Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Granola

Hello world!

 I'm sorry about my absence, but if you just give me a moment to explain, I think you'll understand. I had a massive yarn bombing project that was exhibited on May 5th. That Saturday, my Daddy also graduated with a Masters degree... on the other side of the country. Very bittersweet day for me not being able to be home with my family. My sister graduated from the University of Colorado on May 11th, so I took 3 days to fly to Colorado to see that. But since my school is on the quarter system, I had to go back, finish up a week of school, then finals, then move out of my house. Which I thought I had under control... Why don't you guess how wrong I was.

 We had a crisis in my school family. There is a difficult balance you have to strike in college. You need a support system that is not from your parents, you need to transition into being an adult. Total reliance on my parents is not longer an option. But I still don't feel like I'm fully grown yet. I don't work during the school year, and most of my days are still filled with homework and friends. The Wednesday before finals week, I needed to be an adult.

One of my school family members stopped being able to breathe and spent the night in the Trauma unit of a local hospital. Someone needed to be there until her mom could fly into town. 6 days later she was still in the hospital, now in stable condition. Nothing in life seems important when someone you care for is struggling for every breath. I did what I needed to do, I re-prioritized my life. I had to take a C in a class I should have earned a B in because I was too tired to study. I had to take a B in a class I should have gotten an A in because I still needed to pack.

 I'm figuring out that the reason I can't get straight A's is because life gets in the way. Sometimes, sleep is more important than Organic Chem. In 20 years, it won't matter that I got a C instead of a B in Organic Chem 3, but hopefully it will still matter that I commit to being a good friend. I am the type of person to call at 2 AM. I'm more proud of that than I would be of a 4.0.

 Luckily, this whole mess is over. My friend is out of the hospital and luckily still got to put on her robes, and walk across the stage at graduation. And, after a 3 day drive, I am now home. Here, I don't really need to be the adult in the room. I can take a day off. Sit in the sun and drink my coffee. Pet and dog and watch TV. It's a nice break.

Awe.. Aren't they cute?

Moving on. I find granola to be the perfect summer breakfast. I mean, add some nice cool yogurt, and some berries, what could be better? But, I don't know anyone who makes their own granola who hasn't burnt a batch on the stove or in the oven. I make mine in a slow cooker to take away some of the granola burning risks. I can throw everything into the slow cooker and leave it on all afternoon, stirring when I feel like it, or can smell the granola.

 Peanut Butter Slow Cooker Granola 
makes about 7 cups

• 5 cups of Old Fashioned Oats
• 1 cup of Sweetened Coconut
• 1 cup of Chopped Peanuts
•  1/2 cup of Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 cup of Peanut Butter 

 Place the oats, coconut, and peanuts in the slow cooker.

I like to chop my peanuts so they incorporate into the granola. But to each their own.

Mix oil

 

 and peanut butter in a separate container. I usually microwave these two for about 20 seconds. It will make combining them much easier.

Mix the peanut butter mixture into the oats.

 Now is when I add about 2 tablespoons of honey. Since I just got back to Colorado and my allergies are killing me, I am using raw, local honey. Hopefully this internet lore makes my allergies better. I'm willing to try anything at this point.

I don't measure this. Measuring honey is too much of a pain for me to waste time on. Feel free to eyeball this.

Turn the slow cooker on low, mixing every 30 minutes or so for 5 hours. Leave the lid off to prevent steam from building up. You want the granola crispy, not soggy.

After a couple hours, the granola starts to brown up very nicely. You can turn the cooker up to high, but the granola will need to be stirred more frequently to prevent burning.

When the granola gets all toasty and dry, let it cool in the slow cooker. MMM... granola.

 

Baked Oatmeal Breakfast

So the first concern BF had when he saw the list was having nothing to eat for breakfast. He already consumes an amazing amount of milk per week without eating cereal for breakfasts. He also in not an avid snacker like I am, so he wants a breakfast that will keep him full.

I figured that finding a breakfast that was full of whole grains, yet was quick enough for us both to grab while running out the door to class would be easy enough. Oatmeal! Quick, filling, and full of whole grainy goodness.

