It's snooooooooowing!

[osprey_archer]

It's snoooooooowing! Or rather, it was snowing earlier, and if there is one thing better than sitting inside toasty warm watching the snow fall outside the window, it is arriving home after a long drive and then being inside toasty warm watching the snow that you are no longer driving through fall.

I am back in my hometown for a doctor's appointment tomorrow, and I am planning to make chocolate muffins with peanut butter chips tonight. Back when I was in high school, I used to buy one of these at the local grocery store every Saturday - it was about a mile walk, and I would get the muffin and walk across the parking lot to the newly opened Starbucks and get a hot chocolate and eat it with my muffin.

Then the grocery store stopped selling chocolate peanut butter chip muffins, because I guess they didn't realize that that is the most perfect muffin ever and they should have sold them into perpetuity. I mourned these muffins for years before realizing that I could, in fact, make them myself - they're particularly good with the peanut butter chips studded over the top so they get just a little bit toasted in the oven.

I've also been thinking about learning how to roast my own granola, although now that I'm looking at recipes I'm no longer sure that this would, in fact, be cheaper than just buying granola at the supermarket. But on the other hand, think of all the variations you can try! Honey or maple syrup? Almonds or cashews? Almonds and cashews? And of course there are pecan possibilities for that delicious autumn flavor! (It is getting late for autumn flavor, what with the snow and all, so maybe next year for that.)

Comments

[isiscolo.livejournal.com]

I make my own granola - it's quite easy, and although it's probably not any cheaper than buying it, it's so much better because I can pack it with goodies and there's no filler. (Actually, depending on how much nuts you want to add, and whether you are okay with bulk supermarket nuts or get the expensive local organic nuts, it may or may not be expensive.)

Here's my recipe:

4-5 cups of rolled oats (I like thick-rolled)
.5-1 cup optional kashi/buckwheat groats
.5 cup optional seeds (pumpkin, sunflower)
.5 cups optional flaked unsweetened coconut
If using cashews, add them now because they taste better slightly sweetened/roasted
Spice (cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, ginger)
Mix in large bowl

In pyrex measuring cup, combine 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup honey or combination of honey/maple syrup/brown rice syrup/molasses, microwave briefly, mix, and pour over oat mixture and distribute evenly. I personally prefer either all honey or half honey or brown rice syrup and half maple. All maple is too maple-y for me. A little vanilla or almond extract is optional (I usually don't).

Spread on a silicone mat on a baking sheet, bake at 300F for 30 minutes, and then allow to harden. If you don't have the silicone mat you will need to mix it regularly while it hardens or it will harden to the baking sheet. Then combine it with dried fruit and nuts.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

My mother gave me her recipe too, so I should have plenty to choose from! Hers has lots of maple syrup, which is perhaps a little more maple than I want in my breakfast.