Making Your Own Convenience Food

I ran across two new recipes this week and we have already tried them out and declared them winners. What I especially like about these recipes are that they both should freeze well and can be pulled out as needed. Essentially, you can make your own convenience foods without the preservatives and other nasty stuff that store bought convenience foods often have.

(No, these are not sitting right on my counter, they are in a glass dish. Some are unwrapped and some already wrapped and ready to be put in the freezer. I cut some of the bars smaller for Joe.)

Chocolate Chip, Coconut & Peanut Granola Bars
2 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal
2 cups old fashion oats (I accidently used quick cooking oats and it turned out ok)
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup packed coconut
1/4 mini chocolate morsels
1/4 peanuts
Directions:
In a large bowl combine the rice cereal and oatmeal. Grease or line a 9×13 inch pan. (I prefer to line the pan with saran wrap because it makes for easy clean up.)

Mix brown sugar, honey and peanut butter in a small sauce pan. Stir over medium heat until just boiling. Add to cereal mixture along with vanilla extract, cinammon, salt, peanuts, coconut and chocolate chips.

Press into the prepared pan using a spatula, spoon or your hands. Set aside to cool, then cut into bars.

You can tailor these to suit your tastes. Omit an item or add more, such as raisins, walnuts or pecans, small m&ms, dried fruit, or whatever your heart desires. Wrap in saran wrap and stick in freezer to store. These should unthaw in less than 5 minutes on the counter and taste as fresh as the day you made them. great for packed lunches or snacks in the car. (Thanks to Hip2Save for the recipe!)

Whole Wheat Rolls
3.5 cups whole wheat flour

2 pkg. (4.5 teaspoons) yeast

2 cups milk

½ cup sugar

3 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons salt

2 eggs

3-3.5 cups all purpose flour
In a large mixer bowl, combine whole wheat flour and yeast. Heat milk, sugar, butter, and salt together just till warm (115-120 F). Add to dry mixture; add eggs. Beat at low speed until combined, then beat at medium speed for 3 minutes. By hand, stir in as much of the all-purpose flour as necessary to make a soft, but kneadable dough.
Turn out onto a floured counter and knead for 3-5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a wet tea towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled.
Punch dough down. Divide into 36 pieces.
To make cloverleaves, divide each piece into 3 pieces, shape each into a ball, and place three balls into each section of a muffin tin.
To make rosettes, roll each piece into a long strand, about 8 inches long. Tie into a loose knot and tuck one end into the top of the roll and one end under the roll.
To make swirls, roll each piece into a long strand, about 8 inches long. Coil the strand into a snail-like shape.
Cover rolls, let them rise for 30-40 minutes, or until doubled, and bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack.

I made several cloverleafs, rosettes, and swirls today. I baked them all and set half aside to stick in the freezer and pull out when needed. This recipe is very simple to follow and they taste wonderful. (Thanks to The Frugal Girl )