Homemade granola bars

I love granola bars, but I don't always love all the preservatives in them Mac not all versions are gluten free.

One day while blog surfing I found a great recipe that looked worth a try. I made a few changes and it had been a standard go to recipe ever since then.

Ingredients:

4 tbsp butter

1/4 brown sugar

1/4 honey

1cup instant oatmeal

2cups granola (I love "Kind" granola it's gluten free & comes in several delicious flavors)

1/2 cup chocolate chips 

Directions:

Melt butter, honey, and brown sugar in saucepan.

Remove from heat. Add oatmeal and granola. Stir until thoroughly coated.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Lightly spray an 8 by 8 pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Pour mixture into pan and firmly pat flat.

Refrigerate for several hours until firm.
Gently loosen edges and flip out onto a cutting board.
Cut into bars or squares.
Wrap individually in saran wrap (or I like to store 2 a piece in the small snack size ziplock bags.)

Homemade granola bars store best and keep longer in the refrigerator. 

Giant art

My child loves to paint. At age 3 a coloring book page or 8 1/2 by 11 paper doesn't give much room to unleash creatively. But the giant papers at the art store don't come cheaply.

The other day I purchased a glass vase and the cashier thoroughly wrapped for me in very large papers. The six papers wrapped around the outside of the vase weren't not even wrinkled on the short trip home, so I took them with off, smoothed them out, and gave her some stamps paintbrushes and Crayola washable paints. 

Voilà! Instant giant canvas!

Read me a story.

No really, read me a book because I don't have time to sit down and read one myself. I have a house to clean, a family to care for, and a million other things to do. 

However, if someone can read a book to me while I walk the dogs or drive the car, I can listen to a book a get things done. (Two birds with one stone!)

So today's app recommendation is OverdriveMedia. 

Download this app, find your local library, type in your library card number, and start  browsing for books! You can download many audiobooks, the number and selection vary by library.

I love good mysteries, but have listened to almost every genre. I am currently anxiously waiting for the next Gillian Flynn book to be "returned" do I can download it :-)

Best part; its all free! The apps, borrowing the books, what more could you ask for!?!

What's your favorite audiobook?  

Happy Father's Day

To all of the Fathers out there, Happy Father's Day!

To my father; it takes a great man to raise a child. Thank you for all you have done.  You are a great father and were a great example of what I needed to look for when I wanted to find a man to marry and raise children with.

To my Husband, you are a wonderful father to our daughter. I could not ask for someone better. Thank you for all you do.

In a pinch

I ran out of coffee creamer this morning. I can't drink my coffee black and I can't just skip my caffeine intake.

Luckily, I had some whipping cream in the fridge leftover from a dessert I had  made just last week. 

In a pinch heavy whipping cream makes a great (although higher calorie) substitute for low fat coffee creamer.

What kind if quick substitutes have you used in a pinch?  

Not just in the kitchen, share ideas from all parts of daily life.