Pumpkin Granola

 

Granola. Now don't get me started on granola.
People pay way too much money for their fancy bags of sugar-filled granola, when it's super cheap to make. And it's super simple to make too! Literally, you just throw everything into a bowl and stir.
I love making granola because there's basically an unlimited variety of combinations, and like I said, it's so easy and leaves you with a week or more of healthy breakfasts.
I'll admit it. I am a granola cruncher.
Granola munchin runs in the family ;)

My dad first introduced me to making granola, and ever since then, I feel dirty whenever I buy granola at the grocery store. Like the homemade granola gods are watching disdainfully and shaking their heads at me.

So do yourself a favor, don't upset the granola gods. Make homemade granola.
People will think you're super cool and hipster. And you will feel better about yourself because you're providing yourself with a hearty breakfast supply for half the cost of buying the brand name stuff. Oh and you fill up your entire house with the amazing smell of warm, autumn spice, so it's definitely a win win.

This version of granola really brings out the flavors of Fall with added pumpkin puree, and has no refined sugars or oils. A must-have for this season's breakfast table!

I'm on my way to converting the world into savvy granola bakers, instead of silly granola spenders! Crunch away my friends :)

This recipe made just enough for me, but you may want to double it to maximize your granola supply.

Pumpkin Granola

adapted from: ellysaysopa
makes about 3 cups

Ingredients:

1½ cups rolled oats

¼ cup chopped raw or slivered almonds

¼ cup chopped walnuts

¼ cup flax seeds 
¼ cup toasted wheat germ

⅛ teaspoon salt 

¾ teaspoon cinnamon 

⅛ teaspoon nutmeg 

¼ teaspoon cloves 

⅛ teaspoon ginger

⅛ teaspoon allspice 

⅓ cup pumpkin puree 

½ teaspoon vanilla extract 

⅓ cup honey or maple syrup 

⅓ cup dried cranberries (optional; add after baking)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

In a large bowl, mix together the oats, nuts, salt, and spices.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, vanilla, and honey/maple syrup. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir well until completely coated.

Spread the mixture onto baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes, taking out of the oven and stirring every 10 minutes until golden brown.
After sitting out of the oven for a bit, the granola will crisp up.
When cool, add dried cranberries if desired. 

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

 

Folks, it's punkin season. And I cannot contain myself.
I want to put pumpkin in everything.
Pumpkin granola, pumpkin bread, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin tea, pumpkin pie, ...pumpkin toothpaste.
 Hey maybe some day it'll catch on.

Pumpkin makes me want Christmas even more. It puts me in the spirit of the season where all I want is to bake things with nutmeg, cinnamon, and molasses. I love these autumn spices. They're warm and sassy and I just want to wear a sweater and be with family.


These cookies are like a hybrid of pumpkin (wonderful) and snickerdoodles (delicious) and you put them together for a soft, cakey cookie rolled in just the right amount of sugar and spice. Spice girls cookies. So tell me what I want what I really really want.
 Pumpkin! That's what.

 

The cookies are rolled into tablespoon size balls and coated in sugar and spice.

 Something about rolling cookie dough in sugar just puts me in a good mood.

 They're light and squishy and completely yummy

 Cookie town!

They're super moist and airy on the inside. 

Like little punkin' clouds

 Sink your teeth into the season of pumpkin! Which is also the season of  happiness!

 

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

from: Annie's Eats

makes about 3-4 dozen cookies

        Ingredients: 

For the cookies:
3¾ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the coating:
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Whisk to blend and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.  Blend in the pumpkin puree.  Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated.  With the mixer on low speed add in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.  Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.  Combine the sugar and spices for the coating in a bowl and mix to blend.  Scoop the dough (about 2½ tablespoons) and roll into a ball.  Coat the dough ball in the sugar-spice mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining dough to fill the sheets, spacing the dough balls 2-3 inches apart.  Dip the bottom of a flat, heavy-bottomed drinking glass in water, then in the sugar-spice mixture, and use the bottom to flatten the dough balls slightly.  Recoat the bottom of the glass in the sugar-spice mixture as needed.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until just set and baked through.  Let cool on the baking sheets about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Repeat with the remaining dough.  Store in an airtight container.

