Pumpkin Granola

...and so begins The Great Pumpkin Dilemma.

You cook or bake something with pumpkin and end up with leftover pumpkin.  What to make...what to make?

I think you'll be seeing a lot of "pumpkin dilemma" posts here in the next few weeks :)

Pumpkin Granola
from Baked Bree

5 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Combine oats, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and brown sugar in a large bowl.  In another bowl, combine pumpkin, syrup, applesauce and vanilla.  Pour wet mixture into dry mixture, and toss until oats are all coated.

Spread granola evenly onto a foil lined baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from oven and stir around.  Bake for another 20 minutes or until granola gets crisp.  Take out of oven and let cool for 2 minutes, then add cranberries and almonds and mix.

Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread (What's Baking?)

Yeah, I went there...in early September!  I couldn't help it.

I wanted to bake something with Bella that I could pack as a little treat in her lunchbox, and this seemed perfect.  Actually, it WAS perfect.  She couldn't get enough of it.

I would have thrown some nuts in, but her classroom is nut free.  Next time, I'm definitely adding walnuts and keeping the bread all to ourselves here at home.

It just so happens that our What's Baking? hostess for September, Jenna (author of Jenna's Cooking Journey) asked us to back a quickbread this month.  Looks like I killed two birds with one stone :)

Dare I say - welcome, fall!


Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
from King Arthur Flour

1 cup vegetable oil
2 2/3 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!)
2/3 cup water
3 1/3 cups AP flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease two 9x5 loaf pans.

In a large bowl, beat together oil, sugar, eggs, pumpkin and water.  Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and vanilla.  Stir to combine.

Mix in chips.  Divide batter in half if you want one loaf without them, using half the amount.

Spoon batter into prepared pans.  Bake for about 70 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out of center clean.  Remove from oven and cool on rack.

Linked to:  Sweets for a Saturday

Truffled Deviled Eggs

My parents recently came back from a long trip to Italy.  One of our cousins was getting married so they flew out to attend, then spent some time in various parts of the country.  After seeing all the pictures and hearing how much fun they had, I regretted not going.  I'll get back there soon.  Soon...

At least they brought us back some goodies :)

Among other things, my brother, sister and I each got a jar of truffles in oil.  My sister cracked hers open first and made these delicious treats.

Oh and by the way, these eggs came from HER chickens.  Yes, she has chickens...living in her backyard in a fancy schmancy chicken coop (see below, with my niece keeping them company).

And I'll be responsible for them in a few weeks while SHE and HER family are in Italy for two weeks.  What the hell is wrong with this scenario?  Sigh.

Truffled Deviled Eggs
from Clori

1 dozen eggs, hard boiled and cooled in ice water
1 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons truffles in oil
salt and pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives (reserve a bit for garnish)

Split eggs lengthwise.  Pop out yolks and place in bowl.  Add mayonnaise and stir until combined.  Add truffles, chives, salt and pepper.  Stir until smooth.

Fill egg whites and place on serving dish.  Garnish with chives.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Quick & Easy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

One month from today, my daughter will be 4 years old.  How the heck did that happen already?  I used to get a little annoyed when people said, "enjoy it - time goes by SO fast!"

But you know what?  They're right.

Fortunately, Bella and I have MANY days together in the kitchen to look forward to, regardless of how fast time goes by.  These delicious muffins are our latest creation.  And she loved every bite.

Quick & Easy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
slightly adapted from Pixelated Crumb

1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin tins with paper liners.

Beat oil, sugar, eggs and bananas until combined in a large bowl (I did this by hand).  Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Fold into wet ingredients, being careful not to overmix.  Add vanilla and chocolate chips and stir until just combined.

Spoon into muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from tin and cool on rack.

Mango Lassi

Anyone who reads my blog on a regular basis knows how much I hate throwing food away.  I immediately begin to challenge myself by trying to figure out how I can save it before tossing it.

