Chunky, Chewy, Candy Blondies

Is anything better than a massive load of leftover Halloween candy?

Blondies made with leftover Halloween candy!

It may seem counter-intuitive to "get rid" of Halloween candy by simply transforming it into a more decadent treat, but I get sick of candy VERY quickly and there was no way I was going to let Matthew eat as much candy as he wants.  After a couple sugar-highs that were quickly followed by a disasterous, cranky, emotionally scarring sugar crash, I decided it was time for the Halloween candy to go.  Paul and I sorted through it and he plucked out a couple pieces that he wanted and I pulled out all the chocolate.  All the non-chocolate candies (your typical Smarties, Twizzlers, and Jolly Ranchers) were sent to work with Paul in a big bowl to be set out and devoured by his starving office cronies.

After eating an Almond Joy or five, I chopped up the remaining fun-size candy bars and made these blondies.  I picked a recipe that made a sturdier blondie and simply tossed in the candy in place of any other fill-ins, such as chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit.  I was not sure how these were going to taste, considering what a mish-mash of candy went into the batter.  I tossed in Whoppers, Reese's Cups, Hershey Bars, Almond Joys, Twix Bars, Crunch Bars, Snickers, Mounds, and Musketeer Bars.  There was no discrimination when it came to what chocolate bar made it into these babies.  The blondies baked up beautifully and smelled divine, but the real test came when Paul and I sampled them...

They were good!  And not just good, but pretty darn awesome.  The best part about having such a wide variety of candy incorporated into the batter, is that each and every bite was completely different.  It kept your taste buds happy and excited.  Which can be dangerous because it meant you wanted to keep taking bites in order to experience how each piece of candy contributed to the overall flavor of the blondies.  Paul loved them especially and was a little crushed when I instructed him to share them with his co-workers.  He can get a little selfish about these things sometimes.  I sent him to work with them in a big Tupperware container and I'll bet you $200.00 that he has carefully hidden them in one of his office drawers to greedily eat all by himself.

I'll just make him run 5 miles with me this weekend.

*Bonus: Can you find the kitty lurking in the background as I was trying to take this photo? It may be detrimental to his health, but this cat loves baked goods and his chops were watering as he watched me plate these up!

Chunky, Chewy, Candy Blondies
adapted heavily from The Boston Globe

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut up
1/2 cup canola oil
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups assorted, coarsely chopped, fun-size candy bars

Set the oven at 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.

In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt to blend them.

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Remove from the heat, stir in the oil, and scrape the mixture into a large bowl.

Stir the brown and granulated sugar into the butter mixture. Blend in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture. With a spatula, fold in the chopped candy bars.

Transfer the batter to the baking pan, spreading it evenly.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is browned and set.  Let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into neat little squares.  The blondies will keep in an airtight container for about 3 days, but can be frozen for even longer!

TWD: Buttermilk Crumb Muffins

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie featured a simply delightful morning pastry from Marion Cunningham.  These buttermilk crumb muffins were a cinch to put together and, although unassuming and unpretentious in appearance, were undeniably delicious.  Sometimes the simplest ingredients, once stirred together in a certain fashion and combined with other, equally humble pantry staples, can produce a truly memorable treat.

After attending Mass early Sunday morning, my husband and I whipped these together in a jiffy.  We decided to add blueberries to half the batter and made 12 regular size muffins and 2 jumbo muffins.  Instead of shortening (I never have that stuff in the house), I chose to use butter.  The most tedious part about the whole recipe was rubbing the butter into the batter.  Since my butter had been chilled, it took quite a while for the warmth from my fingers to soften the butter enough to properly rub it into the flour/sugar mixture.  And by "quite a while," I mean about 5 minutes.  But, it seemed like forever.  I am usually impatiently hungry on Sunday mornings.

Little man ate two of these the second they emerged from the oven.  In total silence, he ate them with a fork (one of his quirks...heaven forbid his little hands should get dirty!) straight out of the wrapper.  With his cheeks still stuffed full with the remnants of his muffin, he held his plate up and, with a muffled voice, asked: "More...cake?"

I loved these muffins.  I cannot decide whether I prefer the plain muffins or the blueberry version.  They were both delightful. Paul's teeth were blue by the end of breakfast, so I don't think there is any doubt as to which version he liked best!

This was a great recipe and one we will definitely be making again. Next time, I might just dump the whole batter into a cake pan and make it coffee cake style.  Maybe this weekend...

If you would like to give these muffins a try (and I really think you should!), head on over to Alisa's Blog.  She was our host for this week!

Buttery Cornmeal Crescent Rolls

Recently, Paul has been leaving super early in the morning to head into the office to get some extra work done before the daily distractions of scheduled presentations, conference calls, and general office banter begin. Concurrently, Mr. Matthew has been a rather light sleeper.  So, when Paul leaves the house at 5:00 AM, Matthew inevitably lets himself into my bedroom to shove his cheerful, fully awake little face into mine: "Hi Mommy! Cereal? Breakfast?"

Ugh.

I have tried to dissuade him from eating such an early breakfast by inviting him to climb into bed next to me and go back to sleep.  This usually ends with me dozing off briefly, only to suddenly awaken to the unpleasant realization that in lieu of sleeping Matthew has been fixated on trying to pull out my eyelashes. That forces me up and out of bed for sure. He's a smart boy.

Matthew is not the only one who is highly active in the mornings.  This little guy is normally dashing from one room to the next, chasing an imaginary mouse or rabbit.  This picture was taken during a rare moment of relaxation (he likes to perch on the kitchen chairs with Matthew).

There are constant noises of impact as Reilly slides into the baseboards, the cabinets, or slips on the wooden floor, falling flat on his whiskers.  But most annoying of all, as I am passing from one room to the next, he is inevitably ensconced to the side of the doorway, crouching, ready to pounce as soon as I walk through.  I have been tripped/frightened/insanely irritated by this little habit of his no less than 500 times. Normally, I can get him to calm down by pinning him down for a good brushing or just some good, old fashioned TLC.

Matthew loves to play with Reilly, but this usually involves tossing the kitty in his toy chest, shoving him inside the drawer under his bed, locking him up in the closet, or, as seen in the photos below, barricading him inside one of the kitchen cabinets.  At least they had fun. And hey, the crazy cat was jailed for a couple minutes so I was guaranteed not to be startled by one of his "attacks."

Mornings like this make me wish I could allow myself to guzzle more than the measly one cup of coffee recommended by my Obstetrician.

One nice thing about getting up a little earlier is that I am forced to accomplish more chores and general household tasks before lunch.  This leaves the whole afternoon to bake! And I like nothing better than baking some type of carbohydrate to serve with dinner.  Since soup has been on the menu so much lately, rolls seemed very appropriate.  When I saw this recipe for Cornmeal Crescent Rolls on Mels Kitchen Cafe, I immediately bookmarked it as a "must make soon" item.  I love corn-flavored anything. Combine that with a buttery dinner roll and it sounds like a recipe for a carb-lovers nirvana.

These rolls did not disappoint.  The most annoying part was waiting for the cornmeal/milk mixture to cool down to a temperature appropriate enough for the yeast.  Besides that, these rolls come together quickly.  They were marvelous popping hot fresh out of the oven as well as the next day.  Paul loved them so much, that he has been using them to make turkey sandwiches for his work lunches.

The only thing that I might do differently next time is add a tad bit more salt to the recipe.  I felt the dough could have used just a bit more.

These would make a beautiful addition to the Thanksgiving table!

Buttery Cornmeal Crescent Rolls
adapted very slightly from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

2 cups milk
2/3 cup yellow corn meal
1 ½ tablespoons instant yeast
½ cup (1 stick) butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
5 ½ – 6 cups flour

Heat the milk to just below a boil so bubbles are just appearing around the edges. Gradually pour the cornmeal in a steady stream into the milk, while whisking constantly.  Cook and stir until thickened, lowering the temperature if needed so the mixture does not boil. Pour the cornmeal/milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl and let cool until lukewarm.

Add the yeast, butter and sugar and mix until combined. Add the salt and eggs and continue to mix well. Add the flour gradually until a soft dough forms. Knead for 5-8 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl covered with lightly greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled.

