Pre-Made Our Way – Oven Love

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Natalie — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:07:00 +0000

Hooray for another month of Pre-Made, Our Way! This was a quick little challenge- I only gave a week’s notice- but the assignment was an easy one. Granola bars are something I often buy in the grocery store because it seems like I can’t create them at home in the same way. Leave it to PMOW to prove me wrong!

I worked from this King Arthur Flour recipe to create Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Granola Bars. I usually go for the chocolate or honey nut granola bars over the fruity ones, so it’s no big surprise that I went this direction.

I definitely enjoy these bars. I think next time I’ll go without the peanut butter so I can taste more of the oats, but otherwise, they’re a really great treat! They’re not any more nutritious than store-bought bars, but at least they’re free of fake sugars.

If you’re interested in joining in the PMOW fun, you’ve still got today! Entries are due tonight by midnight. Click here to find out all the details!

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Granola Bars
-based on a recipe from King Arthur Flour
(makes about 20 bars)

3/4 cup sugar
2 tbs light corn syrup
2 tbs melted butter
1 2/3 cups quick oats
1/3 cup quick oats, finely processed (oat flour)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup Rice Krispies
1 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, divided
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup honey
1 tbs water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix sugar, butter and corn syrup until well combined.

2. Mix sugar mixture, oats, oat flour, salt, cinnamon, Rice Krispies and 1 cup chocolate chips. Set aside.

3. Mix wet ingredients – peanut butter, vanilla, butter, honey and water- until well blended. Mix wet ingredients into dry. Press mixture into a 13×9 pan and bake for 20-30 minutes or until edges begin to brown slightly.

4. Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Top with the remaining chocolate chips. Loosen the edges while the bars are still in the pan. You can cut them in the pan or turn them out, but let them cool completely (at least an hour or two) before storing or eating.

Pre-Made Our Way Quick Challenge: Granola Bars

Natalie — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:48:00 +0000

Remember a few weeks ago when I said I would get right on posting the August challenge? Well a few weeks came and went, and August is almost over, so welcome to the first PMOW Quick Challenge! This month we’re tackling granola bars and you’ve got just one week- the pressure is on! (No pressure at all, really.. you know that right?)

(^not my picture!)

Anyhow, I’m giving you free reign this month. There are so many granola bar recipes and so many different tastes – some like them chewy, some like them crunchy, some like them super healthy, some like them with nuts.. you get the idea. I’ve provided you some links for a few different recipes below, but feel free to use your own or create a new one!

Granola Bar Recipes from…
Alton Brown
Ina Garten
King Arthur Flour
Tastespotting (there are 25+ recipes here!)

Instructions: Remember, this is just a quick version of a totally relaxed challenge. Anyone and everyone is invited to join in. As usual, the only real requirement is to bake them. Ideally, though, please bake, take a photo or two, and post about it on your blog (it’s okay if you don’t have one!). Then, send one picture, the link to your blog post, and any comments to me at natalieherr@gmail.com. Then I’ll post a round-up of all of the participants by the end of the month. Please post and send pictures/comments by Monday, August 31 at midnight. Have fun!

Soft Pretzels

Natalie — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:41:00 +0000

Mmmm. Soft, tasty victory.

The last time I tried to make soft pretzels, I wasn’t pleased with the results. I should have known that all I needed was an Alton Brown recipe! This soft pretzel recipe was the challenge for July’s Pre-Made Our Way Challenge (PMOW). I decided to try out lots of different shapes to decide which I liked best.

My first thought was a twisty pretzel roll.

These came out looking very cute!

Next, I went with pretzel logs.

I thought these would be great for dipping in some cheater’s fondue..

But then, I thought about pretzel bites! These were perfect for fondue dipping.

Then, of course, I had to do the classic pretzel twist.

I loved this! I’m so glad to finally have a solid, versatile soft pretzel recipe. Tomorrow, I’ll be posting the results of the challenge. If you’re feeling like make soft pretzels tonight, you’re still welcome to join in! Click here to find out the details and see the recipe- it takes less than 2 hours to do. If you can’t do it tonight, please make this recipe some time!

It’s so worth it.

Don’t forget the Pretzels!

Natalie — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:09:00 +0000

Just a reminder- all entries for this month’s PMOW Challenge, soft pretzels, should be in by tomorrow at midnight!

But, if you’re like me, and you want to make them, but you haven’t yet, I’ll accept entries until Sunday night at midnight.

Click here for more details on the challenge.

Happy baking!

PMOW May Round Up: Homemade PopTarts

Natalie — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:03:00 +0000

It’s time for the May PMOW Round Up!

A big thank you to everyone who participated in this month’s challenge, homemade Pop Tarts. It seemed like everyone had a great time making them. I hope you’re all enjoying the group so far- please comment below with any recommendations for next month’s challenge!

In no particular order, here are all of our PMOW participants and their amazing creations..

