Last week I posted about 5 dry baking mixes that you can make, each under 5 minutes. This week we are going to use those baking mixes and have a baking marathon! If you didn’t get a chance to make those, find the recipes HERE.
1. Granola Bars
For today, we are going to start with the granola bars as those take the longest to set in the fridge. Start by adding 1.5 cups of peanut butter (or any nut/seed butter will do) to a saucepan and then add in 3/4 cup of maple syrup or honey. Melt this together over low heat while you pour the contents of the dry granola bar mix into a large bowl. Once the peanut butter h mixture has melted together, pour it on top of the granola, keeping in mind that if you use it immediately, the chocolate chips will melt. This is personal preference. If you prefer chunks, wait until the peanut butter mixture cools off slightly.
Mix it all together well and then pour it into a 9×13 baking dish lined with parchment paper or greased heavily. Use the back of a measuring cup or your fingers to press the mixture firmly into the tray, ensuring everything is very compacted.
2. Brownies
Place it into the fridge until you are ready to cut and store. 
Next, preheat your oven to 325 degrees F while you get started on the brownie mix. Pour the contents of the dry mix into a bowl and then add 2 full eggs and 1 yolk (I crack these separately in case there is anything funky in them.)
Add 1/3 cup of vegetable oil and 5 tbsp of melted butter and 1 tsp vanilla. Mix it all together and then pour it into a greased baking dish. I use a round cake pan as that is what I have. No one has ever complained about the shape of their brownies but feel free to use a 9×9 square dish! Bake it in the oven for 30 minutes and then let it cool on the counter. When you pull them out, bump up the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. 
These still look gooey when you pull them out but firm up as time progresses. Let them cool completely until slicing and storing.
3. Apple Spice Bread
To a large bowl, add 1.5 cups of applesauce, 6 tbsp melted butter, 2 eggs and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Mix to combine. You can use a hand mixer or whisk by hand. When it is all combined, grease a circular cake pan super well and pour in the batter. Bake for 40 minutes and check it. If a toothpick doesn’t come out clean, bake for an additional 5 minutes and then check again. Mine takes between 45-50 minutes. Let it cool completely before slicing. 
While they are baking, start on the waffles.
4. Waffles
Preheat your waffle iron and then add 1.5 cups of milk, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 cup melted coconut oil or butter and 1 tsp vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Add the dry mix and stir to combine. Add 1/4 cup of batter to your waffle iron (spraying if your iron sticks) and let it cook until the steam stops or your iron tells you it is done. 
Continue until your waffle batter is done, cooling on a wire rack if you have one. I do not and just use a plate, trying to keep most of the waffle off of the plate.
By this time, your apple bread should be done and you can bump up the temperature of the oven to 400 degrees F.
5. Double Chocolate Muffins
Add 1 and 1/3 cups of buttermilk (I make my own with 1 1/3 cups milk and 1 tbsp lemon juice) 2 eggs, 6 tbsp melted butter and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla to a bowl. Add in your double chocolate muffin mix and stir to combine. Grease 18 muffin tins and scoop approximately 1/4 cup of mix into each tin. Bake for 16- 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let them cool for 2-5 minutes in the muffin tin and then flip them upside down out of their tins to finish cooling.
By this time, your brownies should be cool enough to slice. Slice them up and then store them in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days or the freezer for up to 3 months. If you plan to store them longer, I recommend using a vacuum sealer.
You should now be able to slice up the granola bars. If you used parchment paper, lift them out and slice them up. I store them individually wrapped in parchment and then in an airtight container. Again, 4 dish days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.
Finish this baking day up by placing the waffles in a single layer in a ziplock bag or by flash freezing in a single layer on a baking tray and then storing in a freezer bag or container. Do the same with the muffins. The muffins take approximately 30 minutes to thaw so they would be perfect in a lunch box straight from the freezer.
Thank you for reading!!
