Granola Goodness - Recipe

Our house runs on granola. It is a healthy versatile snack that travels easily and makes a great gift.

This holiday season I plan to give granola as gifts.  A portion of today's batch is headed to the home of a dear friend who just had her second child earlier this week.  Normally, we give frozen meals but I thought a hearty snack might come in just as handy.  

Another plus is that you can share granola with just about everyone, especially vegan friends. I like to refer to my recipe as vegan friendly which is a little silly.  It isn't as if there are people out there making granola with ground beef or spare ribs. Though with the current bacon craze you never know.   

My point is that this is why I love my homemade granola, it can feed just about anyone.  It is loaded with healthy ingredients that qualify it as pure nutritional gold but so also damn yummy it'll have you lickin' your fingers and asking for more.  I've shared batches with friends and neighbors and all have asked for the recipe.  I have yet to share it until today.

Boo's Granola (Need a Better Name)

Dried pineapple & peanut butter

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Dry Ingredients 
8 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups sugar (optional - without sugar it has a cleaner taste)

Additions 
1/2 cup of any or all the following - shredded coconut, slivered almonds, flax seeds, raisins, dried pineapple, apricots, dried cranberries, wheat germ or anything else that tickles your fancy

Wet Mix 
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 tablespoons molasses (decrease or optional - this is gives a deeper flavor)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 200 degrees and oil baking baking sheets.  I use a canola spray to use as little oil as possible.  Please note this is not the canola oil listed in the wet ingredients.

The wet mixture before heating

Combine all wet ingredients in a small saucepan and warm the mixture then whisk until smooth.

Combine the two mixtures

Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and combine with a wooden spoon until evenly distributed.  I also like to use my hands to make sure they are clumpy pieces.

Bake all the granola at the same time

Spread evenly in the baking sheets.  Ensure you have single layers so that pieces cook evenly.

Bake for 3 hours or until lightly browned and crunchy.  I rotate the baking sheets every 45-60 minutes.  To test that the granola remove a small piece and allow to cool.  Then taste it is crunchy then it is ready.

Allow to cool and store in airtight containers. 

I am gifting some of this batch in a glass juice jar.  Not only this a yummy and healthy gift but now environmentally friendly too.  Trifecta!

The perfect gift.

On a side note, I've been struggling for months to come up with a good name for my granola.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.  

  

 

The Curse of Belfast Linen

Prairie Moon's Crypt Club Pattern

In a world where we tend to focus on imperfections and ways we don't measure up it is a welcome relief to like something about yourself.  Personally, I love that I tend to dive head first into crazy crafting plans without regard for my actual abilities or skill level.

I just assume where there is a will eventually there will be skill.  It is how I learned knitting, beading, sewing and every other crafty endeavor I have taken on.  It is also how I ended up with a lovely counted cross stitch pattern to be stitched on teeny tiny Belfast linen fabric.

To date my counted cross stitch patterns have been stitched on aida cloth that blind grannies can see without their bifocals.  I like the simplicity.  So when I ordered the fabric for Prairie Moon's, Crypt Club pattern it never occurred to me that it wouldn't be on giant 18 count aida cloth.  I didn't even ask - that is how clueless I am.

So now I find myself with a pattern I adore and fabric that scares the bejesus out of me.  There will be tears of frustration, curses that make my hubby's toes curl and fits of anger.  But I am hoping there will also be screams of joy, a sense of accomplishment and ultimately tears of joy.  I won't know if I don't try.  Once again I'm diving knowing I am in above my head before I even hit the water.  Is it crazy that makes me happy?