Breakfast Time - Cold Cereal

 

Aww - cold cereal - one of the greats in convenience foods. The only problems are a) they're expensive if you are buying for a family of ten and b) they're not known for their nutritional value. Still though, sometimes you really want/need the convenience of cold cereal. Happily I've learned to make several different kinds.

 

The first kind I've made for years. I found the recipe years ago on a blog about a mom with fifteen children. When I wrote down  the recipe I didn't write down the name of the blog or any other identifying notes. I have not been able to find the blog again. It is called "Breakfast Bars", but we don't really eat them as bars as you'll see. 

 

 

 

Breakfast Bars

 

1 1/2 cups butter

2 cups brown sugar (The original recipe called for 3 cups but we found that too sweet)

5 eggs

2 cups flour

2 cups raw wheat germ

1 1/2 cups coconut

3 tablespoons baking powder

2 cups nuts
2 cups raisins

Cream together the butter and sugar and then add the eggs. Mix the rest of the ingredients except the raisins and add to the butter, sugar and eggs.

Divide between two greased 9 x 13" pans. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown.

When it comes out scoop into a large bowl and break into small pieces. Add the raisins and mix. Transfer to the container you will store it in.

Serve with milk or over yogurt or with applesauce.

It can be frozen and even eaten straight from the freezer as we have discovered.

just out of the oven

using a spatula to crumble it - and yes, I did leave it in just a little too long

all crumbled

using a Tupperware cake holder to store it

 

 

I've also learned to make a homemade version of "Grape Nuts". I have to say that as a child I did not like Grape Nuts. However, this homemade version is tasty. It is also very filling. I find that a little goes a long way. I found the recipe here. It's simple to make, and as my daughter says fills the need for something crunchy if you're craving something like "Corn Flakes".

 

 

 

A couple of months ago I came across this recipe for homemade "Cocoa Puffs". Can you see where this is going? Chocolate? I pinned it. I didn't make it right away though because one of the ingredients is chocolate extract. I have visited a few stores looking for this. Everyone has every other flavour known to man BUT chocolate. It is available on Amazon so I guess I'll be ordering it. In the meantime I decided to try the recipe. It is great. I think the extract would give it just that little extra chocolatiness to put it over the edge, but still it was good even without the extract. It's simple to make. The only problem is that I will have to double or triple the recipe for our family. We all had a small bowl and everyone enjoyed it. The baby loved eating it dry. It was great finger food.

 

I conducted a little survey and here are the results - Breakfast Bars and Cocoa Puffs tied for first place. I was a little surprised because I thought the Cocoa Puffs would be the hands-down winner, but that could just be me and my love affair with all things chocolate.

 

There is one breakfast cereal that we buy on a semi-regular basis from the store. I had never heard of it until I married my British husband - Weetabix. It only has four ingredients (all pronounceable ☺)plus some vitamins and iron. It's tasty and filling. All of our children enjoy it from the time they are babies.

 

What is your favourite cold cereal? I grew up on "Cap'n Crunch" and would still eat it faithfully if I wasn't trying to eat healthy. ~sigh~ Every two to three years my husband buys a box for me just for nostalgia.

 

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To see all the posts in this series go here.