So, when I was faced with 2 very ripe mangoes, I immediately thought, smoothie!!  Then Bella and I went to work.

Easy and delicious, this drink really made for a great snack on a lazy warm afternoon.  I couldn't get it infront of Bella fast enough...she loved it!

Mango Lassi
slightly adapted from Simply Recipes

1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup milk (1%)
2 ripe mangoes, peeled and chopped
3 teaspoons sugar (to taste)
dash of ground cardamom (optional)

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend for about 2 minutes, until smooth.  Pour into glasses and sprinkle with cardamom, if you like.  Serve.

Makes about 2 cups.  Can be refrigerated for about 24 hours.

Edamame Hummus

Summer has begun and kids are families are migrating to the nearest body of water to beat the heat.  Whether it's a pool, ocean, lake or a simple sprinkler, kids love it and get to stay cool and burn off lots of energy at the same time.

Because of this, moms are always on the hunt for snacks that are healthy, delicious and easy to pack.  And I'm one of those moms :)  We went to a friend's pool this past weekend and while making my mom's amazing hummus I thought I'd try a different version too, since variety is the spice of life.  At least it is in my life!

This was a big hit and tasted great on pita wedges as well as celery, carrots and red pepper slices.  I love the consistency of it and how easy it is to make.  Throw it in a plastic container and you've got the perfect poolside/beach snack!

Edamame Hummus
slightly adapted from Epicurious

1 bag (12 ounces) frozen shelled edamame (I used refrigerated shelled edamame from Trader Joe's)
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Throw all ingredients in a food processor (if using frozen edamame, thaw first).  Pulse until mixture is the consistency of guacamole, adding a little bit of water at a time if too thick.  Cover and refrigerate until serving.  Serve with pita wedges (toasted or not) and raw veggies.

Linked to: Tastetastic Thursday

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Bella loves taking a trip to what she calls the "muffin store".  It's really a local market that has anything you could possibly need, but their muffins are to die for (and they're actually shipped from a very well known bakery a little bit further away).

Her favorite variety, by far, is chocolate chip.  Smart girl.

This is a great recipe that satisfies our craving so we don't necessarily have to go to the muffin store.  Homemade is always the better way to go :)

Chocolate Chip Muffins
from Mehan's Kitchen

1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups AP flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin pan with 12 paper liners.

Whisk together melted butter, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla in a bowl until smooth.  In another bowl, stir flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.  Make a well in center of dry mixture and add wet mixture.  Beat until smooth and well mixed, about 1-2 minutes.

Fold chocolate chips into batter until well distributed.  Do not overmix.  Spoon batter into each muffin cup, filling to rim.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes until golden.  Transfer to wire rack and let cool.

Linked to: Sweets for a Saturday

Chili Dog Nachos

Ever since the weather has warmed up and the grill has been back in use, I've had a craving for hot dogs.  I don't eat hot dogs very often so it's a little unusual for me.  Matter of fact, I didn't eat hot dogs for about 10 years after a few, um, unfortunate incidents.  But that's a thing of the past :)

We had a few hot dogs left in the fridge after my craving was satisfied, and they needed to be used.  On Cinco de Mayo I was looking for something easy to make that was in keeping with the Mexican theme, and came across this interesting recipe from Rachael Ray.

Any chili dog fan would be happy to indulge in some of these.

This would be a great game day dish...pure man food!  Try this - you won't be disappointed.

Chili Dog Nachos
slightly adapted from Rachael Ray

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef
salt and pepper
3 hot dogs, cut into bite size chunks
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 bag tortilla chips (or enough to cover a baking sheet generously)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
Olives, sour cream, scallions, avocado, salsa for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add oil.  Add beef and season with salt and pepper.  After a few minutes, add hot dogs and brown for another 2-3 minutes.  Add onion, Worcestershire, chili powder and cumin.  Cook another few minutes then add tomato sauce.

