Hang on While I Get My Birkenstocks...

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It's really not going out on a limb to suggest that I am not what you could call a "hippie" type of person.  I don't think we could even dabble with "bohemian."  That being said, I did feel a little...um...hippie-ish--dare I say liberal? no, that's going too far--yesterday.   I didn't vote on the other side of the aisle, nor did I march for anything.  And truth be told, I don't even own Birkenstocks (it seems like such a lot of money for such ugly shoes).  No, what I did was, I made granola!    It's a  fun, easy project that yields a healthy-ish breakfast for days to come.  Yesterday I had it with just milk, then today I had it with yogurt, both of which were delicious. Feel free to play around and add or substitute nuts or seeds or dried fruits to your liking--just keep the quantities about the same, and you should be fine.  So here's the recipe--and hey, peace, man.

Vacaville Housewife Granola



3 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup bran flakes

1 cup chopped pecans

3/4 cup chopped almonds

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

scant 1/2 tsp. salt

4 Tbl. canola oil

2 1/2 Tbl. maple syrup

1/4 cup corn syrup

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 Tbl. water

1 1/2 cups dried mixed fruit (I used cranberries, raisins, and sultanas--you could use apricots, or dates, or...)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine the oats, bran flakes, nuts, cinnamon, and salt.  In a small bowl, combine the oil, maple syrup, corn syrup, vanilla, and water and whisk to combine.  Pour the oil mixture over the oat mixture and stir well until combined.  Spread granola evenly on a large baking sheet.  Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to be sure it toasts evenly, until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan.  Stir in the dried fruits.  Store in an airtight container. Keeps at room temperature for one to two weeks.   Makes about 8 cups.

Gainful Employment

It's finally happened.  The Vacaville Housewife has begun climbing the corporate ladder.  Well, the corporate step stool at any rate. And it is, may I say, absolutely no fun whatsoever.

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I get home after everyone else is home, and I'm beyond tired, and I still have to make dinner.  I know, I should have spouse or offspring do it, but  I'm not willing to do that.  I still feel adamant that dinner (and food in general) is my responsibility and I will persevere!  I didn't want to go back to work yet, but needs must, and so here I am.  When I was growing up my mother worked, but she was home by about 4:00, and we had housecleaning help.  If that scenario was on deck, I'd feel much better.  But sadly, it's not, so I content myself with planning my exit strategy, fantasizing about flinging down my papers and shouting, "I quit!"

Until that dramatic day, however,  I am left juggling grocery shopping, cooking, and laundry.  On the weekend, I make three lists of dinners:  make-ahead (to, uh, make, you know, ahead) quick and easy (to make on work nights), and regular (to make on weekends).  And as far as baking goes, well, there just isn't a lot of time for that.  Which makes me sad.  A quick and easy cookie that my mother used to make has always been one of my favorites, and it is also one of my children's favorites.  They are called Valley Cookies (though I'm not sure why, since they look more like little hills.  I also make what my children call Cave Cookies, so we have all the landforms covered.  But more on those another time.), and you don't even have to bake them.   You make them on top of the stove, leave them in the fridge to harden, and they take literally five minutes to make.  Do it before bed, and you'll have cookies for lunches tomorrow.

Valley Cookies  makes about 3 dozen

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk (I use whole milk)

1 stick butter (4 oz.)

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

4 Tbl. Hershey's unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp. vanilla

3 1/4 cups oats (quick cooking or old-fashioned--I use old-fashioned)

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Place butter in a saucepan and melt over low heat.  Add sugar and milk.  Increase heat and bring to a boil.  Boil for one minute.  Remove from heat. Quickly add the peanut butter, cocoa, and vanilla, and mix well.  Now add the oats (no dilly-dallying--you don't want the mixture to set up before you get the oats all mixed in).  Cool mixture slightly, for just a few minutes.  Drop mixture by tablespoons onto a greased or Silpat-covered baking sheet. You can also cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap, and drop the cookies onto the plastic.  Put the uncovered baking sheet in the fridge and let cookies harden.  When hard, remove from sheet and store tightly covered in the fridge.  They won't win any beauty contests for cookies,  but they sure are tasty.  And they get tastier when you think  how it took you about five minutes to make them.