Nuts about Nutty Granola

I've been making this granola for quite awhile now.  It is super simple to make and oh, so yummy!  :)  All you have to do is throw a few ingredients in a bowl, stir, bake, and enjoy.  It has a wonderful, sweet maple flavor with a touch of salt.  A great slightly-sweet, slightly-salty combo.  The granola isn't overly sweet, and it is great that it is made with a natural sweetener like maple syrup.

My favorite way to eat this granola is on top of honey or blueberry Noosa yoghurt, a local Colorado yoghurt.  (It is really yummy, too, look for it in your area.) 

The recipe calls for chopped almonds, but I like the texture of sliced almonds, so I use those instead.  The recipe has the option to add raisins.  I tried it once, but didn't really like it.  I didn't like it because the raisins go in to bake with the rest of the granola and come out hard and dry.  If you would like to add raisins, I recommend adding them once the granola is baked.

Nutty Granola

Cooking spray
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients, mixing well to coat everything with the maple syrup.  Spread on the baking sheet and bake until golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

Transfer the sheet to a wire rack and let cool completely.  Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for about 2 weeks.

Hat Tip - The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger

Cranberry and Apple Crumble

I love a good apple crumble/crisp!  I don't feel as guilty about eating dessert when it contains fruit.  Don't you just love that logic?  :)

I came across this recipe in one of my many checked out library cookbooks.  I couldn't wait to try it.  I picked up fresh Braeburn apples at the farmer's market and grabbed fresh cranberries at the grocery store.  This recipe came together pretty easily.  I did make an adjustment to the topping, I added about 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats.  I thought the texture would be a good addition, and I was correct.

Sweetie and I ate the crumble while it was still warm.  We topped it with vanilla ice cream.  It was delicious!  One of us went back for seconds, but I'll let you guess which one of us it was.  :)

Cranberry and Apple Crumble

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces

(I added about 1/4 cup oatmeal to the flour mixture)

6 cups sliced peeled Braeburn apples

1 cup fresh cranberries

1/3 cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, level with a knife.  Place flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter into a food processor; pulse 10 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal.  (At this time, I added oatmeal to the flour mixture.)  

Combine apples and cranberries in a large bowl.  Combine juice, 2 tablespoons sugar, and cornstarch; pour over apple mixture.  Toss well.  Spoon apple mixture into a 2-quart baking dish.  Sprinkle with flour mixture.  Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.  Serve warm.

Yield - 8 servings

Hat Tip - Cooking Light Complete Cookbook

Chocolate Velvet Pound Cake . . . hmmm!

This pound cake is delicious!  It is so smooth, moist, and chocolate-y.  I think the cake tastes better the day after it's made.  Sweetie and I ate the whole loaf!  :)  I like that it makes a loaf instead of a larger size cake.  It is very manageable for two to eat.

I've been a fan of red velvet cake for years (I grew up in the South), but the red food coloring grosses me out a bit.  Although it doesn't stop me from eating it!  I was excited to make this pound cake with a velvet texture, but no red food coloring.

I made a few adjustments to the recipe because of the high altitude.  Instead of one cup all-purpose flour, I used 3/4 cup all-purpose and 1/4 cake flour.  I also decreased the baking powder by half.  It turned out beautifully!

Chocolate Velvet Pound Cake

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon water, at room temperature
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsifted unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and position an oven rack in the center.  Lightly coat the 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch pan with melted butter, oil, or high-heat canola-oil spray, and fit it with parchment paper to extend up both long sides to the top of the pan.

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of the stand mixer and beat on medium-high until light - almost white - in color, 4 to 5 minutes.  You can also use a hand mixer and a medium bowl, although you may need to beat the mixture a little longer to achieve the same results.  Scrape down the bowl with a spatula.

In a small bowl, stir together the water and espresso powder until smooth.  Crack the eggs into the bowl and beat to blend.  With the mixer running on medium, add the eggs to the butter mixture about 1 tablespoon at a time, allowing each addition to completely blend in before adding the next.  About halfway through, turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl, then continue adding the eggs.  Scrape down the bowl again.

With a fine-mesh strainer, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into the medium bowl and whisk to blend.  With the mixer running on the lowest speed, add the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately, beginning with one-third of the flour mixture and half of the buttermilk; repeat, then finish with the flour mixture.  Scrape down the bowl and finish blending the batter by hand, if necessary. 

Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top.  Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Transfer to a rack to cool completely.  When cool, remove from the pan, peel off the parchment paper, and serve.

Storing - The cake can be made several days ahead and kept at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap.  Or double-wrap it, put in a resealable plastic freezer bag, and freeze for up to 8 weeks.

Hat Tip - The Art & Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet

Pecan-Crusted Pumpkin Squares

Halloween is upon us, so I thought a pumpkin recipe would be appropriate.  When I read the name of this recipe in the The Weekend Baker cookbook, I thought it was going to be a type of bar, but it is actually a quick bread.  It came together quickly and the wet and dry ingredients can be mixed up to one day in advance. 

I really liked having the pecans on the outside of the pumpkin squares, it was almost like a crust (thus the name "Pecan-Crusted").  :)  The squares were moist and delicious.  They definitely put the feeling of Fall and Halloween in the air. 

Happy Halloween!