Arrange chips on foil lined baking sheet.  Top with chili dog topping.  Add cheese and bake for about 10-12 minutes until cheese melts.  Garnish with desired toppings.

English Muffin Bread (What's Baking?)

Lindsay from Peace, Love and French Fries must have had me in mind when she chose this month's What's Baking? theme.  As many of you know, baking with yeast is a fear I've been tackling, slowly but surely.  If this challenge were presented to me last year I probably would have broken out in a sweat.

This year?  No sweat.

Welcome to one of the easiest (and delicious!) breads you will ever bake.

Now, I have to tell you, I was worried about the dough, before and after the rise.  It was VERY sticky and wet.  Like, to the point that I was pouring it into the baking pan and thought for sure it wasn't going to come out.  I guess I was concerned because there was no mention of the consistency being like that in the original recipe...it was just odd.

Thankfully, I was wrong!  I have a feeling this is going to become a regular thing in our house.  It's just too easy for it not to be.  Plus, this little one was enjoying it a whole lot...

Big thanks to Lindsay for helping me continue my quest for conquering my fear of yeast!

English Muffin Bread
from Laughing Spatula

1 package active dry yeast (1/4 ounce)
1 1/4 cups warm water
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups AP flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons milk

Add yeast, water and sugar to mixing bowl.  Let sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes frothy.  Add remaining ingredients and knead in mixer with dough hook attachment for about 3-5 minutes, or until dough is smooth.  Add dough to oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise until double in size, about an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray.  Punch down dough and knead gently on floured surface.  Place in loaf pan and bake for about 25 minutes.

Linked to: Tastetastic Thursday
                    Bread Blog Hop

Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins

Our latest recipe swap theme was fruit.  Fruit in anything - sweet or savory.  And I was very happy to receive Katie's recipe for these delicious muffins.  Be sure to check out her blog if you don't already know about it...she's got some great recipes!

I LOVED these muffins...they were sweet but not too sweet, soft, fluffy and really tasty.  You could really feel the creaminess from the cream cheese.  And, talk about easy to make.  I brought most of these to work and they were a huge hit with my coworkers.

If you're looking for a last minute addition to your Easter brunch, definitely make these!



Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins
from So Tasty, So Yummy

2 cups AP flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk (I used 1%)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream together cream cheese, butter and sugar.  Add eggs, milk and vanilla and mix until just combined.

In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add dry ingredients to mixing bowl and mix until just combined.  Do not over mix.  Batter will be thick, like cookie dough.  Fold in strawberries.

Spoon batter into paper lined muffin pans.  Fill each cup about 3/4 high.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until tops are golden.  Cool on rack for at least 15 minutes.

Makes 24 muffins.

Salty Sweet Candied Peanuts

Ah, the ballgame.  One of my favorite past times.  All my life I've been a huge sports fan...and yes, I mean HUGE.  I don't think anyone else can say they knew a 7 year old girl who memorized all the stats of each player on her favorite baseball team, hmmm? 

Although we are partial season ticket holders, I rarely get to any games these days.  Life just gets in the way.  But, I'll be sure to teach my little girl how to appreciate the beauty of baseball.  She already wears her pink Yankees hat with pride :)

This delicious snack was the dish I chose to represent "Moneyball" at my 24x24 party.  And it should come with a warning label.  No joke.

Ignore the bad picture and concentrate on the virtual deliciousness.  This is a home run!

Salty Sweet Candied Peanuts

from Everybody Likes Sandwiches

2 cups salted peanuts (or whatever nuts you like)

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix peanuts, sugar and water together in a large pot.  Cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently.  You'll notice the mixture will start to look sticky.  Keep stirring, through when it turns dark, until it becomes golden brown in color.  Remove from heat.

Stir in salt and cinnamon.  Line a baking sheet with parchment or silpat and dump nuts on top.  Let cool and break apart.  Keep in airtight container.  

