No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars

by Emily Holt

1 1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 cups quick cooking oats
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups peanut butter (mine has no added sugars – it’s organic – straight peanuts)

Directions:
1. Grease a 9x9 inch square pan.
2. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and vanilla. Mix in the oats. Cook over low heat 2 to 3 minutes, or until ingredients are well blended. Press mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
3. Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips and peanut butter in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth. Pour the chocolate mixture over the crust in the pan, and spread evenly with a knife or the back of a spoon.
4. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or overnight. Bring to room temperature before cutting into bars.

This makes one big cookie sheet. We love to put them in ziplock baggies and keep them in the freezer, for handy snacking! I like to tell myself because of the oats and PB that they are healthy!

Oats: Skin Solutions and Other Uses

by Emily Holt

Skin Solutions for Everyone:

Oats can make your insides and your outside healthy and happy. Inside these grains lie saponins, which act as natural cleansers when mixed with water. Not only do oats soothe dry and itchy skin, but the natural protein in them also helps lock in moisture. There’s a reason why oats are listed as ingredients in a number of lotions and skin creams—but luckily for us, there are less expensive ways to enjoy their skin-restoring properties.

Make colloidal oatmeal—that’s oats ground into powder—and put it in the foot part of an old pair of nylons or in a piece of cheesecloth. Immerse the bundle in hot bathwater and soak in the goodness for twenty to thirty minutes. This treat is especially good for sufferers of chicken pox, rashes, eczema, and itchy, dry skin. Oats are also applied to the skin for chicken pox, osteoarthritis, liver disorders, and added to foot baths for chronically cold or tired feet. Even if your skin’s not too sensitive, add milk and honey to an oat bath for an enhanced softening experience.

Oats are a great base for homemade facial masks. The other ingredients depend on skin type (for example, oily-skinned people shouldn’t go for egg yolks, and dry-skinned people should avoid egg whites), but simply mixing colloidal oatmeal with water so that it becomes a paste makes a good all-around mask. It scrubs pores clean and helps get rid of dead skin.

No time to jump in the shower? Supposedly, colloidal oats and baking powder make dry shampoo, which you can rub through your hair and shake out to make it appear less greasy.

Oats aren’t just beneficial for human complexions—dogs enjoy it, too! If your pup has itchy skin, mix water and colloidal oatmeal together and put it in a cloth bag, gently rubbing it on problem areas for a few minutes.

Treat acne:
Many people swear by oatmeal as a natural remedy to acne. One easy recipe is to cook up some of the stuff, let cool until lukewarm, then apply to the affected areas. Let stand for several minutes, then rinse.

Some people prefer to use oatmeal-based scrubs (see below). Others bathe with "colloidal oatmeal," which is made by mixing oatmeal that has been ground into a very fine powder in water.

Soothe dry or irritated skin:
People have been using oatmeal to promote healthy, beautiful skin for a long time. It can provide soothing relief from sunburn, poison ivy, or other irritations and is said to heal skin and open pores.
In fact, many moisturizers and beauty products on store shelves contain oatmeal for its benefits, sometimes ground up and sometimes in flake form.

It's also easy to make a home remedy to soothe your dog's itchy, dry skin. All it takes is oatmeal, an old sock, a washcloth, and some aluminum foil. Get the recipe from Small Dog's Paradise.

Oats are also highly absorptive, hypoallergenic, and help to soften skin. They have the best amino acid balance of all the cereal grains (amino acids work as water-binding agents in skin care products). Oats have also been clinically shown to help heal dry, itchy skin. Oat grains and straw appear in shampoos, dusting powders, moisturizers, and cleansing bars and that's just the start of a list!

Pamper yourself:

A soothing way to unwind at the end of a long day is to take a bath with oatmeal. Here's a simple recipe from AltUse: While running a lukewarm bath, add one cup of milk, two cups of uncooked oatmeal and a tablespoon of honey. Soak for 10 to 20 minutes, and your skin will be moisturized and rejuvenated. How relaxing!

Make your own scrub by grinding two tablespoons of oatmeal into a grainy consistency in a blender or food processor. Add one teaspoon baking soda and very small amounts of water until the mixture has the consistency of paste. Spread that on your cleansed and dry face. Leave on for 10 minutes and gently remove with cool water.
It also isn't difficult to make your own oatmeal soap (which makes nice gifts).