Well, BF thinks oatmeal is mush. And paste. But he eats oatmeal cookies. I tried a baked oatmeal in a muffin tin to end up somewhere between an oatmeal muffin and cookie, but much less sugar.

These are also great breakfast food for the List we are trying to stick to. It's a serving of both whole grains and fruit. Pretty tasty too, I might add, although next time I might add a little extra honey...

Baked Apple Raisin Oatmeal

• 1 cup of Old Fashioned Oats ( This would probably work with quick oats as well, but it would probably get a little mushier on the inside)
• 2 Teaspoons of Cinnamon
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Cloves
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Cocoa powder (you can't taste it, but I think it gives the oatmeal a nice rich flavor)
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Baking Powder
• 1 Cup of Skim Milk
• 1 Egg
• 3 Tablespoons of Honey
• 2 Tablespoon of melted Unsalted Butter
• 2 Teaspoons of Vanilla
• 1 Small Apple, Peeled and Chopped 
• 1/2 a Cup or so of Raisins (I don't care for raisins, and BF thinks I am stingy with them. Your mileage may very) 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray, or just butter it.

 

Mix oats with spices and baking powder in a medium bowl.

Mix all of your wet ingredients in a bowl, and mix well. Milk, egg, vanilla, honey, and melted butter.

Now combine the wet and dry ingredients well.

Evenly distribute the apples and raisins in the bottom of your muffin tin. 

 Pour the oatmeal mixture evenly into the muffin tins.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the oats are set and starting to become a nice golden color on the top. This will give you a nice, muffiny texture. If you would like a texture closer to that of a granola bar, just cook a little longer. Just be warned that they do continue to firm up after you remove them from the oven. Too much longer and you will have made some delicious oatmeal rocks.

Enjoy!

Last Minute Thankgiving Bread

So, it's Thursday. Everyone congratulate me, as of 9:15 this morning, I am officially finished with Fall Quarter of my Junior year of college. *bows*

Yes, folks, that means that it has been Finals Week for me. And I did have every intention of posting this Tuesday... and last Tuesday for that matter.

I had these great frozen Spicy Chicken sandwiches that I made to reheat over the course of the week. Brillent, right?

Then my phone crashed, taking all of my photos with it. :(

So I had no photos and no time to come up with a fantastic new idea to tell you all about Finals Week. But now that the madness is over, I have time to think about Thanksgiving.

For those of you that don't know, I go to college a loooong way from home, as I detailed in my first every post, A Nice Change of Scenery. So, for the first time, I am not going home for Thanksgiving. No giant dogs to chew on me, no walking into -my- bedroom, no after dinner pie at Village in with my best friend Josh, and none of my mother's super fabulous stuffing.

I do, however, get to spend the holiday with my BF and his family. Remember BF? He's been working in San Diego for 6 months? Well, he'll be back just in time for the New York winter.

The key to my long, rambling story is that I needed something to bring to not only BF's mother, but her sister who is hosting the dinner... And I needed to plan all of this during Finals Week..

Quick Bread! It has the word quick in the name! It's perfect! I recently found out that his mother loves blueberries, and seriously, if you are going to bring food the hostess doesn't ask for on Thanksgiving, it really needs to be breakfast for the next morning, or alcohol.

I'm only 20.. darn you stupid 8 months before I turn 21, I guess I'm bringing breakfast.

So, without further ado...

Oatmeal Blueberry Bread or Muffins
Adapted from Blueberry Oatmeal Bread

1 dozen muffins (you didn't want to be making muffins all afternoon did you?)

• 1 cup AP Flour
• 1/2 cup Quick Oats
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder  
• 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 2/3 cup Milk
• 1/4 cup Oil
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup Frozen Blueberries

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

Mix egg, milk, oil, and vanilla in a glass. Trust me, the fewer bowls the better.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until -barely- blended. Fold in the frozen blueberries.

Pour the batter into a muffin tin or 2 loaf pans, sprayed with non-stick spray. (I wanted to use my heart pan, so I had to have a second muffin tin.)

Bake at 350 degree for 15-20 minutes for muffins, 20-30 minutes for the loaves.

Enjoy! These are moist and delicious, I'm planning on making the loaves to take with me to Pennsylvania!