Chewiest Granola Bars

After finding this recipe on Pinterest (follow me!), I will never buy the bars in the store again. These were far too easy to make, and taste better and fresher than anything in the store. Plus, I know what's in these, and it's not glycerin, artificial flavors and preservatives. It's all stuff I happily store in my pantry. Hubby, kiddo and I all love them! I'll be making these weekly.

Chewiest Granola Bars

1/4 cup butter
3 Tbsp honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mini chocolate chips

Melt butter, honey and brown sugar together over medium heat until it boiling. Reduce heat and cook 2 minutes. Add vanilla and stir.

While melting, stir oats and rice cereal together in a large bowl.

Add liquid to dry ingredients and mix well to moisten.

Pour into small non-stick jelly roll pan (about 12x8x1) and press out to be about 3/4 inch in thickness. If you don't have a small enough pan, mold the mixture to one side, pressing at all angles to ensure compaction.

Press in mini chocolate chips.

Cool on a countertop at room temperature for two hours or until the chocolate chips are set before cutting into bars.

Wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

Adapted from this recipe.

Whipped Cream

Whenever I need whipped cream, I make it myself. I figure, I'm already having something decadent, I may as well go full-throttle. Homemade whipped cream is extremely simple and well worth your time and prepared brands don't even compare.

Ingredients:

• Heavy whipping cream
• confectioners sugar to taste
• vanilla to taste

An entire pint of whipping cream makes a whole heaping lot of whipped cream. If you plan to use the whipped cream for something like a 13 x 9 cake, I'd say you need about 2/3 the carton.

Take your bowl and beater and place it in your freezer for 15 minutes. I believe this is helps the cream whip better.

Beat whipping cream on med-high for about 5 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Use a spatula to add vanilla and sugar. You can make this as sweet as you like. For this amount, I add about two heaping tablespoons of confectioners sugar and a couple teaspoons of vanilla.

If find this is best to use the whipped cream within the next 24 hours. I wouldn't make this far ahead of when I plan to use it.

Roasted Chickpeas

I love these as a salad topper and also as a snack on their own. They’re super easy and you can vary the seasoning to your liking.

Ingredients:

• 1 15 oz can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans 
• 1 tsbp olive oil 
• garlic powder (about 1 tsp)
• Mrs. Dash all purpose seasoning (about 1 tsp)

Preheat your oven to 400. Rinse the chickpeas. Throw them in a small baking pan. I drizzle about a tablespoon or two of olive oil over them, sprinkle some seasoning on top and use my hands or a spoon to mix everything together. I actually don’t measure the seasoning. I just eyeball it. The beans should be well coated with seasoning. Roast these for about 35 minutes and enjoy!