Divide the dough into three portions and roll each into about an 8-10 inch circle. Brush the top lightly with butter. Cut into 8 wedges and roll each wedge up starting from the wide end so it forms a crescent roll shape. Place each roll onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 1-2 inches apart to allow for rising. Cover lightly with greased plastic wrap. Let the rolls rise until doubled.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

When the rolls have doubled, bake for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Be careful not to over-bake   Brush with butter while still warm, if desired!

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce

Happy Halloween!

Unfortunately, due to the weather effects of Hurricane Sandy, our township has decided to postpone trick-or-treating until Saturday.  However, the city is still holding its trick-or-treat hours as previously scheduled tonight from 6:00-8:00pm.  I heard a little kid at the gym yesterday telling his Mother about his plans to go trick-or-treating both nights and load up on the goodies:  "I'll get so much candy, Mom!  More than I ever could have before!  It's like a Halloween miracle!"

At least someone is happy about it.

I just hope that we do not run out of candy like we did the first year we were married.  Paul and I had bought big bags of Twix, Snickers, and Almond Joys to pass out to eager trick-or-treaters.  However, none came.  Apparently our complex was not a popular Halloween hot spot   Wallowing in feelings of rejection and disappointment, Paul and I consumed the entire bowl of candy.  I had just finished unwrapping the last Twix bar when our doorbell rang.  Paul answered and revealed a tiny army of little toddlers, dressed in the cutest little outfits that included everything from Winnie-the-Pooh to Spider-man.  Paul and I could not turn them away empty handed.  The cuteness factor was almost overwhelming.  While Paul told them to wait, I dashed into the kitchen and opened up our freezer where we normally kept a small stash of candy.  I pulled out some Dove dark chocolate eggs leftover from Easter as well as two solid 1-pound milk chocolate bunnies.  I gave each child a handful of the chocolate eggs and plopped the massive chocolate bunnies into the bags of the two youngest.  The force from the drop of the bunny monstrosities was so great that the little tykes just about dropped their treat bags.  However, there was no doubt that their eyes widened with pleasure when they saw how big that piece of chocolate was.

After they left, we shut off our lights and hid in our bedroom to avoid any other trick-or-treaters.  We really did not have anything left!

Even though the Halloween festivities are postponed, I proceeded to prepare a pumpkin-themed dessert for this evening.  The other day, my dear friend Eva, a remarkable scientist and a foodie in her own right, sent me a recipe for a pumpkin bread pudding.  And I had to make it right away.  I have no idea how she knew, but my crazy, pregnant self was craving bread pudding over the past few days.  The idea of a decadent version made with pumpkin sounded too good to be true!  Add in a bit of salted caramel sauce and I might just eat the whole pan by myself hot out of the oven!

The BEST part about bread pudding is how easy it comes together.  I had some challah in the freezer (I always have challah in the freezer it seems!) and I just took it out the day before baking, chopped it into 1/2-inch cubes and then let it sit out, uncovered, overnight to properly stale.  The next morning, I made the pumpkin custard, tossed it with the bread cubes, and poured it into the baking pan.  I let it hang out in the fridge until I was ready to bake in the mid-afternoon.  The caramel sauce was made while the pudding was baking in the oven.  Easy, simple, and it can all be made ahead of time and reheated gently before serving!

If I don't eat it all first...

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce
adapted from Epicurious


For the Bread Pudding:
2 cups whole milk
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
1 cup packed plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 cups of 1/2-inch cubed challah

For the Salted Caramel Sauce:
1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel (or to taste)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk half and half, pumpkin, dark brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and vanilla extract in large bowl to blend. Fold in bread cubes. Transfer mixture to 11x7-inch glass baking dish. Let stand at least 15 minutes (this can be covered and refrigerated for a few hours before baking). Bake pumpkin bread pudding until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the caramel sauce by whisking the brown sugar and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts. Whisk in cream and stir until sugar dissolves and sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes.  Whisk in the fleur de sel until combined.

Serve the pudding warm with a generous drizzle of caramel sauce.

