Bake sale time is here

With school back in session, if you have a school-age child, then chances are you've been hit up to make bake sale items or soon will be.

If you are like me, sometimes you are so busy you can't really dig out a very advanced recipe. Even a basic cookie can be too much when you are working full time, going to school as I am at the moment and have a family to take care of.

Bake sales are a great thing for schools though. They are such a friendly way to raise money for schools and other charities but for working moms sometimes they can really put a pinch on both time and grocery budgets.

With the economy as it is, the cost of items in a bake sale may also need to be readjusted from previous years. If you sold a large cookie for a quarter last year, you might want to give some thought to raising that price this year because all of the raw ingredients cost more this year than last.

One of the easiest for busy moms to get away with making, which sells really well are Rice Krispie treats. The recipe is on almost every box and people seem to snap them up at bake sales.

Another quick and easy bake sale item is homemade kettle corn. It's simple to make (a co-worker makes it here at the office all the time) and it can be packaged in simple foil tie cello bags that will catch attention on the bake sale table.

Homemade Kettle Corn

1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Place the popcorn and sugar in a large pot with vegetable oil. Over a medium heat, begin to pop the popcorn. Constantly shake the pot to ensure that the popcorn kernels and oil do not burn. Once the popping has slowed, remove the pot from heat.

I had a friend complain that they didn't know what to make for a breakfast themed bake sale. I offered the following ideas: there are dozens of muffin recipes out there or you could go for something homey like banana bread or fancy like a scone or unique like homemade granola bars.

She went with the homemade granola bars.

Here is the recipe:

3 cups quick-cooking oats

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sweetened condensed milk, butter, coconut, almonds, chocolate chips and cranberries with your hands until well blended. Press flat into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, depending on how crunchy you want them. Lightly browned just around the edges will give you moist, chewy bars. Let cool for 5 minutes, cut into squares then let cool completely before serving.

Chocolate Chip Scones

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

3 tablespoons orange juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. With a pastry blender or a large fork, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the chocolate chips. Mix in the orange juice to form a dough. Turn out the dough on a floured surface. Pat or roll into a 9 inch circle about 1/2 inch thick. With a 2 1/2 inch fluted biscuit cutter, cut out 12 scones, pushing the dough scraps together for the last few, if necessary. Transfer the scones to the baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Move to wire racks to cool.