They say that necessity is the mother of invention.
And there was definitely some inventing going on in my kitchen today. But I'm not sure how much necessity played into the inventing–unless you count a necessity for chocolate, or a necessity to use up the chocolate that was melting in my microwave.
I did not start out planning to make chocolate granola. I started out planning to make this simple peanut butter fudge-ish recipe that I have been making since high school.
I unwrapped the chocolate, started its slow melt in the microwave, started melting a little bit of butter in the pan and went to the kitchen table to get the new container of peanut butter out of my Target bag…
Apparently I didn't bring home the bag that was carrying my peanut butter, a packing envelope and two cans of soup.
Can I pause for a small tirade, just for a second?
It really bugs me the way Target checkout people don't put your bags in your cart for you. The minute they hand you a receipt they start on the next person in line. Leaving my stack of bags to get muddled in with the next person's stack of bags and before I know it, in the hub-bub of getting my two older girls away from the gift registry computers or the tubes of candy that have spinning fans on the tops, and my toddler slipped back down into the straps of the shopping cart and back into her coat and hat…I've somehow lost track of how many bags I should be leaving the store with. Could you please, just put my bags in my cart for me? Or give me ten more seconds of attention before you move on to the next person so you know I know where all my bags are?
(Or maybe I could have just remembered my reusable bags so that I recognized which bags are mine.)
Anyway.
No peanut butter. At this point, I begin to think that God must be saving me from myself and doesn't want me making a recipe that begins with chocolate, peanut butter and butter….but I also don't want to waste the expensive melted chocolate that is sitting in my microwave.
I begin to literally walk from cupboard to cupboard, opening the doors, looking inside and trying to determine what I could possibly coat with chocolate.
I considered pretzels. But felt it was too time-consuming.
I considered cereal, but didn't like the ones I had to choose from.
I considered uncooked pasta. Though not for long.
Then I saw the large glass jar of granola sitting on my counter. I love granola. I like chocolate. How would they be together? I will confess to having a momentary daydream of how this was going to make a great story when my instant-success chocolate granola home-based business was featured on the Food Network.
I lined a baking sheet with parchment paper, poured about two cups of my granola into the melted chocolate and spread it out in a thin layer on the baking sheet.
Then, crazy woman that I am, I added sprinkles. (For the enjoyment of my children, of course.)
I let it cool, broke it into chunks, tasted a piece, bagged it up and stuck it back in my cupboard.
The results–pretty good. Nothing to write home about. (though obviously something to blog about). I think it has potential though. I'd prefer a better granola to chocolate ratio. As in more granola, less chocolate. But I really like the idea of it. And the sprinkles just look happy. I feel like this could have some good gift-giving potential, if I could figure out my ratios. I could see it wrapped in little parchment lined boxes.
I'm not sure what it is with my kitchen wackiness lately. First the paper-punch crackers. Now chocolate granola. I think tomorrow I'll do something really traditional, like make chicken noodle soup and a loaf of bread, just to get my feet back on the ground and my head out of the clouds. That and have some more protein at lunch, so I don't find myself in the kitchen at three in the afternoon trying to figure out what to cover in chocolate.
You. crack. me. up!
And yeah… they do that at my Target too! Drives me insane. Can I just tell you how many times I’ve gone back up there for the left behind bag?
Girl, the day you’re on Food Network, I’m signing us back up for cable. I would not miss that show for all the world 🙂
Too funny! They look good, looks like something I would try…
this was really funny! so glad you posted it…oh, i totally feel you about the target situation. i am always wary of getting my bags mixed up, because they do rush on with the next customer and put their bags right next to yours…
i love the look of the sprinkles on the chocolate, too. very happy looking!
Hillarious, Emily. The fudge sounds really good so maybe you need to share that recipe.
that has happened to me so many times ~ yours looks really good! ELK
Yes, please share the recipe for the fudge.
I have left things behind before also. I do my grocery shopping at walmart. I live in a really little town and therefore know the cashiers and they are all very courteous. When I shop at my mom’s walmart in Pittsburgh it is a completely different story though.
Just told my husband about the chocolate covered granola and the first thing he says is “Can we make that?” Ha ha!
Oh baby I’ve been there. With four kids I’m more likely to go to the store and forget why I was there in the first place. Because since I homeschool I always have the kids with me, and no I am not going to waste my weekend fun going to the store w/o kids. I’d rather use precious school hours. Thus I am often found standing in front of the pantry dumbfounded and empty handed.
I just handed out the chocolate chips from the bag yesterday. Not creative but the cool factor was there.
chocolate-covered raw pasta.. sounds lovely. 🙂
hey, those wonton crackers are really good! I did a small number of them with just salt–yummmmmm
I think that we need to start a petition to all the stores in the USA to slow down a bit I know there is a long line behind me but can’t you kiss my butt untill I have every thig I bought, I mean really I spend 10-200 everytime I go out and with out our business you would be out of business. They need to start making us feel like the most important person in their store if for only 3 minutes.
I really laughed at the Food Network “this is how it all began” thought process. Too funny. 🙂
It looks yummy especially with the sprinkles they add that special something.
I would have just eaten the chocolate if I hadn’t found something to put it on!
sounds and looks yummy! i love your humor , too :o) and i totally feel the same way about target … too much rushing!
ha ha! it just looks yummy from over here. And totally here ya on the Target…
I’d take mixed up or forgotten bags at Target — if we only had a Target. The closest one to me is 2 hours away. 🙁 I know, I know…
The granola snacks look good — then again, if you ask my 7 year old, anything looks good when you put sprinkles on it. 🙂
this was NOT what we discussed! and i’m laughing. and thinking it’s a perfect gift. get the ratios right and then share the recipe! and for the fudge, too. because, you know, we all need more fudge and sprinkles. xo.
Hold onto that Chocolate – I’m coming over. Well, I wish I was.
Sprinkles make everything that much better!
That just happened to me at Target only two days ago! And it was the bag with all my Orla Keily loot! So frustrating. But the granola sounds delicious.
Chocolate = second biggest necessity(only after breathing)
Can I come over to your house for lunch?
They sound good to me!
oh, YUM! chocolate+ granola= genius!! : )
This month has been a little tight $ wise, and I’ve really had to get imaginative about filling the stomachs of 2 teenage boys plus 2 more kids. It’s amazing what you can create when you really try…and it’s amazing what you can use up in your cupboard! As for Target-TOTALLY. I came home with out the bag with the christmas presents I went to Target to buy!