Cupcakes and Cuban Food

Truth: There's nothing I like better than baking for people I love, and eating good food with people I love.

I try to do it as much as I can. Making people happy through food is the best. Food+Friends=Yes.

This weekend was my friend Sarah's birthday and I had to find a recipe to really knock her socks off. She has a major sweet tooth and is a lover of cookie dough and s'mores so when I found this recipe on Joy's blog I knew it was perfect. The look on her face when I described the components of the cupcakes was priceless...pure joy. Made it all worthwhile :) She absolutely loved them...Success!

These cupcakes require a bit of assembly...

Kitchen staff hard at work. They were paid well in leftover cupcake scraps :)

Boop! Topped with little balls of cookie dough!

Fluffy marshmallow meringue mountains. I would like to sled down that mountain...with my tongue. 

Put under the broiler to roast the marshmallow topping. Things are getting intense.

Can you handle it?

Brace yourselves. Because this recipe is not for the faint of heart. 

This recipe is dangerously delicious.

For the sweetest of sweet tooths.... Teeths? hm.

Chocolate, Peanut Butter Cookie Dough, Toasted Marshmallow Cupcakes

makes 24 cupcakes
From: Joy The Baker

For the Cupcakes:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons white vinegar
2 cups cold water

For the Cookie Dough Balls:

1 stick (1/2 cup or 4 ounces) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons natural peanut butter
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

For the Meringue:

4 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
large pinch of salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners and set aside.
In a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients together.  Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, water, vanilla extract and vinegar.
Slowly whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients being careful not to overmix.  The mixture should be wet.
Pour the batter until the cups are two thirds full and place in the oven for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cup comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then place on a wire rack until completely cool before topping with cookie dough ball.

For the Cookie Dough Balls:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about three minutes in the machine.  Beat in peanut butter along with the vanilla extract and stir to combine.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Add all at once to the butter and sugar mixture and stir until incorporated.  Fold in chocolate chips.
Spoon a scant tablespoons size amount of dough in your hand.  Roll into a ball and place on a cookie sheet.  Make 24 little cookie dough balls, and refrigerate until ready to top the cupcakes.

For the Meringue:

In a large pot, bring about 2 inches of water to a simmer.
In a large, heat-proof bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar, corn syrup and salt.  The mixture will be grainy, because of the sugar.
Place bowl over simmering water and whisk as it heats.  The sugar will dissolve after about 5 minutes.  Keep and eye on the mixture, it shouldn’t get warm enough to cook the eggs
Transfer the egg white and sugar mixture to the bowl of an electric stand mixer.  With a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, on high, until stiff peaks form (about 5 minutes)  The mixture will be fluffy and glossy and look like melted marshmallows.  It is very sticky, too. Beat in the vanilla extract last.   Cover, and set aside until ready to frost cupcakes.

To Assemble Cupcakes:

Use a small paring knife to cut a 3/4-inch whole out of the top/center of the cupcakes.  Don’t cut the whole center of the cupcake out… just make a little hole for the dough ball to rest without rolling off.
Place dough balls on top of cupcakes.
Place meringue frosting in a pastry bag (or large Ziplock bag) fitted with a medium-large tip.   Pipe frosting around the edges of the cupcake and over the dough ball in a circular motion. 

Place 12 cupcakes on a baking sheet.  Place cupcakes under the broiler for about 1 minute.
Keep a close eye on them! I didn't even close the oven door. Frequently rotate the cupcakes while in the oven. Once toasted, remove cupcakes, and toast the remaining 12 in the same fashion.
Serve and enjoy!



We enjoyed an expertly cooked meal by the famous chef: Papa Lupe.
Traditional arroz con pollo with black bean soup, Cuban bread, and plantains.
Super yummy. Yes to all of the above.
It was the best meal I've had in a while!

Party hats. Necessary.

I would like to marry this

One of my favorite meals. Never ever will tire of it