Indian Fry Bread

This is one I found in my recipe file from childhood, so I'm not sure where it came from originally, but we tried it again and found it to work really well!

3 cups flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 cup milk
1 cup water
Oil (for frying)

Knead dough on lightly floured surface for 15 minutes till smooth and elastic.  Pinch off small (palm size or smaller) amounts and roll into balls.  Roll flat with a rolling pin, to approximately 1/4-1/2 inches thick, and lay gently into hot oil to fry.  Fry bread is done when both sides are lightly brown and bubbly.  Place on paper towell or cookie rack to cool.  Serve warm.

These are great topped with ground beef, refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, etc. and eaten as 'Navajo Tacos' OR with honey or powdered sugar when hot as a dessert. Yum.

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

Yield:  Approximately 16 cups of mix (48 servings)

Ingredients:
10 cups powdered milk (we use powdered RiceMilk)
4 cups powdered sugar
2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups powdered non-dairy creamer (your choice of flavor, hazelnut, cinnamon, caramel, vanilla, etc.)

Directions:

1. Stir together all ingredients in large mixing bowl until well combined.  Store in airtight container (or multiple containers if gifting).

2.  For one serving, mix together 1/3 cup cocoa mix and 3/4 cups hot or boiling water to dissolve mix.  Cool to desired temperature and enjoy!

Great Granola

Granola was often a part of our Christmas traditions. 
I love the flexibility of this tasty recipe!

--from Better Homes and Gardens, New Baking Book, p. 398

Prep: 20 minutes Bake 30 minutes
Makes: 7 cups (14 servings) Oven: 300/350 degrees

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups regular or quick cooking rolled oats (I usually add some of both)
1 cup flaked or shredded coconut
1/3 cup shelled sunflower seeds
¼ cup sesame seed
¼ cup butter
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup honey
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup toasted wheat germ
1 cup raisins

1. Lightly butter or grease large roasting pan. Add oats, coconut, sunflower seeds and sesame seed; spread evenly. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 20 minutes, stirring several times.

2. While the oat mixture is baking, in a small saucepan combine butter, brown sugar, and honey. Cook and stir over medium heat until butter melts. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.

3. Remove roasting pan from the oven; place on a wire cooling rack. Increase oven temp to 350 degrees. Add wheat germ to the oat mixture. Pour warm brown sugar mixture over oat mixture. Using a fork or spatula, stir the oat mixture to coat with the brown sugar mixture. Bake 5 minutes more.

4. Stir raisins into oat mixture. Using a spatula, spread mixture evenly in pan. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes more or until golden. Place pan on a wire cooling rack. Using a spatula, transfer the granola to a large sheet of foil (mixture will be crumbly). Spread evenly. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Notes and variations:
We usually multiply the single recipe batch by four, or eight or ten…depending on how much I need and it tends to come out just the same….just increase baking times as it will need more stirring for even roasting. We like it golden crunchy so I sometimes increase the heat to 350/ 375 to cook it a little faster and it usually takes us at least one hour to make larger batches.

Make it like you like it! Add what you like, take out what you don’t. We like to add Craisins for color. Make your own trail mix, add M&M’s, nuts, no coconut, other dried fruit varieties, marshmallows, etc. It’s also great over yogurt, with fresh fruit, or over ice cream, etc.

Feel free to try different sweeteners like Xylitol, xAgave Nectar, Stevia, more honey, less sugar, maple syrup, etc., if you like, since substitutions work pretty well. The secret in our sauce is a little real maple syrup and less sugar.

Honey Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Our toddlers really enjoy eating these as a snack.

Ingredients:
Seeds from one pumpkin
4 T honey
1/2 t salt (or to taste)
*Dash of Cinnamon or Pumpkin Pie Spice (optional), we use little if any.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In collander, rinse fresh pumpkin seeds with hot water to remove pumpkin pulp, set aside to dry.  Lightly grease a large cookie sheet and set aside.  In a small saucepan, heat honey till hot but not boiling, stir in salt to combine.  Place pumpkin seeds in a heat proof bowl and pour hot honey over the top, mixing to fully cover with honey mixture.  Spread seeds in a single layer on cookie sheet and roast for approximately 10 minutes, stiring once about half way through, until seeds are lightly browned.  Enjoy.

Honey Hot Chocolate

Variation on Hershey's Cocoa's "Favorite Hot Cocoa"
Yield: 6-8 servings

1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa
Dash Salt
1/3 cup hot water
6 cups Vanilla flavored Rice Milk (or 6 cups Milk + 3/4 tsp vanilla extract)
Marshmallows, if desired

1.  Mix honey, cocoa and salt in saucepan; stir in water.
2.  Cook and Stir over medium heat until mixture boils; boil and stir 2 minutes.
3.  Stir in Milk and heat.  Do Not Boil. 
4.  Remove from heat; (add vanilla; if using regular milk and vanilla).  Add marshmallows if desired and serve.
     Enjoy the warm yumminess!