***Always be careful when using natural skin care products to note all ingredients and avoid any which you are allergic to (nuts, for example, are found in many recipes for facial scrubs). If any persistent stinging or redness occurs, thoroughly cleanse your face and rinse well with cool water.
***When choosing rolled oats (the breakfast cereal kind) for the following treatments, make sure to check the ingredients. There are plenty of popular brands available that are nothing but rolled oats, as they should be. Don't get the quick-cook or flavored versions. When the recipe calls for ground oats, use a clean coffee grinder or blender to grind the flakes to a fine powder. Mixed with cornstarch and/or arrowroot powder, this makes a very mild dusting powder for you or baby.


Oat and Brown Sugar Scrub:

2 Tbsp. ground oats
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. aloe vera
1 tsp. lemon juice

Mix all ingredients in a clean bowl until you have a smooth paste. Gently massage onto damp skin, and rinse off with warm water. You can triple the recipe for a fantastic smoothing body treatment.


Banana Bread Masque:

½ really ripe mashed banana - moisturizing
2 Tbsp. ground oats - soothing
milk or cream, add as necessary - softening
pinch nutmeg - antiseptic
2 Tbsp. whole wheat flour - antioxidant

Whip ingredients together, adding cream or oat flour as necessary to get a smooth, paste-like consistency. Spread on clean face and leave for 5-10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly and pat dry.


Oat and Honey Milk Bath:

½ cup rolled oats
¼ cup powdered milk
2 Tbsp. honey

Place all ingredients in a small, natural fabric bag (muslin and cheesecloth are great choices). Hang the bag under the faucet as you fill the tub, so running water disperses the goodness throughout your bath.

Oatmeal/Almond Scrub :

Ingredients:
1 part ground oatmeal or ground almonds
3 to 5 drops of essential oil of choice if desired

Instructions:
Mix well with a fork. Use oatmeal for normal skin. Oatmeal is a soothing, softening cleanser, and makes an excellent nonalkaline soap substitute. If your skin is dry, use ground almonds for a good moisturizing cleanser.

Cranberry Sugar Oatmeal Scrub:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup frozen cranberries
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons (+ more if needed) oat powder or ground oatmeal

Instructions:
In a food processor, process all ingredients for 30 seconds. Apply to body with gentle circular motions. Makes enough for 1 body scrub.

Acne Mask:

-1/2 cup oatmeal, ground finely
-half an apple, ripe
-cut 2 inches off a cucumber
-2 tablespoons milk

Instructions:
Blend well, it might be a little tough, so I advise you to cut the apple and cucumber before putting it in the blender. Apply fresh onto face, leave on for 20 minutes. Wash off with lukewarm water. This mask will help to reduce redness, oil and blackheads.

Dry Shampoo Made With Oatmeal:
Jamie Conrad

Dry shampoo is a time saver for people on the go. It can be complex and made of many ingredients or very simple and made of only one or two ingredients. Oatmeal is a popular ingredient in dry shampoo.

Function: The oatmeal powder in a dry shampoo binds to oil and dirt in the hair, and brushing the hair removes the oil and dirt along with the powder.
Benefits: Oatmeal dry shampoo is a way to freshen the hair when you do not have access to water, are ill or bedridden or do not have time for a shower.
Misconceptions: Dry shampoo is not a replacement for showering or traditional shampoo; it is used to freshen up between hair washes.
Make It Yourself: You can make your own dry shampoo at home. Grind 1 tbsp. plain oatmeal to a fine consistency in a coffee grinder, then pour the powder into a salt shaker and shake onto hair. Brush the powder through your hair and go--it's that simple.

Neutralize odors:
Few realize that oatmeal can help absorb odors. Try placing an open container of the stuff in your fridge. Some people use oatmeal to line ashtrays and claim the flakes help neutralize the smell of smoke.


Breaking the Mold with Crafts:
Sure, oatmeal’s tasty and oats are great for the skin, but did you know they encourage creativity, too? Combined with the right ingredients, they help form anything from bowls to bars of soap. The Disney Family Fun Web site has a recipe for modeling clay involving oats, water, flour, and food coloring. The clay stays moldable for hours if kept in the fridge, but will harden overnight.

Turn it into modeling clay:
You can also turn old oatmeal into a non-toxic crafting "clay" that delights kids and gets their creative energies flowing. The Play-Doh-like clay stays moist for hours, but hardens overnight, making it good for sculpting figurines, bowls, beads, and other goodies you can think of.
Use Disney Family Fun's simple recipe to combine one cup of instant or rolled oats with flour and a little water. You can also add food coloring for a rainbow of possibilities.

