Low Gluten Flour Mix

For a while now, I have wanted to post a recipe for a gluten-free flour mix.  I looked over many different recipes and came up with my own version.  During my research I discovered that my version was not totally gluten-free.  It contains barley flour which does have a small amount of gluten in it.

Just for “the health of it” I wanted to keep the barley flour in.  My flour mix has now become “low gluten” instead of “gluten-free.”  It’s for those of you (like me) who do not have a problem eating gluten, but want to cut back on it to enhance a healthier lifestyle.  I could never totally give up gluten, but I feel better cutting back on it in some of my favorite recipes.

The first thing you will discover when you make your own low gluten flour is that it is not cheap!  The most expensive ingredient is the xanthan gum.  This ingredient is produced by the fermentation of glucose and adds volume and viscosity to gluten-free baked goods.   The good thing about xanthan gum is that you only need a small amount for each batch.   If you can find a friend who wants to try it with you, you can share the expense.

The following is my recipe for low gluten flour mix:

1 – 24oz. bag of brown rice flour (4 ¼ cups)

¾ cup of potato starch flour

1 ½ cups of sweet rice flour

2/3 cup of corn flour

1 1/3 cups of tapioca flour

1 cup of barley flour

½ cup of dry milk powder

1 ½ Tablespoons of xanthan gum powder

Mix all of the ingredients together carefully and store in an airtight container.  This recipe makes 10 cups of flour.   Try substituting it in your favorite cookie or quick bread recipes.

Most of the ingredients can be found in the health food section of the grocery store.  Bob’s Red Mill is one of the common brands you will see.  Also be sure that your baking powder and baking soda are fresh.  You need strong leavening to help with the structure of your baked goods.  You may also substitute the barley flour with oat flour.  Your mix will still be low gluten, as oat flour contains some gluten as well. 

I hope you will give this recipe a try if you are considering a low gluten diet, or just want to cut back.  You may even feel better for it!

Happy baking,

Pam

Confetti Cake Mix Cookies

I have decided to post this very simple cookie recipe that is made with a cake mix.  It's the perfect cookie if you don't have time to bake.  There are only three ingredients! 

Okay, so you have seen this recipe a million times on the box of Pillsbury Funfetti cake mix.  But how many of you have actually made it?  This is my daughter's favorite mix to make cupcakes with, so I always have some on hand.  I decided to finally try it.  I have to tell you, this cookie is probably one of the best tasting and best looking cookies I've ever made.  It's perfect for kid parties, potlucks and the upcoming Easter holiday.  Here is the recipe from the box, (the way I make it!)

1 - 18.9oz. box of Pillsbury Funfetti Cake Mix

1/3 cup of oil

2 eggs

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Line a large cookie sheet with a non-stick silicone baking mat.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, oil and eggs.  Mix well until it resembles cookie dough.  I used my 2" metal cookie scoop and got exactly one dozen cookies.  Lightly flatten the tops a bit with your hand before baking.  Bake at 325 degrees for 15-16 minutes or until just set in the middle.

That's it.  The result is a soft, chewy, (hard to eat only one) amazing cookie!

You can frost them if you like, but they are prettier without it.  You won't miss it anyway.  I hope you will remember to make these the next time you are in a hurry to whip up a quick sweet treat.  Keep in mind that you can choose any flavor of cake mix you want to make cookies.  Experiment with your favorite flavor!

Happy Baking,

Pam

Chocolate Mousse Cups with Strawberries





With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I thought I would share an idea I had several years ago.  This one is so easy that you don't even need a recipe.  One component you need is some prepared chocolate mousse.  Because there are zillions of recipes for chocolate mousse, use your all-time favorite, or purchase some already made.