Marbled Rye Bread

This Friday evening turned out to be cold and rainy.  Paul and I had planned on making a soup or stew for dinner, popping a big bowl of popcorn, and then cuddling under a fleece blanket with Matthew to watch a classic Disney movie.

Instead, we spent four hours in the Emergency Room listening to our little guy scream and wail as several Doctors tried desperately to dislodge an almond from his right nostril.

There are many, many stories of kids sticking foreign objects up their noses.  Almost anyone you meet has a story about how their kid had shoved a bead, a pea, or a button up their nose.  This scenario has been the subject of multiple sitcom episodes as well, all ending with the well-meaning parent completely flipping out and taking their child to the hospital.  Whenever I heard a story of this nature, I always laughed along while secretly thinking in the back of my mind: "My kid will never do anything that stupid."

Well, kids will be kids.  And my child proved to be no different than that strange little kid on the sitcom.  While eating a snack, he somehow found half of a whole almond and shoved it as far up his little nasal passage as it would go.  And then proceeded to scream bloody murder.

Paul and I rushed to his aid, for his cries sounded a little more desperate than his usual whines.  Plus, he was turning a wonderful scarlet color...so that was a major hint that something was wrong (as parents, our deductive reasoning skills are spot on!).

There was a very clear bulge near the corner of his right eye and he was frantically clawing at his nose.  His eye was already bloodshot from the pressure the nut was causing.  Paul and I pinned him down on the carpet, grabbed a flashlight, and could just see the end of the nut (it was clearly a nut!) far up his nose.  With a pair of tweezers, and while trying to hold down our flailing child, I managed to move it a bit further down, but could not quite grab a-hold of it to pull it out completely.  We didn't want to cause any further damage, so we packaged up our wailing child and headed off to the nearest Urgent Care clinic.

Once we got there, the Doctor tried to expel the object by initially having us plug the unclogged nostril while giving him a strong puff of air through his mouth (aka mouth-to-mouth resuscitation style).  Yeah, that worked well.  It made Matthew freak out even more and failed to move the nut an iota.  Then, the Doctor had us pin Matthew down again (with the help of three other nurses) and he tried to take it out.  However, he succeeded in only shoving the nut further up, to the point where it was no longer clearly visible.  With a shaky voice, he told us to head over to the ER, claiming: "I'm so so sorry, but that thing is just impossible to get out!"  He had a reason to be nervous.  Paul was getting ready to sue his a**.

At the ER, the Doctor and four nurses tried to use an aspirator and tweezers to extract the nut.  This only resulted in poor Matthew bleeding profusely from his nostril and screaming so hard that he blew out multiple capillaries in his face.  A nice bruise was also starting to form around his eye.  Poor baby.  Despite his pain, he still managed to squeak out a couple of Tigger squeals:  "Whoo-hoo-hoo-Hoo!"  Always showing off, even while traumatized.

Finally, an ENT was called in to do the job.  A skinny, 20-something-year-old, fresh from medical school, he actually reminded me a lot of a friend from college.  And he knew what to do.  He snaked a little wired tool normally used for cleaning out ears and was able to pop it out in about a minute flat.  All other attempts had taken much, much longer.  We should have called that guy in sooner.

Paul and I were so relieved that this whole thing was over (Paul in all honesty could not stop giggling...it's a weird little way he copes with the after-effects of stress), that we swung by the store to pick up a quart of ice cream for Matthew and some sandwiches for dinner as sort of a celebratory ending to the whole ordeal.  And we made sure to pick out an ice cream that did not contain nuts.

Our poor little patient...

In honor of Mr. Matthew, I have a nut-free recipe to share today for Marbled Rye Bread.  Basically, it is just a light-colored rye dough rolled with a dark-colored rye dough to produce the characteristic swirl effect.  This bread is so easy to make and results in two large, delicious loaves.  Perfect for Reuben sandwiches, tuna melts, or simple ham-and-hot mustard sandwiches.  Delish.  The recipe comes from Peter Reinhart, whose books have taught me more about bread than I ever thought possible.  He calls every recipe a "formula"...I love it!  Makes me feel as if I am back in the lab again.