In fact, oatmeal can be used in an array of crafts that's limited only by your imagination. One parent suggests making an "oatmeal octopus." It's easy: pour some oatmeal in a sandwich bag, then add a tablespoon of powdered paint. Have your child shake it up. Then draw out patterns in glue on paper or cardboard (it needn't necessarily be of an octopus of course). Sprinkle on the colored oatmeal for a unique project.

Take little cloth bags and fill them with dried herbs, oats, and a small amount of shaved soap. Give them out as gifts to friends and tell them the soap bags are just like mini-sponges or washcloths. 

If the oat canister’s exhausted from previous oat adventures, repurpose it as a container for other goods, such as pasta, flour, nail polish, small toys, and so on. You can also decorate it with pretty paper and use it as a gift box. 

If all of this doesn’t propel you toward the closest grocery store, consider this: a 2005 study at Brigham Young University found that twenty-eight-year-old oats were not only edible, but still slightly palatable! Participants rated them as about average on a taste scale, and 75 percent of them said they’d be fine in an emergency. You’d be hard pressed to say that about most foods after almost thirty years of shelf time, but therein lies yet another magical quality of oats. Be they fuel for the day ahead, a hearty grain filler for a dinner dish, a soothing application for the skin, or a fun activity for kids, oats deserve a spot in all of our lives. Now, if you’ll excuse me, there’s a bowl of blueberry–almond butter oatmeal that needs my attention.

Oats Health Benefits

by Emily Holt

Health Benefits:

Oats are high in fiber. They are rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber. The soluble fiber in oats is beta-glucan which is effective in lowering blood cholesterol (one of the most common benefits of eating oats).

Oats are a great source of protein. Oat protein is almost the same in quality to soy protein (which has been shown by the WHO to be equal to meat, milk, and egg protein). The amount of protein of the hull-less oat kernel (oat groats) ranges from 12-24%, which is the highest among any of the cereal grains.

Oats are a valuable source of energy. They provide a slow release of energy over the morning because they are rich in complex carbohydrates–which reduces the desire to snack on quick-energy, sugar-based foods (translation: you can lose weight because you will eat less, stay full longer, and not snack on junk food!).

Oats are low in fat and contain no cholesterol.

Oats are a high source of vitamin B1.

Oats help to prevent heart disease and a variety of cancers.

Oats might help reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels and control appetite by causing a feeling of fullness. Oat bran might work by blocking the absorption from the gut of substances that contribute to heart disease, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

Oat bran and whole oats are used for high blood pressure; high cholesterol; diabetes; and digestion problems including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diverticulosis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), diarrhea, and constipation. They are also used for preventing heart disease, gallstones, colon cancer, and stomach cancer.

Use Oatmeal for Heartburn, even when Pregnant. Put a teaspoon of dry oatmeal in your mouth. Natural salivation will moisten it. Then swallow. Within a few seconds you can tell it is working. Additionally, this can be used and is effective even if you're pregnant. I have never seen this in any suggested uses for oatmeal. It seems to be a "well-guarded" secret.


Other Benefits:

Oats are a natural anti-depressant. In fact they are used to help treat depression.

Oats soothe the nerves and reduce stress. They are also used to help treat anxiety and nervous disorders.

Cooked oats help relieve fatigue.

Raw oats can be used to help relieve constipation.

Oats have a soothing effect on skin and are therefore used to help soothe skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, measles, chicken pox, and are also used in many cosmetic products.

Oats

by Emily Holt

Storing Your Oats:

Store your oats in a cool, dark, dry location.
Store oats in an air tight, opaque container. You can use mylar bags, food grade buckets, or cans.
You can use either oxygen absorbers or Diatomaceous Earth (see the information on wheat storage for more information about DE) to protect against a critter infestation.
Properly stored oats will have a shelf life of at least 30 years.
An interesting fact about oats… unlike many foods, oats are nutritionally the same* regardless of which form they are in. This is because each form still has the endosperm, germ, and bran in tact (they apparently cannot be separated in oats). So feel free to make your oat choices based upon which texture, flavor, and price you prefer. They’re all healthy for you.

