1.25.2011
1.18.2011
crunchy, chunky, [a little bit of everything], EXTRA yummy granola!
today we wanted granola.
so i set out, as usual, on a hunt for around....three or four recipes from my favorite stand-by cook books, or epicurious.com, among other things, and set them all before me.
and, as usual, i used none of them.
entirely.
i took the basics from all four, after careful evaluation and comparison, of course.
most of the recipes before me called for around the same amount of oats, around the same process to get the sugars/honey into the mix, and all called for some sort of nut or dried fruit...a few of them anyway.
so i began.
my little ones and i sat in the floor (why not?) and i went on a journey through our kitchen (cabinets, cupboards, fridge, freezer, etc.)
in search of any and everything that could fit into our comPLETEly original, homemade granola.
what we came up with was this:
4 cups quick oats
1/2 cup or so of dates
7-8 pieces of dried apples, cut small
a handful (or two) of crumbled bits of my mom's (mamaw's) homemade peanut butter cup filling
which is basically peanut butter mixed with powdered sugar--yum!
7 or 8 good hearty shakes of cinnamon -left completely up to L's discretion
a handful or so of chopped walnuts
about 1/8 tsp. of salt
the small bit of cheerios that were left in the bottom of the box after breakfast this morning,
and a small, one serving [probably halloween] package of m&m's
now, while the 'babes were mixing and stirring all of these lovely ingredients in a large bowl, i was simmering (at a medium heat) on the stove top the following:
1/2 cup brown sugar
about 1/4 cup honey (give or take)
1 tsp. vanilla
a dollop [or three] of plain yogurt
and a good sized handful of mini marshmallows
while that is simmering, take the big mixing bowl of dry ingredients and pour into a cake pan or, as i used, a large roasting pan, and place in a 325 degree oven for just a bit.
when the marshmallows have melted and the simmering saucepan is about at a boil, take the pan OUT of the oven and pour the melted goodness over the oat mixture.
stir with a wooden spoon really well until everything is completely covered and then place BACK into the oven and cook for a total of 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10.
when granola is complete [and perfect] take out and set aside to cool.
then, stir, crunch, place in a closed container to enjoy over the next week, or two days, however it goes around your lovely lovely home.
like i said, this was compiled, as i always cook/bake, by looking at several different recipes and then not fully using any of them, but using them as basic/loose guidelines...so feel free to take ownership of this version and use what you have!
enjoy!
(=
so i set out, as usual, on a hunt for around....three or four recipes from my favorite stand-by cook books, or epicurious.com, among other things, and set them all before me.
and, as usual, i used none of them.
entirely.
i took the basics from all four, after careful evaluation and comparison, of course.
most of the recipes before me called for around the same amount of oats, around the same process to get the sugars/honey into the mix, and all called for some sort of nut or dried fruit...a few of them anyway.
so i began.
my little ones and i sat in the floor (why not?) and i went on a journey through our kitchen (cabinets, cupboards, fridge, freezer, etc.)
in search of any and everything that could fit into our comPLETEly original, homemade granola.
what we came up with was this:
4 cups quick oats
1/2 cup or so of dates
7-8 pieces of dried apples, cut small
a handful (or two) of crumbled bits of my mom's (mamaw's) homemade peanut butter cup filling
which is basically peanut butter mixed with powdered sugar--yum!
7 or 8 good hearty shakes of cinnamon -left completely up to L's discretion
a handful or so of chopped walnuts
about 1/8 tsp. of salt
the small bit of cheerios that were left in the bottom of the box after breakfast this morning,
and a small, one serving [probably halloween] package of m&m's
now, while the 'babes were mixing and stirring all of these lovely ingredients in a large bowl, i was simmering (at a medium heat) on the stove top the following:
1/2 cup brown sugar
about 1/4 cup honey (give or take)
1 tsp. vanilla
a dollop [or three] of plain yogurt
and a good sized handful of mini marshmallows
while that is simmering, take the big mixing bowl of dry ingredients and pour into a cake pan or, as i used, a large roasting pan, and place in a 325 degree oven for just a bit.
when the marshmallows have melted and the simmering saucepan is about at a boil, take the pan OUT of the oven and pour the melted goodness over the oat mixture.
stir with a wooden spoon really well until everything is completely covered and then place BACK into the oven and cook for a total of 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10.
when granola is complete [and perfect] take out and set aside to cool.
then, stir, crunch, place in a closed container to enjoy over the next week, or two days, however it goes around your lovely lovely home.
we ate ours with milk and a spoon, like cereal, and it was DE-lightful....
like i said, this was compiled, as i always cook/bake, by looking at several different recipes and then not fully using any of them, but using them as basic/loose guidelines...so feel free to take ownership of this version and use what you have!
enjoy!
