Granola Bars

3 c oatmeal
1/2 c oat bran (or wheat flour)
1/2 c wheat germ
1/2 c coconut (opt)

2/3 c brown sugar
1/2 c honey
4 Tbls butter
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

Mix first 4 ingredients and spread on a cookie sheet. Place in 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally until toasted. Meanwhile, mix final 5 ingredients in a pot on the stove and bring to a boil. When it starts to boil, remove from heat and pour over toasted grain mix. Mix well.


Spread evenly on a greased cookie sheet. Place a piece of greased wax paper on top of the granola and flatten roughly into a square shape as thick as a granola bar. Remove wax paper and allow to cool about 30 minutes, or until set. Cut immediately into granola bars (a pizza cutter works well). When cool place in air tight container.


Variations:

Peanut Butter: Add 1 c peanuts. Substitute 1/2 c peanut butter for 2 of the Tbls of butter.
Oats and Almond: Add 1 c sliced almonds. Add 1 tsp of cinnamon to boiled ingredients.
Fruit & Nut: Add 1 c of your favorite nuts prior to toasting and 1 c of dried fruit after toasting.
Sesame: Add 1 c sliced almonds and 1/4 c sesame.
Chocolate Chip: Make the basic recipe, spread and cool before pressing. Sprinkle with 1 c mini chocolate chips and press firmly but quickly before chocolate melts.

Wheat Thins

1 1/4 C whole wheat flour
1 1/2 T sugar
1 t garlic salt
4 T butter
1/4 C water
1/4 t vanilla

Combine the flour, sugar, and garlic salt in a medium bowl. Cut the butter (or use reconstituted powdered butter) into small pieces and mix it in thoroughly, using your fingers, a pastry blender, a mixer or a food processor. Combine the water and vanilla, and add to the flour mixture, mixing until smooth.


Spray a flat working surface and a rolling pin with Pam. Roll the dough into a large rectangle. It should be very thin like you want your crackers. Use a pizza cutter to cut wheat thin size squares and place them on your greased cookie sheet. They can be close together as the dough will not rise or expand. Sprinkle with extra garlic salt if desired.

Bake the crackers, one sheet at a time, at 400 until crisp and browned, 5 to 7 minutes. If some of the thinner crackers brown too quickly, remove them and return the remaining crackers to the oven to finish baking. These crackers bake quickly, so watch them closely - even 30 seconds can turn them from golden brown to burnt.


Remove the crackers from the oven and cool on the pan or on a plate; they cool quickly. These crackers will stay crisp for several days, but are best stored in airtight containers.

These are really good and you can substitute other flavors for the garlic salt, like cheese, or cinnamon.

Perfect Wheat Bread

2 1/2 c warm water
2 T active dry yeast
2/3 c sugar
2 3/4 c whole wheat flour
2 3/4 c white flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 c nonfat instant dry milk
2 T oil
2 T vinegar
1/2 c potato flakes

Mix yeast and warm water and let sit. Add to mixer with sugar. Add whole wheat flour and then the white flour. Add remaining ingredients in order. I usually have to add a small amount more flour to get the consistency that I want. Dough should not stick to the sides of the bowl but should still be quite tacky to the touch. Knead about 12minutes (6 minutes if using a Bosch Mixer).

Cover and let rise until double (approx 1 hour)*. Punch down and place in bread pans. Cover and let rise until double again (approx 30 minutes). Bake in the oven at 375 for about 20 minutes. Makes 2 large loaves.

*When using a wonder oven:

Follow recipe above letting rise until double in the bowl. Then punch it down and put equal amounts of dough into 3 greased cans (like large V-8 cans). Place cans in the smallest pot they will fit in with a lid on securely, and fill pot halfway with warm water. Let dough rise in cans (with lid on the pot) until almost to the tops of the cans. It doesn't take very long so watch carefully.

Remove cans and cover with tinfoil. Use a rubber band or tape to secure to can. Return cans to pot with water and cover with lid. Put pot on the stove and bring water to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes. Immediately place entire pot in wonder oven. DO NOT REMOVE THE LID FROM THE POT! Cover pot with wonder oven lid and close Rubbermaid lid. Leave undisturbed 2-3 hours (can be left in there as long as you want unattended so feel free to run errands while your bread is baking!). Remove pot from wonder oven. Be careful, it will be hot. When cool, slide bread out of cans and slice. Perfect, round, crustless bread.