Autumn Harvest Granola

Since it has been a long time since I last posted a recipe I have decided to post the recipe that I have used the most over the last year. Not only is this granola a healthy alternative for breakfast but it is also filled with comforting ingredients.

You can pretty much  use any combination of nuts and dried fruit you like but this particular combination continues to be my favorite.

• 4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup pecan halves, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped hazlenuts
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apples
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
• 2 tbsp flax seeds
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup liquid honey
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. 
2. In a large bowl, combine oats, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, apples, cranberries, raisins, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds and brown sugar. 
3. In a small saucepan, warm together applesauce, honey, oil, salt, ginger and cinnamon over medium heat until thinned, about 5 minutes. Pour over oat mixture and stir to coat.
4. Spread granola mixture evenly over 2 greased or parchment lined baking sheets. Be sure to use a rimmed baking sheet or you will make a mess over your oven.
5. Bake stirring every 10 minutes and rotating pans halfway through, until golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Cool before storing in an airtight container. Granola will stay fresh for up to 3 weeks.

Eggs, Asparagus and Truffled Hash Browns

When there is nothing but asparagus and eggs in your fridge and a few straggler potatoes in your pantry. When it's Friday night and your exhausted from a week of work. There is a movie you've been waiting all week to see and you finally don't have to get up at the crack of dawn. And, when you are so hungry you're pretty sure your stomach is eating itself...well that might be exaggerating a bit. But what I'm trying to lead up to is the breakfast for dinner phenomenon. It's simply genius. I have to admit that I indulge in breakfast for dinner on a bi-monthly basis. It's quick, easy and so very satisfying!

This doesn't really require a recipe, but for inspiration sake I will roughly outline the instructions to serve two people.

• 1 bunch asparagus, rinsed and trimmed
• 2 large russet potatoes, washed and diced into small cubes
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1.5 tsp truffle oil
• extra-virgin olive oil
• freshly ground salt and pepper
• 2-3 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a medium size bowl stir together diced potatoes, truffle oil, 1 tsp olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Spread on to a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until soft.
2. Meanwhile prepare your asparagus by spreading out on another baking dish. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in oven below potatoes for the last 10 minutes.
3. Prepare your eggs any way you like. Serve over asparagus sprinkled with shavings of Parmesan or Asiago cheese with a side of hash browns.

Orange Bran Muffins

These are honestly the best Bran Muffins I have ever tasted! The only step I skipped in this recipe was the toasting of the bran (I used bran flakes instead). I love the added flavor from the orange zest. You would be putting this recipe to shame if you skipped the orange zest in this recipe. I think in the near future I will try to revise this recipe to cut out most of the oil but otherwise this recipe is golden.

Pumpkin Pancakes

I picked up a locally grown sugar pie pumpkin at the market for $1.49 and decided to make pumpkin puree for pancakes. The pumpkin would have yielded about 5 cups of puree so I cut it in half and wrapped up one part for another recipe. What I forgot to mention is the decision to make pumpkin pancakes took place at about 10:00am Saturday morning and based on my hunger level I was forced to find a quick method for making pumpkin puree. I am happy to report that things worked out perfectly and this recipe will blow your socks off especially if you love pumpkin pie like me!

Method for making quick pumpkin puree:

Peel pumpkin and chop into 1x1" cubes. Steam on stove top until soft, about 10 minutes. Puree with a food processor or hand held blender in a bowl. Set aside until you are ready to use. You can freeze the puree until you are ready to use or if your pumpkin yields more then your recipe requires. 

The traditional method for making pumpkin puree is to cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out seeds and stringy fiber. Roast in oven cut side down in water until soft about 90 minutes. Scoop out flesh and puree with a food processor or hand held blender.

Recipe adapted from "First Look, Then Cook"

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup coffee cream + 1/2 cup water (or 1 cup whole milk)
  
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
  
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tbsp canola oil
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Sift together first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. 
2. Whisk milk, pumpkin, eggs, oil and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add pumpkin mixture to dry ingredients; whisk just until smooth (batter will be thick).
3. Preheat oven to 200°
4. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Spray with cooking oil or butter. Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls into hot skillet. Cook until bubbles form on surface of pancakes and bottoms are brown, about 2-5 minutes. Flip over and cook for another 2-5 minutes or until they are cooked and nicely browned.
5. Stack pancakes on a oven safe plate and keep warm in the oven while you finish cooking up the remaining pancakes. 
6. Serve with maple syrup. 

Tip: This recipe yields about 14 pancakes so if there are only 2 of you like Mike and I you can save half of the batter in the fridge to cook up the next day.