Frances (Frankie) Raymond won first place with her Raw Apple Treats.  Frankie tells us her unique take on baked apple muffins was a winner because of the soft sweet texture of the sweet, cinnamon apple and tasty oat cereal combo.

As a bonus, she adds, “They are so easy to make!” The recipe was inspired by a favorite apple cake recipe, and the wholesome goodness of Malt-O-Meal® Honey & Oat Blenders®.  Click here to watch Frankie on Sacramento & Co, on News10!

The second place winner, Kim Reiner, was a first-time contest participant and took home the red ribbon for her innovative Marshmallow & Jell-O® cereal bars.  Coming in third was Gay Ritner with a creative combination of two Malt-O-Meal® favorites, resulting in a chocolatey cinnamon treat that kids are sure to love!

Frances "Frankie" Raymond of Clarksburg with her winning "Raw Apple Treats"

California State Fair Winning Recipes:

Frances Raymond of Clarksburg, 1st place, 2010 California State Fair

“Raw Apple Treats”

Ingredients:

4 cups chopped raw Granny Smith apples
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 cups Malt-O-Meal® Honey & Oat Blenders®
2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix together apples, eggs, sugar and vegetable oil. Set aside. Place cereal in a plastic bag and slightly crush with rolling pin. In a second bowl, mix 2 cups of cereal crumbs, flour, cinnamon, salt, and chopped walnuts. Add the dry mixture to the apple mixture and stir until well combined. Line muffin pans with papers. Fill each paper about 2/3 full. Sprinkle last 1 cup of cereal crumbs over top of treats. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 30-35 minutes or until done. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes then remove from pan and cool on wire rack before serving. Makes 18-24 treats.

Kim Reiner, 2nd place, 2010 California State Fair

Marshmallow & Jello-O® Cereal Bars

Ingredients:

6 cups Malt-O-Meal® Honey & Oat Blenders®
3 cups puffed marshmallow cream
1 8-oz package of cream cheese
6 Tbs granulated sugar
1 large box of strawberry Jell-O®

Directions:

In a large bowl or loaf pan, mix the Jell-O® with 2 cups boiling water and one cup cold water. Set in fridge to chill slightly while preparing rest of dessert. In a large bowl, mix the cereal and marshmallow cream until well blended. Press into a greased 9”x13” pan. In a medium bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat softened cream cheese and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Spread evenly over the cereal mixture. Be sure to spread to the very edges creating a seal of sorts so that the Jell-O® does not run down and get the cereal pieces soggy. Carefully pour chilled. though not set up, Jell-O® over cream cheese layer. Cover and chill 2 hours or until Jell-O® sets up.  Cut and serve.  Keep refrigerated. Makes 24 bars.

Gay Ritner, 3rd place, 2010 California State Fair

Cinnamon Toasters® Coco Roos® Bars

Ingredients:

Bottom layer:

2 cups Malt-O-Meal® Coco Roos® crumbed fine in blender, 1 cube unsalted butter melted.

Top layer:

1 cube unsalted butter softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 cups Malt-O-Meal® Cinnamon Toasters®, crushed to 2 cups
2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Use 13” x 9” baking pan.

Bottom layer:
Mix the 2 cups of ground Coco Roos® with the cube of melted butter. Press evenly into bottom of pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool while preparing.

Top layer:
Beat butter, brown sugar, and sugar into a bowl. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda in separate bowl and mix. Add to mix the 2 cups of crushed Cinnamon Toasters® and 2 tsp cinnamon. Combine the butter mixture with the dry mixture stirring thoroughly.  Press evenly on to the baked bottom layer. Bake 15-20 minutes. Cool. Cut into bars or squares. Makes 20-24 bars.

Click here for official contest rules.

Looking for cinematic inspiration? Check out these video webisodes. A truly odd couple exchanges quirky dialogue and will inspire you to submit your own video for a chance to win!

Stay sensible, cereal shoppers: buy a bag of the great tasting Malt-O-Meal® cereal. They taste great; are kind to the budget, are offered with 75% less packaging* than boxed cereal brands, not to mention fun!

Watch this quirky duo make sense out of cereal packaging!

*75% less packaging based on the net weight of empty consumer packaging per pound of cereal delivered. Even when their box size is smaller, the net weight of their box and empty inner bag is still greater than the net weight of the larger Malt-O-Meal® bag when empty.

Malt-O-Meal announces the official launch of www.bagthebox.com. The new Web site provides a fun way to challenge and inspire consumer thought surrounding excess food packaging and what “75% Less Packaging*. 100% Smarter.” means for the environment.