Now for the fun part.  The diamond-shaped chocolate cups really make this treat special.  I am not a fan of silicone baking pans, but I do like the silicone baking cups for molding the chocolate.  They come in several different shapes.  I happened to have the diamond shaped ones in my cupboard.  Just melt some of your favorite chocolate.  I used dark chocolate, but feel free to try milk or even white chocolate if you like.  You will need a small paint brush, clean and unused.  Working quickly, paint the insides of the molds with the melted chocolate.  Set them on a tray and refrigerate to help set the chocolate faster.  Once they are firm, carefully peel back the molds.  The chocolate cups should come out effortlessly.  Here is a picture of the silicone molds from the Sweet Baking Supply Company:

Now you can fill or pipe the chocolate mousse into the molded cups.  Garnish with fresh whipped cream and strawberry slices.  For fun you can make chocolate butterfly wings to garnish the top.  Fill a piping bag with some melted chocolate. Use a writing tip to make wing shapes on a piece of waxed paper.  Let the wings firm up before using.  I also lightly dusted the plate with cocoa powder for a nice touch.

I hope you will serve this easy, but impressive dessert to your loved ones on Valentine's Day.  It's a nice change of pace from the usual boxed chocolates.  (which by the way, I would not pass up either!!)

Happy Baking,

Pam

Strawberry Amaretto Donut Bread Pudding

Years ago I created this recipe from some leftover cake donuts.  I love a good bread pudding and wanted to make one with some of my favorite flavor combinations.  This recipe can be served for dessert or a Sunday brunch.  I would even go out on a limb and say that it would be perfect for a bridal or baby shower. 

6  plain cake donuts from bakery, approximately 3oz. each

½ lb. fresh, hulled strawberries

3 large eggs

1 – 6oz. container of original French vanilla yogurt

1 cup of amaretto flavored liquid coffee creamer

½ cup of half ‘n half

1 ½ teaspoons of pure almond extract

Garnish:

12 large dollops of whipped cream topping from can

12 – ½” slices of fresh strawberries

12 Tablespoons of strawberry pancake syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spray a 9” x 13” light gray baking pan with non-stick cooking spray with flour added.  Set aside.

With a 3” paring knife, cut each of the 6 cake donuts in half.  Cut each half into quarters.  Place all of the donut pieces into the prepared baking pan, fitting them into one layer on the bottom.  Cut ½ lb. of fresh, hulled strawberries into ½” slices.  Cut each slice into quarters.  Sprinkle all of the strawberry pieces evenly over the donut pieces, covering entire area.  Set aside.

In a 5-cup electric blender, combine 3 large eggs, 1 – 6oz. container of original French vanilla yogurt, 1 cup of amaretto flavored liquid coffee creamer, ½ cup of half ‘n half, and 1 ½ teaspoons of pure almond extract.  Blend on low speed for approximately 10 seconds, or until well blended.  Pour the custard mixture evenly over the donut and strawberry pieces.  With a large spoon, carefully press down over the mixture to make sure all of the donuts are saturated with some of the custard.  Bake in a 350 degree oven on the middle rack for 40-45 minutes, or until mixture is slightly puffed, lightly browned, and a knife inserted in the center comes out moist but clean.  Cool on a large cooling rack for 15-20 minutes before cutting.  Tastes best when slightly warm.

To serve, use a medium knife to cut the bread puddidng into 3” x 3 ¼” squares. You should get approximately 12 pieces.  For each serving, place one square of pudding on a 6” square white dessert plate.  Squirt one large dollop of whipped cream topping over the top.  Place one ½” strawberry slice in the middle of the whipped cream topping.  Drizzle one Tablespoon of strawberry pancake syrup evenly over the pudding and the plate.  Repeat steps to make 11 more servings.  Serve immediately.  Refrigerate any leftovers.

Makes 12 servings.

Happy Baking,

Pam

Awesome Granola Recipe!

Every now and then, I get a hankerin' for some home made granola!  With the new year underway, I also wanted to try and eat more whole foods like grains, fruits and nuts.  Don't be put off by the number of ingredients.  Most of them can be found in your pantry at any given time.  If not, make a trip to the store and stock up on them.  That way, you can make granola as often as you like.  One nice thing about making your own is that you can add only what you like.  It's easy to swap out one ingredient for another. 

After I made this granola for the first time, I found out that two of my ingredients made it on the "new trends for 2012" list.  Barley flour and chia seeds are popping up in a lot of recipes now.  Look for them in the healthy foods area of your grocery store.  I found my bag of chia seeds at Costco.  I keep it in the freezer to stay fresh.  Chia seeds are a great source of Omega 3's. 

