Cranberry Maple Nut Granola

If I'm not eating something delicious, I'm usually thinking about making something delicious. Case in point, my life so far. Similarly to last week's cookie craving, this week has been all about granola. I happen to be a huge fan of these golden, nutty clusters. From the time I wake up in the morning, through my mid-day snack slump to right before dinner, I can be found sneaking a handful of granola. I love keeping it around the house, but store-bought granola can be so expensive, so I started making my own. For my cranberry maple nut granola, I toss rolled oats, sliced almonds and raw cashews in a honey-maple brown sugar sauce. I heat light brown sugar, white sugar, dark maple syrup and honey over the stovetop, which makes the sauce easier to toss with the granola and gives all those wonderful flavors plenty of time to get to know each other. Surprisingly delicate and mild, the flavors in the honey-maple sauce all balance one another beautifully.

As far as my preferences go, I like my granola lightly browned with a bit of crunch. I place my baking sheets in the lower third of the oven and bake them over low heat for approximately 2 hours or until they are lightly browned and dry. It takes a little extra time, but all that love and patience will make the results well worth the wait.

Cranberry Maple Nut Granola

Ingredients

4 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup Grade A Dark Amber Maple Syrup ( I use the darker-colored maple syrup, which has a richer flavor)

1/4 cup honey

1/3 cup light extra virgin olive oil or other neutral tasting oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup raw, unsalted cashews, roughly chopped

3/4 cup unsweetened coconut

3/4 cup slivered almonds

1 1/3 cup dried cranberries

In a large saucepan, bring the brown sugar, white sugar, maple syrup, honey, and water to a boil. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the oats, cashews, almonds, coconut and salt. Stir oil and vanilla into sugar mixture; pour over oat mixture and toss to coat. Transfer to two 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pans coated with cooking spray. Adjust the oven racks to the lower third of the oven and bake at 250° for approximately 2 hours or until dry and lightly browned, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks. Toss in the dried cranberries. Store in an airtight container.

Breakfast for Dinner: Vegetable Omelettes

Breakfast for dinner is one of those brilliant little feats that makes my world go 'round. Who can resist a short stack of pancakes or eggs with crispy bacon at such an inappropriate hour? Not this girl. I go for fluffy omelettes loaded with veggies and golden brown home fries on the side. So throw on your pajamas and grab your favorite coffee mug, because breakfast is served.

Vegetable Omelettes

2-3 tbsp Olive Oil (You want just enough to evenly coat the pan)

2 Large Eggs, beaten

A splash of milk

1/8 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Freshly Cracked Pepper

2 slices of Swiss Cheese

A Handful of Spinach (very scientific, I know)

1/3 Cup Sauteed Mushrooms

3 Grape Tomatoes, thinly sliced

A Quick Tip: Omelettes take very little time to cook. For that reason, it is important to have all your ingredients in place and ready. This will make your cooking process more smooth and efficient.

In a 10 inch skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. You want the oil very hot, but not smoking. If by chance this happens, briefly turn off the heat and remove the skillet. Once the skillet cools down, return it to the stovetop. While the oil heats, crack the eggs in a bowl, add the milk, season with salt and pepper and whisk vigorously. Once the pan is ready, pour the eggs into the pan. You should hear a nice crackling sound. That's exactly what you want. Immediately cover the eggs with a lid or plate for approximately 1 minute. Remove the lid and take a quick look. You want the eggs to be slightly puffed and a little runny on top. Now it's time to flip the omelette. My dad has a technique which I have dubbed the "Lift and Flip" method. Lift the skillet with one hand and place the spatula under the eggs with the other and flip. Lower the heat to medium-high. While the other side is browning, arrange two slices of swiss cheese, the spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes on one side of the omelette. Slide your spatula underneath the omelette and fold it in half. To create a seal, press down on the omelette with the spatula. This will keep all of the veggies inside and make your omelette more compact. Remove the omelette from the heat and enjoy. Serves 1.

Breakfast for Dinner: Home Fries

Breakfast for dinner is one of those brilliant little feats that makes my world go 'round. Who can resist a short stack of pancakes or eggs with crispy bacon at such an inappropriate hour? Not this girl. I go for fluffy omelettes loaded with veggies and golden brown home fries on the side. So throw on your pajamas and grab your favorite coffee mug, because breakfast is served.

Home Fries

Ingredients

3 tbsp Olive Oil

1 1/2 lbs Red A Potatoes, halved or quartered. (Try to keep them roughly the same size)

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

1 tbsp Fines Herbes

1/4 tsp Dried Whole Rosemary Leaf (You can also use fresh rosemary as well)

In a 12 inch skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, fines herbes & rosemary, cooking until fragrant. Adjust the heat to medium high, add the potatoes and drizzle them with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. This will coat the potatoes and prevent sticking. Season with salt and freshly cracked pepper. Turn the potatoes sparingly. This will help maintain a crisp golden crust and ensure even browning. Pan fry the potatoes for approximately 45 minutes-1 hour or until they are fork tender and golden brown. Once you can easily insert a fork into the potatoes, they are fully cooked. If not serving immediately, cover and place the potatoes in an oven safe dish at 200℉ until ready to serve. Serves 4.