Summertime snack recipes

Honey Granola

Ingredients

• 2 c rolled oats
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds
• 4 tablespoons. butter
• 1/4 cup honey
• I also like to add some almond or peanut butter – I stir it in when the butter and honey melt together (see below).

To prepare

1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. In a bowl, combine oats, sugars, cinnamon, raisins and almonds. Toss to mix.
   In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter, add honey, and stir to blend.
3. Pour the honey mixture over the oat mixture and stir to blend.
4. Spread it out on a baking sheet.
5. Bake granola until golden and just browning, about 25 minutes.
6. Cool to room temperature.
7. Makes about 3 cups.

Notes

• Granola will not be crunchy until it starts to cool after coming out of the oven.
• I often stir it once or twice while it’s baking, just to make sure it is heating evenly.
• Never just make one batch. It’s too good.

Peanut Butter Fruit Dip

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups lowfat yogurt
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

To prepare

• Puree’ in a food processor or blender, chill for 20 minutes.

Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 mashed overripe bananas

To prepare

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly grease a 9” by 5” loaf pan.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.
4. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar.
5. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended.
6. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten.
7. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
8. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.
9. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.