Racetrack Granola

('Racetrack' because the little boys had assembled one in my kitchen, which I had to step over about 12 times as I attempted to make this. All the while, listening to "Go! Go! Go!" and "Cool!" and "Awwwww yeah!" So there you have it . . . Racetrack Granola.)

4 c. old-fashioned oats
1½ c. sliced almonds
½ c. packed light brown sugar
½ t. salt
½ t. cinnamon
¼ c. oil
¼ c. honey
1 t. vanilla
1½ c. raisins or dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 300°. In large bowl, mix the oats, almonds, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. In a saucepan, warm the oil and honey. Whisk or stir in vanilla. Carefully pour liquid over oat mixture. Stir gently with a wooden spoon; finish mixing by hand. Spread granola in a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan. Bake 35-40 minutes, stirring carefully every 10 minutes, until deep golden brown. Transfer granola-filled pan to a rack; cool completely. Stir in raisins or dried cranberries. Seal granola in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for one week or in a freezer for three months.

Yield: 6 cups

Good stuff.

If you have any left after it cools - because we eat it and eat it and eat it before it ever comes off the baking sheet - it's good as cereal w/ milk . . with vanilla yogurt . . or by itself in a baggie to be eaten as you watch your boy dig for worms at ball practice.

My Story: So here's the Ractrack Granola, in the cereal box on the right. I'm showing this picture because I have a good Mommy Tip to go with it. Stickers on your cereal boxes.
Rather than the . . . .

"What cereal do you want?"

"Dat one."

"This one?"

"No. DAT one."

"This one?"

"DAT ONE!"

. . . conversation, put your cereal in plastic boxes and label them with some type of stickers that your child can describe - letters, numbers, animals, cartoon characters - something that they know and can say. So the new conversation . . .

"Which cereal would you like precious angel?"

"I'd like the bunny cereal you clever Mommy you."

"Coming right up, dear."

Purple Cows

So here's a yummy recipe for the kids.
(Or for you, if you're like me, and pretend like you make these yummy things for the kids when, really, they are for you.)

Purple Cows

1½ c. milk
¾ c. grape juice concentrate
2 c. vanilla ice cream

In a blender, combine milk and grape juice concentrate. Add ice cream; cover and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings.

Yum.

Drink enough of 'em, and you may start to look like a cow.

Only just not purple.

Carrot Cake

Ooooh, so this is my first post on my new recipes blog! How terribly exciting! We'll see how many recipes I actually get on here, but my inaugural recipe is dum - da - da - dum . . . .

You Can Eat It For Breakfast Because It Has Carrots In It

Carrot Cake

(And if you eat the whole cake by yourself, you're getting three servings of vegetables!)

Ingredients:
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce - I used the Natural with no sugar added
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract - do yourself a favor and only buy pure vanilla extract...not imitation!
8 oz. can crushed pineapple - drain well & smoosh out all excess water
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots - use the large holes on your grater
1 cup chopped pecans

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, applesauce, brown sugar, white sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla and pineapple. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack -if desired- and cool completely.

To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cake.

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My Story: I made this cake for Pop's 2010 birthday. (59! What?!) Momma & Pop currently have their kitchen torn apart, which means no oven, which means no cake. I offered to make the cake - or did she ask? - and Momma suggested Pound Cake or Carrot Cake, Pop's favorites. I decided on the Carrot Cake since it's one of my favorites, too. Duh. It's yummy. Even on day two and three and especially for breakfast. If there's cake in my house, I eat it for breakfast. As a rule. And usually for lunch, too, until the cake is gone. Enjoy!
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Happy Birthday, Papa!