Ultimate Granola

I have made three batches (so far) this holiday season of this granola. It started out as “hmmm… wonder how that would taste?” and turned into something absolutely wonderful.

I’ve made batches to give to teachers, friends, neighbors, doctors, bankers and so forth. Everyone loves it and asks for the recipe.

So, I thought I’d share with you.

This is one of those type of recipes that you can adapt pretty easily to what suits your tastes and shopping habits (or pantry stock) I just happen to have most of the ingredients on hand on a regular basis, so it was easy for me to whip some up.

I think this will become a breakfast staple at my house… it is so good. I had some this morning in a bowl with some milk (like cereal) and it’s also good on top of yogurt and just plain (like a snack mix)

The best part is there is very little “extra” stuff – sugar and the like – and it’s full of things that are good for you.

So, if you’ve ever wondered if making granola was easy or not, I can safely tell you it is SUPER easy and SUPER worth the effort.

I started with this basic recipe and adapted from there. My recipe is below, but you can make up your own with your own favorite treats. I’m thinking it would even be good to toss in some whole nuts and marshmallows (!) and butterscotch or chocolate chips for hiking days.

Mixing in the coconut

Adding the flax seeds

adding the molasses/honey mixture

ready for baking

fresh out of the oven

Yum. My house smells so good right now. I have another batch in the oven as I type!

Ultimate Granola

Ingredients:

5 cups of rolled oats
1 cup slivered almonds (I used a 6 oz bag)
1 cup walnuts (apprx)
1 cup pecans (apprx)
1 cup flax seeds (I’ve also used ground flax – works ok, too)
2 cups shredded coconut (I used the sweetened kind)
1 cup sunflower seeds
2/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup honey

1 cup raisins
1 cup craisins
1 cup blueberry-flavored craisins

Instructions:

In your chopper/food processor, finely chop the pecans & walnuts.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a LARGE bowl, mix the oats, nuts, coconuts, flax seeds.
On the stove, in a small pot, stir together the oil, honey & molasses. Heat until blended.
Pour the molasses mixture over the oatmeal mixture. Mix thoroughly.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Pour approximately 4 cups of the granola onto the parchment paper and use the back of the measuring cup to spread/flatten the granola to make sure it is evenly distributed and there are no thick spots.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Pull out the cookie sheet, stir and redistribute the granola.
Bake for another 10 minutes.
Remove and do steps 6-10 two more times (or until your are finished with your batch)
Cool the batches in a large bowl or another cookie sheet.
Once the entire batch of granola has cooled (10-15 minutes after the last batch finishes baking) stir in your raisins & craisins.
Store in an airtight container and enjoy!

Remember, you can click on any post (the title) to view it alone and get an option to print the post (recipe) if you like!

Oatmeal Lace Cookie

I thought I would share another family cookie recipe with you all… as I mentioned yesterday the girls and I are hanging out this week with family – enjoying some cousin time.

This recipe is one that was made by one of the ladies at my 2005 cookie swap. They are yummy delicious and so light and crispy. I hope you enjoy them.

I experimented and made them with some instant Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal instead of plain quick cooking oats. I also added 1/2 tsp of almond extract. Everything tastes better with almond extract.

Oh.my.goodness. SO, so yummy.

Can you see how thin and crispy they are? And yet, the little apple bits are chewy and sweet in there.

Just so you know, if you happen to break one as you are pulling it off of the foil, you must consume the evidence.

Here’s the recipe. I have to go get the rest out of the oven now. They are calling to me…

Oatmeal Lace Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp four
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal

Instructions:

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Add flour, salt, and oatmeal, mixing well. Drop by teaspoons onto foil-lined pans. Bake at 350F for 5-8 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool before removing from foil.

*foil is important – parchment paper won’t give them the brown crispiness. They just get chewy and beige. Oh, and they spread; a lot. So be sure you give them plenty of room to grow.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen. (unless you break a few)

Santa’s Surprises

I’m vacationing this week at my Mom’s house – my brother and family are visiting and we’re in full cousin-crazy-playtime here. I thought I’d share some of my favorite cookie/holiday sweets recipes with you this week while we’re livin’ the good life at Grandma’s house.

Here’s one of my favorite cookies (from my pre-surgery days) –

Santa’s Surprises –

It’s a yummy concoction made of peanut butter, brown sugar and the “surprise” inside:

Now, let’s get baking! (or mixing, as we must do before we can bake!)

In a large mixing bowl you will combine 2 sticks of butter (I used one salted, one unsalted), 1 cup of creamy peanut butter, and 1 cup of light brown sugar (sounds good already, doesn’t it?)

Next, add in 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Mix and add 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

You will end up with a nice dough like this:

Then, cover your dough and let it chill in the refrigerator for a few hours.

After it’s chilled thoroughly, take the dough by teaspoon-sized pieces and flatten into round circles.

Place one Snickers mini on top of the dough circle and shape the dough around the candy. (your hands will smell so yummy when you are done!)

Place each ball of dough onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 325 F for 10-12 minutes. Cool on a cooling rack.

