Peanut Butter Granola Bars

2 eggs
1 cup organic peanut butter (Can make your own, add peanuts to food processor and blend until it is the consistency you like, chunky or creamy!)
4 tablespoons local honey
2 tablespoons organic Agave (or other sweetener)
4 cups granola - (2 cups organic oats, 3/4 cup raw almond chopped, or other nuts of choice, 1/4 cup organic  flax, 3/4 cup dried organic cranberries or raisins, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, this is our usual recipe for granola, you can add whatever you like, add sesame seeds, walnuts, wheat germ, bran, the possibilities are endless! I do not add sweetener to the granola for this recipe as there is some in the mix, the kids don't need too much either :)

Heat peanut butter, honey, Agave, and eggs on medium heat until bubbling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add granola. Stir until coated and line in a lightly greased pan and press to firm bars. Depending on what thickness you want the bars will depend on your pan you want to use. I use a 6x10 (I think!) size pan. Store bars in fridge or in freezer for lunch later on.

The kids love these bars!

Chocolate Whipped Shortbread

1 Cup all purpose flour
1/2 Cup Confectioners sugar (I used organic cane sugar ground in a blender to get it fine)
1/3 Cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 Cup unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350 F
Mix Flour and cocoa together, set aside
In stand mixer, whip butter and sugar about 1 minute, then start adding the dry mixture, scraping off the sides of the bowl.
Whip and whip and whip and whip, for about 10 minutes until it looks creamy, light and fluffy.
Once it's whipped spoon about 1 tablespoon of cookie dough onto a cookie sheet, using a butter knife to get it off the spoon (It's pretty sticky!) spaced about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on your oven temperature.
Let sit for a minute and move to cool on a wire rack.

Makes 12 cookies, for more double recipe.

Good luck trying to only eat one!

Organic Ketchup HFCS free

Tomato Ketchup

makes 4.5 pints. Use organic ingredients to avoid GMOs and pesticides

Ingredients:

Step 1

·         7.5 lbs. ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped (Heirloom are very good in this recipe!)

·         2 1/2 cup onion, diced

·         5 large garlic cloves, crushed

·         5 t black peppercorns

·         5 t mustard seeds

·         5 allspice berries

·         5 whole cloves

·         5 t celery seeds

·         two 1/2″ cinnamon sticks

·         1 tbsp. paprika

·         1 t cayenne pepper

·         3 fresh Bay leaves

Step 2

·         1 cup of Organic cane sugar

·         1 cup of apple cider vinegar

·         juice of two large lemons

·         1 tbsp sea salt

Simmer all ingredients in Step 1 in a large stock pot for about 90 minutes, until 1/3 of the juice has been evaporated, stirring often. Take off heat to cool. Once cooled enough remove bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, and peppercorns, allspice and cloves. For easy removal make a small bag with cheesecloth tied up with the spices, and peppercorns inside. Once removed, put mixture into a blender or food processor and blend on high for 1 minute. Strain the blended mixture through a sieve into a sauce pan, getting as much liquid out as possible out of the pulp.

Turn the saucepan onto medium heat, and add the Step 2 ingredients, simmering for at least half an hour, depending on what consistency of ketchup you like. Once cooked, you can store in sterilized jars in the fridge for 3 weeks, or process in a canning bath for 10 minutes for long time storage.

For spicier ketchup, leave peppercorns, cloves and allspice in and blend with mixture. For extra spicy ketchup add extra peppercorns, or spicy chipotle, jalapeño peppers to the cooking process.