As a homeschooling family, I only have to cram breakfast in while packing lunches and getting out the door on time once a week. We have a weekly co-op, and every Tuesday, amid the scramble, I marvel at all you moms and dads who run the gauntlet of morning activity every day. “Where are my shoes?” “I forgot my water bottle!” “No, you cannot wear flip-flops! It’s pouring down rain and 40 degrees!” It’s pure insanity. Getting some food in the kid’s bellies is the worst part. Breakfast is just not a meal that you can finish in the car easily. You either chow down at the table, or get to enjoy the smell of stale milk wafting from the back of the van for weeks on end after your precious 6 year-old dumped his cereal all over. Yeah. Breakfast is an in-the-house meal. Unless you make up a batch of these delicious Oatmeal to Go Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins. They are completely portable and absolutely scrumptious.
Graham-O-Toffee Candy
The “O” is for oats. These treats are to DIE for. Incredibly easy and layered deliciousness. I’m taking them camping this weekend. If they last that long. I love recipes where the finished product seems like more work than it actually took. Shhh. It’ll be our little secret how simple these are.
Start with a jelly roll pan and line it with foil, then a single layer of graham crackers.
Mix up some oats, sugar and flour.
Then mix in an egg and some butter (mmmmm – melted butter).
Spread over the grahams. Don’t worry about getting it totally perfect. As it bakes it will spread and layer itself nicely.
Bake until golden, then top with chocolate, almonds and toffee chips.
Break apart into bars or chunks and shove into your face.
These bars are perfectly balanced. They have sweetness and crunch in all the right places plus the earthy goodness of oats.
They are a great camping food. Especially if you’re going somewhere you can’t have a fire. They are a little reminiscent of smores, except better, because they’re toffee. I love caramel buttery toffee. (happy sigh) Enjoy!
Print Recipe for Graham-O-Toffee Candy
Graham-O-Toffee Candy
adapted from BHG
15 whole graham crackers (rectangles)
1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2/3 cup butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 12 ounce package semisweet chocolate pieces
1/2 cup whole almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup heath bar toffee chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 15x10x1-inch baking pan (jelly roll pan) with foil, extending foil beyond edges of pan. Arrange whole graham crackers in a single layer in prepared pan. In a large bowl combine the oats, sugars, and flour. Stir in melted butter, egg, and vanilla until well combined. Spoon over graham crackers and spread evenly to edges of pan to cover graham crackers.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until oat mixture bubbles and is lightly browned on top. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate pieces. Return to oven for 1 minute. Spread melted chocolate over top to cover. Evenly sprinkle with almonds & toffee chips. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Use foil to lift from pan. Remove foil. Cut or break into bars. Makes 30 bars.
No Bake Energy Bites
My husband recently brought home some chocolate from Israel. His co-worker brought it back from a trip. I was intrigued by the packaging. Instead of a caloric count on the back, the label read “energy”. I love that. Food = Fuel. Sometimes I forget that the food I eat provides energy to my body. These no bake bites are packed with delicious whole food that will give you a little get-up-and-go. Easy to throw together and perfect for stashing a couple in your purse for an on-the-go snack. My kids love these babies. They are easily customizable to your likes as well. Just about anything could be substituted here. Feel free to change it up with any variety of nut butter or whatever you have in your pantry that you think may be good. Have fun and enjoy! [Read more…]