Marbled Rye Bread
adapted lightly from The Bread Baker's Apprentice

For the Light Rye:
1 1/2 cups white rye flour
3 cups unbleached flour or bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds (optional)
1 tablespoon molasses
2 tablespoons butter, shortening, or oil (I used oil)
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons water, at room temperature

For the Dark Rye:
1 1/2 cups white rye flour
3 cups unbleached flour or bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds (optional)
1 tablespoon molasses
2 tablespoons butter, shortening, or oil (I used oil)
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons water, at room temperature
2 tablespoons cocoa powder dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

To make the light rye, stir together the flours, salt, yeast, and caraway seeds in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Add the molasses, fat of choice, and 1 1/4 cups water.  With the paddle attachment, mix until the dough starts to gather all the loose flour and form a ball, about 1 minute on low speed.  Add the additional 2 tablespoons of water only if needed.  Switch to the dough hook and continue to knead on medium-low speed for 4-6 minutes, or until the dough feels supple, pliable, and a little tacky.  The dough should not be sticky.  Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer to the dough to the bowl, rolling it to coat with oil.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

To make the dark rye, stir together the flours, salt, yeast, and caraway seeds in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Add the molasses, fat of choice, 1 1/4 cups water, and the dissolved cocoa powder.  Mix with the paddle attachment until the dough gathers into a ball, adding the additional 2 tablespoons of water only if necessary.  Switch to the dough hook and continue kneading on medium-low speed for 4-6 minutes, adding sprinkles of flour if necessary, until the dough feels supple, pliable, and a little tacky.  Lightly oil another large bowl and transfer the dough to it, rolling it around to coat completely.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

Allow both doughs to proof at room temperature for approximately 90 minutes or until they double in size.

Turn each dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.  Divide each dough into 4 even-sized pieces (for a total of 8 pieces of dough, 4 dark and 4 light).  Roll out each piece with a rolling pin into a rough oblong about 5 inches wide and 8 inches long.  Take a light rye piece and lay a dark rye piece on top, then add a light rye piece, then one more dark rye piece.  Roll the stack up, pressing on the seam as you roll, until you have formed a rough batard shape.  Seal the bottom seam tightly by pinching.  Repeat with the remaining dough to form two marbled loaves.

Place each loaf in a greased loaf pan.  Mist the top of each loaf with spray oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap.  Proof at room temperature for 60-90 minutes or until they nearly double in size.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the oven rack on the middle shelf.

When the loaves have proofed, bake them for 45 minutes, rotating them 180 degrees after 20 minutes for even baking.  The loaves are done when the internal temperature of the loaves reaches 190 degrees.

When they have finished baking, remove the loaves from the oven and immediately remove them from the baking pans.  Allow to cool the loaves completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

Enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette

This is, hands down, my absolute favorite fall salad.  I have been obsessed with butternut squash to a frightening degree this season and cannot stop eating it.  I have made this salad no less than four times in the past two weeks because it is that good!  Plus, Paul also really, really likes it.  He is obsessed with arugula almost as much as I am obsessed with squash.

The recipe is infinitely adaptable.  I have used roasted, cubed sweet potatoes instead of the squash.  The Parmesan has been switched out for other salty cheeses, such as Gorgonzola or Feta.  Hate Walnuts?  Use roasted pecans instead!  I also like to occasionally throw a handful of roasted pumpkin seeds on top, because I like them so much.  But only when I plan on eating the whole batch by myself (Paul scorns all seeds that are not sunflower!).

This would make a delicious and different salad to serve at Thanksgiving dinner!

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette
adapted from The Barefoot Contessa

For the squash:

1 1/2-pounds butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Maple Syrup (do not use maple-flavored pancake syrup)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons dried cranberries

For the vinaigrette:
3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon Maple Syrup
1/4 - 1/2 cup olive oil

For the salad:
4 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry
1/2 cup walnuts halves, toasted
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Pour everything into the blender along with the mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper.  Give it a good whiz until everything is combined.  Slowly add in the oil, beginning with 1/4 cup.  Add more if the dressing is not thick enough, but usually I find that a little over 1/3 cup is usually the right amount of oil for this dressing otherwise it is a bit too oily.

Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Spice Granola

Beware....rant to follow.

The past few days, I have really been trying hard to remain patient with my husband.  I am proud of him...I love him...and I am incredibly grateful for how hard he works to provide for the family.  He is a wonderful father to our son and is an awesome sport when it comes to putting up with my shenanigans.

However, he is driving me crazy.

Paul's job is extremely demanding.  Coupled with a perfectionist personality when it comes to his engineering work, this basically means that my husband is a complete workaholic.  Again, I am very grateful that he has such a great job that allows me to stay home raising our kids, but I still would really like him to be involved at home.  Or to at least pretend that the family interests him as much as the current crisis situation at work.

Did I mention that he is a perfectionist?  Well, so am I.  And when it comes to our home, I am an extreme neat freak.  This is probably my greatest vice, because messes drive me to the point of lunacy. And the messiest individual around here is not the energetic toddler, but the other perfectionist in the household.  Paul is so detailed and thorough about his work, however not a second thought is given to throwing his clothes in a gigantic heap on the bedroom floor, leaving a wet towel on the bathroom floor, or throwing his coat over the back of the dining room chair even though the closet is less than four feet away!  (When I confronted him about the coat in particular, he pointed out that he left it out because he would be using it again in the morning...Oh, thanks for clearing that up for me!  I understand how that epic walk to the closet can be incredibly draining).

When he came home from a trip last week, I unpacked his suitcase for him, washed his clothes from the trip, and then folded and put them away.  I figured that he was probably exhausted and would appreciate the extra help.  However, there were a few tools and mechanical parts at the bottom of the suitcase and I was unsure where to put them.  I asked him to finish unpacking the rest of the suitcase and then to haul the bag down to the basement.  Over a week later, that suitcase and all the tools therein is still sitting in our bedroom completely untouched.

I am trying not to nag him (rather, I simply remind him that he is a slug), but at the same time I am not his maid and I refuse to pick up after him.  That being said, I am having the most difficult time passing the ever-growing "Mount Paul" at the bottom of our closet without growing more peeved at him.  I'll probably not be able to contain myself any further and clean it all up this afternoon.  Maybe that's all part of his plan...(genius!)

Since I am already in the middle of a husband roast, another pet peeve of mine is that Paul will not eat breakfast unless there is something 100% convenient for him to grab and quickly swallow.  My breakfast staple is a bowl of quick oats and even that is too much effort for him.  As he explained to me, he prefers to have a big bowl of sugary cereal that instantly dissolves so much in the milk that he does not even have to chew.  Seriously, who is this guy I married?

However, he will slow down and eat granola if it is offered to him.  He adores granola.  Since I would prefer that he consume a nutritious breakfast before he heads to work (and slow down and enjoy eating once in a while), I am more than happy to keep our shelves stocked with some homemade granola.  I always make granola in bulk (enough to fill three large cereal bins) because it ends up being less expensive if I buy the nuts, dried fruit, and oats all in bulk.  Plus, that guarantees that I don't make to make another batch for at least a couple months.

This time around, I made a Fall-inspired Pumpkin Spice Granola.  It actually has no oil in it, making it a bit healthier than the typical granola you buy at the grocery store.  With the subtle flavors of pumpkin pie, this is a great granola to eat with some warm milk poured over (even better with almond milk!).

And Paul now dedicates a full 10 minutes in the morning to munch through a bowl of delicious granola.  Score!

Pumpkin Spice Granola
adapted from Baked Bree


5 cups rolled oats
2 cups crispy rice cereal
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.


In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, cereal, and brown sugar.  In another bowl, combine the pumpkin, maple syrup, applesauce, spices, salt, and vanilla.  Whisk really, really well.  Pour the pumpkin mixture into the oat mixture and gently toss together until the oats are evenly coated (do not be afraid to get your hands in there!).

Spread the granola onto a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Take the granola out and stir it around. Bake another 20-25 minutes or until the granola gets crisp, stirring every 8 minutes or so. Keep an eye on it to ensure that it does not burn!

Take the granola out and mix in the cranberries and almonds.  Let cool completely on a wire rack before transferring to an airtight container.