More Pumpkin Things

• How did it get to be nearly Thanksgiving?  I started this post, or at least the initial inspiration for this post, a year ago when it was just a few weeks away from Thanksgiving 2018.  And here we are.  A mere two-ish weeks away from Thanksgiving 2019.
• So, before everything turns to the Peppermint Things, I am going to sneak in a Pumpkin Thing.  And a Granola Thing, because in the years I've been writing this blog, how have I not shared a granola recipe???  It's so gloriously adaptable.  Make it your way and you have no excuse to skip breakfast.  It's healthy-ish.  Add milk and you've got a lovely cereal.  Add yogurt, a drizzle of honey, and some fruit and you have a Breakfast of Champions.  
• You can easily half this recipe as I initially made it to take to the neighborhood produce exchange that I never made it to.  Or just keep the amounts as is and gift everyone at your Thanksgiving dinner to a take home treat.
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Pumpkin Granola
Makes about 11 cups
Adapted from Nekisia Davis' Olive Oil & Maple Granola

6 cups rolled oats

1 cup pepitas

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup sliced almonds

1 1/2 cups unsweetened, shredded coconut

1 1/4 cup maple syrup

1 cup canola oil

1 cups packed dark brown sugar

1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

Kosher salt, a generous pinch

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, add rolled oats, pepitas, sunflower seeds, almonds, and coconut.  Mix well.  Gradually add maple syrup and canola oil.  Mix well to incorporate liquids into dry ingredients.  Once mixed, add brown sugar, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice (or your own combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and ginger).  Add salt to taste.

Split granola mixture between two parchment lined cookie sheets and bake on separate racks in oven.  Bake for 50-60 minutes.  Halfway through bake time, be sure to turn granola and rotate cookie sheets.  Remove from oven when granola is golden brown.  Allow to cool completely before storing in airtight containers.  Will last for at least two weeks.

Another Valentine's Day...

...and another visit from me saying 'hey there!'  I know it's a little late in the game, but if you have an hour or two to spare and aren't planning on surprising your love first thing in the morning,  you can make these shortbread cookies for giving later.  Don't forget to save a couple for yourself.

What I love about shortbread cookies is how easy they are to bake and how you will most likely have everything already on hand.  Now let me tell you what I love about this shortbread recipe--it uses brown sugar instead of granulated white.  In other words, it takes the cookie a notch above the rest, giving it a little less crumble, a tiny bit more chew, and a touch of warmth from the molasses.

Brown Sugar and Orange Shortbread
Adapted from the Brown Sugar Shortbread recipe from Lick the Bowl Good by Monica Holland

1 cup butter, unsalted, room temperature

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cornstarch

1/8 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp orange zest (about what you'll get from a medium sized orange)

Sugar sprinkles (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment and set aside.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the zest and mix thoroughly.  Gradually add the flour, etc until incorporated.  Turn the dough out onto the counter until you produce a smooth dough.  Between two sheets of parchment or wax paper, roll the dough out until it's about 1/4 inch thick.  Chill for half an hour.  Cut into desired shape---the original recipe was cut into 2x1 inch rectangles---I used an inch and half round cookie cutter.  Makes hearts, diamonds, squares--whatever you want.  

Prick the dough with a fork.  If you're going to top them with sugar sprinkles, wash tops lightly with milk and sprinkle on sugar. I used King Arthur Flour's Sparkling White Sugar (red sugar sprinkles would be entirely appropriate too).  Place about an inch apart on cookie sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes or until bottoms are a light golden brown.  Let cookies set for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet before moving to a cooling rack.  

If you want to score bonus points, package them up in cute little Valentine's boxes or cello bags.

I know I haven't been around lately.  Do I  have a good reason?  Not really.  Life sometimes gets in the way.  I'm hoping to make this more of a habit again.  Let's do this!

Here We Are.

A week into 2017.  A new year.  A year of possibilities, clean slates, and brighter days. A year of uncertainty, fragile emotions, opportunities for change. Once again...I have no resolutions made, just the desire to change bad habits into smarter life choices.  Happy to be finished with the holidays and too many days laden with sweets and more sugar than I knew what to do with.  But...truth be told, I'm kicking this year off with a little sweetness, but not so overtly that it will give you a sugar headache.

I've been toying with the idea of giving up sugar, trying a Whole 30 kind of clean-eating deal, and giving up coffee...but honestly, it's just not gonna happen.  Like I said...it's a time for smarter life choices.  Moderation.  Focusing.  Being more aware of my actions.  I've made the same promises to myself for the past few years and find myself in the same place.  And deeply unsatisfied and unhappy.  At some point over the past couple of months, I realized that I was eating to fill myself up, but it wasn't just the physical hunger I was trying to satisfy.

No, this isn't a counseling session, but it is me putting it out to the universe that the choices will be different this year.  The wherewithal to move forward, continually, expect to stumble, and embrace those stumbles and mis-steps instead of getting discouraged and giving up.

So...I keep the sweetness in my life.  And I share this one with you.  

Sweet Onion and Apple Jam

1 large Vidalia or Sweet Maui onion, sliced thin (about 2 cups)

3 medium apples, peeled and grated (large hole on box grater, about 2-2 1/2 cups)

2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup water

juice of half a small lemon, preferably Meyer

Slice the onion as thin as you can and put into a medium saucepan along with the grated apples, ginger, brown sugar, water, and lemon juice.  Mix thoroughly and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Let boil for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Lower temperture and let simmer until mixture reduces.  Be sure to stir so it doesn't stick.  Refrigerate to keep for about a week.  Notes:  I used Golden Delicious apples, but feel free to use whatever you like or have on hand.  Powdered ginger would work fine if it's what you have, but to me, nothing beats that zing of fresh ginger.

I made this as an accompaniment for a good cheddar on crackers (my mind is still in holiday party mode), but as you see below, this is pretty fabulous on a bagel and cream cheese.  I'd try it on roasted chicken or pork (another suggestion), and it would probably make a great layer in a sandwich.