My granola recipe makes a great after-school snack for the kids, too.  I hope you will give it a try.

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup of quick cooking oats

¼ cup of wheat bran

¼ cup of barley flour

2 Tablespoons of powdered milk

¼ cup of white sesame seeds

¼ cup of chia seeds

¼ cup of unsweetened coconut flakes

1 cup of nuts (I used ½ c. chopped pecans and ½ c. sliced almonds)

1 ½ cups of dried fruit (I used ½ cup each of dried figs, dried tart cherries and dried papaya)

Wet Ingredients:

½ cup of natural almond butter

¼ cup of canola oil

¼ cup of agave syrup

1 ½ teaspoons of butter vanilla

Heat the oven to 300 degrees.  Line a 12 ½” x 17 ½” baking sheet with non-stick foil or a silicone baking mat.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients.  Mix until well combined.  In a large sauté pan, combine all of the wet ingredients.  Stir on low heat for 2-3 minutes, or just until the almond butter has melted.   Pour the warmed mixture over the dry ingredients and mix until well coated.  Pour the granola onto the prepared baking sheet.  With a large spoon, spread it out evenly without packing it down too much.  Bake at 300 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and let it dry and cool completely.  Break the granola up and store it in an airtight container.

NOTE:  The butter vanilla in this recipe is a product I buy from a cake decorating supply store.   It is a bakery emulsion flavoring.  Emulsions have a more potent flavor than regular extracts, and won’t “bake out” when exposed to heat.   If you don’t have it, you can substitute with pure vanilla extract, or even pure almond extract.

Happy Baking,

Pam

Super Spud Brownies

Photo from Taste of Home Magazine

I came across this interesting recipe for brownies from the Taste of Home website.   It includes mashed potatoes as an ingredient!   Next time you have leftover potatoes you can try this brownie recipe to use them up:

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup mashed potatoes
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional
• Confectioners' sugar

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, sugars, oil, eggs and vanilla.

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to potato mixture. Fold in pecans if desired. Transfer to a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350°for 23-27 minutes or until toothpick inserted nearthe center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut into bars. Yield: 16 servings.

Next time you want to bring brownies to a potluck, bring these and see if anyone can guess the secret ingredient! 

Happy baking,

Pam

Ghirardelli's Flourless Mocha Torte

Photo from Ghirardelli

While scouring the internet I came across some decadent chocolate recipes from the Ghirardelli website.  I had to share with you their recipe for Flourless Mocha Torte.  Have you ever tasted a flourless chocolate torte?  It literally melts in your mouth.  Since there is no flour in the recipe, the torte gets it structure from the beaten eggs.  The frosting on the torte is like a fluffy ganache, topped with chocolate shavings.  Toss some fresh berries on the plate and you’re good to go!  Here is the recipe from Ghirardelli:

Flourless Mocha Torte

Yield: 8 servings

·        7 ounce(s) 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar

·        4 ounce(s) Milk Chocolate Baking Bar

·        1 tablespoon(s) instant freeze-dried coffee

·        3 tablespoon(s) boiling water

·        6 eggs, separated

·        2/3 cup(s) sugar

·        1/4 teaspoon(s) salt (optional)

·        2 cup(s) heavy whipping cream for frosting

·        1 tablespoon(s) instant freeze-dried coffee for frosting

·        1/4 cup(s) boiling water for frosting

·         

Directions
Melt 6 ounces of the bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler over hot, but not boiling, water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is smooth. Set aside. Dissolve the 1 T coffee in boiling water; set aside. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of the pans with waxed paper, and grease the waxed paper.

In a large mixing bowl, whip the egg whites on medium until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, gradually add 1/3-cup sugar. Increase the mixing speed to high and continue beating until stiff peaks form. (The meringue should be shiny.) In another large bowl, whip the yolks, the remaining 1/3-cup sugar, and the salt until thick and lemon colored, approximately 5 minutes. Slowly add 6 ounces of chocolate and 1 Tbsp coffee; beat until well blended. Gently fold ¼ of the egg whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it. Carefully but thoroughly fold in the remaining whites until no streaks remain. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake on the center oven rack for 25 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the cake inside for 5 minutes with the oven door closed. Transfer the pans to a wire rack (the centers will fall). Remove the waxed paper while the cake is warm. Cool completely.