Linked to: Sweets for a Saturday

Diner Style Cranberry Walnut Muffins (Secret Recipe Club)

One of the things I love most about the Secret Recipe Club is that it exposes me to some great blogs that I've never seen before.  This month is no exception.  Amber, who writes Bluebonnets and Brownies, is originally from Texas and currently lives in the great state of NJ :)  As soon as I received my assignment I headed right over to the blog (as usual) and immediately fell in love.  Amber's got some great recipes - it was tough to pick just one!

One thing NJ is well known for is their diners.  The fact that you can go pretty much anywhere in the state and get a kick ass meal round the clock is awesome.  So when I saw Amber's recipe for these muffins, which were called "diner style", I had to try them out.

These muffins were delicious!  I'm not sure I agree that they're diner style, though.  The muffins I usually see in the diners around here are way bigger (yeah, I guess if I had a big muffin pan, mine would be too) and fluffier.  Still, they were good, and very easy to make.

I'm looking forward to trying more of Amber's recipes...be sure to check out her blog if you haven't done so before!

Diner Style Cranberry Walnut Muffins
from Bluebonnets and Brownies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
3 cups pancake mix
1/2 cup milk (I used 1%)
3/4 cup cranberries (I used frozen, which I thawed first)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
turbinado sugar for topping (optional...I wanted to use it and forgot!)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Cream sugar and butter together in mixing bowl.  Add eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next.  Add pancake mix in one cup at a time, also fully incorporating each time.

Scrape bowl down then add milk while mixing on low speed.  Fold cranberries and walnuts in by hand.

Spoon mix into paper lined cups evenly.  Sprinkle with sugar if using.  Bake for 25-35 minutes.  Cool before removing from pan.

Foodbuzz 24x24: A Tribute to the Best Picture Oscar Nominees of 2012!

I was so excited when I received the email from Foodbuzz that my 24x24 proposal had been accepted this month!  Planning a menu and party around a theme is always fun, and I had a blast with this concept.

For those of you not familiar with 24x24, it's a virtual party sponsored by Foodbuzz each month, where 24 bloggers' proposals are chosen to be executed in the same day.  Since the assigned party date was the day before the Academy Awards, I thought it would be fun to come up with an event based on it.  Then I thought, why not devote one dish to each movie nominated for Best Picture?  Awesome.  Except, I hadn't seen any of the movies...

Frank and I have never been big movie goers...and now our trips to the theater are to see whatever Disney film is playing.  But, we love watching movies at home, and I LOVE watching the Oscars...especially the Red Carpet portion :)  So, I did a little research on each film and came up with rough ideas for each of them, finalized the menu, went shopping, and got to work.

My family got together and enjoyed the feast (like we do most weekends anyway!) while listening to tunes from our favorite movie soundtracks.  The dishes were mostly of the picky/finger food variety, which was what I wanted, since there were 9 of them.  I wanted everyone to enjoy a little portion of each.

All of the recipes will be featured in the next few weeks, but the dishes were as follows (alphabetized by movie title):

For "The Artist" - Crostini with Goat Cheese and Olive Tapenade.  I went with something black and white since, well, that's what the movie is :)

For "The Descendants" - Pineapple Coconut Ice Cream.  It brought us right back to Hawaii.

For "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" - Juice Box Wings, based on the juice boxes that Thomas Horn's character is seen drinking throughout the movie.

For "The Help" - Chocolate Pie.  If you read the book or saw the movie, you definitely know why this dish was a no-brainer.

For "Hugo" - Herb Mushroom Quiche with Puff Pastry, shaped as hearts to match the key ring that is significant in the film.

For "Midnight in Paris" - Mini Croques Monsieur.  When in Paris...

For "Moneyball" - Salty Sweet Candied Peanuts.  A fun spin on ballpark food!

For "The Tree of Life" - Death By Chili.  I thought a comfort food dish was fitting based on the movie, and made an extra batch of my chili that won FOUR awards at a competition I was in the week before the party!  Much more to come on this...

