Homemade Granola Mix

Hi all! Months ago I saw Clinton Kelly on The Chew share his favorite Granola Mix. It looked so delicious and easy I had to try it. It was all that he said it would be! Granola can be so very expensive at the store, and if you purchase all your ingredients separately (in bulk-ish) and make it yourself, overall you'll be spending much less. This made about 2-3lbs (filled a little more than 1/2 a gallon ziplock bag) and cost a total of $4.13 (approximately). In a store you'd pay about $4.99 for 1lb, and it wouldn't be filled with all of these healthy goodies, and would probably have much more fat and sugar!

For me, I already had Old Fashion Oats in my pantry (a staple for those wondering), and I  recently bought a bag of almonds (which can be expensive, but go a long way) and a bag of dried cranberries for snacking. With honey/agave nectar, dried banana and oil already in my pantry, I was able to quickly whip this recipe up. I do a lot of eye-balling when it comes to this recipe, so feel free to do what feels, looks and tastes right!

*©ApronStringstoDiamondRings All Rights Reserved 

Banana Ice Cream

This is a great treat for everyone, especially if you love banana! It's very simple and can be done in about 2 minutes (or less)!

1-2 Frozen bananas
chocolate chips (optional)*
peanut butter (optional)*

Blend the frozen bananas in a blender or food processor. You want the bananas to come to ALMOST the consistency of soft serve ice cream. If they need some help, put a dash of milk, about 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon. Throw in however many chocolate chips you want, and a tablespoon of peanut butter. Finish blending. Use a spatula or spoon to scrape sides if ingredients stick so you get a well blended product.

*You can add whatever you want to make this ice cream tasty. I advise putting in small amounts of the 'extras' at a time, taste it, then add more if you like.

*©ApronStringstoDiamondRings All Rights Reserved 

Inspiration from a 6 by 5 Kitchen

I recently heard about a woman who made a recipe for what she calls, 'The Engagement Chicken'. Many women who were chomping at the bit to get engaged made this oven-roasted chicken for their man. A high percentage of the woman who made this chicken said that either that night, or within so many days of making it, their boyfriends proposed. It got me thinking, so many women are told, 'the way to a man's heart is through his stomach' and after hearing that I'm even more convinced. But what interests me more is that women (and men) want to create delicious meals for their loved ones but don't want the hassle of a long recipe, an expensive trip to the store or the need to hire a professional team to assist in the complexities of the meal. So I thought, give them what they want! On this recipe website I will be posting pictures, recipes, the good and the bad, of what I make in the kitchen. Each recipe will be lower-budget and include options for a quicker meal or homemade meal, ingredient replacements and so much more. I want these recipes to be accessible to all. I have a kitchen that is smaller than 30-square-feet with very basic equipment and I've managed to roast an entire chicken, make soup from scratch and a bake and decorate a two layer cake. So fear not, you can do this too! Stop by to see what new thing I have cooked up! Give them a try and feel free to leave comments, questions and suggestions. And who knows, maybe one of these recipes will help snatch you a man (or woman). Happy cooking!

*©ApronStringstoDiamondRings All Rights Reserved