My younger sister, Kathy, gave me a wonderful present for my birthday—a huge baking cookbook! She either wants me to bake for her or to bake better for her, and I couldn’t be more grateful. This book has bare minimum basics, like explaining what “knead” means—I’ve been trying to bake for a while without ever learning these basics. When we were kids and my mom (a great baker who reminded me just how great with a delicious birthday carrot cake) began teaching us, I always opted out. The measurements frustrated me and there were so many rules. Most of the time I would go play outside and wait for the food to be ready. My sisters were much defter than I, though I wouldn’t learn it until I attempted to start baking in my early twenties, and they learned in their childhoods the cakes and cookies, brownies, pastries, and crepes that I’m now struggling to figure out. All I really remember (vaguely) is zucchini bread—probably because of my fondness for green vegetables.

Since I keep a decently healthy or, at least, health-conscious diet now, I’m always on the look-out for nutritious baked goods. The cookbook has some gems: date bars, fig newtons, energy bites, and cereal bars. This weekend, I ate my last bran muffin, and decided to give the cereal bars a try for breakfast. My recipe ended up significantly different from the cookbook’s, but I value the base recipe given, which included mashed bananas and light corn syrup—things I wouldn’t have known to include.

I’m entering the bars into WBB#12, hosted by The Spice Who Loved Me. The theme this time is a breakfast food made with spice(s). The only spice in these bars is cinnamon but all the other flavors pack such a punch on their own, that many spices weren’t needed. I guess due to an American childhood of cinnamon toast and the occasional doughnut, I always like cinnamon in my breakfast baked-goods!

Cereal Bars

Oven Temp: 350°

Details: 11 x 7 x 1½ baking sheet. Prep 25 minutes, baking 30 minutes.

• 2 mashed bananas
• 1/2 dried, chopped apricots*
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 pumpkin seed granola
• 4 tbsp. flax seed
• 1/2 whole wheat flour
• 1 cup oats
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (plus more for sprinkling)
• 1/4 light corn syrup
• 1/3 cup butter

*The fruits, granola, and flax seed are subject to taste, and my measurements can be used as approximates. Next time, I think I’ll put in more flax seed, and maybe some chocolate chips!

1. Grease baking sheet.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan and stir in corn syrup.
3. Add first 8 ingredients to saucepan and mix well. Spoon into tin.
4. Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with cinnamon and, if you prefer, sugar.
5. Slice into about 14 bars. The bars will keep in the fridge for a few days, or you can individually wrap (and then put in an airtight container) and freeze for about 2 months.

Posted on Wednesday, June 13th, 2007 at 1:09 pm in Breakfast, Fruit   |  RSS feed |  Respond  |  Trackback URL