My Favorite Granola

     So I've been working on this recipe for a little while now, and I've finally perfected it.  It is super easy to make, and super delicious to eat.  Enjoy!

Pecan and Raisin Granola
3 cups old fashioned oats
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup pecans
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup canola, olive, or vegetable oil
2 tbs. water
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 cup raisins (or dried cranberries)

Preheat the oven to 250*F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

In a medium bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Set aside

In a small saucepan, combine oil, water, and syrup.  Over medium heat, bring to a boil, then pour over the oat mixture.  Stir until thoroughly combined.  Spread mixture out on prepared baking sheet.  Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes, until dried and lightly toasted.  Allow to cool.  Add raisins; package. 

Thanksgiving countdown: Tuesday

     So today the baking frenzy continues.  I've got apple pie baking...a recipe I've shared previously.  Later I'll be making gluten-free pineapple upside down cupcakes...or at least attempting to make them.  If they turn out as yummy as I imagine, I'll share that recipe with you too. 


    In the midst of all the Holiday preparations, I still need to feed my family daily, but I really need it to be as easy as possible, and it would be great if the meals I'm making for our nightly dinners could use some of the excess ingredients (celery, carrots, and onions) I have on hand from the Thanksgiving feast I'm busily preparing.  That's where this delicious, and healthy, recipe comes from.   So get out your crockpot and in a few minutes you will have a meal that is sure to satisfy the whole family happily cooking away with very little effort from you. 

Vegetarian Minestrone Soup (for the slow-cooker)

4 c. vegetable broth
4 c. tomato juice
1 tbsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
dash pepper
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
3 medium celery stalks, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 c. fresh mushrooms, chopped
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 c. uncooked rotini pasta

1. Combine all ingredients, except pasta, in 5 qrt. slow cooker
2. Cover and cook on LOW 7-8 hours, until vegetables are tender.

3.  Stir in pasta.  Cover and cook another 15-20 minutes, until pasta is tender.  Serve with breadsticks if desired.

Pineapple Upsidedown Cupcakes

Thanksgiving Countdown: Monday

     First off, let me just remind you that if you are going to be cooking a frozen turkey this year (as I am), and you haven't taken him out of the freezer yet...please stop reading NOW, and go put Mr. Tom Gobbler in your refrigerator so he can thaw before cooking him up for Thursday's feast.
     Now that that is taken care of, it's time to begin baking some of the goodies for the dessert table.  I don't know about you, but oven space and time is going to be somewhat limited in my house come Thanksgiving day, what with a 19 pound Turkey slowly cooking for the better part of the morning.   Today, I've got two pumpkin pies baking.  And I am perfectly aware that the easiest way of preparing said pies is to purchase a mix from Libby's, but I firmly believe that everyone should make one from scratch at least once.  Quite honestly, it isn't that much harder that mixing together the a fore mentioned mix, and here's the recipe that I use:

Pumpkin Pie
Yield: 1 pie

2 c. pumpkin
2/3 c. sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp nutmeg
3 eggs
2/3 c. evaporated milk
1 pastry pie crust

(Note:  Once upon a time, I cooked and pureed fresh pumpkin...now, I use commercially canned organic pumpkin puree).

     In a large mixing bowl combine pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.  Beat lightly with mixer.  Gradually add milk and evaporated milk.  Mix well.
     Pour into pastry lined deep dish pie plate (9").  Bake at 375* for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool on wire rack, and either serve immediately or refrigerate.
     Optional: Serve with whipped cream. 
     Store in refrigerator.

Baked Peaches

I've been experimenting in my kitchen again...with delicious results!  I'm wondering if this dish might make its way on to the Thanksgiving dessert table? Yes, a whole table in my house will be dedicated to desserts this year...Pumpkin Pies, Apple Pie, Pinepple Upside Down Cupcakes (look for the recipes next week)!   And now I had to go ahead and be a mad scientist and create this!   I'm wondering if anyone would mind if I skip the Turkey and stuffing this year, and just serve desserts? 

Baked Peaches
Yield: 2 Servings

1 can sliced peaches, well drained
2 tbs. chopped pecans
2 tbs. brown sugar
1/2 tsp grated orange peel
pinch of ground allspice (freshly ground if you prefer, and I do!)

1. Preheat oven to 350*
2. Place peaches in a 1 qrt baking dish.
3. In a small bowl, combine pecans, brown sugar, orange peel and allspice.
4. Sprinkle over peaches.
5. Bake for 20 minutes

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Yield: 6 servings

1 c. chopped onion
1 c. butter
1 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
3 c. chicken broth
6 c. milk
4 c. chopped and cooked fresh or frozen broccoli
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

In a large pot, saute the onion and butter until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper; cook and stir until smooth and bubbly. Add broth and milk all at once; cook and stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Add broccoli. Simmer, stirring constantly, until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted.

Stir with a wire whisk until smooth and  bubbly.

I use the food processor to coarsley chop the broccoli

Stir consitently until mixture boils and thickens. 

Alterations: Instead of salt, I use whatever savory herbs I have on hand, and lots of them. I also replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth, and double up on the cheese!

Blueberry Muffins

Damon is my child who thrives on routine.  He also is a fan of quick and easy to eat meals.  So when this school year started, we decided that it might be a good idea to stock the freezer full of homemade breads and muffins that could easily be defrosted and eaten for breakfast before school.  He loves them, and he loves being able to choose which muffin he'll have today...Blueberry?  Zucchini?  Banana?  Pumpkin? Strawberry?  Apple?  So this morning he ate the last two of the blueberry variety, so it was time to make a new batch while he was at school this morning.  If you're looking for an easy and nutritious breakfast (possibly made more nutritious by substituting whole wheat flour and  3T honey instead of sugar), this recipe is for you!  Hope you enjoy it!

Blueberry Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins

1 1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup soft butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar until creamy (about 3-4 minutes).  Add egg and milk, and mix well.
4. Add flour mixture, and continue mixing until well combined.  Stir in blueberries.
5. Divide evenly into 12 prepared (greased or paperlined) muffin cups.
6. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Learning to Trust

By nature I'm a worryier. Will there be enough money for this month's bills? Will my children be healthy? Did my children remember to wash their hands after being out in public?

Or maybe it's just that I like to be in control of my world. I've been told I have a type-A personality...that is, I like to be in charge, and I'm good at it. So I find it hard to trust anyone else to do it right. After all, trust, I've been taught, is earned (a trait I may find helpful when my little ones become teenagers).

Everyday I struggle to trust God to meet my needs. I mean, trusting would require me to let go of my control of the situation, and let God do whatever He has planned. It's not that He has ever failed me, or given me reason to doubt. We have food on our table, clothes on our backs, warm beds. Trust just doesn't come easy for me. I'm so focused on the here and now, trying to make all the pieces of my life fit together in this neat little package, that I think sometimes I've missed a bigger blessing on the way.

I want my children be trusting of God, and I know that I must learn this first.  To take my eyes off of today's troubles and focus my attention on my Lord.  And let Him truly be in control. 

Lord, help me to be still today, and trust you.

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10