Basic Granola Base

BASIC GRANOLA
*this is a really basic granola that uses stuff a person usually has, you can add anything to it
*it is adapted from Alton Brown's recipe

4 1/3 cups rolled oats
1 2/3 cups shredded sweet coconut
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.
In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.
Add  raisins, chocolate, etc...

If you want to add nuts you can adjust the oatmeal and coconut to accommodate them.  For example if you wanted to add 1 C of pecans then use 4 C of oats and 1 C of coconut.  Add the nuts before cooking the granola.

Seven Layer Dip

SEVEN LAYER DIP

Refried Beans
Guacamole
Sour Cream
Cheese
Tomato
Green Onion, thinly sliced
Olives, chopped fine

Layer in order staring from beans in a pan.  Serve with tortilla chips...

Baked Oatmeal with Cranberries

BAKED OATMEAL

3 C of rolled oats (if you want to use this as real baked oatmeal...also add 1/2 C of applesauce along with the butter)
or
4 C of rolled oats if you intend for this to be a cereal
1/2 C brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 C milk
2 eggs
1/4 C butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
1/2 - 1 C dried cranberries

Combine dry ingredients.  Combine wet ingredients and then combine all the ingredients :)  Bake in a 9x13 for about 35-40 minutes (for normal) or 25-35 minutes (for more cereal like) at 350.

Steel Cut Oats

I am playing around with steel cut oats.  They are less processed than rolled oats or instant oatmeal and have a lower glycemic index.
I don't know a whole lot about steel cut oats other than they are prepared by being cut into pieces.  They have a more golden color and to me the look kind of like they are cut up wheat or rice.  Of course one of the things that drew me it was the fact that they are sometimes called Irish Oats :)
They take longer to cook and you can pre-soak them.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN

1 can pineapple chunks, drained
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp oil
1 1/4 C water
2 C carrots, sliced lengthwise into sticks
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1/4 C brown sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 C ketchup
2 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 C chicken, diced and cooked
1 C green pepper, sliced in strips

Saute onion in oil.  Add water, carrots and bouillon cubes.  Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes.  Combine sugar, cornstarch and ginger.  Add ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce and stir into vegetables.  Cook mixture until clear and thick.  Add chicken, pepper and pineapple.  Simmer for 5 more minutes.

Okay, sometimes I just make this and leave the chicken out completely.  Just fill it up with peppers and it is so good over rice.  I don't even miss the chicken but my Asian side does protest the whole time I do it!

Thai Linguine

THAI LINGUINE
1 can (14oz) chicken broth/vegetable broth
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp corn starch
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
1/2 C peanut butter
1 Tbsp oil
2 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp grated ginger
1 onion, thinly sliced
8 oz linguine, cooked

In a skillet heat oil and add garlic and ginger.  Add onions and saute.  Remove from skillet.  Mix together broth, soy sauce, water, cornstarch and pepper.  Blend in peanut butter.  Add mixture into the skillet.  Cook and stir until thick and bubbly and add onions/garlic back into the sauce.  Serve over noodles.

You can add chicken to this meal if you want to make it more a chicken linguine...

Ground Beef Stroganoff

GROUND BEEF STROGANOFF

1/2 C onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
1/4 lb ground beef
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1 C mushrooms, sliced
1 can cream of mushroom
1 C sour cream
Cooked noodles or rice

Brown meat, drain.  Saute onion, garlic, beef with a tiny bit of butter.  Stir in flour, seasonings and saute until onions are tender.  Add mushrooms and soup and simmer.  Add sour cream and heat but don't boil.  You can add milk to thin the sauce if it needs it.  Season more to taste if you want (I always do)
Serve over noodle or rice.