Eat well without spending big bucks

By: By Pat Koch Ask Pat | SCNOW
Published: August 07, 2009

As promised, I am printing two more recipes from “Miserly Moms”, a cookbook that specializes in helping you make food at home at a fraction of the cost of buying it already made. In these tough economic times, you may want to spend more time in the kitchen and less money at the store. These recipes are for snacks: granola bars and soft pretzels.

My Chewy Granola Bars

2 cups any granola (see recipe for homemade Granola in 5/16/09 column)
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup chopped peanuts, other nuts, or chocolate chips
2 eggs

Combine well and press into greased 8x8-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Slice into bars after it cools.

Yield: 12 bars
Cost analysis: Homemade = $2.50 Store-bought = $4.58
Source: Miserly Moms

Soft Pretzels

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (divided)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 pkgs. (1/4-oz) or 4 teaspoons dry yeast
1 cup water
1 tablespoon shortening
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
Coarse salt

Mix one cup of the flour with the sugar, salt and dry yeast. In a separate container, heat 1 cup water and shortening to 120 degrees. Slowly add this to the flour mixture. Beat well for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup more flour and beat again for 2 minutes. Stir in the rest of the flour. Knead for 5 minutes. Set in a greased bowl and let rise in a warm place for 40 minutes (or until double in size). Punch down. Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll each one into a long rope (18-20 inches). Shape into pretzels or other shapes. Place on a greased cookie sheet and rest for 5 minutes. Mix egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water. Brush on pretzels and sprinkle with the coarse salt. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

Yield: 12 pretzels
Cost analysis: Homemade = $0.75 Store-bought = $3.99
Source: Miserly Moms