Chewy Breakfast Bar

This is another of my sneaky ways of getting fruit into the children and even better I got Mini Son to help me make them.   They were very popular and just because they have cereal in them does not mean they have to be kept for breakfast.  

The sugar, butter content probably negates the fibre from the fruit but it is better than a lot of the snacks you can buy over the counter and the children love these.

Ingredients 

100g or so of dried fruit - I used a premixed supermarket pack
100g of mixed seeds (these were included in my pack)
280g of oats - i used a mix of jumbo and porridge
50g of multi-grain hoop cereal 
200g of butter
200g sugar - light muscavado 
200g golden syrup

Mix the oats, fruit, seeds and cereal together in a bowl 

Using a large heavy based pan melt the butter, add the sugar and then the golden syrup gently stirring until the sugar has completely melted.

Once melted remove from the heat and add the dry ingredients stirring well 

Pour out into the baking tray and even out.   I tend to use the  pampered chef bar pan which I still line with greaseproof paper with but this is more to lift out than prevent sticking.  If you use a standard baking tray make sure you grease it well.

Bake at a low heat 160C/gas 3 for about 20 minutes until they are golden brown then remove and leave to cool completely.   I score the bars when they come out of the oven and again when they are cool to make it easier to cut them.

In theory these could last 3 days in an airtight tin in practice I cannot get them to last more than a day.  No matter where I hide the tin it is found and all I get are a few fruit crumbs.

Enjoy these and get the children to help which will make them even more tempting.      You could coat the top in melted chocolate or dip each bar half way in once they are cool enough.  Mine don't last that long.   I think they are very similar to flapjack but my children prefer these.

Tiggy 

Check out what I am up to in my other blog Tiggy Hayes

Slow Roast Crackling Pork

Once upon a time in our household I was the only person to like crackling.  Unfortunately; but maybe better for my waistline as I grow older, the whole family now loves it.  

Ingredients 
Good joint of pork 
salt
olive oil 
onions 
cooking apples 
water 

I cut the apples in half and the onion into quarters, this will depend on how many you are using.  Place in a roasting dish as a table.

Check how the skin is scored. I find I need to cut it to the ends and more thinly than the butcher has done.     

Then smooth the skin with olive oil and salt.  Place on top of your bed of apples.

Add the water to the base of the roasting tray.   It can cover the apples and onions but should not cover the pork. 



Put it in the oven for about 40 minutes (depending on the size) on high 240C/ gas 9. The skin should turn into wonderfully crisp crackling.   Keep the dish topped with water to stop the joint drying out and the apples and onions from burning.

Cover the roasting dish and turn the heat right down to about 150C/gas 2 and leave for about 3 1/2 hours.



You don't need to carve the joint it just falls to pieces and melts in the mouth.   Take it out at least 30 minutes before carving to let it rest.   It gives you a chance to wack the heat right up again for those deliciously crispy roasties!

Serve with all the trimmings, roast potatoes, veg and cider gravy.   

Taking out the  apple and onions from the roasting dish and transferring them to a small bowl you now have your pre-made apple sauce.  The onions should have sweetened the apples but a touch of sugar could be added if still required.

 I use the roasting tray to make the gravy, scraping up all the little bits for added flavour.  Cider goes well instead of wine in this or use a little apple juice. 

Enjoy and let me how you adapt this

Tiggy

Find out what I am up to in my other blog  Tiggy Hayes