Pumpkin Cranberry Granola

This past weekend we got into the Halloween spirit in the one way guaranteed to bring out the autumn merriness in everyone.  We went to the pumpkin patch with my adorable nephew, aka the cutest little boy on the Planet Earth.  It was a gorgeous, crisp fall day.  The birds were singing, the sun was shining, and there were pumpkins as far as the eye can see.  There's nothing like a good old pumpkin to brighten your day, especially if you are one-and-a-half.

"Mama, look at this PUMPKIN!!!"

There were farm animals to be petted...

There were funny wooden cut-outs that you could put your adorable little face into...

There were, of course, pumpkins...

And to top it all off, there were apple cider donuts to be eaten.  I mean seriously...does life get ANY better than this?

I don't think so!

By the end of the pumpkin patch adventure I was in a complete pumpkin trance.  Luckily I had in my possession a recipe from the ever wonderful Two Peas and Their Pod blog for pumpkin cranberry granola, and one short hour later my kitchen smelled like pumpkin heaven.  This is a super-simple, super-delicious granola that is flexible enough to make pretty much any way your heart desires.   First you mix up a wonderful concoction of pumpkin puree, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla and applesauce, and try very hard not to just eat this mixture with spoon right there in the middle of your kitchen.  You pour it over a nice pile of oatmeal that has been mixed with pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon and nutmeg, and pop it all in the oven until it is just a little bit crispy.  Once it comes out of the oven, you can toss in cranberries, pumpkin seeds, nuts...whatever your little pumpkin-lovin' heart desires.  Pumpkin Granola Heaven.

The end.  (Except for the recipe below!)

Pumpkin Cranberry Granola, from Two Peas and their Pod

• 5 cups rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• Optional: additional nuts, pepitas, raisins - whatever else feels good to you!

1. Heat over to 350.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Stir oatmeal, spices and salt together in a large bowl.

3. Whisk together brown sugar, pumpkin, applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla extract until smooth.  Pour into oat mixture and mix until oats are coated.  Spread the mixture onto baking sheet.

4. Bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven and stir.  Bake for an additional 20-30 minutes or until golden and crisp.  Remove from oven and stir in cranberries and any other mix-ins.  Let cool completely.  Store in airtight container.

Click here for printable recipe

Yogurt Granola Parfait

This week at the Jackson House is "Breakfast For Dinner Week," which we do every once in a while and then while it is going on always wonder why we don't do it MORE. Dinners are quicker and easier to make, they feel very comfort-food-ish, and are pretty light and healthy. And as someone who is out of the house by 6:15 am every day and eats a hard-boiled egg on the fly, it addresses my breakfast food deprivation issues.

The only challenge with Breakfast For Dinner Week is coming up with menus that don't involve having eggs five nights in a row. Egg entries are always easy: this week we are having scrambled eggs with pesto and fresh ricotta, French omelets, French toast (aka bread soaked in egg). Huevos rancheros are always a popular entry, as is pasta carbonara, which is stretching the Breakfast For Dinner concept a little far, but who's counting? In the winter I work in my favorite cinnamon oatmeal with apples and raisins, but in the dog days of summer not even the cooperative Southern husband would be happy to see a steaming bowl of oatmeal for dinner.

Which is why we had such a happy dinner last night with this little gem: nice big yogurt granola parfaits. I filled up our biggest Waterford crystal glasses with layers of vanilla yogurt, homemade granola and fresh berries, and topped it off with a little bit of shredded coconut. I had a tin of butterscotch shortbread biscuits from my last trip to London and we had those on the side, and felt like we had the perfect mixture of breakfast and dessert for dinner.

The "recipe" for this is pretty self-explanatory, and you can and should mix it up in whatever way you want. The only thing I would say is, make sure you have really great granola to use. We have an absolutely fabulous recipe for granola that my talented Southern husband makes on a regular basis. I was all set to include that recipe with this post, but when I mentioned that he looked completely shocked that I would play so fast and loose with his favorite secret recipe. So for now this post is the above description of the yogurt granola parfait. But if anyone just can't bear to live without our secret recipe, email me and I will see what I can do. :-)