Sunday, November 10, 2013

Better Than A Christmas Candle - Homemade Crunchy Granola

Recently I was a guest at my best friend's house for a week. And as often happens between friends, she shared something wonderful she made and I had to have the recipe.
She shared the one she used with me, and added her own adjustments, based on taste, and what she had on hand. I saw no need to alter the amazingness, so I always make the same adjustments as she did, and it comes out perfect every time.

What is the recipe you ask?

Granola.
Homemade, crunchy-perfect granola.
I had tried another granola recipe that I loved, but it burned when I tried making it crispier, and then it didn't stay crisp after a few days.
That is all well and good for someone who wants chewy granola, but not me.
Crunch crunch.

We used the original recipe from here and then after the alterations it looks a little something like this:

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
3 cups old fashioned oats (the bigger, 3-minute kind)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 275 and prepare a 10x15 baking pan lined with parchment paper.
2. Combine brown sugar and water in microwave safe dish. Microwave for about 1 min until sugar dissolves.
3. Add vanilla to sugar mixture and set aside.
4. Combine oats and cinnamon.
5. Pour liquids mixture over oats and stir well. Spread oats out on pan
6. Bake 20 min, and then stir lightly. (I more just shift them around. Leaving a few clumps makes for less crumbly granola)
7. Bake another 25-28 min, being careful not to burn. Let cool completely before putting in an airtight container to store. (Cooling it first helps keep it crisp.)

That's it! Your kitchen will smell ahh-ma-zing! It smells better than a Christmas candle to me.
Here's my comments, though on important things not to change:

First - old fashioned oats. When I bought this kind by mistake, I was frustrated every.single.time. I tried to make them in the microwave. Not only do they take 3 minutes instead of one minute. (I know. We're learning patience around here) but they overflowed! Every time I had a big fat mess in my microwave. When I was at my friend's house though, I noticed that's the kind she used, so that's the kind I bought, and then I had an epiphany.
They take longer to cook.
That means they absorb moisture slower, right?
That means crunchier granola.
That means yay!

Use real vanilla. This has gotten to be a must in my family. A no-compromise must. The taste alone is worth it. We have the vanilla from Mexico. You can find it at some world markets or on Amazon here:


 Once you start working this into your regular cooking and baking, you'll see why the difference. I have people ask me all the time "What did you use? This tastes amazing!" And I believe it's the vanilla. Yummy! It makes the most amazing homemade hot chocolate, too - I like the white vanilla for hot chocolate and the dark vanilla for my granola. Try both and let me know what you like best!

Those are the main unchangeables for this recipe.
The entire recipe fits beautifully in a 1-qt size mason jar. I use a mason jar and have it on the shelf with my other cereals. My friend stores it in a large Ziploc bag and keeps it in the fridge. Either way works fine.

We like to eat it with milk, or stirred into yogurt. How do you like to eat your granola?
 pin it!

Friday, November 1, 2013

Counting 1000 Blessings - November 2013

1          916 Brown rice and thai curry lentils. Yummm

            917 I've spoiled him. Now he likes the kix mixed with cheerios. He won't start eating till there's both.

            918 grandma’s house

2          919 frost
            920 Fruit salad... yummy yummy.

            921 I just really love my hubby in jeans and socks. It's homey somehow. And I like watching him work- even if it is just paperwork.

3          922 Using my husband's mug today for my homemade peppermint white mocha.

            923 I like having a little guy around

            924 If only we were all that adorable stuffing our faces :)

4          925 Surprise sales . Gift given: bonus in my Etsy order.

            926 Gift gathered: us all in bible study tonight.
            927 Gift good: birds playing in the birdbath that is my neighbor's clogged gutter
5          928 More surprise sales
            929 Psalms 43:4 KJV Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God. Today I am blessed to tears. Today is another day God has told me to paint. I have been waiting and waiting. And I knew today was the day, but He told me to do it after morning Bible study- as much as I wanted to get out of bed and immediately get to it. I obeyed and was indeed blessed. The very last paragraph of today's study brought me to this verse Ps 43:4. This verse is precious to me because of a study I was in a while back. The point was made that to worship God, just like in playing harp, requires stretching, reaching and moving. I painted this plate 5 years ago as a reminder of that point. Painting was the first way he had me “play my harp” – all the strings – using all my skills for Him. Stretching, reaching. God has brought me full circle and continues to amaze me. So blessed today.

            930 Custom colors for a ‘custom’er. 
6          931 My smart boy figuring things out.

            932 Small group at our house because it's no longer that small of a group. We are up to 18 people.

            933 creases in fresh towel
7          934 even more surprise sales
            935 casey’s pizza!!
            936 sharing
8          937 slice of pizza
            938 slice of moon
            939 movie and blankets
9          940 music of Ivan singing in the car
            941 Playing yahtzee with uncle Brett. I love watching them.

            942 Christmas surprises
10        943 Ahhh Sunday afternoon. Caramel apples

            944 We've gotten so many pretty colors this fall!

            945 new smells
11        946 Hubby day
            947 New smells
            948 Grande goodness.

12        949 Hubby’s song
            950 My feet are in slipper-boot heaven.

            951 I don't know how long its been since he has fallen asleep on our laps.

13        952 relief
            953Heartbeat and sweet face
            954 Beth Moore from bed today. #restinginJesus

14        955 Ring around moon

            956 Boy jammies and stories
            957 laughter to tears
15        958 This is happening. #Christmasmusic #roastedchickpeas #newaddiction

            959 Birds on a line
            960 Boy singing praise with the car radio
16        961 scattered leaves
            962 shoulder rides & perfect sky

            963 games
17        964 love you’s
            965 church
            966 Helping daddy make cookies!

18        967 Actually so happy to be mopping right now!

            968 Stacked blocks
            969 tea
19        970 Bible, Beth Moore, hot cider and the best lighting in the house. (Why don't I sit here for study more often?)

            971 walk
            972 coffee
20        973 birthday surprises
            974 lasagna
            975 power
21        976 Being silly. He's discovered his tongue

            977 sign language at McDonald’s
            978 Thinking alike
22        979 phone calls
            980 appointments
            981 forgiveness
23        982 the sound of steamed milk

            983 reconnecting
            984 frosty breath
24        985 Cousins meet
            986 He is so proud (and I am too) he figured it out! He's doing a happy dance every time!

            987 Homemade hot chocolate & favorite pants and sweater

25        988 Last Beth Moore
            989 Husband who takes his single sister on dates. It makes her day, so it makes my day!
            990 schedule and juggle of cars – sharing in family
26        991 V of birds in rainbow sky
            992 training paying off

            993 Orange glow through rushing train
27        994 Perfect pie crust
            995 Sharing
            996 Husband going to bat for me
28        997 Hands joined in prayer
            998 buzz in the kitchen
            999 double Clue with family
29        1000 Potato cubes. I shall never look at a cube the same way again after our bible study on the tabernacle. God sees cubes as a picture of the cubic city of Heaven that we will one day experience!

            1001 New tires

            1002 Horsie rides
30        1003 Loud laughter fills the room
            1004 Little shoes
            1005 Twinkle lights