Yes. Please.

PUMPKIN-CRUNCH GRANOLA

I love granola. Period.

My dad was the granola maker in my family growing up. Huge vats of the stuff every week or so. Fragrant, golden chunks bathing in cold milk, or tossed on top of warm, cinnamon-applesauce, sprinkled over a fruit crisp, or simply in a baggie, eaten with grubby hands, outside in a swing.

Granola means homey-comfort, to me.

And what's so great about any recipe is the chance to do whatever you want with it. The add-in's are endless. Go as down-home or gourmet as you feel! Breakfast (lunch, dinner, brunch, linner, midnight snack, or just-because) is better for it.

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1/4 cup pure pumpkin puree

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice (OR 1 t. cinnamon, 1/2 t. ginger, 1/4 t. cloves, 1/8 t. nutmeg)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup chopped pecans (OR walnuts, macadamia nuts, coconut, etc)

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In a medium bowl combine the pumpkin, maple syrup, brown sugar, butter, spice, vanilla, and salt. Stir in the oats and nuts until every flake is coated.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Coat an 11-inch baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray and spread the oat mixture evenly. Bake for 45 minutes (stirring every 15 minutes) or until deep brown. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container. Makes approx 15 (1/4-cup) servings.

Nuttier than...well...just about anything!

NUTTY GRANOLA

I LOVE THIS GRANOLA!!

The combinations are absolutely endless and you can add, or subtract till you're...NUTS!

Okay...enough with the puns. But it's so good. I have a huge, pretty glass container of it on my counter at all times. Almost. It empties quickly...but it's easy to mix up and freezes great, if you need to do that.

This makes a lot - but sometimes I double the batch because it's not double the work. Stored in the freezer in ziploc bags it's ready and waiting when you are!

Sprinkle on yogurt, use as a crust for fruit crisp, eat out of hand, or in a big bowl of icy milk, or make into trail mix with added M&M's or dried fruit - any way is fabulous.

My dad used to make the granola in our house...brings back great memories of him in the kitchen. He-man baker...yep, he was. I miss those days, but can relive them through every batch. As my house wakes up to the smell of cinnamon and maple syrup and the toasty scent of nuts and oats, it sends me straight back to childhood.

I hope this becomes a favorite in your house, too...

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I have one of the BIG stainless bowls - two and a half feet across, maybe. I mix it AND bake it in that - works great. I'm not kidding when I say it makes a LOT. Halve the recipe if you don't want to OD on granola!

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Vegetable Cooking Spray
6 cups old-fashioned oats OR 3 cups old-fashioned and 3 cups quick
1 cup almonds (sliced, or slivered)
1 cup cashew halves OR macadamias (roasted, salted)
1 cup sunflower seeds (raw or roasted)
1 cup peanuts (roasted, salted OR honey or toffee roasted)
1 cup pecan halves
1 cup coconut
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup sesame seeds or flax seeds
1 cup vegetable oil
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup brown sugar OR combo of white and brown

1 cup honey or maple syrup (pancake syrup is fine)
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (try almond or maple or...)
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

In a large bowl, coated with vegetable cooking spray, combine oats, almonds, cashews, sun seeds, peanuts, pecans, coconut, wheat germ, and sesame or flax seeds. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, stir together until melted the oil, butter, brown sugar, syrup or honey, peanut butter, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pour over the oat mixture and stir very well, until all is coated.

If the bowl you are mixing it in is metal put it directly into the oven. (Spread it up the sides so more of the surface is getting toasted.) If not, spread mixture into a large roasting pan or a large baking sheet. (May have to bake in two batches if using a baking sheet.) Place in oven and bake, stirring every 25 minutes, until golden brown and the oats lose their 'raw' taste. (Takes 2 1/2 hours or longer when I use the bowl. The pan will be more like 1 1/2-2 hours.)

**A half batch won't take as long to bake. The thinner it's spread out, the faster it toasts.