Whole Oats:



Whole oats are just what the name says… it’s the whole oat, hull and all. The outer hull is hard and really should be removed before it’s ready for human consumption. About the only thing you could do (eating-wise) with unhulled oats is to sprout them and use them that way, but we won’t go into that process here and now (you can always look it up on the internet if you really want to give it a try). Otherwise, this form of oat is mainly for the animals.

Oat Groats:

Oat groats are the whole oat grain, minus the hard outer hull. For human consumption, this is the most “whole” an oat gets. The hull has been removed, but the outer bran layer is still left in tact. They look kind of like brown rice or wheat berries, and although they are typically processed further, you can eat them at this stage. They are said to have a sweet and nutty flavor with a moist but chewy texture. The only downside is that they take a while to cook.

To cook oat groats:
-Stove top: Use a 1:3 ratio (groats to water). Bring the water (with a dash of salt) to a boil. Add the groats, lower the heat, and simmer, covered for about 45-50 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the oats are tender. Remove from the heat and let stand for about 10 minutes. Fluff with fork and serve, garnished to your liking.

-With a rice cooker: You can cook oat groats the same way you would white rice, with a ratio of 1:2 or 1:3 of groats to water… depending on your preference. You may want to start with a 1:3 ratio and just drain of any excess water when the groats are done to your liking. The groats will take approximately one hour to cook.
-Tip: Also try toasting your oat groats for approximately 5 minutes (until a shade darker) in a saucepan over medium high heat prior to cooking them. This will bring out a new level of flavor.

Uses for oat groats:
Most commonly, people cook them up and use them in place of rolled oats oatmeal at breakfast with some fresh fruit cut on top. You can also use them to add to soups, a stir-fry, or a salad (try replacing the water with stock for a little more savory flavor).

Steel-Cut Oats:

Steel-cut oats (sometimes called ‘pinhead oats’) are essentially cut up oat groats. They are made by passing groats through steel cutters which chop each one into smaller pieces (hence the name).

To cook steel-cut oats:
Using a 3:1 ratio of water to oats, bring the water to a boil and then stir in the steel-cut oats with a pinch of salt. Bring back to a boil and then turn down the heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes (depending on how cooked or chewy you want your oats), stirring every few minutes to make sure it doesn’t burn on the bottom. Remove from the heat when desired consistency is reached and garnish according to your tastes and preferences with things such as: cinnamon, honey, maple syrup, fresh (or dried) fruit, extra milk for creaminess, toasted nuts, etc. You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 1 week (just microwave it to reheat). (Directions courtesy of thekitchn.com)
Uses for steel-cut oats: You’d generally use these as a nice hearty breakfast.

Old-Fashioned/Rolled Oats:

Old-fashioned/rolled oats are made by steaming groats and flattening them with a roller. They are flat and oval shaped. The fact that these are steamed in their process means they have been partially cooked, which is one factor in reducing their overall cooking time at home (plus the fact that they are more thin).
To cook old-fashioned oats: Using a 2:1 ratio of water to oats, bring the water to a boil with a dash of salt. Stir in the oats and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
May also be cooked in the microwave by combining all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and cooking on HIGH for 2-3 minutes. Stir before serving.

Uses for old-fashioned oats:
Obviously oatmeal is a common use. Rolled oats are also good in cookies, breads, muffins, meatloaf, stuffings, etc.

Quick Oats:

These are essentially the same as old-fashioned oats, except that instead of starting with the oat groat, this process starts with the steel-cut oats that are put through the same process as the old-fashioned oats. The smaller size makes them cook quicker, but everything else is the same.

To cook quick oats: Generally using a 2:1 ratio of water to oats (although you may want to add slightly more water), bring the water to a boil with a dash of salt. Stir in the oats and cook for about 1 minute over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
May also be cooked in the microwave by combining all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and cooking on HIGH for 1-2 minutes. Stir before serving.

Uses for quick oats:
Most commonly used for a quick bowl of oatmeal in the morning. These can also pretty much be used anywhere that old-fashioned oats are used. They are generally interchangeable.

Instant Oats:

These are also made similar to the old-fashioned oats, except that they are steamed longer and rolled more thinly. Generally the more you process a food, the less nutritious it becomes, so if you’re looking for nutritional value, I would stick with one of the other forms of oats… although there is no proof that these are less nutritious (so don’t feel bad if you like them!).

To cook instant oats:
Anyone? Anyone? I couldn’t find a generic “how to” for this. It’s basically the same as Quick Oats, but faster, right? Well, you will pretty much always have to buy this is some sort of package form, so just follow the directions on the package. How’s that for a wimpy answer?