Pecan-Crusted Pumpkin Squares

3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 1/2 cups all-purpose and 1/4 cake flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar (I used 1/2 dark brown and 1/2 light brown)
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin (not seasoned pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup canola or corn oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Position an oven rack on the middle rung.  Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Generously butter - be generous or the nuts won't stick - the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking dish.  Add the nuts and tilt the pan to coat the bottom and sides evenly.  Carefully spill out and save the excess nuts for the top.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cloves.  Whisk until well blended.  In a large bowl, combine the sugar, pumpkin, oil, eggs, and vanilla.  Whisk until smooth.  (You can prepare the dry ingredients and wet ingredients up to 1 day ahead.  Cover the dry ingredients and keep at room temperature, and cover the wet ingredients and keep in the fridge.)  Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and gently stir just until blended.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.  Scatter the reserved nuts evenly over the batter.  Bake until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, about 30 minutes.  Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for about 15 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into 2-inch squares.

Wrap the uncut, cooled square in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Makes 9 2-inch squares

Hat Tip - The Weekend Baker by Abigail Johnson Dodge

Taco Soup

I've decided that I like to hoard library cookbooks.  It's sad, I know, but I just can't help myself.  There are so many cookbooks at the library and so little time to look at them all.  I usually check out about 5 books at a time, then I have books on hold that come available.  Right now I have 15 library books!  It's crazy!  I guess I have another obsession brewing . . .

One of the cookbooks I currently have is Make it Fast, Cook it Slow by Stephanie O'Dea.  With Fall upon us, I thought it was time to bring out the crock pot, so I checked this cookbook out.  I came across this taco soup recipe.  It is super simple, so I had to make it!  The most time consuming part is opening 8 different cans.  I did the can opening while browning the meat.  I used 3/4 pound of ground beef instead of a pound.  Not a big difference, but a slight cut back.  This soup could be made vegetarian by omitting the beef or by replacing it with ground crumbles.

Sweetie and I loved this soup!  We ate our soup with tortilla chips.  The soup wasn't spicy and it had a great flavor.  The soup makes 12 servings, so needless to say with only Sweetie and I eating it, we had A LOT leftover.  :)  That's okay with me, we will get several meals out of it.  I put some of the leftovers in the freezer.

Taco Soup

1 pound ground turkey or beef, browned and drained
1 medium onion, chopped
2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans
2 (15 oz) cans pinto beans
2 (15 oz) cans corn with their juices
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes with their juices
1 (14 oz) can tomatoes with chilies, with their juices
1 packet taco seasoning
1 packet ranch dressing mix
Sour cream and cheddar cheese, for garnish

Use at least a 6-quart slow cooker.

Put the meat and onion into the slow cooker.  Drain and rinse beans, and add to the cooker.  Add the corn and tomatoes.  Stir in contents of the seasoning packets.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.  Ladle into bowls.

Add a handful of cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream to each bowl before eating.

Serves 12

Hat Tip - Make it Fast, Cook it Slow by Stephanie O'Dea

Beef Stew aka A Hug in a Bowl

I look forward to cooler/colder months, so I can make comfort food.  I love comfort food!  It is so yummy and gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling.  This recipe does both of those things.  This is the second time I've made this recipe.  Both times it has been a wonderful success.  I come back to this (ok, sometimes, I dream about it) because the meat gets so tender, it almost melts in your mouth!

The stew is made in the slow cooker, with some prep work before dumping everything in.  The meat has to be browned.  It can be a little messy, but definitely worth it!  Once the stew starts cooking in the slow cooker, the smell is so tempting.  It is hard to wait 7 1/2 hours to eat.  If you can't wait 7 1/2 hours, you can cook it on high for 4 hours.  :)

Slow-Cooker Classic Beef Stew

4 pounds bottom round, well trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup olive oil (plus more if needed)
2 large onions, diced (2 cups)
1 6-oz can tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
1 pound potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
1/2 pound baby carrots (about 2 cups)
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Coat the beef in the flour.  Heat a few tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Brown the meat, a few pieces at a time, adding more oil as necessary.  Transfer to a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker.

Add the onions to the skillet and cook over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes.  Stir in the tomato paste and coat the onions; transfer to the cooker.

Pour the wine into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits; add to the cooker.  Stir in the potatoes, carrots, broth, salt, thyme, and bay leaf.

Cover and cook on low heat for 7 1/2 hours, or on high for 4 hours.  Add the peas and heat through.

Serves 8 to 10

Hat Tip - Real Simple

Pumpkin Bread

Fall is finally upon us.  Yay!  To me, fall means crunchy leaves, cool nights, sweaters, pumpkins, apples, and only a short time until winter.  Most of my favorite things are lumped into one beautiful season.

I thought pumpkin bread was a good way to start the season.  A couple of weeks ago, I went to Sur la Table and purchased my own copy of The Art & Soul of Baking.  It was a very exciting day!  I couldn't wait to make something from it, so I went with pumpkin bread.  The bread was delicious!  Warm spices, nuts, and pumpkin all in one.  It was simple to make, using the muffin method.  I did have to cook my bread longer than the instructions stated, but it wasn't a big deal. 

Pumpkin Walnut Bread

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup neutral-flavor vegetable oil (such as canola)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and position an oven rack in the center.  Lightly coat a loaf pan with melted butter or high-heat canola-oil spray and line it with a piece of parchment paper that extends 1 inch beyond the edge of both sides of the pan.  In the large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ginger, and salt until thoroughly blended.  Add the pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract and blend well.

Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk until blended and smooth.  Add the walnuts and stir until they are evenly distributed.  Use a spatula to scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and level the top.

Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until the bread is firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Transfer to a rack to cool completely.  To serve, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices by sawing gently with a serrated knife.  Any leftovers should be wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Makes 1 loaf

Hat Tip - The Art & Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet