Honey Bunches: When too much of something is not a good thing

The past 9 days have not been easy for me, as while in the midst of trying to get Daughter #2's birthday party together, Son caught a series of several colds that basically kept on knocking him out.  He'd be sick, get better and then get sick again, and then get better and then get sick again.  Each cold was slightly different but the end result was the same...

a son who would not let me go.  Now, normally I enjoy the affection and attention from Son, since he's usually very sweet and cute and says things like "Thank you mommy" and "I like you mommy" and "You're pretty mommy" but suddenly everything out of his mouth was a shrill whine and the only words he continually said were, "Hold me now mommy."

He's 35 pounds.  He's three years old.  Holding him is no small feat.  He's heavy and he makes me develop massive bicep muscles in order to handle carrying him around everywhere and I resorted to doing many things one handed, with frequent placement of the son nearby to hear him shriek, "HOLD ME MOMMY" repeatedly until my ears hurt and my nerves were completely frayed.  Too much of THAT is not a good thing.

In the midst of it all, friend FB came up to me and said, "I want to give you a 10 pound box of oatmeal that my husband bought from Costco that we don't need."

I replied, "I don't need it either.  Please don't make me take a 10 pound box of it home!"  (Too much oatmeal is not a good thing.)

FB said, "But I know you can cook with it.  You cook all the time.  Just make something with it."  She then handed me the box.

Nearly keeling over from the mass of the box, (please keep in mind my arms had been significantly weakened from lugging an extra 35 lb child around) I muttered to myself, "What am I going to make with all of this, cookies?"

The thought of 10 pounds of anything in my pantry scared me and my first thought was, how to use it up.  I looked through some cookbooks for ideas and came upon this one by Gale Gand in her book Butter Sugar Flour Eggs: Whimsical Irresistible Desserts.  I liked the simplicity, because I would have to make it holding Son in one hand for much of the time and I liked the ingredients as well.  (OATMEAL!)  I quickly made them in between holding Son, getting dinner together, and racing off to swimming lessons with the kids.  The end result was something chewy, yummy and very delicious.  It's a great breakfast treat and easy enough to make for the rushed breakfast.  With a cold glass of milk, it can't be beat.  Too much of THIS, is not a bad thing.  (except maybe for the waistline.)

Honey Bunches
adapted from Butter Sugar Flour Eggs by Gale Gand
makes 24

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
2/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups oats (I used old-fashioned; the book used quick cooking rolled oats)
2/3 cup flaked sweetened coconut
2/3 cup sliced almonds (Costco now sells a bag in the snack section)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease 24 cups of a mini muffin tin. (or if you only have a 12 cup mini muffin tin, then be prepared to do it twice.)

Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan. While the butter is melting, mix together oats,coconut, almonds, flour and mix. Stir the honey into the melted butter and bring to a boil, stirring often. After the mixture is boiling, add vanilla extract. The mixture will bubble furiously and then calm down. Pour the butter mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well.

Press 1 heaping tablespoon of the mixture into each mini muffin cup. Bake until just beginning to brown 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes in the pan. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Tastes great with a glass of cold milk.


Printable recipe