Frosting and Garnishing: For the frosting, melt 4 ounces of milk chocolate as directed for the cake. Dissolve the coffee in 1/4 cup boiling water; add all at once to the chocolate, stirring continuously until smooth. Cool completely. In a large mixing bowl, beat the whipping cream at high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream. To assemble the torte, level the top of each layer by cutting off the raised edges with a long serrated knife. Place one layer on a serving plate. Spread the layer with 1 cup of chocolate whipped cream. Top with the remaining cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the torte with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle to the top with 1 oz Bittersweet Chocolate shavings.

For more top chocolate recipes from Ghirardelli, go to: www.ghirardelli.com/bake/recipe_top.aspx 

Happy baking,

Pam

Choux Pastry Dough

Today we are going to talk about making choux pastry, better known as cream puff pastry.  The name choux is pronounced like “shoo.”  Choux actually means “cabbage” in French.  Someone probably thought that a baked cream puff looked like a small cabbage, so hence the name.

The dough is said to have been invented by a French pastry chef.  It has been used to make many sweet and savory treats like cream puffs, éclairs, gougere, profiteroles, croquembouches, beignets, Paris Brest, and French crullers.   

Before you say “that’s too hard to make,” I want you to know that there are only four ingredients in the dough (not including the water).  This type of pastry dough is made differently and is less complicated than you think.  After boiling water butter and salt, flour is added and quickly mixed in.  After a few minutes of cooling, eggs are added.  The dough is now ready to be piped out.  The high amount of moisture in the dough is what creates the steam that is needed to make the dough puff up nicely.  Also, baking at a higher temperature helps the dough rise up quickly, leaving a hollow center. 

Most of the time, the dough is baked, split, hollowed out and filled.  This is the case if you are making cream puffs, profiteroles, etc.  The dough is deep fried when making beignets or churros.  When the dough is boiled, you can make a different type of gnocchi or an Austrian dumpling called “Marillenknodel.”  By adding a little cheese to the dough and piping it into a ring shape, you get a savory “gougere.”

There are various recipes teaching you how to make choux pastry.  This one is the one I remember making years ago from an old stand-by cookbook from Better Homes & Gardens:

½ cup of butter

1 cup of water

¼ teaspoon of salt

1 cup of all-purpose flour

4 eggs   

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line parchment paper on a baking sheet.

In a 2 quart saucepan, over medium heat, heat butter, water and salt until butter mixture boils. Remove from heat.  Add flour all at once. With a wooden spoon, vigorously stir until mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a doughy ball.  Add eggs into flour mixture, one at a time, beating well after each one.  Let cool slightly.

Using a large spoon, drop heaping spoonfuls onto the lined baking sheet.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven.  Let cool completely.  Split, scoop out any soft dough remaining, and fill with flavored whipped cream, or ice cream.

Use your imagination and create flavorful fillings that you and your family like.  For the holidays, I like to make profiteroles.  Little cream puffs piled on top of each other on a serving plate, then drizzled with chocolate!

Happy baking,

Pam

Vanilla Cinna-Scotch Oatmeal Cookies

I love a good oatmeal cookie.  It's one of those cookies where you can add any combination of chips, nuts or dried fruits, and it works well.  If you have a well-stocked pantry, the sky is the limit!

This is a great oatmeal cookie recipe worthy of Grandma.  You can just taste the love in every bite!

1 cup of unsalted butter, softened

½ cup of white granulated sugar

1 cup of golden brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon of pure almond extract

1 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour

3 cups of quick oats, whirled in a food processor*

½ teaspoon of baking soda

¼ teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of salt

2/3 cup of white chocolate chips

2/3 cup of butterscotch chips

2/3 cup of cinnamon chips

2 teaspoons of water, optional

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with a non-stick silicone baking mat, or lightly spray with cooking spray. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, white sugar and golden brown sugar.  Using an electric hand mixer, mix on medium speed until well combined.  Add two eggs, one at a time, mixing well for each one.  Then you can add the vanilla and the almond extracts.  Mix well to combine.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, processed quick oats, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Whisk together until well combined.  Add the flour-oat mixture to the wet ingredients.  Use a large rubber spatula and mix only until half of the flour has disappeared.  Add all of the baking chips and start folding them in.  If the mixture seems like it’s going to be too dry, you may add 2 teaspoons of water.  Continue to mix until all of the flour has disappeared.

