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Happiness with a Borden bottle

Maybe it’s the fall air finally coming down to our neck of the woods. Thanks to a tropical storm we’ll call Lee, Monday felt like a November day for us. It was rainy and 65*. Two days earlier, we were around 98*, so that drastic change felt almost cold. Throw in some falling leaves on the drive back from Jasper, and I was ready for a fire, Snuggie (don’t hate…you know you like them, too), and something to bring back some memories of snow in Colorado. I had a big pot of soup on the stove, but felt like baking the chewy granola bars I made back in June.

Before baking them, I finally opened my box with my recent Ebay purchase. A Borden milk bottle.

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WAY back in the day before I got too far into elementary school, I had an Elsie the Cow doll. I loved that doll. I remember her pointy horns and I liked to chew on them….so maybe this was a time WAY before I started school because I hate to think I was chowing down on a doll in Kindergarten.

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If I remember correctly, Miss Baker’s husband, JL worked at Borden and gave me the doll. Miss Baker was my mother’s close friend for many years until she passed away last year. She was there through most of my life and we will always remember her happy smile, dry wit, and driving backwards through the bank drive-through window. The traffic was horrible in Jackson, so she pulled in the lot, saw the window was empty, and backed that mini-van back to the window. It blew my mind and opened up a whole new world of adventure driving that I might have adopted 10 or so years later. That’s a story I will gladly share with my nephews and any future nieces.

Now that I had my bottle, all I needed were some warm granola bars.

This came from Smitten Kitchen.

Chewy Granola Bars

  • 1 2/3 cups quick rolled oats (if gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free oats)
  • 1/2  cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup oat flour (or 1/3 cup oats, processed till finely ground in a food processor or blender)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 to 3 cups dried fruits and nuts (total of 10 to 15 ounces)*
  • 1/3 cup peanut butter or another nut butter (I used almond butter)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 6 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1/4 cup honey or light corn syrup
  • 1 tablespoon water

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8″ x 8″ x 2″ pan in one direction with parchment paper, allowing it to go up the opposing sides. Lightly grease the parchment paper and the exposed pan, or coat with a non-stick spray.

2. Combine dry ingredients (flour, sugar, oats, spices, fruit and nuts)

3. Combine wet ingredients (honey, vanilla, butter, water, almond butter)

4. Mix wet and dry. Push down into pan, pressing with fingers. Plastic wrap will help with this.

5. Bake 30-40 minutes until firmly set.

6. Cool on counter. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set. Cut into squares.

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I don’t have a fire. But the snuggie, a hot bowl of soup, and these bars make a decent day a whole lot better.

Jenni

Thursday 8th of September 2011

Once they have been set and cut, do you store them in the fridge? Or at room temperature? I've made them in the past too, where they crumble - but I never put them in the fridge! Just curious :) I will be trying your version! (We have ALL nut allergies, so will be trying with shortening and crossing my fingers...)

Katrina

Thursday 8th of September 2011

I store them on the counter in individual wrapped bars for about 4 days. If they are not gone by then, I'll put the rest in the fridge.

Stephanie

Thursday 8th of September 2011

My bars are in the oven!! They were so easy to make! I took a mini-spoonful of the batter and I think they'll taste great! I used peanut butter and craisins were the only add-in I used (because it was the only thing I had!). Thanks sooo much for sharing this recipe! :)

Katrina

Thursday 8th of September 2011

The first time I made these, they crumbled all over the bag I had them in. This time, I did cool them on the counter, then in the fridge for about 30 min. When I cut them, they were HARD, but I hoped they would still be ok. They were PERFECT! I have one in my lunch bag now that is still in a "bar" consistency.

Lee

Thursday 8th of September 2011

It is weird how the weather abruptly changed after the storm. I left Atlanta to go to Las Vegas on Saturday and it was 90 degrees and came home last night to temps in the 50s or 60s.

Momma

Thursday 8th of September 2011

Did you get the bottle and the stuffed cow on eBay? I do have fond memories of Miss Baker.

Katrina

Thursday 8th of September 2011

I just bought the bottle :) I found the picture of the doll on google images. I loved that doll.