Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Mike's Mom's Famously Coveted Granola (recipe)

Mike's mom's granola is perfectly plain jane...you just taste the toasted oatie goodness and barely the sweetness of the honey, etc.

8 c. old fashioned oats
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. oat bran
1/2 c. wheat germ
1 c. chopped nuts
1 c. canola or olive oil
1/4 c. molasses
3/4 c. honey or maple syrup (i tried it with fruit syrup sweetener made of peaches and pineapple and it was pretty good)
3/4 to 1 c. water

mix till flour is incorporated (add up to 1 c. more water for big clumps of granola) Place in two HUGE corningware roasting pans. Cook in oven 350 degrees for 25 min, then stir and cook at 325 for another 25 minutes.

I've experimented with: 3/4 c. flax seed (maybe less is better, but we need all the fiber we can get around here), 1-2 tsp of cinnamon...nutmeg, you name it.
Because there isn't a thousand different flavours going on in here like with some of the store brands, this is super with all flavours of yoghurt and fruit!
Jeanette's Chuck Wagon Beans

I remember these most delicious beans when Jeanette surprised us with lots of homemade food when Mike was ill. I've been pining for the recipe as of late, and sent this is my new "recipe file", now you get to share in it's yummy goodness!


1 lb sliced bacon
6 lb ground beef
6 cups finely chopped onion
2 cups finely chopped celery
4 beef boulllion cubes
1 1/3 cups boiling water
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups catsup
1/4 cup plus 2 TB prepared mustard
1 TB salt
1 tsp pepper
4 cans (1 lb 13 oz) baked beans

Heat oven to 375'

Cook bacon until crisp in large heavy roaster; remove and drain on paper towels.
Drain bacon fat from pan. In same pan, cook and stir ground beef, onion, and celery until ground beef is browned and onion tender. Dissolve bouillion cubes in boiling water; stir boullion and remaining ingredients into meat mixture. Cover and bake 1 hour 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Before serving, crumble bacon on top of beans. Serves 24