Granola

Ingredients:
4 C quick oats
2 C rice krispies or other lightly crushed cereal
1/2 C brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 C honey or maple syrup**
1/3 C oil
1/3 C water
1 tsp vanilla
optional add ins like dried fruit or nuts

In a large bowl mix the oats, crushed cereal, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  In a small bowl mix the honey, oil, water, and vanilla well and then pour over the cereal mixture.  Stir gently to coat and pour onto parchment lined sheet pan.

Bake at 300F for 30 min, if you are adding nuts add them now and stir and bake for another 15 min.  You might have to adjust the time depending on your oven so keep an eye on it!  Allow it to cool, add other add ins and then transfer it into a storage container.

Note:
If you like clumps in your granola crush the extra cereal more finely and don't stir it too much while in the oven.

I've been making this with homemade maple syrup with great results.

**Maple syrup recipe
2 C sugar
1 C water
1 tsp maple flavoring

Mix all the ingredients in a small pot on medium and stir until sugar has dissolved.  Allow it to cool and then store it in a jar.  It will make approximately a pint of syrup.

Southwest Quinoa Salad

Adapted from Let's Dish Recipes
Ingredients
Salad:
2 C cooked, cooled quinoa (approximately 1 C raw will equal about 2 C cooked)
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 C frozen corn, thawed
1/2 C chopped red bell pepper
1/4 C chopped red onion
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 C chopped fresh cilantro

Dressing:
1/4 C red wine vinegar
1/4 C olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp lime juice

Directions:
Combine the ingredients for the salad in a medium bowl and toss together.  In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.  Pour over salad and mix well.  Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.  Great with tortilla chips or in a wrap also!

Notes:
I toasted the quinoa in a pan and then rinsed it well before cooking and it was delicious!

Green Beans and Pork

Ingredients:
1 lb. green beans, ends trimmed
1/4 lb. ground pork
1 tsp. garlic, chopped
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 Tbs. oyster sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 C water
1 tsp. cornstarch

Blanch the green beans until tooth tender and set to the side. This step can actually be done ahead of time and stored in the fridge up to a day in advance. In a pan, brown the pork and then add the garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil. Mix the water and cornstarch and add to the pan. Cook until thickened (taste for seasoning). Add green beans and stir to coat them with the sauce and you're done!

I'm sure you could switch the pork with ground beef or sliced steak. You could probably omit the meat all together if you wanted it to be vegetarian.

Lo Mein

Ingredients:
1 lb. noodles (fresh chinese egg noodles if you can find them)
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbs. oil
1 Tbs. sugar
1 chicken breast, sliced
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp garlic, chopped
soy sauce
2 carrots, julienne (microwave for 1 1/2 minutes)
1 onion, sliced
3 baby bok choy bunches, sliced

sauce:
3 Tbs. oyster sauce
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1 C chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

Directions:
Cook the noodles according to the package, drain, toss the noodles with the sesame oil, oil, and sugar and set to the side. Cut the vegetables and meat. I like to cut the vegetables and meat into slices (julienned) so that they are easier to pick up with the noodles, but feel free to do whatever you like. In a small bowl, marinade the chicken in cornstarch, garlic, and soy sauce. In another small bowl mix the sauce ingredients.

With a nonstick skillet on high fry the noodles to your liking and remove them from the pan. Then cook the chicken and remove it from the pan. Add a tablespoon of oil and cook the onions until done and then add the carrots and bok choy and cook until done. Then remove the vegetables from the pan. Cook the sauce until it thickens slightly, taste for seasoning, and then add the meat and vegeatables into the pan. Then add the noodles and toss to coat them with the sauce and mix everything together.

I Have A Dream Brownies

Ingredients:
Your favorite brownie recipe
8 oz. cream cheese
1/3 C sugar
1 egg
1/2 C white chocolate chips

Mix up your brownie recipe in a bowl. In a separate bowl cream the cream cheese, sugar, egg, and chips. Put 2/3 of the brownie batter in the pan, dollop the cream cheese mixture over the top, then dollop the remainder of the brownie batter. Run a knife through the batter to make swirls. Bake according to your brownie recipe.

Tip: Line your pan with parchment and use a plastic knife to make the removal and cutting of your brownies a ton easier.

Chocolate Haupia Cream Pie

This pie reminds me of our life on the North Shore...
The only notes I would add are:
- Add a dash of salt to the crust (if you use unsalted butter)
- I actually didn't have to melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, I just added them to the warm pudding mixture (after reserving half of the pudding).
- Definitely use real whipping cream if you have it and forget about all the calories :)
- You might want to make an extra pie so you have something to enjoy after all the guest have devoured the first one.
 - I think the pie can be made the day before since the crust remained pretty crisp the next day, beyond that I can't say since ours didn't last more than 24 hours.

Chocolate-Haupia Cream Pie (from Katie)

Ingredients:
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust**
1 cup milk
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
1 cup white sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup cornstarch
7/8 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Topping: (or you can use cool whip instead)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup white sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake crust for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, coconut milk and 1 cup sugar. In a separate bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in water. Bring coconut mixture to a boil. Reduce to simmer and slowly whisk in the cornstarch. Continue stirring mixture over low heat until thickened, about 3 minutes.

In a glass bowl, microwave chocolate chips for 1 minute or until melted. Divide the coconut pudding evenly into two bowls. Mix chocolate into one portion. Spread on the bottom of the pie crust. Pour the remaining portion of pudding on top of the chocolate and spread smooth. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours. Whip cream with 1/4 cup sugar until stiff peaks form. Layer the cream on pie; if desired garnish with chocolate shavings.

**Shortbread-like pie crust
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1/8 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup chopped nuts (I used macadamia nuts, walnuts are good too.)
Directions:
Mix ingredients together and pat into pie crust or 9x13 in. pan. Bake at 350F for 15 min.

Lamb, Apricot, and Olive Tagine

Truly one of the most unique and delicious things I've ever made. I'm hesitant to share this because people think I'm some sort of gourmet chef when I serve this... and now you all know how easy it is!

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 30m| Total Time: 8hr 30m

Ingredients

• 1 1/2  pounds  lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces *bet you could use beef stew meat to cut costs
• 4  carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 1/2  cup  dried apricots, halved *Sometime I have used apricot puree instead of/in addition to halves. This thickens and intensifies the broth
• 1/2  cup  pitted green olives
• 2  cloves garlic, chopped
• 2  tablespoons  all-purpose flour *I use 1 T cornstarch to make it gluten-free
• 1  teaspoon  paprika
• 1  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground ginger
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1  cup  couscous *I serve over quinoa. You could also use potatoes or rice.
• chopped pistachios, fresh cilantro leaves, and lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, mix together the lamb, carrots, onion, apricots, olives, garlic, flour, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and ½ cup water.
2. Cover and cook until the lamb and vegetables are tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours (this will shorten total recipe time).
3. Ten minutes before serving, cook the couscous according to the package directions. Serve the lamb on the couscous with the pistachios, cilantro, and lemon wedges.

Original post: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/lamb-tagine-recipe-00100000074132/index.html