HONEY BERRY GRANOLA

 

it's a healthy recipe day on the blog! i wanted to call this a hearty winter granola, but we're still in the heart of fall (& i didn't want everyone to freak out about the fact that winter is coming) so i will calm down on my winter excitement. seriously though, this past weekend in toronto was so cold that i had to bust out my winter jacket. i think this is the first time that my winter coat made it's debut appearance in october! anyways.. we can get back to winter later. this granola is packed with a lot of healthy & filling ingredients such as nuts, dried fruit, coconut & honey. i used my favourite farmhouse pottery's vermont made honey which you can find here. if you want to make this granola vegan (or you are super canadian & like maple better), sub equal parts maple syrup for the honey. if you want a more clustery granola, toss an egg white into the mixture. this is another recipe where you can easily substitute/swap ingredients. i chose cranberries & blueberries because of the winter vibe i was going for, but if you must.. you can use raisins.

ingredients

  • 3 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
  • 1/3 cup raw sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup dried blueberries
  • 1/3 cup honey (can also sub maple syrup)
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

directions

  • preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  • in a large mixing bowl add oats, walnuts, pecans, coconut, sugar, salt, cranberries & blueberries. stir a few times.
  • in a separate bowl whisk honey & oil. add to the dry ingredients & toss until everything is evenly coated.
  • pour onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 45-60 minutes or until the oats begin to turn a golden brown.
  • eat hot or cold & store in an air tight container for up to two weeks.

like what you see? get it here. honey pot | mixing bowl | wooden spoon | french paddle | pour bowl

PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE DANISH

 

so i cheated a little making this danish, which only means you can too! i used store bought puff pastry (dun dun DUUUUN). i'm sorry barefoot contessa, please forgive me! maybe one day i will devote an entire blog post to making puff pastry alone, but for this recipe store bought is fine. i wanted to use pumpkin & cream cheese in a unqiue way, something you don't often see pumpkin in, which is when the light bulb went off! a pumpkin cream cheese danish. it is flakey, it is cream cheesy, it is pumpkiny & it is downright delicious. it's another one of those dessert for breakfast items that is totally socially acceptable. it's also a perfect way to use up that little bit of pumpkin puree that always seems to be left in the can. i hate seeing even an ounce of pumpkin go to waste!

ingredients

  • 1 box (1 pound) puff pastry, cold
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 1 tablespoon milk

directions

  • in the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment beat cream cheese, egg, white sugar, cornstarch & vanilla until smooth. set aside.
  • in a separate mixing bowl stir pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves & vanilla. set aside.
  • once your filling is ready, roll out your puff pastry to a thin rectangular shape.
  • cut lines diagonally on each side leaving about 4-5 inches in the center (see photos). add your cream cheese followed by spoonful's of the pumpkin mixture.
  • fold in ends & cross the lines in a V shape to get the braided effect. you can do an egg wash or milk wash if you desire.
  • bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until the puff pastry is golden brown.
  • while the danish bakes, make your glaze by combining icing sugar & milk until the desired consistency is formed.
  • remove from oven & immediately drizzle with the glaze.

like what you see? get it here. silpat | french rolling pin | mug (1) | linen | plates | serving board | mug (2) | knife 

PEAR GINGER UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

 

i hope you all had an amazing long weekend!!! & by amazing i mean i hope you all ate your weight in turkey + pie. i will be eating left over turkey for the next week or so but it's okay, i am one of those people who loves to get creative with left overs. thanksgiving has made me a little bit behind on my blog, so i hope this pear ginger upside down cake will make up for the minor delay! now.. can we all take a minute to promise each other to bake with pears more often. pears are so damn delicious & i so often forget about them (apples are on the brain too much once fall hits). browsing the internet/pinterest i found very few interesting desserts made with pears that i knew i wanted to feature another pear recipe on the blog (don't forget about this spiced pear pie). i hope this cake is what you are looking for next time you are graced with a basket of freshly picked pears! it would be the perfect ending to a sophisticated dinner party. the pears featured in this post come from my family's pear tree so it makes the cake extra delicious.

ingredients

for the sauce

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 pears, thinly sliced

for the cake

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup whole milk

directions

  • preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • sauce: in a sauce pan over medium heat add butter, sugar, salt, ginger and vanilla. bring to a boil constantly stiring and remove from heat. pour caramel sauce in an 8 or 9 inch round cake pan & arrange the pear slices in a circle.
  • cake: in a mixing bowl sift flour, baking powder and salt. in the bowl of a stand mixer using the beater attachment cream butter and brown sugar. add eggs one at a time until light and fluffy. mix in vanilla, ginger and milk until combined. slowly add your flour mixture and beat until the batter is smooth. carefully pour batter over the pears, ensuring you do not alter the design of the fruit.
  • bake for 20-25 minutes, until cake is cooked throughout.
  • let cool completely before flipping & serving.

like what you see? get it here. cake plate | cake server | linen | mini cocottes | side plate