Strawberry Frosted Pop Tarts
Kristi of Ja cie kocham

Apple Butter Pop Tarts
Mindy of Mindy’s Mouthful

Chocolate Chestnut Pop Tarts (and Brown Sugar Cinnamon)
Rob of The Curious Blogquat

Cherry Pineapple Pop Tarts
Charli of The Berry Bushel

White Chocolate Raspberry Pop Tarts
Jen of My Kitchen Addiction

Chocolate Cherry Pop Tarts
(Jen of My Kitchen Addiction‘s second attempt!)

Strawberry Pop Tarts
Stephanie of Passionate Homemaker

Double Berry Chocolate Pop Tarts
Susan of She’s Becoming Doughmesstic

Strawberry Toaster Str udel
Holly of PheMomenon

My Bite Size Pop Tarts
(in Frosted Strawberry and Brown Sugar Cinnamon)

Amazing job, everyone! Can’t wait for next month’s challenge.. I need your advice in choosing a recipe, so please comment below or email me at natalieherr@gmail.com with your suggestions. (Also, if I’ve somehow left you out of the round up, please let me know and I’ll put you right in!)

Bite Size Pop Tarts

Natalie — Wed, 27 May 2009 20:59:00 +0000

I’m so excited to share this post with you!

There’s been lots of excitement amongst Oven Lovers about this month’s PMOW (Pre-Made, Our Way) Challenge for homemade Pop Tarts, and rightfully so. Most people love this breakfast treat, but a lot of people don’t buy them because they’re filled with preservatives, HFCS and who knows what else. I’m definitely in that camp, so I was excited to make test these out at home.

I decided to make bite size Pop Tarts in two flavors: Frosted Strawberry and Brown Sugar Cinnamon (clearly not for creativity’s sake- these were my favorite flavors as a child).

The dough came together fairly easily in my food processor. I used all butter, though the recipe calls for shortening as half of the fat (I don’t believe in shortening). It also rolled out nicely. I made the brown sugar filling (pictured above, taking my cue from Rob) with powdered sugar, brown sugar, egg white, ground almonds and some cinnamon. The strawberry filling is just strawberry preserves.

I chose to press down the edges with my fingers and trim them instead of crimping the edges for a more authentic Pop Tart look. I also threw them in the freezer for a bit before baking. The recipe made 13 miniature Pop Tarts.

The Pop Tarts are a great size for sharing or entertaining. As I was baking, I started getting some great ideas running through my head for a kitschy breakfast themed party with little bite sized breakfast treats.. don’t be surprised if you see more breakfast minis in the future!

I was hoping that I had sealed the Pop Tarts well enough to prevent leakage, but a little filling did manage to sneak out- more from the Brown Sugar Cinnamon than from the Strawberry. After they cooled down a bit, I glazed them. Frosted Strawberry got a powdered sugar and milk glaze with sprinkles, and Brown Sugar Cinnamon got the glaze with a little cinnamon mixed in.

I’ve tasted the strawberry one, and so far, I like the results! I think the next time I make them I might add a little sugar to the dough for a little extra sweetness. They’re cute as a button and taste a lot like the originals- definitely worth it!

If you’d like to join in and make this month’s Pop Tarts, there’s still time! I’m accepting entries until Sunday, May 30 at midnight. I hope you’ll join us! Click here for the recipe.

*a P.S. to my PMOW participants: feel free to take the badge and put it on your blog!

Don’t forget to make your Pop Tarts!

Natalie — Sat, 23 May 2009 13:32:00 +0000

Just a quick reminder about this month’s Pre-Made Our Way Challenge for Homemade Pop Tarts. I originally said to email your submissions by this Sunday night, but because of the holiday, I’m extending the deadline. Please send your submissions by Sunday, May 30 at midnight. I can’t wait to see what you guys come up with!

To find out more about PMOW and get this month’s recipe, click here!

"Pre-Made, Our Way." Challenge: Homemade Wheat Thins

Natalie — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 20:21:00 +0000

I’m so excited! This is the first “Pre-Made, Our Way.” round-up!

First, I’ll show you how my Wheat Thins turned out…

I made three types: salted, sesame (pictured) and garlic herb. I tried to roll them out as thin as possible, which worked well on my Silpat with a plastic fondant roller (nothing sticks to it.. it’s amazing). The process was a little tedious for me, since I only have one Silpat and a teeny tiny oven, but I still enjoyed the results. My favorite were the sesame- those were addicting! I was glad that I salted the plain ones, because there wasn’t much to them.

This is definitely a recipe that begs for additions. I paired the crackers with a Tuscan white bean dip- I would post it, but I can’t remember everything I put in it. Overall, I liked making the crackers, but they just don’t have the shelf life that regular crackers do, making it less realistic that I’ll make them again.

Now, for our other participants..

Stephanie of Passionate Homemaker
Steph (my sweet, thrifty sister-in-law!) made Non-Wheat Thins for a Gluten-Free friend.

