away aluminum foil. Cut into 12 bars.

Fluffy White 60-Minute Sandwich Bread

1 cup warm water 

2 tablespoons yeast

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cups bread flour 

1 teaspoon salt

Mix together the yeast, sugar, water, and oil. Let it sit for about five minutes. Add the flour a little and a time, mixing in your stand mixer with a dough hook. Add the salt. Knead for 10 minutes, in the stand mixer or by hand. Let the dough rise in a greased bowl . Spray or brush it with oil and let it rise 30 minutes or until doubled. Punch it down and form it into a log. Put it in a well-greased loaf pan and grease the top with spray. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Let the dough rise for about ten more minutes until it's pretty much doubled. Slice the top with a sharp bread knife or any serrated knife. Bake at 425º for about 10 minutes and then lower the heat to 350º and bake for 5-15 minutes more. You'll want the top to be very brown. When it's done it should slide easily out of your greased pan and it should sound hollow if you tap it. Allow to cool before cutting... if you can wait.

soft garlic breadsticks

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

• 2 table spoons sugar
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 4 1/4 cups AP flour
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 tablespoon parsley
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 tablespoons melted buter
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoonkosher sea salt

1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl. Let stand until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 15 minutes. Add flour, 1 1/4 cup warm water, 2 tablespoons softened butter,parsley, minced garlic and 1 tablespoon salt; knead until dough is well mixed and soft, about 3 minutes.
2. Roll dough into a 2-foot log. Cut into 16 equal pieces, about 1 1/2 inches wide. Knead each piece and shape into a 6-inch breadstick. Arrange breadsticks on a baking sheet; let rise for about 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. Mix 3 tablespoons melted butter and garlic powder together in a bowl; brush onto breadsticks.
5. Bake breadsticks in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Immediately brush with remaining melted butter mixture; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.

Pumpkin Rolls

What You Need:

• 1 cup warm milk
• 2 packets active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 3 to 4 cups flour (I used White Lily all-purpose flour)

How it's Done:

1.Proof your yeast: In your mixing bowl, combine warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Stir it up and then let it sit undisturbed for ten to twelve minutes. It should get bubbly and double in volume. (If it doesn't, don't proceed, because it means your yeast is dead. Go out and buy new, fresh yeast. Yeast should be used by the expiration date. If you buy it in a jar, use it within 6 months of opening.)

2.Stir in egg yolk, butter, and salt. Add pumpkin puree and stir to combine. 

3.Half a cup at a time, stir in your flour. If you're not using a stand mixer, a wooden spoon is the best tool for this job. Your dough will be slightly sticky when all the flour is stirred in. 

4.Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. You could also use your stand mixer for this job. By hand, it will take about 8 minutes. 

5.Form the dough into a ball. Coat lightly with oil and place in a large mixing bowl. Cover gently and let rise until doubled in size. This will take anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes. 

6.Punch down your dough. Divide it into 10 equal parts. Roll each piece into a rope. Roll cinnamon-roll style, pinching the end seam to seal. Place each on a cookie sheet that's been oiled and dusted with cornmeal. Cover loosely. Let rise again, until doubled, about 45 minutes to an hour. 

7.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake rolls 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned. 

8.Immediately upon removal from oven, brush rolls with melted butter. 
  
  

Christmas Crafts-1

The kids love to "help" me sew. In these they didnt exactly
help, but i did use their handprints lol. I managed to convince them it was helping, and it was because they turned out super cute.

First an OBV(organic bamboo velour) pillowcase with the kids handprints appliqued on it. I didnt make a tutorial for the pillowcase but there's a good one here.

ok first i cut out their handprints on iron on interfacing(not necessary but the OBV is slippery so it makes it easier)

Next I ironed the interfacing onto the wrong side of the fabric:

And cut them out:

Then appliqued them to the OBV pillowcase(i just used a zig-zag stitch on a regular sewing machine)

All done. The appliqueing took the longest.

Target Deals week of 12/7/08

Ok i see 3 good deals this week.

Keebler cookies are on sale for $2.50 each. Buy 5 get a $5 Target GC back
Use this coupon for $1/1 and pay .50 per box after coupons and GC!!!!

FREE Rayovac batteries
These are regularly found in the $1 spot at target. Use this coupon and get them for free!!!

FREE Air Wick Lumin Air Candles
Candles are priced at $4.99. Use the $5/1 coupon from the 12/07 insert and get them for free!!!

Britax Marathon for $42.99!!!!!

Target has the granite (gray) Marathon online for $42.99 w/free shipping!!! This item is backordered and will not ship for 4-8 weeks. Your card will not be charged until your order is processed and shipped:)
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=huc_ja_1_img/179-2142435-3823939?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B000YSNMG2&nodeID=&m

They also have the cow print for $59.

These carseats were manufactured before March 2008 and will rearface up to 33 lbs(the newer ones go up to 35lbs) They will forward face up to 65 lbs!!!! Remeber carseats expire 6 years after the date of manufacture.