Site visitors are encouraged to learn more and participate in activities at a number of interactive areas on the site. Visitors are also asked to share their thoughts on the topic of reducing the amount of consumer packaging waste. The goal of the site is to urge consumers to make more conscious choices when purchasing products that will help reduce packaging waste at home. There is a video contest that prompts entrants to address the “75% Less Packaging*. 100% Smarter.” contest theme. Entrants must be members of the Malt-O-Meal Facebook Community to enter the video contest.

A humorous, animated short makes its debut on the new www.bagthebox.com web site featuring an “odd couple” discussing the topic of excessive consumer packaging. Visitors are encouraged to comment and share their insights in the area provided on the new site.
 The Let’s Talk page of the new website addresses what is being said by consumers regarding the topic of consumer packaging waste, as well as feature a live feed of comments surrounding this, and other topics coming directly from members of the Malt-O-Meal Facebook Community. You can join the Malt-O-Meal Facebook Community by visiting: www.facebook.com/MaltOMealFanPage.

*75% less packaging based on the net weight of empty consumer packaging per pound of cereal delivered. Even when their box size is smaller, the net weight of their box and empty inner bag is still greater than the net weight of the larger Malt-O-Meal® bag when empty.

Alberta, age 83, is legendary at the fair for her winning recipes and collection of blue ribbons.  Alberta featured Malt-O-Meal Honey Graham Squares® in her creation as the crust, then added five different varieties of dried fruits in her filling, plus nuts, chocolate and sweetened condensed milk.

“Alberta’s creation was a great combination of fruits and honey flavor from the cereal,” said a judge. “Marvelous!”

The runner-up was Michelle (“Shelly”) Vicari, who is fairly new to competing. Her entry was described as “the perfect appetizer” by one judge. Shelly’s savory dish answered the question, “Does Malt-O-Meal Golden Puffs® and garlic go together?” Yes they do, with her “Golden Croquettes!”

Coming in third place was Linda Greeson with her delicious creation, “Pineapple Spooners Bars” which features Malt-O-Meal top-seller, Frosted Mini Spooners®.

Check out the winning recipes below and let us know what you think!

San Diego Winning Recipes:

Alberta Dunbar, San Diego, CA, 2010 First Place Winner

“Honey Grahams Fruit Medley Squares”

Ingredients:

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons butter
2 cups Malt-O-Meal Honey Grahams, dry cereal crumbs
2 cups packed coconut
1/2 cup each pineapple, mango, strawberries (dried and chopped small)
1/2 cup dried blueberries, whole
1/2 cup dried Craisins®, whole
1 cup white chocolate chips
1-1/2 cups unsalted diced macadamia nuts
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13-inch pan with foil overlapping ends and sides. Place butter in pan and melt. Spread Malt-O-Meal Honey Graham crumbs over butter evenly to form crust. Scatter coconut evenly over crumbs and pat down. Combine all fruit and white chips in medium bowl, mix well with a spoon. Scatter evenly over coconut. Sprinkle diced nuts over fruit. Drizzle condensed milk evenly over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Remove from pan with foil overlaps. Cut into squares. Yields: 24 to 36 squares

Michelle Vicari, San Diego, CA, 2010 2nd Place Winner

“Shelly’s Golden Croquettes”

Ingredients:

6 cups Malt-O-Meal Golden Puffs cereal
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 (16oz) package frozen broccoli
1 yellow onion, diced
3 eggs
8 oz. colby jack cheese, shredded
12 oz ham, diced
1/4 tsp black pepper
dash of salt
4 cups oil for frying

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce:
3 oz Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp honey mustard

Directions:

Process Malt-O Meal Golden Puffs cereal, garlic, and oregano in a food processor until fine. Set aside. Steam broccoli, process in food processor until finely chopped.  Sauté onion until golden. Add broccoli, mix until combined. Cool. Mix all ingredients together (hold 4 cups of cereal back). Refrigerate for 1 hour. Heat 4 cups of oil in a fryer or deep pan to 350 F. Set up a shallow pan with cereal mixture. Scoop meatball size portions of mixture and roll in cereal mixture coating it well. Place in fry basket. Fry for 4 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and place on paper towel lined plate to absorb any excess oil.

Makes about 30 croquettes.

Serve Hot with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce.

Linda Greeson, San Diego, CA, 2010 3rd Place Winner

“Pineapple Spooners Bars”

Ingredients:

6 cups Malt-O-Meal Frosted Mini Spooners, crushed
1 1/2 cups butter, melted
1 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, melted
2 cups crushed pineapple, drained well
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup flaked coconut

Directions:

Thoroughly mix crushed cereal, 3/4 cup butter, and 1/2 cup dark brown sugar together in a 13” x 9” baking dish. Press into dish for bottom crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven.

Thoroughly mix crushed pineapple, 1 cup dark brown sugar, 3/4 cup butter, and 1/2 tsp salt together in a bowl. Spread evenly over crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from oven.

Sprinkle with 1/2 cup flaked coconut. Return to oven for 8-10 minutes until coconut begins to brown. Remove from oven. Cool 20 minutes and carefully cut into bars.  Remove from pan to serving dish.

Makes 20-24 bars.

All those months of getting up early, getting the kids ready for school and helping them with their homework have come an end.  Yep, I’m talking about your kids getting out of school for the Summer.

If you are anything like me you might have mixed feelings about what’s happening around your house right now. After all, there are definitely some perks to having our children in school all day. If you are one of those parents having mixed feelings about Summer Break…. get over it. Here are some reasons to get excited about your Children’s Summer Break.

Catch up on a little Sleep

( image by viralbus)

Jump in a Pool with the Kids

(image by hoyasmeg)

Plenty of Time for Family Game Time

(image by Scott Ableman)

Roast Some Marshmallows and Make S’mores

(image by kretyen)

Build an Elaborate Sand Castle

(image by guy schmidt)

Fun Car Trips

(image by Kevron)

Go on a Camping Trip Together

(image by Lars Plougmann)

Have a Water Fight

(image by Dan Zen)

This is just a little over a handful of fun ideas to keep you excited about your Children’s Summer Break. Surely, you can think of some more. Some of my fondest memories of my childhood was from summer time. Grab your kids and get started making tons of Summertime Family Memories. It will time for them to head back to school before you know it!

How would you like to be the next top cereal chef? Enter your favorite recipe that includes any Malt-O-Meal® cereal as an ingredient and it will be published in our exclusive online recipe hub!  Previous participants’ recipes will be featured on posters at this year’s fairs. Enter your culinary creation and maybe yours will be our next blue-ribbon winner!

You’ll also have the chance to win gift packages valued at more that $175.  All winners take home ribbons, certificates and aprons.

Click here for more information, including a full list of participating fairs and contact information on how to enter.

Gappa chronicles not only his experience, but also the critical work of American Refugee Committee and the undying hope that lives on in Haiti in an Op/Ed article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. To read more, click here.

John Gappa surveys a landscape of temporary refugee housing in Haiti.

Chocolatey Frosted Mini-Spooners cereal is based on our best selling Frosted Mini Spooners(R) cereal. How to describe Chocolatey Frosted Mini-Spooners… Sensible? Check. Decadent? You bet. We combined whole grain and chocolate to give our beloved cereal a delectable makeover. It is no wonder the “Unwrapped” team was anxious to learn more about Chocolatey Frosted Mini-Spooners!

The episode airing Monday at 9PM Eastern will make a stop at our state of the art production facilities, giving you a behind the scenes tour you can’t find anywhere else. Make sure to check your local listings to find out when “Unwrapped” airs in your town, local listings may vary and we don’t want you to miss out!

Not to worry, if you do happen to miss Monday’s episode, you can check it out after the air date on the Food Network website.

For more information on our new chocolatey cereals, visit http://chocolatecereals.com/

When it comes to the environment and taking care of it I think I help out in an average way. I recycle cans, plastic and paper; I turn water off when brushing my teeth; I use aluminum reusable water bottles; I even run around the house turning off the lights. But, is that enough? Probably not.

On April 22nd its Earth Day. Earth Day is a day to help spread awareness about the environment and what we humans can do to protect the Earth. This is the Day that I vow to do better…. to do my part to ensure a healthy and sustainable planet for all of us. I am certainly not doing enough. But this, starting today, will change.

Earth has given me and my family so much. And, unfortunately up until now I think I have been taking much of what Earth has provided us for granted. No more…. it stops now.

My Vow to Earth on Earth Day

I love my Earth and Earth has been generous to my family. Earth provides the air we breath and the wonderful land my children play on. It feeds us and keeps on giving. But, without our part will the Earth as we know it be here for our children’s children? The thought makes me shudder. It has to be…. so I am changing my ways. How? Through many of the following Earth Day Activities that I will continue even once Earth Day has long passed.

Earth Day Activities

Plant a Garden

Not only is gardening fun for kids and the entire family, it is also a wonderful way to help the environment. Planting a garden is a terrific way to celebrate Earth Day!! We have already started our new garden earlier this month and we are loving it!!

How Planting a Garden Helps the Environment

Planting a garden is your way of helping limit the amount of fruits and vegetables that are shipped in from far away.

