Back to School Granola Bars

With kids heading back to school, you might be looking for health lunchbox treats. These easy to make granola bars are a great option.

Ingredients

• 3 cups quick-cooking oats

• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

• 1 cup flaked coconut

• 1 cup sliced almonds

• 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

• ½ cup sweetened dried cranberries

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan.

• Step 2

  In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sweetened condensed milk, butter, coconut, almonds, chocolate chips and cranberries with your hands until well blended. Press flat into the prepared pan.

• Step 3

  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, depending on how crunchy you want them. Lightly browned just around the edges will give you moist, chewy bars. Let cool for 5 minutes, cut into squares then let cool completely before serving.

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

Very tender and flavorful, this recipe is one of our family's favorites. It's great to make ahead of time in the slow cooker and then serve over rice or noodles.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef sirloin, cut into 2 inch strips

• garlic powder to taste

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 cube beef bouillon

• 1/4 cup hot water

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• 1/2 cup chopped onion

• 2 large green bell peppers, roughly chopped

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with liquid

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon white sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Sprinkle strips of sirloin with garlic powder to taste. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the vegetable oil and brown the seasoned beef strips. Transfer to a slow cooker.

2. Mix bouillon cube with hot water until dissolved, then mix in cornstarch until dissolved. Pour into the slow cooker with meat. Stir in onion, green peppers, stewed tomatoes, soy sauce, sugar, and salt.

3. Cover, and cook on High for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low for 6 to 8 hours.

Air Fryer Spicy Green Beans

Spicy green bean recipe made simple in the air fryer.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat an air fryer to 400 degrees F.

• Step 2

  Place green beans in a bowl. Whisk together sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a separate bowl and pour over green beans. Toss to coat and let marinate for 5 minutes.

• Step 3

  Place half the green beans in the air fryer basket. Cook 12 minutes, shaking basket halfway through cooking time. Repeat with remaining green beans.

Fire-Roasted Tomato and Pepper Soup

Tomato soup takes a trip south of the border. Fire-roasted tomatoes and roasted peppers capture the fresh taste of summer, all year long.

Ingredients

• 4 red or yellow bell peppers, seeded and halved

• 1 yellow banana pepper, seeded and halved

• 1 poblano pepper, seeded and halved

• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and halved

• 1 large onion, quartered

• 4 large garlic cloves, peeled

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 quart chicken broth

• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped, plus leaves for garnish

• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon white sugar

• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

• 3 (14.5 ounce) cans Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes (like Hunt's®), undrained

• Salt to taste

Garnish:

• Crumbled Cotija cheese

• Cilantro leaves

• Lime wedges

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.

• Step 2

  Place peppers, onion and garlic on prepared pan; drizzle with olive oil. Roast in preheated oven until peppers are soft and slightly charred, about 20 minutes.

• Step 3

  Heat broth in a large soup pot. Add chopped cilantro, oregano, cumin, sugar, freshly ground pepper, and Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes. Bring to a simmer.

• Step 4

  Add roasted peppers, onions and garlic to the tomato mixture. Using a hand held immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Simmer over low heat until hot, about 10 minutes.

• Step 5

  Serve garnished with Cotija cheese, cilantro and drizzled with lime juice.

Crispy Peach Cobbler

This crispy peach cobbler recipe is a delightful summer dessert that will surely impress your family and friends. The combination of juicy fresh peaches with a crispy, buttery topping creates a perfect balance of flavors and textures. This recipe is simple to make and requires just a few basic ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen. Whether enjoyed warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or cold from the fridge the next day, this crispy peach cobbler is sure to become a favorite in your home.

Ingredients

• 6 large fresh peaches, pitted and cut into eighths

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

Batter:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 ¼ cups white sugar

• 1 ⅓ cups self-rising flour

• ⅓ cup rolled oats

• ⅔ cup whole milk

Glaze:

• ¼ cup white sugar

• 2 tablespoons cold water, or as needed to wet topping sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place a baking sheet on the rack under the middle rack to catch drips. Generously butter a 2-inch deep (2-quart) baking dish.

2. Place peach sections into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice and zest.

3. Stir butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl. Mix until creamed and resembles a sugary, buttery paste, 4 to 5 minutes. Add oats and flour; stir until flour and oats are incorporated into the butter-sugar mixture and mixture resembles coarse crumbs, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour in milk; stir until mixture is wet and creamy, like a thick spreadable batter, 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Drop batter by spoonful on top of the peaches. Spread batter evenly over the surface of the peaches. Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar on the batter. Spritz with water until sugar is wet and surface glistens.

5. Bake in preheated oven on middle rack until browned and crispy, about 45 minutes. Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

Spiced Roasted Okra with Mini Peppers

For this simple yet delicious spiced roasted okra with mini peppers recipe, fresh okra and sweet mini peppers are perfectly roasted with a blend of aromatic spices, creating a flavorful and easy-to-make summer side dish. It pairs wonderfully with a variety of main course options, making it a versatile addition to your meal repertoire.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces fresh okra pods

• 8 ounces mini sweet peppers, halved

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon garam masala

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

3. Arrange okra and sweet peppers in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with oil; toss to coat. 

4. Roast in the preheated oven until browned, about 20 minutes.

5. Stir together garam masala, coriander, cumin, turmeric, garlic powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper.

6. Sprinkle over veggies; toss to coat.