No palooza. Nothing from the garden. No canning.
Since we have been so busy lately, I am going through my saved drafts for posts. This has been both funny and frustrating. Apparently, I will have a fabulous idea for a post and only save a title…no recipe, no pics, nothing. So out there somewhere in the blogosphere (and in the recesses of my brain) are some amazing foodie blog posts that will never be.
However, this one is a keeper.
In September 2009, we traveled to Birmingham for the Cooking Light Ultimate Reader Recipe Contest Cook-Off. (For more about that trip, click here.) Jeanne Kelley was one of the judges and we had the pleasure of being seated at her table during the awards dinner. Although that was my first (and last to date) cook-off, we had a great time in Birmingham even though I didn’t win.
Upon our return home, I immediately bought Kelley’s cookbook, Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatoes. It is full of recipes that celebrate the season with a focus on local produce (some from Kelley’s own urban garden).
Here is a favorite granola recipe adapted from her book.
Nutty Granola
Adapted from “Chunky-Chewy Fruit and Nut Granola” from Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatoes by Jeanne Kelley2 T. canola oil
1/4 c. local honey
1/4 c. light molasses (not blackstrap)
1/2 c. brown sugar (light or dark—your choice)
1/2 t. Kosher salt
1 t. ground cinnamon
4 c. old-fashioned oats
1 c. pecan halves
1/4 c. raw pepitas
1/2 c. raw pistachios
1/4 c. flax seeds
1/4 c. chia seedsPreheat oven to 325 degrees . Line two rimmed baking sheets with a silicon pad or foil.
Measure the canola oil into a 1/4 c. measuring cup. Swirl it around to coat the measuring cup and then pour it in a small sauce pan. (This will help the honey and molasses flow from the cup.) Measure the honey and then the molasses using the oiled cup. Place honey and molasses in the sauce pan too. Add the brown sugar, salt and cinnamon.
Heat over low heat and stir with a whisk until sugar is dissolved. Let cool slightly while the other ingredients are mixed.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together oats, pecans, pepitas, pistachios, and flax and chia seeds. Pour honey mixture over oat mixture and stir well so all ingredients are coated.
Divide mixture and spread evenly on the two baking sheets. Place in oven and and set timer for 10 minutes. After timer goes off, rotate baking sheets and stir. Add timer for another 10 minutes. Repeat. Total cooking time is 35-40 minutes.
This does tend to burn easily so watch carefully.
I laughed when I saw the title of your post (monty python fan ?!) and again when you mentioned saving posts in draft because you’d had a great idea. I do that too!
Love the granola…I don’t know why but I never think about making it. Great idea.
We went through this batch in a hurry. I have some other recipes posted here including a maple-flavored one and a healthy pumpkin version using applesauce.
And, I just got the Monty Python allusion! Wow—my mind is going b/c we love MP!
Looks yummy, love all those seeds and nuts! Oh, and I do the same thing with blogging, think up wonderful things to blog about and then they get totally lost in the shuffle of life!
Maybe we should all band together and do a “forgotten blog” week.
I love granola. But, I’ve never made it at home! What???
I could eat this every day! YUM!
I have GOT to make some more today for this week’s breakfasts.
I enjoy good homemade granola. Glad that you have finally shared this.
I love molasses, but I’ve never made a granola with molasses. I bet this taste wonderful with the dark richness of molasses and all those nuts! Gotta try this one!
It is good for a change from the ones I usually make which are cinnamony and spicey.
what a wonderful granola recipe!
Thanks, Jenn and Seth. It is pretty tasty.
I love homemade granola. I am on the hunt for Chia Seeds? This would be fabulous on my yogurt in the mornings. Yum!
It is fabulous on yogurt! I especially like it on honey-flavored Greek yogurt.
I love granola, so I’m delighted that you revived this post 🙂 Yours looks wonderful with all the seeds!
Thanks, Liz. It was tasty. I made Pumpkin Granola today and I could just eat it plain.
So did you draft this post in 2009? I just shared a recipe that I made in 2009 and am sharing another one today! So maybe this is common among food bloggers. Time flies when you’re having fun-lol! The granola sounds so delish–alls I need is some pecans and pepitas. OK, so that accounts for a lot of the recipe, but at least I have the flax and chia seeds. Strange I have the less common ingredients but I guess I’m just a strange one. 🙂 Love granola, really do need to try this–haven’t made it in probably 4 years.
No, probably more like two years ago. I have found that you can make granola with just about (or without) any ingredients. Go make it with what you have on hand.
I do love granola, I have a few recipes I like but i’m always up to a new granola recipe!
Thanks.
I don’t think I ever make the same granola twice. I always tweak them a bi every time.
Ok friend, why don’t you have a search button for your blog? I want to find the pumpkin granola mentioned here…”We went through this batch in a hurry. I have some other recipes posted here including a maple-flavored one and a healthy pumpkin version using applesauce.”
Heeeellllpp me.
I have no idea why it isn’t labeled search, but there is a field in the upper right corner that is it! 🙂 I am a techie neophyte. 🙂