And finally, for "War Horse" - Raw Kale Salad with Walnuts, Pecorino & Lemon, a farm to table dish which is appropriate for this movie's theme.

We had a great time - it really was a lot of fun!  I can't wait to share all of the recipes with you.  Enjoy the Oscars!

Honey, Walnut & Cranberry Granola

I realized it had been a while since I made a new type of granola.  Plus, I bought my first bag of flax seed (is it sad that I was somewhat excited about this?) and thought this would be a nice way to start using it.

I threw together what was in my pantry that I consider "granola friendly" and was very pleased with the end result.  Been loving it with my morning yogurt!  Yum.

Honey, Walnut & Cranberry Granola
3 cups old fashioned oats
3 tablespoons flax seed
2 cups walnuts
1/3 cup honey
3 tablespoons unsalted melted butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Combine all ingredients except cranberries in a large bowl and mix.

Line baking sheet with parchment and spread granola evenly on it.  Bake for approximately 30 minutes, mixing it around halfway through.  Let cool completely, add cranberries and mix.  Store in airtight container.

Coffee Cake Muffins

10am playdate.

Hostess says she'll have fresh fruit.  Plus she's making quiche.  And sangria.

So what do you bring?

These beauties.

Coffee Cake Muffins
from Mark Bittman, via The Chicagoist

5 tablespoons butter, melted, divided
2 cups AP flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk, plus more if needed

For the topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts, pecans or cashews

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line muffin tins with paper liners.  In a small bowl, mix topping ingredients together, along with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter.  Set aside.

In another bowl, mix together flour, sugar and baking powder.  In a third bowl, mix milk, egg and remaining 3 tablespoons of melted butter together.

Make a well in dry ingredients, add wet to it, and blend.  Fold until dry ingredients are wet, then add in half of the brown sugar/nut mixture.  Batter should be lumpy, not smooth, and thick but very moist.  Add more milk if needed to achieve this consistency.

Spoon batter into tins, filling them about 2/3 of the way.  Sprinkle remaining brown sugar/nut mixture on top.    Bake 20-30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.  Let rest at least 5 minutes before serving.

Linked to: Sweets for a Saturday

Spiced Walnuts...and PLEASE vote for me!

Even though I'll be 43 (gasp!) in a few weeks, I'm still fortunate enough to have two grandparents that are still alive.  One is my grandpa.   Unfortunately, I don't get to see him that much since he lives down in Florida.  But because we spent SO much time with my grandma and him for so many years, I have countless memories of all different kinds.

My brother, sister and I spent lots of time at our grandparents' house.  Grandpa was a truck driver so he wasn't always there, but when he was, you could bet he was sitting on his recliner, watching tv and smoking his pipe, with a jar of nuts right by his side.  I don't remember exactly what kind of nuts they were, or if they were always the same or not, but I do remember them being his favorite snack.

I love all kinds of nuts, but sometimes the ones right out of a can or jar just don't cut it.  So, I look for different ways to "spice" them up.  Like this.

The perfect snack for anytime.  But be careful - they are definitely addicting!

And before I share the recipe, I have to ask all of you, my wonderful readers, to take just a few minutes to vote for my Pasta e Fagioli in a contest I entered, sponsored by Lidia Bastianich (one of my idols!).  Every vote counts so PLEASE vote and spread the word if you can!

CLICK HERE to vote.  Thank you! :)

Spiced Walnuts
from Dolcetto Confections

1 cup raw walnut halves
4 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with tin foil or parchment paper.

Combine walnuts, syrup and oil in a bowl and mix.  In a small bowl, stir together cinnamon, salt and cloves.  Add spice mixture to nuts, stirring to coat evenly.

Bake until nuts are very fragrant and toasted, about 10 minutes.  Allow walnuts to cool on baking sheet before serving.  Store in airtight container.