Note: you will want to let them cool before you handle them too much. I put them on parchment paper on the cookie sheet and I slide the entire sheet of parchment paper onto the cooling rack. This allows the “gooey” insides to cool and set. If you pick them up too soon, they break open – and, then, well, you have to eat the evidence!

IF you want to go all-out, drizzle them with some melted chocolate. They never last long enough at my house for me to do this, though!

I hope you enjoy!

And, here’s the complete recipe, without my commentary and photography:

Santa’s Surprises

Ingredients:

2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bag Snickers Miniatures

Instructions:

Cream butter, peanut butter, brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Slowly, add eggs and vanilla (mixer should be on low)
Add flour, baking soda & salt.
Cover and chill dough 2-3 hours.
Divide dough into teaspoon-sized balls. Flatten into circles.
Wrap dough ball around Snickers mini.
Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 325F for 10-12 minutes.
Cool on wire rack.
Drizzle with melted chocolate (optional).

Oh, and here is a BONUS RECIPE.

Oreo Ice Dream

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
1 large tub of Cool Whip whipped cream (I never said it was low fat!)
1 package of Oreo Cookies, crushed

Mix all three ingredients in a LARGE bowl. Place in freezer to set.

ENJOY. (and you WILL enjoy. it is “awesome,” according to the pre-teens in the house)

Riding the train to Christmas Crazy

Sorry for the absence of posts this week. It has been rather hectic around here – wrapping up the work world for the year (I’m off now until after Christmas), final week of school for the kids, preparations for our trip to Mom’s and our church group Christmas party, baking, shopping, wrapping and all the other minutiae of every day life – laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc.

It’s enough to drive a girl a little crazy.

I’m sitting here on my first day of my vacation, enjoying a bowl of homemade granola (a most awesome recipe I must share with you soon) and making list after list of things that must be done before the party, before we leave, before Christmas.

I’ll admit, I’m a little overwhelmed.

I’m starting to think about what things I can just strike off the list without even doing them… how can I calm this crazy down just a little?

I will continue to ponder this…

but right now, I must go put on my makeup and head out for the day. Errands await and there’s not much time before I pick up the kids and the crazy resumes!

I’m Baking today

I’m baking today.

Just some simple things for the family – Little Bit’s favorite oatmeal cookies, some fresh bread, and maybe trying my hand at some granola.

Getting my lists together – food to fix for the party on Saturday night, things I want to take to Mom’s next week, final gifts to pick up on my day off, tasks to complete before the holiday break begins… I couldn’t survive without my lists.

That’s what my day is going to be like.

How about yours?

Menu Plan Monday ~ 12 December

It’s a gloomy, rainy and cold Monday here in North Georgia.

I’m battling some type of bug, too. Earache and sore throat. I will be dosing it with some Vitamin C and Tylenol and staying on the sofa today, I think, (boo)

Planning some comfort food for dinner tonight. Chicken & Dumplings ought to do the trick… if I just feel up to COOKING it later today.

Here’s what is on the rest of the menu for the week. This will be my last menu before Christmas as next week the girls and I will be visiting family right up to Christmas weekend. I have no idea how things will go meal-wise there, so I’m not even going to worry about menus until after Christmas.

The “big meal” (Christmas eve) I already have (mostly) planned. Just need to coordinate with our friends who will be joining us.

As for this week, here’s the agenda:

Monday: Chicken & Dumplings
Tuesday: Country Fried Steaks, Mashed potatoes & gravy
Wednesday: Baked Chicken (my crock pot “baked” chicken)
Thursday: Beef Stew
Friday: Fajitas or Pizza
Saturday: big Christmas party with our church small group. Everyone is bringing appetizers – I’m planning to make desserts and SuperMan is making his famous Brunswick Stew.
Sunday: no big cooking planned as this is the start of our travel week.

What about you? Anything planned for this week? Any new recipes to share?

Hop on over to orgjunkie.com for more inspiration and recipe links.

Menu Plan Monday ~ 5 December (thoughtsalonglifeshighway.com)
Menu Plan Monday ~ 14 November 11 (thoughtsalonglifeshighway.com)
Menu Plan Monday ~ 26 September (thoughtsalonglifeshighway.com)

A job well done –

Well, as I mentioned yesterday, I spent a good part of my day sewing.
Which, for me, is quite the rare thing. I decided to make handmade gifts for the teachers & some of our friends (instead of the usual goodie bags full of treats – not feelin’ the baking thing this year)

I had two very willing helpers. They were intrigued by the novelty of the whole process…

They liked filling the sleeves with the rice. And they did a great job (with minimal mess!)

After our assembly line was complete, we had seventeen heating pads. How cool is that?!? I am quite proud of my accomplishment. I can’t wait to give them to our friends and know that they will enjoy something that I made by hand to make them feel better when they are achy and tired.

After our hard work, we rewarded ourselves with a little treat.

Some festive Christmas feet!

How I’m spending my day today

Crafting!

