Cranberry Oat Bars - Can it get more simple than this?

If my blog is all about step-by-step pictures with instructions then recipes such as this cranberry oat bars will put me out of business. Why? Cos there arent enough steps to show!! This recipe is as simple as boiling water! Mix, toss, place, bake, cut and the only work you probably end up doing is eat them - which is never work for ppl like me anyways! umm..probably scrub the baking pan would be work but then what are dishwashers for anyways! One gotto use them at some time or the other. I usually use my dishwasher to store my extra dishes! I thought that was o.k until one fine day, I really had to use the dishwasher for its real purpose and it wouldnt work!!! The maintanance guy was shocked when I said that this was the first time I ever used it and he was like, if you dont use it, then its bad for the dishwasher! Now do I need more excuse than that for being lazy ;-)



Anyways dried cranberries and oats are super duper health snacks. While clearing out my pantry, I saw half used dried cranberries and was wondering what to do when I remembered this recipe which I made like an year ago and liked it. I dont recall from where I took the recipe though but its tastes yum. Although I remember the quantity of margaraine in the original recipe a little too much for my tastes and have reduced the amount. I am providing the original recipe along with the change I made. Make your pick :)

Ingredients


• 1-1/2 cups rolled oats
  
  
• 2/3 cup raw sugar ( I used demerera sugar )
  
  
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  
  
• 1/2 cup polyunsaturated margarine, melted (I used 1/4 cup)
  

Method

Stir the ingredients together until well combined. Press this misture in a greased baking pan. Bake it for 20-25 at 375F oven, until golden. As soon as you remove it, score the mixture into squares or any shape you like and leave it to cool for 10-15min.



You can store these in air tight container for 5 days. They are delicious, healthy and filling. They are a ideal snack in the evenings.



Wasnt that simple?

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This is my entry to Pallavi's Event: Sunday Snacks - Grab and Go

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Zucchini / Courgette Crown Bread - Spongy, light yet filling

There is nothing more satisfying than Baking, esp. Breads. If I had time, I would love to make breads everyday! - Oh well at least every other day. Usually my better half always makes fun of me, that since I am vegetarian and don't eat eggs, that surviving in many places around the world would be mighty difficult for me. But then I can survive just on breads, may be little cheese and some basic tomato soup. These are always available everywhere.



Anyways, when it comes to making breads, I am always fascinated with the ones using vegetables. My first experience with one was when I made carrot cakes after which I progressed to making carrot cupcakes..It was inevitable that I use Zucchini a.k.a courgette next.

The taste is something which I will leave to you – since I really can’t comprehend how I am going to explain the diversity of sensations it made on my taste buds. Where do I begin? With the ease of how simple it was to make bread out of it? The minimal preparation time it requires? The texture, which it provided to the bread and how little I had to do with my hands? Or simply just show you the picture and let it do all the talking? I think I will do the last.



I had been meaning to make crown bread for a long while now ever since I saw one at Costco here. They had some for display, dunno what they were made of but I was fascinated at the shape and look that it had to give. I wanted to wait for an apt moment when we had one of those simple Bread and side dish kind’ a dinner. It arrived few days earlier and I made this along with Vegetarian chili - and relished it like a sloppy joe. I saw this recipe in Muffins and Quickbreads book at the library.I dint want to do any adaptation - it was simply perfect for us. The bread really does not require anything else and tastes wonderful on its own. Bookmark this one – You know you will love it

Ingredients


• About 3-4 cups of Zucchini, grated
  
  
• 5 cups of All Purpose flour
  
  
• 2 packets of fast rising dried yeast
  
  
• 4 tbsp grated parmesan
  
  
• 2 tbsp olive oil
  
  
• salt and pepper for sprinkling
  
  
• 1-2 tbsp of Sesame seeds for garnish
  

Method

1. Place the grated Zucchini in a colander and sprinkle it lightly with salt and toss it well. Set aside for 30 min. Then pat it down until dry with paper towels.



2.Meanwhile mix the flour, yeast and parmesan together and season with black pepper.



3.Stir in the oil and the Zucchini and add enough lukewarm water to make a firm dough.



4.Knead it in a lightly floured surface until smooth.



5.Return it into a mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in warm place until doubled in size - about 1 to 1-1/2 hrs.



6.Meanwhile grease a round oven pan - you can use a pizza pan and then line it. Preheat the oven to 400F. Punch down the dough, knead it lightly and then break into 8 balls. Roll each one and arrange them, touching, in the pan like a crown. one in the center and the rest surrounding it.



7.Brush it lightly with milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Let it rise again ( about 30 min) and then bake it for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. Set aside to cool.



You can always warm it enough while eating.



I dunno if it keeps well for more than 2 days since, it dint last for that long in our house! It got over in 2 meal times. Dinner and next day tea time. This is my entry to this week's Yeast Spotting hosted by Susan

Eggless Almond Cake

Like many I try to collect eggless cake recipes. Most of them turn out to be 'Blech! what was I thinking', few of them 'Umm..so-so' and handful 'WOW is this really eggless? U must be kidding me'. This one is of the last category. I have made this couple of times and every time, I have been amazed at the ease,simplicity and wonderful taste of this cake. And yeah! The aroma while Baking is something else!



I made this a while back and only today realised that I had forgotton to post it! So here it is Eggless Almond Cake and also my entry for Sunita's Think Spice - Cinnamon Event

Ingredients


• 1 cup light brown sugar
  
  
• 1 cup water
  
  
• 1/3 cup Vegetable shortening
  
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  
• 2 1/4 cups cake flour
  
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  
  
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  
  
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds (you get broken ones, I prefer this for the nice crunch than the thinly sliced ones )
  
  
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
  
  
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar (optional)
  
  
• 1/2 cup whole almonds, blanched( optional )
  

Method

Combine sugar, water, shortening, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and lower heat and simmer for 5 min .Set aside to cool.



Sift the flour and add soda and baking powder along with the broken almonds. Mix well.



Gently add the wet ingrediants with the dry



Beat well.Add almond extract and mix well Pour batter into a cake tin.



Bake at 325 degrees F for approx 45min to 1 hr. If you want to decorate with the blanched almonds, then remove the pan from Oven abt 30min after set. Decorate with the almonds and then put it back in the Oven for another 15min.



Care should be taken not to keep it for a long while since it could make the cake very dry. If taken at correct time, it comes out all moist and crunchy with nuts.Regular chk is advisable.Once done, cool and cut into slices of your choice and sprinkle with powdered sugar if using.