Chewy Granola

Chewy granola is perfect to have fresh or prepared in advance. It is great for a quick snack or a healthy breakfast. This granola is delicious eaten plain or along with raw honey, fresh fruit and plain yogurt.

4 1/2 cups organic old fashion rolled oats

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

2 cups shredded coconut

1 1/4 cups pure maple syrup

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup raisins

1 1/2 dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

With a large spoon combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add oil and maple syrup, stirring together until mixed well.

Pour mixture into large rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 15 to 20 min or until lightly brown on top, pull out of oven to stir occasionally. Be careful the granola can burn fast or dry out if over cooked.

After granola has cooled place in an airtight container for storage.

Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie

When one is looking for the perfect party outfit, with an unlimited budget, the department store Neiman Marcus containing some of fashions most sought after designers might come to ones mind. When one is looking for the perfect party desert, Neiman Marcus may not be the first to come to one’s mind. It may be hard to believe, but Neiman Marcus knows how to put a fabulous Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe together, without one having an unlimited budget. If you are able to try the Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip cookie recipe let me know what you think.

Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie

(This Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe below was taken from the Neiman Marcus website)

Yields about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:


½ cup (one stick) butter, softened


1 cup light brown sugar


3 tablespoons granulated sugar


1 large egg


2 teaspoons vanilla extract


1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour


½ teaspoon baking soda


½ teaspoon baking powder


½ teaspoon salt


1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips


1 ½ teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Place the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in the work bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds, until the mixture is fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla for 30 seconds longer, until well combined.

In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to the mixer, while beating on slow speed. Beat for about 15 seconds, stir in the chocolate chips and espresso powder, and mix for 15 seconds longer.

Prepare a cookie sheet with about 2 tablespoons of shortening (or use a non-stick spray). Using a 1-ounce scoop, or using a 2 tablespoon measure, drop the cookie dough onto the cookie sheet in dollops about 3 inches apart. Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into 2-inch circles; there should be room on the sheet of six or eight cookies at a time. Transfer to the oven in batches and bake for about 20 minutes or until the cookies are nicely browned around the edges. Bake for a little longer for crispier cookies. 

Lemon Orange Limeade

This drink is a great alternative to store bought lemonade, as well as a great natural sore throat remedy.

        Ingredients

        2 oranges

        2 lemon

        1 lime

        3 tablespoons honey

        4 ½  cups of water

Squeeze the lemons, oranges and lime, pour into blender with one cup of water. Blend for around thirty seconds. Pour the rest of the water in a pitcher. Combine the blended mixture with the rest of the water in the pitcher. Stir then serve. Store the Lemon Orange Limeade covered in a refrigerator. 

Healthier Pumpkin Pie

As the weather is quickly getting colder, pumpkin pie is a perfect desert to have around. I first made this recipe with my sister-in-law after she went pumpkin picking. We were looking for a good pumpkin pie recipe with a healthier twist. So, we took a pumpkin pie recipe we found online and made some changes to our liking.

Serves 12 people

Ingredients

2 organic whole wheat pie crust 9” (usually found in the freezer and 2 usually come in one package)

1 cup pure maple syrup

¾ cup of half & half

1 cup mascarpone cheese

2 cups of fresh pumpkin puree or 1 can (15 ounces) of unsweetened pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

4 eggs

Pumpkin Part

Bake a fresh pumpkin in the oven for about an hour or longer depending on the size of the pumpkin in convection bake at 325° F, or buy a can of pumpkin puree at the grocery store.

With a sharp knife cut fresh pumpkin into fourths, then scrape out the inside seeds and stringy part of the pumpkin. Put pumpkin face down in a covered baking pan. Place in oven for around an hour (for a medium size pumpkin) or longer, checking with fork until the pumpkin is soft. After pumpkin softens, pull out of oven and let cool. With a fork, pull the pumpkin insides away from skin and place into a food processor or blender. Measure 2 cups and put to the side for pie filling.

Pie Filling Part

Preheat oven convection bake 350° F. Pour maple syrup in a medium pot on medium heat for about two minute or until frothy. Lower heat then add half & half while stirring (be cautious hot mixture may splatter up while adding). It will turn into a caramel looking mixture when smooth. Then add mascarpone cheese. Keep on low heat until the lumps from the cheese are dissolved. Turn heat off and let mixture cool.

While mixture is cooling in a medium size bowl, mix together pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, salt and nutmeg and place to the side. In small bowl, beat eggs lightly with a fork then add to the pumpkin mixture. After the caramel like sauce has cooled add to the pumpkin mixture, stirring until smooth.

With the oven preheated, pull pie shells out of the freezer and place on baking sheets. Pour the pumpkin mixture into shells. Place in oven for about an hour or longer until the center is set, but the middle still moves a little. When the pies are done pull them out of oven. Let pies cool before serving, cover and store in refrigerator. Pumpkin pie is especially delicious with whipped cream or ice cream.

Graham Apple Cream Cheese Desert

Graham Apple Cream Cheese Desert

Ingredients

For the graham cracker crust

¾ box (2 pkg. from box) of honey graham crackers

6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted

For the apple filling

3 tablespoons of unsalted butter

4 to 5 Fuji apples or another kind you prefer

1½ teaspoons of ground cinnamon

For the topping

2   8 oz. packages of cream cheese

4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened

¾ to 1 cup of organic raw* honey

2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 175 degrees

Place graham crackers into large zip lock bag seal shut use a fork or rolling pin to smash into crumbs. Place graham cracker crumbs into a 9 x 9 inch baking dish. In a pan on low heat melt butter for the crust. Pour the melted butter into the graham cracker crumbs mixing with a fork. After the graham cracker crumbs are coated with butter press down with fork spreading the crumbs until even. Place dish into preheated oven for around 7 minutes or until the graham cracker crumbs appear to be sticking together.

While the dish is in oven cut apples into thin slices with skins or without skins whichever way you prefer. Place to the side and pull dish out of oven. In a large pan over low heat on stovetop melt butter for the apple filling. Place cut apples, honey and cinnamon in melted butter keep heat on low stirring until apples are slightly soften.

After apples soften pour apple mixture into graham cracker crust and let cool. In an electric mixer place the butter, cream cheese and milk for frosting, set mixer on medium speed, beat until smooth. Mix in vanilla and honey. Add more honey or vanilla if desired. With a smooth butter knife spread frosting evenly over the apples. Let cool in refrigerator for at least an hour and serve or store in refrigerator up three to four days. 


*Organic Raw honey can offer a variety of health benefits. Among the many benefits eating organic raw honey can increase a person’s energy level or even calm an upset stomach. Most brands of honey have been heated and filtered into a liquid unless labeled raw. Liquefied honey has a greater appeal to consumers while making the packaging process easier for sellers. Once the honey has been heated the natural enzymes, vitamins and other nutritional benefits found in honey are destroyed or partially destroyed due to heat damage. Non-organic raw honey can contain pesticides. Organic raw honey not only is a healthier choice for consumers, but also a tastier choice. Many health food stores and online stores sell organic raw honey. 

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Thriving Foodie