1460 Days to Play

Here we are Leap Year Day, Feb 29th at 10:55 pm and I've taken my sleeping pill.  Any minute I may fall asleep at the computer to be found with my head on the keyboard fast asleep.  Yet I have to say what a great day it has been.  The only 29th of February in the past 1460+ days. 

Do something brave, fun or different today.   A big snow storm hit the valley at 5pm, but even with four stops I had to make, a safe arrival at home just after 6pm was acheived.  Yeah! 

It's time to put away all the red Valentine stuff and gather everything green for March.  Before we know it Day Light Savings time will be here, St. Patty's Day then Easter.  So much to do & so little time.

Happy Leap Day and many more, too.  Here's to all those Leap Year Babies..Have a Happy Birthday!

Granola, Great for Your Get Up and Go

When you are in the snacking mood, grab this granola. 

I can't remember when granola became a staple in my house, but I think it was when oatmeal's health benefits became public knowledge.  Now I have a handful of it everyday.   Full of healthy grains like sunflower, sesame, flax seeds, wheat germ, dried fruit, nuts and more.  Combine one half cup granola with the same amount of plain yogurt for a delicious mid-morning snack. 




Colleen’s Granola

10 cups old fashioned rolled oats                  
1 cup wheat germ                                           

½ lb. shredded coconut                                   

2  cups raw sunflower seeds                       
1 cup sesame seeds                                       
½ cup flax seed                                     

In a large bowl combine the above ingredients.  Mix well.

In a saucepan combine the following ingredients:

1 cup oil
1 ½ cup brown sugar 
1 1/2 cup water                                                        
 ½ cup honey
 ½ cup molasses
  2 tsp each vanilla & cinnamon
  1 ½ tsp salt

Heat until sugar is dissolved, but do not boil.  Pour syrup over dry ingredients and stir until well-coated.  Spread into dripper pans or cookie sheets about ½ thick.  Bake 12 min @ 300 then stir and move to lower rack adding another tray on top rack and bake 12-15 minutes longer. Keep rotating the pans until they have baked about 25-30 min. Cool. Add 1-2 nuts,  raisins, craisins etc.  May also use raw peanuts, but must add to oat mixture and bake with mix. 

Not So Nice Knife

Occassionally I bake bread, goodies and dinner and more.  See, I even bake knives.  As I was taking a batch of bread out of the oven I noticed a shiny black object.  It was a nicely melted knife on the bottom.  Great!  This is gonna stink and be impossible to remove.  After the oven had cooled down, I was able to easily pop it right out. 

Finding a matching knife in the drawer it was fun to see the original shape.  The edges of the new and not so improved one are a little sharp, so it has seen its better days.  Thanks for the many years of service you rendered and sorry for your untimely demise.   I'm just glad it wasn't one of my new expensive ones.