Homemade Granola Bars

Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
unsalted butter to greese pan (approx 1 ounce)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp kosher salt
6.5 ounces chopped dried fruit (I used cranberries, rasberries, and blueberries)
*** I also added about 1/2 cup of ground flax seed ---Love this stuff!

Butter 9x9 inch glass baking dish and set aside. Preheat oven to 350.

Spread the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds, wheat germ and flax seed (optional) onto a baking sheet. Place in the oven and toast for 15 minutes, stirring occassionally.

In the meantime, combine honey, brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and salt into a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook until brown sugar is completely dissovled.

Once the oat mixture is done, remove it from the oven and reduce the heat to 300 degrees F. Immediately add the oat mixture to the liquid mixture, add the dried fruit, and stir to combine. Turn the mixture out into the prepared baking dish adn press down, evenly distributing the mixture in the dish and place in the oven to bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares and store in airtight containter for up to 1 week.

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup Honey
3 Cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup roughly chopped pecans
1/4 cup hulled green pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup raisins
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Preheat oven to 325. Lightly grease an 8x8 inch baking dish and set aside.

In a small saucepan melt butter with honey over low heat, stirring.

In a large bowl stir together oats, almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cinnamon and salt. Pour butter mixture over oat mixture and stir until comined well.

On a large baking sheet, spread the granola mixture evenly in a thin layer. Bake, stirring every 5 minutes to keep from sticking or burning, until golden brown or crips, (about 20 minutes). DO NOT OVERCOOK; The granola will crisp more when cooled. Cool granola in the pan on top of the stove and stir in the raisins. When the granola is completely cooled, place in a large bowl.

Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, and peanut butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is at a boil. Remove from the heat and pur the mixture over the granola, stirring to coat well. Cool slightly and press into the prepared baking dish and let cool completely and harden. Cut into 1 1/4 by 4 inch bars and serve at room temp. Keep in air-tight container for up to 1 week!

Sara and Luke Miller's Bean Dip!!!

1 can of black beans
1 can of corn
1 package of cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
1-2 green onions, chopped
olive oil, drizzled over depending on your taste
1/4 cup cilantro
1 Tb cumin
1 Tb coriander
salt pepper
1 lime

All of these ingredients can be adjusted according to your taste. I don't follow a recipe anymore, I just start with the bean, corn and tomatoes and use the other ingredients according to how I want it.

You can add, avocado, mango when in season (the store canned mango just mashes up into the dip), chopped jalapenos, pineapple, or whatever you like. It's great on salads, fish, and with tortilla chips.

Hope it turns out great!! It's my favorite...just made some yesterday.