January 9, 2012: Honey Nut Cereal Bars Recipe

Here’s a recipe I devised use several others as a base. I wanted something somewhat nutritious to serve to my women’s Bible study group as well as have a bit left over that I could contribute to the kids in the Good News Club (an after school program to teach kids about the Bible and Christianity), for which my pastor and his wife are teachers. I used what I had on hand to come up with this yummy recipe.

Honey Nut Cereal Bars fresh out of the oven and waiting to be cut.

Honey Nut Cereal Bars

¼ cup peanut butter

1/3 cup honey

2 T. vegetable oil

2 T. vanilla extract

2 T. plain Greek yogurt

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup sweetened coconut

¼ cup roasted sunflower seeds

½ cup pomegranate flavored craisins (or any flavor of your choice)

½ cup blueberry flavored craisins (or any flavor of your choice)

2 cups rolled oats

2 cups honey nut Cheerios

In a large mixing bowl, combine peanut butter, honey, and vegetable oil. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, or until the peanut butter is softened enough to easily blend with the other ingredients. Add vanilla and yogurt and mix well. Add remaining ingredients and stir together just until combined. Press into bottom of greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Let cool completely and stand for several hours before cutting into bars and serving.

Makes 32 bars with about 100 calories in each bar, 3.3 grams total fat and 29.6 mg sodium (as calculated on SparkRecipes.com).

June 17, 2011: Phyllis’ Coconut Cake Recipe

My dear friend Phyllis is the Cake Queen. When it comes to cakes for birthdays or holidays or any type of celebration, Phyllis is our go-to gal. She bakes up something truly scrumptious and awesomely pretty each and every time.

This is a cake she made for her daughter-in-law’s bridal shower. I have to tell you, it was hard to stop at just one slice – it’s that good. And since my niece absolutely adores coconut and her birthday is next month, I asked Phyllis to share her coconut cake recipe. Here it is!

Coconut Cake

Prepare two 9" cake pans by buttering, dusting with flour, and lining with parchment paper.


3 sticks of butter, softened
2 -2/3 c sugar

Beat together with hand mixer in large mixing bowl or bowl of stand mixer till light and fluffy, about four minutes; then add:

4 eggs plus 4 egg whites
1 T. vanilla

Beat till light and fluffy on low.

3 1/2 cups flour
1 T. plus 1 t. baking powder
1 t. salt

Mix together.

Add flour mixture alternately with 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk, beginning and ending with flour.

Divide batter between pans. Bake at 350 degrees about 30 - 35 min (depending on your oven). Place on rack and cool 30 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack and peel off parchment paper. Cool completely. With large, serrated knife split cakes to make four layers.

Frost with seven minute frosting or buttercream frosting.

Tip: Phyllis uses buttercream frosting and coats the top and sides of cakes with plain or untoasted coconut flakes.