Blue Tent Road update..........

Here are two blogs/websites that might be interesting to some.....I found out about them from my friends Tracie and June....Both are great sites......

http://wandascountryhome.com

http://foodiefarmgirl.blogspot.com/

They are both fun to read through.....

Everyone ready for the cold weather that is on the way? Calling for very cold temperatures......

I understand that the flu is going around the neighborhood....visited our house a week ago, with Alex, thankfully no one else got it.......

Baking banana bread.......smells wonderful.....

Battle down the hatches......the cold is on the way......

More to follow..........

Farmgirl's Blueberry Breakfast Bars
Makes 12 to 16 large bars
Bottom Layer

2 cups old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup all-purpose flour (I use Heartland Mill organic)
3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 Tablespoons (1 stick + 2 Tbsp/5 ounces) butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Top Layer
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick/four ounces) butter or natural vegetable oil sticks (I use Earth Balance)

Middle Layer
3-1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (1/4 tsp. if freshly ground)

For the Bottom Layer:

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a 9" x 13" pan. In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Press this mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan with your fingers. (I also use the bottom of a stainless steel measuring cup to help make the crust flat and even.)

For the Top Layer:

Place the flour, brown sugar, and butter or vegetable oil sticks in a small bowl and use a fork, pastry blender, or your fingers to combine until the mixture resembles large crumbs (some pea-sized clumps are okay). Set aside.

For the Middle Layer:

Place the blueberries in the bowl you mixed the Bottom Layer in and toss them with the almond extract.

Pour them evenly over the Bottom Layer in the pan. Combine the sugar and flour and sprinkle it evenly over the blueberries. (Even when wet or frozen, the sugar/flour mixture wouldn't stick to my big fat blueberries when I tried tossing it with them. If yours will, just toss the sugar/flour mixture with the blueberries and then pour the whole mixture over the Bottom Layer in the pan.)

Sprinkle the Top Layer evenly over the blueberry mixture. Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden, and the edges are starting to brown.

Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Store in a cool place or refrigerate. Bars may also be frozen.

Just Peachy Blueberry Breakfast Bars:
Substitute 3 cups of small peach chunks (about 2 peaches, no need to peel them)
and 2 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries for the 3-1/2 cups of blueberries.
Toss the sugar and flour directly with the fruit before spreading it over the bottom layer.
Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then lower the oven to 350 degrees and bake until topping looks "dry" but edges aren't too brown, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Since blueberries and oats are two of the World's Healthiest Foods, this recipe fits right in with ARF/5-A-Day. Catch it every Tuesday night at Sweetnicks.