Charli of The Berry Bushel
Charli made Lime Wheat Thins with Spicy BBQ Dip – what a great idea!

Kathy, my mom (Her mantra: “If Kath can do it, you can, too!”)
Kath made two types: honey wheat germ and parmesan herb- yum!

Thanks for baking with me, ladies! It’s only our first challenge, but I’m hoping we will grow as the months go by. I know of a few other participants (without blogs) who’ve yet to send me their photos, so I’ll be sure to post them here when I receive them. If you participated in this month’s challenge and aren’t included, please leave a comment and I’ll get you up here ASAP!

As for next month, I’ll be posting a recipe soon, but I’d love your input. Put your thinking caps on: think of the things we buy regularly at the store that we could recreate at home.. hopefully with less money and more love! I’ve been meaning to make homemade bagels for quite some time.. that might have to be the next challenge. Ideas, please, even if you didn’t participate this month. I want to pick a recipe that you’ll all want to make!

Homemade Spaghetti-O’s!

Natalie — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:29:00 +0000

In honor of the new Pre-Made, Our Way challenge, I created a recipe for homemade Spaghetti-O’s. Well, the idea actually started at Trader Joe’s (love that place!). Nick saw some little ring shaped pasta, Anelletti, and thought of Spaghetti-O’s immediately. So I accepted his challenge and created a recipe.

Now, it’s been a long time since I’ve had the canned version, but this version tastes much like I remember. I’ll have to arrange a side-by-side taste test.. maybe do a meatball version, too! I highly recommend this recipe if you’ve got a Trader Joe’s around- kids or no kids.

Homemade Spaghetti-O’s
(I know this recipe isn’t too exact, but relax- taste it as you go along, and do what you like. Have fun and be flexible!)

6 cups canned tomato sauce
3-4 cups water
2-3 teaspoons garlic powder (depending on how garlicky you like it)
1 lb bag anelletti (ring shaped pasta- you could use any small pasta- alphabet or stars would be fun!)
1-1 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (fresh shredded is best!)
1/4-1/2 cup milk
2 tbs butter
salt, to taste

1. Combine tomato sauce, water and garlic powder in a large pot. Bring to a boil.
2. When the tomato mixture is boiling, add the pasta to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently (the pasta is tiny, so it’s easy to stick to the bottom) for about 20 minutes, or until the pasta is soft.
3. Stir in cheese until melted. Add milk, butter and salt to taste. Taste it, check it out, see how you like the flavors. Then enjoy it!

The First "Pre-Made, Our Way." Challenge!

Natalie — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:25:00 +0000

I’m excited about the responses I’ve gotten about cooking and baking together. I think we’re going to have a lot of fun. I decided to call the group “Pre-Made, Our Way,” but if that’s lame, we can definitely change it! I’ve chosen a fairly easy recipe to start off with- it’s made with pantry ingredients and is flexible for all experience levels. Here are all of the details..

April 2009 Challenge:
Homemade Wheat Thins

Instructions: This is a totally relaxed challenge. The only real requirement is to bake them. Ideally, though, please bake the crackers, take a photo, post about it on your blog (it’s okay if you don’t have one!) or send pictures and comments to me at natalieherr@gmail.com. Then I’ll post a round-up of all of the participants by the end of the month. Please post or send pictures/comments by Sunday, April 19 at midnight.

Recipe Info: Feel free to be creative with this recipe! It’s a very basic cracker recipe, so if you’re feeling experimental, try adding some herbs, spices, cheese, seeds.. whatever you’re in the mood for. Extra points for those who make a cool dip or spread to go along with!

Homemade Wheat Thins
(based on Alton Brown’s ‘Seedy Crisps’ recipe)
Ingredients:

5 ounces (just under 1 cup) whole-wheat flour
5 ounces (just under 1 cup) all-purpose flour, plus additional for rolling
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
1 1/2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 1/2 ounces water

In a medium bowl whisk together both flours, salt, and baking powder. (Mix in any extra ingredients here.) Add the oil and stir until combined. Add the water and stir to combine and create a dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead 4 to 5 times. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, cover with a tea towel and allow to rest for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

For a thin snacking cracker: On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 piece of dough to 1/16-inch. Cut dough into small squares, or bake as one large piece, to be broken up when cool. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 4 minutes then flip and bake for an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. If you haven’t pre-cut the crackers, break into desired size pieces when cool. Repeat procedure with remaining dough.

For a thicker dipping cracker: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough as above but to 1/8-inch thick. Bake for 6 minutes on the first side, then flip and bake another 4 to 6 minutes.

For super even thickness and easy rolling: Roll out using a lightly floured pasta roller. Flatten the dough until it will pass through the first setting and go to the highest number that your pasta roller will allow without tearing the dough. Bake according to the thin cracker instructions.

Note: Baking times will vary depending on exact thickness of dough and oven temperature, so watch them closely. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.