Weather: 40 degrees, sunny and crisp… no snow yet
What I’m listening to: Backyardigans Halloween Special
A friend from my hometown in Northern California, who is also one of my subscribers, sent me a wonderful food gift of straight-off-the-farm California walnuts after reading this post about the high cost of nuts in Alaska. Since that time, I’ve been looking for a great way to highlight my beautiful walnuts in a recipe.
Granola seems like perfect food for The Last Frontier (a.k.a. Alaska), but it’s also quite costly here. It’s simple to make granola at home and it’s healthier and more cost-effective as well… as are almost all things homemade. Plus, you get the added family fun of customizing it to your own tastes or making scrumptious seasonal varieties. In fact, I think seasonal homemade granola would make a wonderful gift. It’s delicious with milk for breakfast, over yogurt and/or fruit, or as an ice cream topping. Or you can go really crazy and eat it by the handful as an afternoon snack. Crunchy, wholesome goodness.
Keep checking back; I already have more granola recipe inspirations brewing. And, I suspect we’ll also see the California walnuts used again sometime as well. Just a hunch.
Pumpkin Granola with Walnuts & Raisins
- Dry Ingredients:
- 3c rolled oats (not quick oats)
- 1t cinnamon
- 1/2t nutmeg
- 1/2t ginger, ground
- 1/4t allspice
- 1/4t cloves, ground
- 1/2t salt
- Wet Ingredients:
- 3/4c brown sugar
- 1/2c pumpkin puree
- 1/4c pure maple syrup
- 1/4c oil (I used Canola)
- 1t vanilla
- Set Aside:
- 1/2c walnuts, chopped
- 1/2c raisins
Preheat oven to 325. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray foil with cooking spray.
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir until combined.
In another bowl, mix wet ingredients until smooth. Pour wet into dry ingredients. Stir until all the oats are coated.
Spread in a thin layer over the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. Pull pan out of oven and stir oats. Smooth back out into a thin layer and sprinkle on walnuts. Spray whole pan with a light coating of non-stick spray. Return to oven for 15 more minutes.
Remove pan from oven and stir granola again and sprinkle on raisins. Set on a cooling rack. Once cool, store in an airtight container or bag.