Uses for instant oats:
This is commonly used for instant ‘porridge’. You cannot use this interchangeably with old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats in recipes. Since it has already been cooked and dried, it can turn your recipe into a gummy mess.

Oat Flour:

Oat flour is simply oats ground down into flour. It’s interesting to note that oat flour has a longer shelf-life than wheat flour because of the natural preservatives found in oats, so adding a little bit of oat flour to your bread can help improve it’s shelf life.

To make oat flour:
Many wheat grinders will also process rolled oats as well to give you oat flour that way. If you do not have a wheat grinder (or yours won’t process rolled oats), you could also use a food processor or even a blender. Simply place rolled oats in your food processor and process until the oats reach a flour consistency. Sift out any large particles if needed.

Uses for oat flour:
Can be used for a thickener in soups and stews. You can also replace part of the wheat flour in a recipe with oat flour (only replace up to about 1/3 of the wheat flour with the oat flour since oat flour does not have gluten and your baked goods will not rise properly if you replace too much of the wheat flour).
Well, I hope you enjoy your oats! And here’s a challenge for ya… give one of these types of oats a try that you’ve never tried before. You never know what you may end up liking!

Some people don’t like the texture of oatmeal, but oats themselves can be used in other dishes. When ground up in a food processer, oats become oat flour, a great substitution for all-purpose flour in recipes. Not only does oat flour offer more nutrients than white flour, but it has less calories, too (120, compared with 152 in a one-third-cup serving). It also works well in recipes that call for grains as a thickening or binding agent, such as meatloaf, meatballs, homemade burger patties, casseroles, chili, and so forth. Oats are a useful replacement for bread crumbs and a good coating for prefried foods as well.

***Note: If you want to get technical on the benefits of eating oats, the more processed varieties (rolled oats, quick oats, and instant oats) will have a higher effect on your glycemic response thereby causing insulin and sugar levels to rise and eventually fall as well. But honestly, we’re talking about a minimal effect. So yes, TECHNICALLY the oat groats, and steel-cut oats are going to be better for you, but the difference is so small that I wouldn’t really give it a passing thought.

Fabo Wheat Chili

submitted by Karolee Talbot
(from the book "I Dare You To Eat It', by Liesa Card)

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion
1 green pepper, diced
2 c. cooked wheat berries
2 cans tomato soup
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can kidney beans with liquid
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 T. chili powder
1/2 t. dry minced garlic
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 bay leaf

Brown ground beef with diced onion and green pepper. Add remainder of the ingrdients and simmer for 15 mins. Garnish with sour cream and grated cheese. A single recipe yeilds 10 cups of chili, which serves 4-6 people. I usually make this in the early afternoon and then transfer it to a slow cooker, where it can simmer on low until we are ready to eat. This recipe also freezes well.

Wheat Sloppy Joes

submitted by Karolee Talbot
(from the book 'I Dare You To Eat It', by Liesa Card)

1 lb. ground beef
2 c. cooked wheat berries
1 can tomato soup (10 oz)
1 jar Homade brand chili sauce (12 oz)

Brown the ground beef and drain. Stir in wheat, un diluted tomato soup, and chili sauce. Serve on toasted hamburger buns, with melted cheese if you like.

Wheat Berries

by Karolee Talbot

Cooking Method #1:
Use a wide mouth stainless steel thermos to 'cook' the wheat in. (lg. or sm.-just depends on how much you want to cook)
Fill thermos approximately 1/3 full of dry wheat (whole).
Bring enough water to a boil to finish filling up the thermos. Pour the water over the dry wheat. Put the lid on the thermos and let it sit for 8-12 hours, or overnight.
In the morning your wheat will be cooked!
1/2 tsp. salt is optional, but I like it better without.

I cooked 1/3 cup dry wheat in a large wide mouth thermos and it expanded to fill up the entire thermos.

Cooking Method #2:
Use a slow cooker.
Put 4 cups of dry wheat, 10 cups of water, and 1 T. salt (optional) in a slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low 8-12 hours, or overnight.

This would expand to be a lot of wheat berries!!

Cooking Method #3:
Soak 1 cup wheat overnight.
Add 2 cups water and 1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
Cook on low on top of the stove for approximately 2 hours.

