Granola

One of my personal favorite comfort foods, I love the possibilities that home made granola provides: especially because it's so much more economical than store purchased granola.

Let's get cooking!

In a really big bowl, place 6 cups of uncooked oatmeal. I like the whole oats in the Old Fashioned variety best.

Add 1 cup coconut. I'm really into the shaved coconut right now, but the flakes work great too.
Add 1 cup of craisins. Oh, how I adore these babies!
Add about 1 cup raisins to the mix. If you don't like raisins or craisins, you can replace them with things like other dried fruits or nuts. I adore pecans in my granola, but then again, not everyone does. I sacrificed this time and left them out. I was nice (I guess).
Measure out 2/3 cup of vegetable or canola oil. Pour over the dry ingredients.
Measure out 1 cup of maple syrup or honey and pour over the dry ingredients.

Stir until well blended and the liquids coat everything.
Pour onto a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet...
and spread it out evenly.
Bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until the granola is golden. Pour onto a foil lined cold surface like a counter top.
Let cool (or not!) and enjoy!
Granola

oven 375 degrees

6 cups dry oatmeal
1 cup coconut
1 cup craisins
1 cup raisins
2/3 cup oil
1 cup maple syrup or honey

Mix all ingredients together until well coated. Bake on jelly roll pan for 20-30 minutes or until golden.

Meatloaf

Once a staple of the American family's weekly menu, it surprises me whenever I learn that so many of my dear readers don't know how to make meatloaf. Let me ease your fears when I tell you that it is truly one of the easiest dinners to make!

Let's get cooking!

In a large bowl, put your ground meat. You may use ground beef, ground turkey, ground sausage, or a combination of these. One pound of meat makes 4 hearty servings. We're feeding 6, so I used 2 lbs. of meat. Besides, this is one leftover no one at my house complains about!Add one egg for every pound of meat used.
Add 1/4 cup of plain bread crumbs for every pound used.
Now this is where you can personalize the meatloaf to your family's tastes: herbs and seasonings. My family was looking for a simple meal, so I simply used some dried parsley from my garden.
(Excuse the poor quality of the picture...) I also used my old stand-bys: freshly ground pepper and garlic sea salt.
Incorporate all the ingredients well-- using a hook, a giant spoon, or clean hands. Put the meat in a loaf pan.
Cover the meat with your choice of ketchup, bbq sauce, or salsa. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour, or until the meat is no longer pink.

Meatloaf

oven 350 degrees

1 lb. ground meat (beef, turkey, sausage, or a combination of any)
1 egg
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
herbs and seasonings to taste
ketchup, bbq sauce, or salsa

Combine meat, egg, crumbs, and seasonings until well incorporated. Shape and place in a loaf pan. Cover with ketchup or other sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until no longer pink.