Berry Crisp

I bought some raspberries and blackberries, but they were a bit too sour. So, I decided to make this Berry Crisp. I changed a recipe I found in a cookbook. It was delicious! I ate way too much of it, but I keep trying to tell my self it was healthy. It has oatmeal in it! Maybe the oatmeal cancels out the butter?

1 cup fresh blackberries (you could also use blueberries)
1 cup fresh raspberries
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup oatmeal
3/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cups butter


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, gently toss together blackberries and raspberries with white sugar. Allow to sit while you are making the crisp.
In a separate large bowl, combine flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press half of mixture in the bottom of a 9x9" pan. Cover with berries. Sprinkle remaining crumble mixture over the berries.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until fruit is bubbly and topping is golden brown.

Sneaky Chef Monkey Bars

I haven't posted a recipe in a while. . .I just haven't made anything that I was really excited enough to post about. But, I decided to go ahead and post these. I made this recipe from Parents.com. Now that we have baby food in the house, I thought it was worth a try. It was pretty good, and definately healthy. The kids liked it, too. It is like a very dense banana bread to me, but I always think that anytime you put bananas in something, the banana flavor takes over.


Makes 1 dozen.
•Cooking spray
•5 Tbsp butter
•1/2 cup (packed) brown sugar
•1/2 tsp salt
•1/4 cup sweet-potato baby food (stage 1 or 2)
•1/4 cup carrot baby food (stage 1 or 2)
•2 large bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
•1 tsp pure vanilla extract
•2 egg yolks
•1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking) I did use quick cooking oats.
•1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
•1/2 cup white-chocolate chips (optional)
Note: Carrot and sweet-potato baby food can be used interchangeably; use one or the other, or both, as long as it totals 1/2 cup.

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray the bottom, not the sides, of an 11 by 7-inch or a 9-inch-square pan.

2. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter, sugar, and salt. Remove from heat, and allow mixture to cool about 5 minutes.

3. Whisk in the baby food, bananas, vanilla, and egg yolks. Add the oats and flour, and mix until just combined. Pour the entire mixture into the prepared baking pan, and bake for 40 to 43 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

4. Allow to cool completely in pan before cutting. If desired, melt the white-chocolate chips in the microwave (on high for 15-second intervals), then drizzle across the bars.