Lisa's Kitchen Blog

With three boys, our schedules can get pretty busy, especially during baseball season. We just finished another year of baseball, and one of the biggest challenges for me was feeding my family. We had several games an hour away from our house, starting at 5:15. That meant no time for dinner until afterward. These granola bars (or "gralala bars" as we call them in my house, since that's how my oldest used to say "granola") were a good solution. The boys could have a couple of bars and a drink on the way to the game, and they had the energy to play and make it through until we got home for a late dinner. 

My friend Marcy brought these bars to a Cub Scout potluck dinner, and nearly everyone asked her for the recipe! They taste better than any store-bought granola bar, and best of all, you know exactly what's in them. They may not be considered a "health food" per se, but at least they aren't over-processed. Plus, you can add whatever your kids like. Skip the chocolate candies and add raisins. Or add walnuts or almonds. The sky's the limit!

Peanut butter gralala bars

5 cups oats (I use old-fashioned)
1 cup puffed wheat or puffed rice (I use puffed red wheat)
1-1/2 cups peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup candy-coated chocolate pieces
2/3 cup nuts, chopped
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla

Here comes the best part of this recipe ... just dump all of the ingredients into your standing mixer, turn it on, and let it go until everything's mixed together. If you don't have a standing mixer, just toss everything into a big bowl and mix with a hand mixer until combined well.

Grease a 9x13" pan well. Dump the mixture into the pan and press it into the pan. I spread it around, then set a piece of waxed paper on top. Then I use the flat bottom of a measuring cup or something similar and really push hard to smash it down and compact the bars.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20-25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and score into bars. Let set until completely cool, then cut clear through into bars. The pan I use to bake these has a lid, so once they're cooled and everyone has had a bar, I just pop the lid on and store the pan on the counter.

Note: If this is too much for your family, cut the recipe in half and bake in an 8x8" pan for 18-20 minutes. 

I always think about making my own bread, but as much as my 3 boys go through, I'm afraid my days would just be consumed with baking, and nothing else. Plus, with the time and energy involved, I'm not sure it would save any money. Still, there's nothing quite like a hot slice of bread straight from the oven, smeared with a little butter. So I buy our everyday bread, and make my own on special occasions or for meals that demand it, like spaghetti.

I saw a recipe on Pinterest for French bread that supposedly costs only 25 cents a loaf to make. I didn't figure out the costs for myself, but I can tell you it was easy enough even for a bread novice like me, and my family gobbled up both loaves in a hurry!  Speaking of Pinterest, are you following Living the Country Life? We have several boards to follow, including one for recipes. Click here to join us on Pinterest!

Easy French bread

This recipe makes two large or three small loaves.

2-1/2 cups warm water
2 Tbsp. yeast
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 Tbsp. salt
1/3 cup oil
6-7 cups flour (or more if needed)
1 egg, beaten

In a large bowl, combine the first four ingredients, and let sit for about five minutes, or until bubbly. Then add the salt and oil and stir. Add the flour, one cup at a time, until the dough is still soft, but firm. If it is still too sticky after 7 cups of flour, add more.

On a floured surface, knead the dough for five minutes, then return it to the bowl and place it in a cold oven with a pan of boiling water. This will keep the dough moist and help it rise. Check the dough every so often, and when it rises to the top of the bowl, punch it down. Do this two to five times, as time allows. I punched down the risen dough three times.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and difice into 2 or 3 equal portions, depending on how many loaves you want to make. Sprinkle corn meal on a greased cookie sheet. Form each dough section into a loaf and place on the cookie sheet. Slice diagonal slits into the top of each loaf, and brush with the let rise on the counter for about 30 minutes, until doubled. Brush each loaf with the beaten egg. If you prefer, you can brush with egg first and place the loaves in a 170-degree F. oven until they double in size.

Bake at 375 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Then do your best to fight off your family as they dive-bomb your delicious hot bread!

One of my favorite things to get at a chinese restaurant (when I can tear myself away from the kung pao scallops) is orange chicken. I love how the tangy sweetness of the orange sauce combines with the savory chicken and rice. Of course, the chicken is breaded and deep fried, and the rice is also fried. Or at the very least, white. Some Chinese restaurants are offering brown rice now, which I always appreciate. I actually prefer the taste, and it's much healthier.

I wanted to use my slow cooker to make orange chicken, but didn't want to spend the time or the fat grams frying the chicken pieces first. That makes this version much healthier than the usual restaurant fare, but I liked it just as much. The ginger adds a nice subtle flavor. 

My husband was sure he was NOT going to like this dish, but when he walked into the house after work, he had to admit it smelled amazing. He gobbled it right down, and even said, "Of all the chicken and rice dishes you have made, this one is the most flavorful." The only adjustment I made is that my youngest, Will, hates lettuce with a passion. I just scooped some rice and meat mixture into a bowl for him, and he was good to go! You could stir-fry some frozen Chinese veggies to go with this dish while the rice is cooking if you like. It would also make a nice appetizer for a party, since the Romaine leaves make it semi-portable. Enjoy!

Slow cooker orange-ginger chicken

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (you can use breasts if you prefer)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice
4 tsp. soy sauce
4 tsp. ginger, freshly grated or from a jar
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 orange (zest and fruit)
3 scallions, sliced
Rice
Romaine lettuce

Place whole chicken thighs into a greased 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, vinegar, juice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, and the zest of one orange. Whisk to combine and pour over meat in slow cooker, turning to coat. Cover and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through and tender, 3 to 4 hours on high or 6 to 7 hours on low.

In a separate pan, make rice on the stovetop. Instead of using water, use juice from the slow cooker.

While the rice is cooking, remove chicken pieces to a cutting board and shred into bite-sized pieces. Return to slow cooker. Cut orange segments into bite-sized pieces and fold into the mixture, along with scallions.

To serve, scoop rice onto the end of a piece of Romaine lettuce. Top with meat mixture and drizzle with sauce.

Jerry Jeff Walker has a song called "Sangria wine" and I couldn't get it out of my head while I was making this! Sangria is such a fun drink to make, and it just tastes like summer. You can use any fresh fruit you have on hand, and the best thing is, there's no need for expensive wine. You can seriously turn a $3 bottle of wine into a delicious drink! Here's how I made this batch of sangria.

Summertime sangria

750 ml bottle of inexpensive wine (I used a sweet red table wine)
1/2 cup sugar
1 orange, sliced
1/2 lemon, sliced
2 key limes, sliced
3 cups club soda (try lime flavored!)

Pour wine into a pitcher. Add sugar and stir to dissolve. Add sliced fruit and stir again. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight to let the flavors mingle. Try to keep yourself from sneaking drinks. Warn the kids it's a grown-up drink.

Immediately before serving, add club soda and give it a stir. Pour into glasses and garnish with fruit slices. If you are just having a glass at a time rather than serving the pitcher to friends, skip adding the whole amount of club soda. Just pour the wine and fruit mixture into your glass and top with a little soda.

You can make a delicious non-alcoholic sangria by just using grape juice in place of the wine. Then everyone can enjoy the taste of summer!

Cheers to you, friends!