Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars

The are so fun to wrap up in wax paper to add to lunches.

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats


• 1 tsp. cinnamon


• 1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice


• 1/4 tsp. salt


• 2/3 cup pumpkin puree


• 1/3 cup agave nectar


• 3 tbsp. maple syrup (I did not have so I used some more agave, and added a tsp. of maple extract.)


• 1 tsp. vanilla


• 1/3 cup almonds, roughly chopped (I don't use nuts because I feed these to young ones)


• 1/3 chocolate chips, Dark chocolate is a wonderful complement


• 1/3 cup dried cranberries

I like to mix all my ingredients together BEFORE I add oats, nuts, chocolate, and cranberries.  Use the whisk attachment on your mixer first. Really whip it up so it's blended and you have a nice 'glue' for your bars! I change to the paddle attachment and fold in the oats, I do it slowly because I don't want my oats pulverized. Then slowly fold in your mix-in's . If you like your bars loaded with everything keep an eye on the mixture. Too dry and they wont stay as a bar. You can drizzle in more agave if needed.  Press into a greased baking pan, or glass dish. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, until you have a golden crisp around the edges.  Let cool thoroughly then slice up in the pan, or flip onto the counter. I used a pizza slicer, works like a dream to cut!

Sexy Chicken! You dirty bird. And getting ready for the week!

I know, that was foul. Yeah, I went there. 

Every Sunday I prepare for the week. I like to get a whole chicken in the oven or crock, and bread made for the week. My husbands lunch staple it a rotisserie chicken sandwich. All home-made of course, along with his granola bar, and some other baked goodie. It seems a lot to do, but bread is super easy when you are using my quick bread, and in oven rotisserie.

It's all in the timing. I like to get the chicken in  first thing in the morning. That way it's said and done, and if I don't cook another thing all day... there's dinner done too!

 So you wonder why I call it Sexy chicken... well it's mainly how he went into the oven. I decided to remove all the skin for the hubby so I can get it super crispy all the way around.  Well, after I skinned the thing Mr. Chicken was a bit all over the place. Every time I put him in his pan his legs would flop open and over the sides. I didn't have any roasting tie to bind the legs and arms, but that's OK, it would have been a little too Shades Of Grey. There was still a lot of poking and rubbing to come. So the only way I could contain him  was pose him seductively like a man on a bear skin rug. Or Stan Lee on a couch. 

There you go. Stan Lee on couch.

It was a risk taking the skin off because you do run the risk of it being slightly drier. But the rotisserie rub created an all around crispy shell. Pretty cool. I prefer the skin on for a more sticky rotisserie taste.

Original recipe makes 2 whole (4 pound) chickens

Sticky Rotisserie Chicken

• 4 teaspoons salt


• 2 teaspoons paprika


• 1 teaspoon onion powder


• 1 teaspoon dried thyme


• 1 teaspoon white pepper


• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper


• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper


• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder


• 2 onions, quartered


• 2 (4 pound) whole chickens

Mix all your spices in a small bowl to make the rub. Wash and pat dry your chicken. Stuff your onions in the body cavity. Rub mix over entire body. Not you the chicken.  Place in roasting pan, bake at 250 degrees for 5 hours uncovered.

*Tip: The local grocery store actual prepares their chicken 24 hours ahead! Rub your mix on your chickens and place in an air tight plastic container over night in the refrigerator. The spices react with the skin to really create that super stickiness! *NOM NOM* 

If you did your chicken in the morning, you now have the afternoon to play,  make bread and treats.

The 'go to' bread I make is so diverse. It can be used for rolls and pizza dough :-) I use half of this recipe to make 2 pizzas. But to do sandwich rolls and pizza use full amounts.

• 2 ½ C warm water


• 6 Tbsp sugar


• 3 Tbsp yeast


• 2 Tbsp oil


• 6 C flour (can use white or whole wheal)


• 2 tsp salt


• 1 tsp baking powder

Stir water, yeast, sugar and oil together. Leave for 5 minutes until it becomes frothy on top. Add flour, salt and baking powder. Mix well. Knead. Roll out if making a pizza base or shape for use as buns / bread / loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Keep your eye on it, times will differ for rolls and pizza dough. My pizza base took about 15 minutes. If you are making bread or rolls paint the tops with butter when they come out of the oven, delish!


Before it went into the oven I rubbed them down with chopped garlic.


The pizza bases came out so puffy, and the garlic looked delish! I am thinking Naan Bread!!!!


All done! I had a white pizza with chicken, and the hubby had a traditional pepperoni pizza.

Now you have had your lunch. *NOM NOM* If you are not in a coma, or have made a mess by now time to kick out the granola bars. A favorite in our house. I bought a dented can of pumpkin awhile back for 64 cents.  I figured now would be a great time to try it! I have never used canned pumpkin, or tasted, and I hate pumpkin pie. But pumpkin spice lattes are my crack... I know I'm an odd cookie huh? So searching around I found a few recipes, so as usual I smashed them all together to make this:

The are so fun to wrap up in wax paper to add to lunches.

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats


• 1 tsp. cinnamon


• 1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice


• 1/4 tsp. salt


• 2/3 cup pumpkin puree


• 1/3 cup agave nectar


• 3 tbsp. maple syrup (I did not have so I used some more agave, and added a tsp. of maple extract.)


