Breakfast Crisp

This yummy breakfast crisp is perfect on the go with a cup of coffee.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups quick cooking oats

• ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ cup brown sugar

• ¼ cup margarine, softened

• 1 egg

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 9x9 inch baking pan.

• Step 2

  In a large bowl, stir together oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together brown sugar and margarine. Beat in egg. Stir mixtures together just until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.

• Step 3

  Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of pan comes out clean.

Easy Granola Bars

This basic granola bar recipe can easily be modified to fit your tastes. Add nuts, substitute the raisins with other dried fruit, add different grains, the sky is the limit with these granola bars. Shoot! Add some chocolate chips! Yummy!

Ingredients

• 2 cups rolled oats

• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar

• 1/2 cup wheat germ

• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup raisins (optional)

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup honey

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, raisins and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, oil and vanilla. Mix well using your hands. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.

3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting, or they will be too hard to cut.

No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars

Today is my birthday, and I love chocolate.  .... Who doesn't?!  Check out this amazing recipe.  This isn't a hint or anything to drop off sweets at my office.  Really.

-John Morgan, Web Editor  (1334 Second Street, Mason)    ;-)

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup peanut butter

Directions

1. Grease a 9x9 inch square pan.
2. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and vanilla. Mix in the oats. Cook over low heat 2 to 3 minutes, or until ingredients are well blended. Press half of mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Reserve the other half for topping.
3. Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips and peanut butter in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth. Pour the chocolate mixture over the crust in the pan, and spread evenly with a knife or the back of a spoon.
4. Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the chocolate layer, pressing in gently. Cover, and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or overnight. Bring to room temperature before cutting into bars.