Sadie's Apricot Granola Bars

Sadie's Apricot Granola Bars

I love oats and making this British version of granola bars was quite fun, easy and they are delicious.  They are great alone, with yogurt or soaked in warm milk.  I have made several versions of this granola bar with dried fruit.  All organic fruit of course, either store bought or dried in the oven at home.  I prefer the Snoqualmie Falls Oats, which is one of my favorites.  A friend of mine got me hooked on this oat over 10 years ago and it is definitely my favorite.  If you cannot find it at your local store, you can use your favorite oats. 

I used small bread pans that I found at Sur La Table which are measured 3 inches by 2 inches and they work excellent for making individual granola bars, rather than baking it in a baking pan and then slicing it.

Enjoy this simple and tasty recipe!

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, sliced
1/4 cup (packed) *golden brown sugar
1/4 cup golden syrup (this is the British version; which is delicious) or you can use honey instead
2 1/3 cups quick-cooking oats (not instant or old-fashioned)
1/4 cup of dried chopped fruit of your choice (apricots, mango, blueberries, raspberries, etc)
Pinch of salt

* A type of syrup popular in Great Britain; available at some supermarkets, specialty foods stores, and British import shops.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. 
Combine first 3 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until butter melts, sugar dissolves, and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Add oats, dried fruit and salt; stir until coated. Transfer mixture to pan 9X9, or if you have the 3X2 bread pans, (use 12 small pans) and spread out in even layer.

Bake until top is golden (edges will be darker), about 25 minutes in a 9X9 pan and 16 minutes in 3X2 pans. Cool in pan on rack 5 minutes. Cut (mixture will still be soft) if you baked it in a 9X9 pan. Cool completely in pan before serving.

Sweet and Spicy Sliders with Marrakesh Carrot Salad

This recipe is a delightful combination of beef and lamb with chopped apricots, dates that gives it a Moroccan flare! 

This recipe calls for an ingredient called Harissa; which is most commonly used  in North African cuisines in countries such as Tunisia, Morocco, Libya and Algeria.  It is a delicious sauce that adds a depth of flavor and the right amount of spice to your dish.  You can find a variety of Harissa recipes on-line; if you wish to make it homemade, but most specialty stores will carry prepared Harissa.

Sweet and Spicy Slider Burgers


Patties

1 ½ pounds ground beef
½ pound ground lamb
2 ounces dried apricots, diced
2 ounces pitted dried dates, diced
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp ground fennel
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne
2 teaspoons harissa
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Wheat dinner buns for sliders or regular hamburger buns.
Green lettuce rinsed and dried

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium high.

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Weigh 3oz of beef mixture to create sliders or 6oz to make a regular hamburger patty.


Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once, until done to preference, about 5 minutes on each side for medium.

During the last few minutes of cooking, place the rolls, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly.

Marrakesh Carrot Salad

Juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground paprika
¼ teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound carrots, peeled and grated

Combine the lemon juice, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, chile flakes, and salt in a bowl. Mix well to combine. Add the honey, parsley, olive oil, and carrots and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until assembling the burgers.


To assemble the burgers, drain the carrot salad and squeeze out excess moisture with your hands.  On each roll bottom, place lettuce, a patty, and some carrot salad. Add the roll tops and serve. 

Enjoy!