Snack for School :: Cheese Crackers

I remember my Mom making these things we called 'cheese straws' when I was a little girl.  I don't know how often we had them, not regularly for sure, but I distinctly remember always eating them while drinking Coke.   And maybe during football season?  There were certain snack foods for specific occasions:  teenie weenie hot dogs and nacho cheese dip when we decorated the Christmas tree each year, Ranch flavored Oyster crackers in the winter, while working on puzzles, and cheese straws....I can't remember when we ate this, but I loved them.

I came across a recipe called "Cheez-It -ish Crackers".  My kids love those square shaped cheese crackers, and since I'm on a kick to find homemade snacks, this was a perfect one to try.  These are great crackers to make because you can freeze the dough, slice and bake.  Simple and delicious--always a perfect combination.  And, they're great for adults and kids alike. These are a little different from the ones my Mom made years ago, but still delicious.  A few of these little crackers along with some grapes or an apple will be a perfect snack for Isabella come next week!!

Cheese Crackers

8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
1/4 pound grated cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Using a pastry knife, blend butter and cheese together with salt in a medium mixing bowl.  Add flours and continue to blend until it comes together.  Turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead it gently together.

Divide the dough into three parts, roll each into a log and wrap with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least 3 hours -- or freeze them--, then slice into rounds 1/4-inch thick.  Place rounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake at 350F for 14-17 minutes.

Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

*This can also be done in a food processor.  Pulse the butter, cheese and salt until the mixture forms small curds.  Add flour and pulse until the dough forms moist curds again, larger this time.  Continue as directed above.*

source:  slightly adapted from, Around my French Table, Dorie Greenspan

Snack for School :: Chewy Granola Bars

Breakfast has never been my favorite meal.  Growing up we had cereal almost everyday, and there wasn't a lot of variety in the types we had in the house at one time.  Soggy cereal grossed me out, so if I couldn't eat it quick enough I would be gagging by the end of the bowl.

As an adult I have the choice, obviously, of what to eat for breakfast, but I still struggle with the same cereal problems.  I'll eat it, but I'd much rather have eggs, bacon, and biscuits.  However, there's no way I'm going to cook that everyday.  Smoothies are great, but usually I'm hungry about an hour later.

This granola bar recipe is the perfect solution for my breakfasts.  I'm usually sitting between my two youngest feeding both of them oatmeal, so I give Jennavieve a bite, take a bite myself, then Mason, and repeat.  With a granola bar, I can eat it and it doesn't get soggy.  Or, I can munch on it easily while I clean up the kitchen.

The best part:  I ate these for a whole week and never got tired of them.  AND, I never felt hungry until lunchtime.  You don't need to turn on the oven and they keep in the refrigerator.  While I like these for breakfast, they would be a great healthy and filling snack option.

You could easily substitute almond butter for the peanut butter, coconut oil for the butter, and any 2-cup combination of nuts, dried fruit, or seeds would work (I even saw one recipe that used crisp rice cereal as part of the add-ins).

I've made this recipe twice now, and the second time tweaked the amounts a little bit to suit my tastes.  The original recipe called for 2/3 cup honey, but that was a bit sweet for me, so I cut it back to 1/2 cup.  I also added more oats than called for, which made them a bit firmer the second time around.  The fun thing with granola bars is that you can play around with the ingredients a little bit, making them your own, and you won't totally mess them up.  

Chewy Granola Bars

1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup butter
3 cups oats (I used Old Fashioned)
1 cup chopped raw almonds (big or small chunks are fine)
1/2 cup Craisins
1/2 cup shredded coconut


In a saucepan over medium heat, combine peanut butter, honey and butter until melted.  Remove from heat and add oats, almonds, Craisins and coconut.  Press into a greased 8x11 inch pan.  Cool until hardened.  Store in the refrigerator, either covered with saran wrap or in an airtight container.

source:  slightly adapted from Annapolis and Company

Snack for School :: Baked Granola Bars{Nut and Dairy Free}

Back in April we had the privilege of meeting some dear friends for a trip to the zoo.  When Bradley and I were first married and living in PA, we were blessed to be part of a small group of young couples.  I'm forever grateful for this group of friends!  One of the couples is now working with a church plant in Charlotte, NC, and when we were in GA, meeting at the zoo was a halfway point for us, so we got the kiddos together and enjoyed walking around and catching up on life and ministry.  

My friend made some delicious snacks that day, and I haven't stopped hearing about them ever since.  Last week she emailed me for our new address and Bradley replied that he would give it to her only if she gave us the recipe for the granola bars.  Then, he told me to make them the next day.  True story. 

Keep these in an airtight container; ours stayed good for a week, and everyone loved them. 

Baked Granola Bars {Nut and Dairy Free}

4 cups old fashioned oats

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut {I used sweetened}

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup chocolate chips, mini ones are best

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup canola oil {I used vegetable, and it worked fine}

1 teaspoon vanilla, the real kind

1/2 cup honey

Preheat oven to 325F.  Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  In a separate bowl combine wet ingredients.  Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix until well combined.  

Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper or grease well.  Press mixture into pan.  Bake 25-30 minutes.  25 will produce a more chewy granola bar, 30 minutes will produce a more firm bar.  Cool completely before slicing.  

source:  a dear friend

Snack for School :: Whole Wheat Banana Bars

One of the things I enjoy about moving is having an empty pantry.  This time around I'm trying to be choosy about what we let into our home.  I'll admit, there have been Oreos, potato chips, and right now we have two different kinds of Cap'n Crunch.  While I'm trying to allow my kids to be kids, I'm also working to help them make healthy choices.  Sometimes they're oblivious, and that's even better!  Then, there's less grumbling and complaining about what they have to eat {why, yes, we do have these issues}.  

I've mentioned that Isabella will be starting Kindergarten in just a few weeks!  While I'm still a bit in shock over this sudden life change for her, I'm also trying to get my 'ducks in a row' so that we're all ready for her to begin.  She'll be attending a half-day Kindergarten, so no lunch packing needed, but they do have a snack time.  Processed foods, while tasty, are not my favorite thing to have around, so I've been trying to find quick homemade and healthy snacks that will be easy to pack and fill her up.  I'll be sharing some of these snacks over the next few weeks, so be sure to follow along.

First up are these delicious banana bars.  Banana bread is always a favorite around here, and that would work fine for a snack too.  What I like about these bars is that they cut up nicely which works great in little baggies and is a little easier for small hands to eat in a cafeteria while trying to talk and not make too much of a mess.

By using half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour in this recipe, I was able to sneak in some healthy benefits without the kids knowing.  {Although I haven't tried it, you could probably substitute coconut oil for the butter}. They loved these bars and with just a handful of dark chocolate chips {aka healthy chocolate} on top, they became a treat.  

Whole Wheat Banana Bars

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons milk

6 oz. dark chocolate chips

In a medium mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.  Stir in bananas.  With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients until well combined.  Mix in the milk.  

Pour into a greased and floured 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top.  Bake at 350F for 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  

Slice into bars and store in an airtight container.  

source:  slightly adapted from Annapolis & Company

Linking to:  Tatertots and Jello