Using a 2” cookie scoop, place cookie dough balls approximately 3” apart on the baking sheet.  Slightly flatten the tops with the palm of your hand.  Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 14-16 minutes or just until the cookie has set.  The top will no longer look shiny, and the edges will look very light brown.  When done, let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 5-7 minutes before removing them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. 

Makes approximately 2 dozen cookies.  Store in a covered container.

*To whirl or process the oats, place them in a large food processor.  Process for  10 seconds or until they look kind of like sawdust.  I do this to soften the texture of the cookie a bit.  Sometimes I will process only part of the oats, and add the rest in whole form.  It depends how chewy you want them.

Happy Baking,

Pam

Lemon-Avocado King Muffins

My love for avocados took me in a new direction.  Because of their creamy, buttery texture I knew they would work well in baking.  But what flavor should I pair with them?  I chose to try lemon and it was like a marriage made in heaven!  The addition of melted white chocolate to the batter gives the muffins additional flavor and moistness. I made these muffins in a king size muffin pan, but you can use jumbo or regular size if you like.  Obviously, you will get more muffins that way.  Here is my recipe:

2 cups of all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder

½ teaspoon of baking soda

½ teaspoon of salt

4oz. of fresh avocado pulp, sliced ¼”

¼ cup of canola oil

2 large eggs

1 cup of low fat buttermilk

2/3 cup of white granulated sugar

1 ½ teaspoons of pure lemon extract*

1 Tablespoon of finely grated lemon zest

6oz. of white chocolate chips

Garnish:

Powdered sugar for shaking on top

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Lightly spray a 6-cup king size muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray with flour added.  Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and  salt.  With a large wire whisk, mix until well blended.  Set aside.

In a 5-cup electric blender, combine the fresh avocado pulp, canola oil, eggs, low fat buttermilk, white granulated sugar, pure lemon extract, and finely grated lemon zest.  Blend on low for 10 seconds.  Use a small rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and stir for 10 seconds.  Blend on low again for 8-10 more seconds, or until smooth and creamy.  Pour the entire mixture into a large mixing bowl.  Set aside.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine 6oz. of white chocolate chips.  Microwave on high for approximately 1 minute.  Stir the chips and microwave at 10 second intervals until chocolate is melted and smooth.  Immediately add the melted white chocolate to the avocado-lemon mixture.  Whisk quickly so the chocolate does not start to set up.  Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix only until all of the flour has disappeared.  Using a 2” metal cookie scoop, evenly divide the batter among the 6 prepared king muffin cups.  The muffin cups should be approximately ½ full.  Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven on the center rack for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Remove the pan from the oven and place on a large cooling rack for 10 minutes.  Carefully loosen the edges with a regular butter knife and remove the muffins to the cooling rack.    Cool for another 10 minutes before garnishing with the powdered sugar.   Once cooled, lightly shake some powdered sugar evenly over the top of each muffin.  Makes 6 king muffins.

I hope you will try these muffins.  I served them at a party once,  and no one could guess that there was avocado in them.  Even your kids will love them! 

*If you want to substitute lemon essential oil for the pure lemon extract, use approximately 1/4-1/2 teaspoon only.  Add a little at a time and taste before adding more.

Live to bake!

Pam

English Muffin French Toast

Occasionally, I will post a recipe that does not require baking.  This delicious treat falls under that category.  I debated whether to call it "English" toast, rather than "French" since it is made with english muffins. You wouldn't think that an english muffin would make good french toast, but I was pleasantly surprised at the results. 

If you want to try this recipe for breakfast or brunch, please use Bays English Muffins.  Those are the ones that look like a gourmet muffin because of their size.  You can usually find them in the refrigerated section in the grocery store.  Also, I had some leftover Meyer lemon curd that I made for another recipe.  Lemon curd is very easy to make, but if you want to purchase some already made, go right ahead.  You can also make some cook 'n serve lemon pudding.  If you do, add the cream cheese to it while it is still warm. 