• 1 tsp. vanilla


• 1/3 cup almonds, roughly chopped (I don't use nuts because I feed these to young ones)


• 1/3 chocolate chips, Dark chocolate is a wonderful complement


• 1/3 cup dried cranberries

I like to mix all my ingredients together BEFORE I add oats, nuts, chocolate, and cranberries. I like to use the whisk attachment on my mixer first. Really whip it up so it's blended and you have a nice glue for your bars! I change to the paddle attachment and fold in the oats, I do it slowly because I don't want my oats pulverized. Then slowly fold in your mix-in's . If you like your bars loaded with everything keep an eye on the mixture. Too dry and they wont stay as a bar. You can drizzle in more agave if needed.  Press into a greased baking pan, or glass dish. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, until you have a golden crisp around the edges.  Let cool thoroughly then slice up in the pan, or flip onto the counter. I used a pizza slicer, works like a dream to cut!

♥Enjoy, you have goodies done for the week.♥

Damn You Nutella!

Damn you Nutella! Not cool! Why is there not a warning on you, why didn't some one warn me. Why isn't the FDA putting warnings on this. Is the cashier @Kroger negligent for my sugar induced coma. Will they pay for my rehab. I love hazelnuts, how dare you trick me.

I had to write this down quick all this has just derailed me. I was at the store picking up organic juices, and good things. I saw Kroger does their own Nutella yay! Now I can try it, maybe get my toddler to eat it on bananas. Well of course she will, it's crack!! We got home and smeared some on a banana. Went over nicely, all over the face, hair, arms, and now my two year old is hopped up before nap time. Greeaaaaaaaat. There was no nap that day.

Well stupid me, I did it again, thought I'd treat my toddler to having some pretzels dipped in Nutella... *sigh*. I am such a Nutella newb. Some how it exploded, and I am not talking about the kid. I had it down my shirt, and its on the lap top... I just .. I just can't remember what happened. I think I blacked out and went into Nutella shock. 

So now I must do good... I must use it in a recipe. Then it will be gone! You know whats funny.. after I came out of my coma I googled: Damn you Nutella. Good times, I am glad I am not alone.

There were a lot Nutella brownies, and butter cream  all this will not be helping my sugar shock. So I have taken something as EVIL as Nutella and made it nice again. Well long enough to use it, and get it out of your home:-)

This is the easiest recipe to do. I would replace the milk, use Soy, or almond, unsweetened, just to balance out the sweet.

Use a light whip, or soy whip. 

And marshmallows optional. But after comparing, marshmallows they seem more innocent now ;-)

My next adaption is of course make a granola bar! I am going to use one of my base recipes, and add Nutella, and flax seed to make my conscience lighter.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="487"] Perfectly NOT sugary! A great balance, and NOM NOM![/caption]

Here is my  recipe, along with options and mix in's:

• 2 cups old fashioned oat


• 1 3/4 cups of puffed BROWN rice (or just use 3 3/4 Cups of oats)


• 1/2 cup ground flax*


• 1 tsp of Cinnamon


• 1/2 cup wheat flour


• 1/2 tsp baking powder


• 2 large bananas (Use ones that are still a bit green, the starch hasn't turned to sugar yet)


• 1/4 Nutella, or store brand version


• 1/4 Agave light nectar* ( or honey, or maple syrup)


• 1tsp of Almond extract*


• 1/2 tsp of Vanilla*


• 1/4 tsp salt


• 1 cup of banana chips lightly smashed


• 1/2 cup of dried cranberries*

Mix your dry ingredients, set aside. In a small pan melt your smashed bananas, agave, extracts and Nutella. Use medium low you don't want to burn your mixture. After a minute of a low simmer pour over your dry mixture. Use your mixer on low ( or fold in with spoon) until mixed.  Press into a greased pan of choice. Depending on how thick or thin you want them. Bake on 350 for 20-25 minute depending on thickness.  I did 9x9 glass, and it took 25 minutes, I am also in Colorado high and dry altitude cooking. You just want it slightly browned.  Let cool thoroughly. If you get the urge to flip it, wait 10 more minutes. Thats what my husband says. I have a bad habit of not wanting to wait and I flip the pan onto the rack causing my bars to break. It's a cheap excuse to just eat them.

* there's a lot of stars there for a reason. This recipe is so interchangeable depending on how sweet you want it.  Like I said I just came out of a guilty Nutella coma and had to rectify the situation! You can substitute any of your agave nectar for maple syrup, or honey, or use agave with maple extract instead of almond extract. You can use Vanilla extract only, or add it with maple. It's all yummy. I used almond because I just didn't want the sweet, and  used 1/2 of vanilla, I almost wished I did 1/2 of maple, next time! I also starred flax seed, you can also change this to the new super Chia Seed! Flax does add fat, but still amazing for you. It depends where you want to take it!  You can switch out cranberries for chocolate chips or any kind of nut. I just used what I had on hand. Go "nut's" :-)

For quick snacks you can use your banana chips and dunk in Nutella, place on parchment paper and let set in the refrigerator. It also works with just about everything. Avoid shoes, Cheetos, and already fudge covered cookies, I just don't recommend them no matter how bad you need a sugar rush! I will also be dunking lemon cookies, cinnamon graham crackers and pretzels. That way my toddler cant just suck it all off. 

I was hoping to find a support group, instead I get a Fan Club... No No No... that will not help!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="292"] This guy angered the Nutella nation... probably the best thing you could do with it :-)[/caption]