Yesterday was the annual shopping marathon. With a few online purchases this morning, I finished up my shopping (hooray!!) and so today I’m focusing on my crafty gifts.

Making teacher gifts – going to try my hand at these this year.

I’ve got my supplies together…

I’ll be a busy bee today.

Will post some updates once I get them done.

Oh, and I’ve been working on my very first set of homemade placemats. One is finished so far:

Five more to go!

I figure I can handle straight lines (pretty well) and I’ll start there and be happy for now. Smile

Journal Your Christmas/December Daily

I decided this year to do my own version of a Christmas Album. I’ve done Journal Your Christmas for the past two years and have watched Ali Edwards do her December Daily with awe… this year, I decided to do my own combination of the two – a little of each. I think it will keep things fresh for me, both from a creative perspective and from a content perspective.

I started taking pictures on Dec 1, but didn’t really start on my album until yesterday. (just too busy) I have, however, a plan and a general approach in mind.

I began by listing things I want to be sure I capture – so far, I am at 25 things and that is without Shimelle’s prompts, so I know I will come up with plenty more thanks to her creativity.

Here’s my list in case you are looking for some inspiration yourself:

Letters to Santa
Letters to our Elf on the Shelf
Christmas Card (I plan to add in the cards we receive as well – maybe at the end of the album)
Baking & favorite recipes
Decorations (especially new ones or things that have a history or special meaning)
Holiday parties
Craft projects
Self portrait
Family picture
Visit by my brother & his family (this will be a big bunch of pictures, I’m sure)
Shopping & my shopping lists
Receipts & packing slips
the kids’ Christmas trees & the family tree
Grocery lists & menus for the special meals
Weather
Pinterest – things that have inspired me (and that I’ve actually done!)
Wrapping
Wrapping paper
Goodie bags for friends/family/teachers
Advent calendars
“Joy is…” and have everyone complete the sentence
“I’m loving …” things I’m finding special this year
Instagram photos/posts
TV Specials
Special events/traditions (like our annual trip to Lake Lanier Islands’ Magical Nights of Lights)

That’s it so far! But, with all of that, I’m looking at a pretty hefty album!

I’m planning to make a small album this year, size-wise. I have decided to do 5×8 as the page size. I have some extra 5×8 page protectors from a recipe book project and I will use those up. Not decided yet on the actual album, though. I had planned to use a 5×8 album I had from Staples (nothing fancy) but after coming up with my ideas I think it may not be big enough.

I may just end up binding the album with ribbon or clip rings… and coming up with a homemade cover.

I’m going semi-digital with some handmade/paper accents. I’m planning to print everything at home (note to self: buy ink!) and use white cardstock as my base and then go from there.

I bought the December Daily overlays that Ali Edwards uses and I’m loving being able to use those as the base for the page of the day. My plan is to have the left-hand page be journaling and smaller photos/memorabilia and then the right-hand page be the overlay with a full-page picture. We’ll see how that works, but here is a sample of the first two pages I have created.(still in progress) They will not be facing each other, but you get the general idea.

I plan to share more sneak peeks on the blog as I go. I’m hoping to work a little each day but I know that, realistically, I will probably end up doing like I have done in years’ past and do my journaling here (or on a file on the PC) and then catching up with multiple pages on the weekend.

Are you doing anything to capture your holiday memories this year? Even if you don’t do anything but keep a journal of your activities and thoughts, I encourage you to! As I said in my journaling above, these Christmas albums usually end up being my favorite ones to go back and look at later.

I’ll share more with you soon. Right now, I’m off to finish the Christmas shopping!

That wee little elf – who causes big trouble!

Our little elf friend, Jingle, continues to cause all sorts of troubles around our house – he has been having a lot of fun the past few days –

Somehow, he ended up INSIDE our hurricane lamp – complete with Christmas lights!

The girls were quite perplexed as to how he accomplished this little feat.

Then, he decided to go fishing –

Of course, the girls were a little concerned that he was going to actually CATCH one of the fish in the tank. Thankfully, he didn’t. (can you see the lure in the tank!?! LOL)

Then, he moved on to a quick ride around the Christmas tree with one of Barbie’s friends… let’s hope they obey the speed limits (although something tells me he won’t) The girls were trying to figure out how he got the Barbie and car UPSTAIRS from the basement – they decided he must’ve built a magic road from the basement to the sunroom. Hee hee

They’ve also both written letters to Jingle (and Santa)

Big Girl’s is focused on being able to touch Jingle. She can’t stand the fact that the rule is only grown-ups can touch the elf. She is begging for permission to touch him.

Little Bit’s is much more of the “how are you doing” kind of letter, but I love the fact that she asks very nicely “oh, by the way, please don’t send any oompa-loompas” How funny!

There are still two weeks before Christmas (and then some) so there is no telling what else he’ll get into… at least there was no flour to clean up this week!

Ultimate Granola

Ingredients:

Instructions:

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Oatmeal Lace Cookies

Ingredients:

Instructions:

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Santa’s Surprises

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Oreo Ice Dream

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