Pepita and Cranberry Granola Bars - Bars Week # 3

Initially I wanted to submit this to Swee San's Red/Green event. But, it didn't turn out as green or as red as I hoped for. So, I scraped the idea.

Dried Berries Rocky Road with White Chocolate - Bars Week # 2

I made this for Lydia's Year End School (Kindergarden) Party. Being in a small town, it's something new for everybody, including me that has never eaten anything "rocky road". The teachers told me it was very good  (and special... and you may go nah) and every kid loved it. And the best time to try making such sweet stuff is when you have a large group of kids to feed. *evil grin*

Apricot and Raisin Bars - Bars Week #1

Recipe tried out in May 2011



Happy New Year! Err, a day late! Lyanne will start kindergarden this year and her first day will be on the 5th. I'm sure dear readers who are parents will be busy at this time of the year, especially those with new schoolers.

I'll start the ball rolling with Bars Week

Nantucket Blend Granola Bars

There's another 10 days to the closing date for Sponge Pancake giveaway contest. So far response has been very cold. With just 4 entries.

I was hoping to see lots of creativity flowing in from fellow readers, but so far I've only seen 4 versions... sigh..... Is it really that difficult?


How to enter:
1. Prepare sponge pancakes with creativity (but please abide by the rules). You can submit more than one entry. One variation per entry.
2. Blog about it, and send in the link via comments section here, or
3. If you don't own a blog, take pics, do a simple write up in Microsoft Word, especially on the recipe and email me at wendyinkk[@]yahoo.[com] (remove the brackets when you type the email address), I'll help you post them here in this post.
4. Open to readers with Malaysian or Singaporean address. If you are overseas, and will be back here for a trip, can enter with any suitable local address.

Rules, Just make sure
1. Your pancake is a version that I've never attempted before
2. Your pancake is not cut more than once (except for photography purposes to show the inside)
3. It is cooked over the stove, no baking, no steaming
4. Recipe goes by the ratio of 1 egg: 1 Tbsp sugar : 1 Tbsp flour, with additional ingredients for flavouring allowed


Prizes:
1. One Candy and Deep Frying thermometer for Most Creative entry (I'll be judging)
2. One Cake Leveler for a lucky entry (draw lots)


Closing date: 2 Dec 2010, 12pm GMT+8

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Back to the post......

Ooh… I still have quite a lot of mixed fruit and nut from the Nantucket Blend that my MIL got me. What’s the next best way to finish them up other than making granola :p

Well, I still can’t finish it, I think I’ll do a cake with the balance, since I’ve done cookie and now breakfast bars…. Wait, gimme some time.


Nantucket Blend Granola Bars
Recipe adapted from 2 recipes: Anna Olsen and Ina Garten

2 cup rolled oats (I used quick cooking)
1 cup nuts and seeds, lightly toasted and chopped (any nuts or seeds that you like), this time I used almonds and pistachios
1 cup dried fruits (any fruit you like), a mix of cranberries and raisins
½ cup sweetened coconut flakes (angel flakes), lightly toasted
½ tsp salt

100gm soft brown sugar
50gm honey
80gm butter
2 tsp vanilla
1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat the oven at 160/180C. fully line a 10 inch square pan (a 9 inch square will be fine too), with overlapping sides
2. Mix oats, chopped nuts, dried fruits, toasted coconut and salt together.
3. In a small saucepan, heat butter, honey, brown sugar and vanilla until melted.
4. Pour(3) into (2) and mix.
5. Mix in beaten egg.
6. Pour everything into prepared pan and level the surface. Press the surface (maybe with a flat bottom glass or a layer cake press)
7. Bake for 30 minutes, cool in pan for 20 minutes and put the whole thing into the fridge to chill for 2 hours.
8. After chilling, lift granola out from pan with the overlapping paper and cut into bars.

And I wrapped them up... so that one can just take a piece and eat, anytime :)