Dessert, Snack

Piglets & Easy Monster Bars

wpid-20150207_100236_1.jpgThere’s no doubt that a quick and easy bar recipes are tops on the list of my followers. Consistently, recipes like my sister’s Dutch Letter Bars make their way to the top of my ‘most loved’ pages. Today, the recipe I want to share comes from a couple of sister-in-laws from Nebraska, Mary and Kerri. They are the sweetest pig-farmer-gals and these bars are served to their families regularly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

wpid-20150207_155720_1.jpgRecently, we took a trip out of the country. While we were gone, lots of things happened on the farm. While my folks tended to our children, my in-laws tended to the barn and pigs and our friend Johnny took care of the pigs in the modern barns. We have many to thank for helping us orchestrate getting out of town, and we happened to leave immediately prior to a horrible storm.

 

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Now we’re back and we’ve got babies to talk about. (Like this one above… that I’m helping get her first drinks of Mama’s colostrum.)

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Diamond laid down and birthed 12 lively pigs on Saturday in less than an hour.  She’s a seasoned pro and she’s still got all 12 and they’re looking good. Sometimes the little ones get so comfy and warm they move away from the heat lamp over the black mat underneath. Our farrowing room is kept around 71 degrees as well. The temperature over the mat is roughly 86-90 degrees. We cool the room down over the course of the next three weeks to encourage the sow’s appetite and keep the pigs under the lamp.

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Oink is showing her age and laid down and had 8 pigs, 6 of which were live (not a great litter size, but for her age, okay.). She still has those 6, and we’re lucky my father in law was on task as he had to pull a couple. Oink is lazy anymore (not great at pushing her babies out), she’ll be retiring from the farrowing house once this litter is weaned.  She’s the oldest sow I’ve ever known of, at least around here anyway. The picture below was taken a few months after we got her. She was 4 years old back then.

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Cherry D provided the most interesting farrowing situation but I think I’m going to write an entire post on that experience.  All I have to say is that if it weren’t for my father in law, we’d likely have zero piglets and a dead sow. I owe him big time, so I’m taking him a plate of these bars. I’ll be writing more on the “Harrowing-Farrowing” and mothering lunacy of Cherry D in a couple of days. Stay tuned.

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**Side note: Yours truly is currently undergoing a blog-host switcheroo. Let me tell you… this has been the most trying week of blogging in the whole year and a couple months since I started! I promise, more posts will be on the way.  I have so many things I want to make for you!

Have a great week.

Photo courtesy of my 6 y.o. daughter. The only picture of the cut bars before they disappeared!

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Easy Oats Only Monster Bars

Courtesy of Mary and Kerri from Nebraska
Author: Cristen

Ingredients

  • 1 C Butter
  • 1 C Brown Sugar packed
  • 1 C Granulated Sugar
  • 1 1/4 C Peanut Butter
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 1/2 t Vanilla
  • 1/2 t Salt
  • 2 t Baking Soda
  • 4 1/2 C Oatmeal regular rolled oats
  • 1 1/4 C Chocolate Candies M&Ms
  • 1 C Chocolate Chips

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • In a mixing bowl, beat butter with sugars until fluffy, add peanut butter and mix well until combined.
  • Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until blended.
  • Add salt and soda, mix well.
  • Add oats and stir until well mixed.
  • Fold in chocolate candies and chocolate chips.
  • Pour into a greased 9×13 pan. Pat to even thickness.
  • Bake for 25-32 minutes.
  • Let cool completely before cutting.

Notes

If you like gooey bars, bake for 25 minutes.  Bake longer if a more thoroughly baked bar is desired.
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

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4 Comments

  • Reply Farm Eats, City Streets February 16, 2015 at 4:30 pm

    I’m impressed with Halle’s photography skills. She takes after her mama! :)

    • Reply Cristen February 18, 2015 at 2:40 am

      You’re so kind! :) She’s a great helper, but if she would do dishes, that’d be even better! I’ve got your sloppy joe recipe on my radar, YUM!

  • Reply erinn February 16, 2015 at 8:58 pm

    i’ve been looking for the harrowing farrowing post since you mentioned it on Twitter :) in the meantime, i’ll have to try making those yummy bars!

    • Reply Cristen February 18, 2015 at 2:39 am

      I’ve just written you a side note at the end of my most recent post… I’m working on that post just for you about our harrowing-farrowing experience! Thanks for following along! XOXO

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