Oatmeal breakfast ideas

Our focus for the month of February is OATMEAL. So lets explore a few ways to use it.

I have made several different recipes of granola and have enjoyed each one. There are a few basic ingredients that go into it. You can substitute or mix it up a bit with brown sugar and honey, nuts and seed, but the basic ingredients are simple. Here is one that I have really liked.

Cinnamon-Raisin Granola

4 cups old fashion oats                            1/4 cup honey

1 cup shredded coconut                           1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup packed brown sugar                     1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup vegetable oil                                 1 cup raisins

In a large bowl, combine oats and coconut; set aside. In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, oil, honey and cinnamon; bring to boil. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over oat mixture; stir to coat. Spread in a large shallow baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool. Add raisins. Store in an airtight container.

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If that one wasn't easy enough. I have another one that is even easier. When I try new recipes I like to rate them, so I will remember if I liked it or not, or if it is worth making again. This next recipe had a note next to it that said it was Easy/Good. I also noted that 30 minutes was too long. That was my experience, so watch it closely. Here goes...

Granola

3 cups oats

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1 cup unsweetened coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup flax seeds

3/4 cup honey

1/4 cup canola oil

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 cup dried blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix oats, seeds, coconuts, and nuts. Then pour in honey and oil, mixing thoroughly with a fork. Press into a cookie sheet and bake for about 30 minutes or until dark golden brown. About halfway through baking, turn edges into center to avoid burning

When done, remove from oven and let cool completely before adding blueberries.

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I haven't made these Granola Bars for awhile. But I do remember that they were devoured when I made them.

Easy Granola Bars

3 cups quick cooking oats                                                       1 cup sliced almonds

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk                           1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons butter, melted                                                    1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries

1 cup flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch pan

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.

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 the cool completely before serving.