Plant a Tree

This is one of the Earth Day Activities that I’m most excited about taking part in with my family. Planting a Tree in your yard is something that not only will the Earth love, but you will enjoy the Tree every day you look at it. After all, it was a family Earth Day Project planted with love. It doesn’t get much better than that.

How Planting a Tree Helps the Environment

Trees help our environment in quite a few wonderful ways.

• Trees offer us oxygen
• Trees provide habitat for birds and other wildlife.
• Reduce ozone levels in urban areas

Just think, with one tree you plant you will be helping the environment in three ways. And, this is not just on Earth day, but every day.

Composting

Composting is another new activity I will be starting this Earth Day. I have never composted, but from what I understand it is very easy and an amazing way to help our Earth. Composting is taking your kitchen scraps and instead of throwing them out you put them in your garden. It is supposed to help your garden grow beautifully and like I said…. we just started our garden, so this is exactly what we need.

How does Composting Help the Environment

Composting is an all natural alternative to chemical fertilizers. The nutrients in compost support the microorganisms in the soil. Another words, the soil eats it right up and makes it the proper environment for our vegetables and plants to grow at its best.

Purchase Items with Less Packaging

Our landfills are quickly filling up. And, much of it is from the materials that the items we purchase are packaged in. So, many of these items have needless packaging… it is very upsetting.

Malt-O-Meal has bagged the box. They package their delicious cereal in just a bag instead of a bag and a box. What does this mean? It means Malt-O-Meal’s resealable bag results in 75% less consumer waste. And, my kids think they are YUMMY!!!

How does Less Packaging help the Environment

It means less garbage in our landfill which are quickly filling up.

Other Earth Day Projects

Just as important as the above four Earth Day Activities here are some other items I will be enforcing this Earth Day.

• Putting night lights on a timer - My little ones need night lights, but they don’t need to be on 24/7. Timers will ensure that the night lights are off during daytime hours.
• Be more aware of what I’m throwing away – There are so many items that can be recycled and I’m positive that I’m throwing things away that I shouldn’t be. I am vowing to be more aware and to read-up on what I should be recycling.
• Trash can become Treasures with Crafts – I had no idea all the awesome items you can make from things that I normally would throw away. Did you know that you could make secret storage boxes made from recycled books??? How Awesome is that?! There are tons of treasures you could make from recycled crafts.
• Start using environmentally safe cleaning products - There are tons of environmentally safe cleaning products out there now-a-days. Or, I could even make my very own homemade environmentally safe cleaning products. Either way, what I use will not harm my family or the environment.
• Being more aware how much bath water I use on the little ones – My little ones need their tubbies, but certainly they can manage on a little less water.
• Start hanging clothes out to dry…. great to do in this gorgeous Spring weather. - I do at least 2 loads of laundry a day. With just a little act of hanging these clothes out to dry on nice days I could save the environment a great deal of stress. I’m actually looking forward to this one…. I think it could be very relaxing.
• Start using reusable grocery bags. – This is an easy switch. I see that my grocery store sells these reusable grocery bags. I can simply keep them in my car and grab them every time I shop. Easy-Peasy-Lemon-Squeazy.

This is a hefty list, but I feel my Earth deserves my help. Earth has given me so much and I’m prepared to do my part to give back. The above are my Vows to Earth and I’m going to work hard on each….. not just on Earth Day, but every day. Would you join me?

Top image by aussiegall

Malt-O-Meal teamed up with famed gaming blog Joystiq.com to serve breakfast to gamers at the PAX East Conference. The Joystiq.com / Blue Berry Muffin Tops Breakfast was born after our friends at Joystiq.com contacted BBMT to express their love for this crunchy, blueberry Malt-O-Meal cereal variety.  BBMT cereal is quite popular “Nerd Chow” (i.e. readily available food with no prep required) among gamers and Joystiq.com enthusiasts. Our friends at Joystiq.com had the brilliant idea of joining forces offline to bring the joy of a Blueberry Muffin Tops breakfast to 600 lucky video gamers and enthusiast attending the conference from all over the world. Disney® also jumped on board to debut the latest release of  their virtual street racing game, Split/Second®. Franchise Design Director, Paul Glancy of Black Rock Studio, UK developed this game and was in attendance at the breakfast to run game demo kiosks and answer attendee questions about the game that will appear on retailer shelves by Fall 2010.

Malt-O-Meal distributed 600 bowls of their Blueberry Muffin Tops variety to eager fans who waited in line for chance to obtain an entrance wrist band, and again for entry into the event hall. While attending the breakfast event, guests were also invited to play Disney game Rock Band 2®, that also made its debut at a previous Joystiq.com event.

For additional information and event coverage please visit the Blueberry Muffin Tops blog at: http://blueberrymuffintops.malt o-meal.com/category/blog/