Raising Homemakers: "Granola Fest"

I wanted to share the fun that the girls and I have been having in the kitchen this afternoon. We made some homemade granola which will be a great snack to have on hand. I am also trying to make ahead some tasty treats to put in Kyleigh's lunches next week. Her school advocates waste free lunches and healthy foods. I thought that some homemade granola would be fun to put in her lunch since desserts are on the 'no food' list.

It has also been my mission this summer to teach my girls more about homemaking, specifically cooking. In the past, I would shoo them out of the kitchen because with their 'help' everything would take longer and be a huge mess. However, they LOVE LOVE LOVE to help me and I've been trying to teach them about all things cooking and food related.

Here are some pictures from our "Granola Fest" today:

Kyleigh helps me add old fashioned oats, sliced almonds, and sweetened coconut.

Macy assists in adding the dried fruits. We just used what we had on hand: golden raisins, pineapple, kiwi, papaya, and cranberries.


The finished product.....yummy!!!


So, what did the little homemakers think of the granola?


FOUR THUMBS UP!!!!

Here is the Kyleigh&Macy-approved granola recipe:

4 c. old fashioned rolled oats
2 c. sweetened shredded coconut
2 c. sliced almonds
1/3 c. oil
1/2 c. honey
4 c. dried fruits (apricots, figs, cherries, cranberries, etc)
1 c. roasted, unsalted cashews

Preheat Oven to 325 degrees F. Toss the oats, coconut, and almonds together in a large bowl. Whisk together the oil and honey in a small bowl. Pour the liquids over the oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are covered. Pour onto a 13x18x1 inch sheet pan. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns into a nice, even , golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Add the dried fruits and cashews. Store the cooled granola in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

The Simple Life

The girls and I recently returned home from a long vacation. We went 'home' to the small rural farming community where I grew up. It was a great place to grow up but when I got old enough to be on my own, I left. I grew tired of being so far away from any kind of shopping (you have to drive 40 miles round trip to even get to Walmart!) and knowing that everyone knew my whole life story. My family is there and that is what holds the most sentimental value for me.

I guess that my trip this summer kind of caught me off guard. The things that I always hated about farm life were suddenly kind of fun and adventurous. It was so much fun to see my kids running around outside all day, without fear of traffic, strangers, etc. They would come in at night with dirt-smudged faces, filthy toenails, and stains all over their clothes. My youngest grew fond of being able to just 'drop a squat' in the grass to relieve herself whenever she felt like it. She ran around barefoot all day long. My mom asked her about her missing shoes, to which she replied "Grammy, I'm a hilly billy". The kids got to swim in the pond, help pick vegetables, and play with their cousins.

The girls particularly enjoyed feeding the chickens. We did a lot of canning and dehydrating during my visit and every time our scrap bucket filled up....we would call for one of the girls who would happily take the scraps to the chickens. Those chickens would get so excited to see the girls coming, knowing that special treats were on the way.

Mom and Dad were very generous with sharing the veggies and fruits from the garden. Like I mentioned before, I did a ton of canning...I brought home nearly 80 jars of fruit, vegetables, and jams. Recently, we opened a can of sweet corn and it was so delish! I couldn't believe how sweet the corn was! Even now I look at all the pretty jars lined up and it brings such a satisfaction of knowing all the hard work that went into it. This food will really be enjoyed this winter.

So, I am back home now. It was a great visit and sometimes I really wish that our family could be 'normal' where we could really establish some roots and ties to the community. I really love being so close to everything but wish that I had more space for my kids to run and a huge garden. I just have to remember that my home is where the Army sends us and just maybe someday we will have a permanent home. Until then, I have to be content to savoring each moment of country life when I visit.