Keep the party going

I hope everyone had a great Christmas!  We're still knee deep in celebration...that's what happens when you have a huge family.  And I wouldn't have it any other way :)  For those of you doing the same, or those who just love trying out new dip recipes, this one's for you.

The tart, sweet and spicy tastes in this dish make for a great combination.  Even my almost 2 year old nephew thought so!  It was a big hit at our Christmas Eve celebration.  Perfect for this time of year!  It makes a good amount, too...I put it in a deep dish pie pan and it filled up nicely.

Keep eating, drinking and being merry!

Cranberry Salsa Dip
slightly adapted from that's some good cookin'

1 (12 ounce) bag fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over
1/2 cup sugar
1 bunch green onions, chopped (mainly the green part)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 lime, juiced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
pinch of salt
2 (8 ounce) blocks cream cheese, softened

Put all ingredients except cheese in a food processor.  Pulse until ingredients are chopped coarsely.  Put in an airtight container and cover.  Leave for at least 4 hours.  (I did this 3 days ahead and refrigerated it...the longer ahead of time you make it, the better the flavors are)

Spread softened cream cheese on a serving plate.  Spread salsa over cream cheese.  Serve at room temperature with crackers.

Grab n go

I'm loving granola more and more these days.  This is another "must make" variety.  It's all I've been eating for breakfast lately.  I love it with milk, or on top of Greek yogurt, as seen below.

Life has been one big ball of craziness lately, so making a big batch of this comes in handy.

Cinnamon Walnut Granola
slightly adapted from food. com

7 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup honey
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.  In a big bowl, combine oats, nuts and raisins.

In microwavable bowl, blend together brown sugar, oil, honey and cinnamon.  Cook until it starts bubbling.  Remove, add vanilla and stir.  Pour over oat mixture and mix well.

Spread mixture evenly over baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Stir and bake for another 15 minutes.

Cool thoroughly and store in an airtight container.

Makes about 10 cups.

Loving leftovers

It's no secret that kitchens are overwhelmed this week...most people have already started their Thanksgiving prep.  I don't think anyone needs any more recipe ideas for tomorrow.

What you might need, though, is an idea for what to do with all those damn leftovers.  Well, I have two:

1.  You invite your close friends over the day after Thanksgiving and instruct them all to bring their leftovers, as well as a bottle (or two) of wine.  This is no longer known as Black Friday in the lives of those who have this tradition.  Instead, it's known as one of the best days of the year...The Leftovers Party (or, in this year's case, my 6th anniversary...but I digress).  More on this tradition to come next week...

2.  You soften up some cream cheese and stir in some of that yummy leftover cranberry sauce.  Slice a bagel, pull apart an english muffin, or perhaps scrounge up a biscuit (but really, are there ever any biscuits leftover?).  Now spread lots of goodness on both sides.  Generously.  

Take it easy on Friday morning and enjoy this super quick breakfast.  Then talk to your friends about starting up that leftovers party tradition :)

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Morning rush

I noticed I was in a breakfast rut as of late and really needed to do something about it.  I had to find something that I can grab quickly.  Something I can even take with me on the run.  Something that basically requires zero effort.

It had been a while since I made granola.  Why?  I have no idea.  Time to change that!

This recipe jumped out at me and I knew I had to make it ASAP.  What's not to love about these flavors?  It's great sprinkled on top of Greek yogurt, with milk, or even on its own by grabbing a handful.  Bella's a big fan of it too...it's just about time to make another batch!  Well - a double batch this time.  Good thing it's super easy.

Maple Almond Granola
slightly adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

2 cups rolled oats
1 cup chopped or slivered almonds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Mix the oats, almonds, salt, cinnamon and brown sugar together in a medium sized bowl.  In another bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, oil, agave nectar and vanilla.  Pour oven dry ingredients and mix well (you can do this with your hands).

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray (or line with foil or parchment paper) and spread granola evenly over it.  Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  It's done when it starts to brown.

Stir in raisins and cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.