(=
11.02.2010
a creative mess.
when i am in one of my 'can't stop the ideas and i have to make things right now' modes, my husband will barely have his foot in the door, when i greet him with a [very brief] hello, and then announce that
"i've made a mess in the kitchen."
or
"i have not made dinner yet."
or
"um, i haven't picked anything up because i am not quite finished with....., but when i am, i will."
definitely in my pajamas, and definitely surrounded by at least a few pajama-clad kiddos.
to all of which he smiles, and gives me the freedom to create, and then lovingly decides that leftovers sound amazing for dinner.
aren't those the days we love?
and the kiddos love them, too.
the other day we took scraps of paper and played 'snow-ball!!!'. it was incredible. (=
and they can't get enough of all of the projects continuously on display around the house.
tonight i am finishing my yarn wreath.
yarn wreath, you say?
why yes, a yarn wreath.
i was shown one recently and immediately decided i needed to make one. (and sell them on etsy)
it was such a mind-opener.
i have never ever been a 'wreath person', whatever a wreath person may be. i have never been it.
i like wreaths. some of them.
there are even times when i am drawn to one b/c it is so simple and 'earthy', and i truly do think it is pretty.
but would it hang in on my door and call itself home?
not likely.
i don't know.
HOWEVER, when i saw these modern-looking, clean and dainty yarn wreaths, i thought that, possibly, these bits of decor could possibly call my door their home.
and so after finishing the wrapping of the wreath a few weeks ago, tonight, i sat myself down on the kitchen floor (in the kitchen b/c of another project i am trying out and will hopefully share in the near future), and cut strips of fabric, and sewed and wrapped and sewed some more, and made myself 8 LOVELY repurposed fabric and felt flowers and glued them on to my first etsy-yarn-wreath.
now to think of a name for them.....and to make a ba-zillion more of the flowers with the technique i have fallen in love with for even prettier 'pin'-ch me i'm dreaming pins/broaches!
enjoy! (=
"i've made a mess in the kitchen."
or
"i have not made dinner yet."
or
"um, i haven't picked anything up because i am not quite finished with....., but when i am, i will."
definitely in my pajamas, and definitely surrounded by at least a few pajama-clad kiddos.
to all of which he smiles, and gives me the freedom to create, and then lovingly decides that leftovers sound amazing for dinner.
aren't those the days we love?
and the kiddos love them, too.
the other day we took scraps of paper and played 'snow-ball!!!'. it was incredible. (=
and they can't get enough of all of the projects continuously on display around the house.
tonight i am finishing my yarn wreath.
yarn wreath, you say?
why yes, a yarn wreath.
i was shown one recently and immediately decided i needed to make one. (and sell them on etsy)
it was such a mind-opener.
i have never ever been a 'wreath person', whatever a wreath person may be. i have never been it.
i like wreaths. some of them.
there are even times when i am drawn to one b/c it is so simple and 'earthy', and i truly do think it is pretty.
but would it hang in on my door and call itself home?
not likely.
i don't know.
HOWEVER, when i saw these modern-looking, clean and dainty yarn wreaths, i thought that, possibly, these bits of decor could possibly call my door their home.
and so after finishing the wrapping of the wreath a few weeks ago, tonight, i sat myself down on the kitchen floor (in the kitchen b/c of another project i am trying out and will hopefully share in the near future), and cut strips of fabric, and sewed and wrapped and sewed some more, and made myself 8 LOVELY repurposed fabric and felt flowers and glued them on to my first etsy-yarn-wreath.
now to think of a name for them.....and to make a ba-zillion more of the flowers with the technique i have fallen in love with for even prettier 'pin'-ch me i'm dreaming pins/broaches!
enjoy! (=
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