How to use, and get your family used to eating whole wheat:
-Serve as cereal with sweetner and milk. Add fruit if desired.
-Add a few spoonfuls to about and casserole, hamburger, or tuna mixture, salad, chili. Can substitute wheat for some of the rice or some of the noodles. A little will will hardly be noticed, and you can gradually add more as the family gets used to it.

Cooked wheat berries will keep for approximately one week in the fridge.
Cooked wheat berries will keep for months in the freezer.

Fruit Smoothie

by Susan Walker

2 Tbls. Fruit Drink Mix
3 Tbls. powdered milk
1/4 c. water
sugar to taste
1 c. ice

Place ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

Milk Conversion Chart

Use this conversion chart to use powdered milk in any recipe calling for milk!Simply look down the Milk colimn for the amount needed in your recipe then add the dry powdered milk to your dry ingrdients and the water to your wet ingredients.

MILK - WATER - DRY POWDERED MILK
1 c. - 1 c. - 3 Tbls
3/4 c. - 3/4 c. - 2 1/4 Tbls
2/3 c. - 2/3 c. - 2 Tbls
1/2 c. - 1/2 c. - 1 1/2 Tbls
1/3 c. - 1/3 c. - 1 Tbls
1/4 c. - 1/4 c. - 3/4 Tbls

Use more of your powdered milk in everyday ways:

Sweetened Condensed Milk
(14 oz. can)
1/2 c. hot water
1 c Dry Powdered Milk
1 c. sugar
1 T. butter
Blend VERY WELL in blender.

Evaporated Milk
(12 oz. can)
1 1/2 c. water
1/2 cup + 1 T. Dry Powdered Milk
Blend VERY WELL in blender.

Buttermilk

Add a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a cup of milk and let it stand for 5-10 minutes.

Wheat and Rice Bowls

Submitted by Karolee Talbot
(from the book "I Dare You to Eat It" by Liesa Card)

Fresh Ingredients
4-6 green onions, thinly sliced or chopped
Any combination of leftover vegetables: celery, carrots, peppers, peas, and corn
2 scrambled eggs (optional)

Storage Ingredients
1 can Spam, or leftover meat
3 c. cooked cold wheat berries
3 c. cooked cold rice
1-2 T. soy sauce
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 c. oil
1/2 t. sugar

Dice Spam and saute until browned and crispy. Set aside. If vegetables have not been cooked you may want to saute them in the oil until tender. Then combine all ingredients in pan and heat thoroughly before serving. The ratio of wheat and rice can be adjusted to fit whatever is left in your refrigerator. A splash of teriyaki sauce is nice.

Additional note from the author, Liesa Card.
"Stay with me - Spam is better than you would think when it's sauteed. And this recipe is a great way to use up all the leftover grains and veggies in the fridge. The simple recipe makes a ton, so be aware of that when you choose your pan. I'm not kidding. Invariably somehow this creates more leftovers, but they microwave well and actually get eaten. It can be seasoned with teriyaki or soy sauce, and you can use any leftover meats depending on your family's preference. I usually try to prepare this recipe in the early morning when I can sneak the time to get everything chopped and sauteed. Then it's ready, waiting for lunches or dinners, as the day and the kids get busier."

Apple Pancakes

by Clarissa Abegglen

1 heaping cup hydrated Dried Apple Slices (Hydrate in Apple Juice or water 1/2 – ¾ cup water to 1 cup apple for Approximately 15 min)
2 cups Pancake Mix (They have some great pancake mix at the Dry Pack Cannery)
1 Tbsp. Dried Whole Egg or 1 regular egg
½ tsp. Cinnamon
1 ½ Water (Use the excess water from apples plus extra out of tap)

Instructions:
Whisk together dry ingredients.
Drain Apples, reserving juice; chop apples finely.
Add apples and water to dry ingredients;
Whisk until combined.
Let stand 5 minutes.
Cook on hot oiled griddle.
Makes 10, 4 inch pancakes.

Apple Pumpkin Muffins

by Clarissa Abegglen

2 1/2 cups All purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg or all spice
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup canned or cooked pumpkin
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
2 heaping cups rehydrated fried apples or peeled apples (finely chopped)
1 to 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, oil, and pumpkin. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened, taking care not to over mix. Gently fold in apples and chocolate chips. Fill well greased or paper lined muffin cups two-thirds full.
Bake @ 350 for 25-30 minutes. Insert a toothpick to make sure the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing muffins from the pans. Makes about 18 muffins.