Maple and Brown Sugar Granola

We love granola around here; it's our breakfast nearly every day.  Except weekends, when we have whole wheat buttermilk waffles.

When I was a little kid, I used to love the maple and brown sugar oatmeal, and so I decided one day to tweak our favorite granola recipe by adding some maple syrup.

I took one bite after the granola was ready and happily exclaimed that it tasted just like the oatmeal I used to love.  Since then, I haven't gone back to making our old favorite granola, I just make this one!

Maple and Brown Sugar Granola

Ingredients

• 6 C old fashioned oats (or a mixture with quick cook oats)
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1/4 C maple syrup
• 2 T butter
• 1/3 C water
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• pinch of salt

Directions

In a large bowl, combine 6 C oats with 1 tsp. cinnamon and a pinch of salt.  Using a saucepan, melt 2 T butter, and then add in 1/3 C water, 1/2 C brown sugar and 1/4 C maple syrup.  Stir well.  Bring the mixture to a boil and stir for 1 minute.  Then, remove the mixture from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes.  

Pour the syrup mixture over the oats and stir to combine.  

Spread the granola onto a half sheet cake jelly roll pan, or two standard sized cookie sheets.  

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, stirring every 10.  For extra crunchy granola, turn off the oven and leave the granola in the oven while it cools back down.  Stir occasionally.  You will want to be sure to watch the granola carefully during cooking until you get a feel for how your oven will bake it so that it does not burn.  

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month, or in the freezer for longer.  But, don't worry, it won't last that long.  

Zucchini Maple Sausage Pie

One of the things I love about blogging is the creativity of all of you.  This recipe comes from a recipe I posted back in December of 2008… back what just a few kind souls were reading this little corner on the web. 

Who knew my friend Sandra, who has an awesome cooking blog, would take that recipe and put her own spin on it! 

Seeing this recipe a few months ago just made my day. When I saw that she added maple sausage and spaghetti noodles, I knew it would be even better than the original.  And, it was. 

Zucchini Maple Sausage Pie – Inspired by Sandra

Ingredients

• 4 C sliced zucchini (sliced 1/4 inch thick)
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• sea salt, to taste
• 1/2 lb. Italian turkey sausage*
• 1/8 C maple syrup
• 1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
• 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 2 C cottage cheese
• 1 C cooked, whole wheat spaghetti or linguini noodles
• 4 oz. Colby Jack Cheese, shredded

Directions

Begin by slicing the zucchini into rounds about 1/2 inch thick.  Place these slices in a large bowl and toss with olive oil.

Place the zucchini on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.  Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. 

Roast in an oven heated to 450; roasting for 15ish minutes until softened and slightly browned on the bottom.

Meanwhile, brown the ground turkey sausage.  Add in the garlic and Italian seasoning while the turkey sausage browns. 

 
White the Italian sausage browns, being boiling a pot of water for your pasta. 

Back to the browning sausage now; add in the maple syrup and stir to mix well.  Continue heating the mixture until the maple syrup kind of begins to thicken around the sausage.  Then, add in the tomato sauce.  Simmer for about 5 minutes, or until zucchini and pasta are ready. 

Remove the zucchini from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Lightly grease an 8x8 glass baking dish.  Arrange 1/3 of the sliced zucchini on the bottom of the pan. 

Spread 1/2 of the Italian sausage mixture over the top. 

Then, drop 1 C of cottage cheese over the top of the sauce. 

Place 1/2 of the prepared pasta over the cheese layer. 

Layer on the next 1/3 of the zucchini.

Top with the remaining sauce, and then the remaining cottage cheese.

Then, add those noodles again.  Top with remaining zucchini. 

Sprinkle the cheese over the noodles.

Bake the dish, uncovered, at 325 for 35-40 minutes.

Serve warm. 

*If you have maple seasoned sausage, omit the maple syrup. 

Linked to: Recipe Sharing Monday, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Your Recipe, My Kitchen

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Maple Oat Scones

I've never made scones before -- in fact, I don't believe I've ever had a real scone before.  Sure, I've made muffin-like scones {lemon blueberry ones!}, but not real scones.  The kind you buy in the coffee shop scones.

A few weeks ago I had a conversation with a friend asking me if I had a recipe for Maple Oat Scones -- and I set out on a quest to develop a recipe for such a request.

These were delightful to enjoy with a warm cup of apple honey tea on a sunny fall Saturday morning!  Perfect for before and after our morning walk ;-)

Hey... Pippin says there are first and second breakfasts, right?!

Maple Oat Scones - Finding Joy in My Kitchen
{Print Recipe}

Scones
1 egg
1/2 C buttermilk
1/4 C maple syrup
2 1/4 C white whole wheat flour
1/2 C quick cooking oats
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
4 T butter, cubed

Glaze
1/4 - 1/2 C powdered sugar
1/8 C maple syrup
1 T milk

Mix together egg, buttermilk and maple syrup.

Then, in another bowl, combine the dry ingredients.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the moist ingredients.

Then, slowly add the cubed butter to the mixing batter and allow the dough to knead for 5ish minutes.  I used my mixer to do this.

Shape the dough into a ball, and then freeze for 5 minutes.

Then, roll the dough flat into a large rectangle.

Roll up the dough and press with your hands to flatten.  The dough should now resemble a rectangle.

Slice the rectangle into 4 equal portions.

Cut each portion diagonally in half.

Place the halves onto a cookie sheet.  Bake at 425 for 18 minutes, until scones are lightly browned.

Meanwhile, mix the powdered sugar, syrup and milk together to form a glaze.

Drizzle over the warm scones and serve.

This recipe is linked to:

• Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
• Tasty Tuesdays
• Recipe Swap Thursday
• Ingredient Spotlight: Oats