Here is the recipe for English Muffin French Toast:

¾ cup of prepared or purchased lemon curd, slightly warmed

2oz. of softened cream cheese

¼ teaspoon of poppy seeds, optional

1 ½ cups of 2% milk

1 large egg

4 whole Bays English Muffins, Original

4 large dollops of dairy whipped topping from a can

1 teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest

In a small mixing bowl, combine the lemon curd, cream cheese, and poppy seeds.  Use a wire whisk and mix for 1 minute, or until smooth.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk and the egg.  Use a whisk and mix for 30 seconds or until well blended.  Set aside.

 

Break apart 4 original Bays English Muffins, so that you have 8 halves.  Set aside.

Preheat a 12” non-stick skillet and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Place 4 slices of the English Muffins in the milk-egg mixture.  Soak for 2 minutes, turning them over and over to saturate.  Place the 4 slices cut side down first in the prepared skillet.  Cook on medium heat for 4-5 minutes, gently pressing down on them with a large spatula frequently until a light golden brown.  Use spatula to turn them over.  Continue to cook another 2 minutes or until set.  Remove them to a large 12” platter.  Continue these steps to cook four more slices.

For each serving, place 2 cooked slices of french toast on a serving plate.  Spoon over the top approximately ¼ cup of the lemon curd mixture.  Squirt one large dollop of dairy whipped topping on the top.  Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest.  Prepare three more servings following the same steps.  Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Try this recipe the next time you want to make french toast.  I think you will like the twist I gave it.  Enjoy!

Pam

Fudgy Almond Ginger-Spice Granola

I usually don't buy packaged granola because it seems too pricey for the amount you get.  So I started making my own and have been very pleased with the freshness and flavor.  By making your own granola, you can control what goes in it, and make it any flavor that you want by swapping out ingredients.

What is the difference between granola and muesli?  They are very similar in their ingredients.  Granola is considered a breakfast food consisting of mostly whole grain oats, nuts, seeds and dried fruits.  It is usually toasted with oil and sweeteners.  Muesli is the German word for "mixture."  It will consist of whole grains that are either toasted or raw, with the addition of dried fruits, nuts, wheat germ and dry milk solids.  It's usually served with milk, yogurt or fruit juice.

Here is my recipe for Fudgy Almond Ginger-Spice Granola:

4 ½ cups of quick cooking oats

1 cup of whole roasted almonds, lightly salted

1 - 10oz. package of dark chocolate chips

½ cup of cinnamon flavored chips*

½ cup of golden brown sugar

¼ cup of canola oil

1 ½ Tablespoons of freshly minced ginger root

2 teaspoons of pure almond extract

¼ cup of milk

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Line a 12 ½” x 17 ½” baking sheet with a non-stick silicone baking mat. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats and the whole almonds.  Mix well.

In a large non-stick skillet, combine the dark chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, golden brown sugar, canola oil, minced gingerroot, pure almond extract and the milk.  On low heat, stir frequently until mixture is smooth and starts to pull away from the pan.  It will look a lot like hot fudge sauce.  Immediately pour the fudge mixture into the bowl with the oats and almonds.  Use a large rubber spatula and mix until everything is coated with the chocolate.  Pour out the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.  Spread out the granola to cover the bottom of the pan.  Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 25-30 minutes, or just until the top of the granola feels dry.  There is no need to stir the granola during baking.  Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool completely.

Once the granola has cooled, use your fingers to break it up into small pieces.  Usually I get about 10 cups.  You can store it in an air-tight container, or give it as a gift to friends and family.  To give it as gifts, I like to use the clear gift bags and tie it closed with gold ties or ribbon. 

*For some reason, cinnamon chips are not readily available year-round.  Grocers will tell you that they are "seasonal."  Cinnamon is no more seasonal than bananas!   If you weren't able to stock up on them before they went on vacation, they should be back in the fall.  For the recipe above, you can either use all dark chocolate chips, or try using the butterscotch chips in place of the cinnamon chips. 

Enjoy snacking on this nutritious and delicious treat!

Pam