Cinnamon granola

I know i just made and posted a granola recipe a couple of posts ago. But! I saw a post on Joy the Baker's website that she adapted from Martha Stewart and was in awe. She added huge raw almonds and honey! yuumm!!! I looked through my goodies cabinet and remembered that i bought cinnamon honey from the farmers market that i hadn't used it. Oh My Godnessssss. It is so amazing. This granola is out of this world. I mean, it is delicious, and its good for you. Please make this.

Adapted from Joy the Baker
http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2011/01/toasted-almond-granola/

You'll need:
4 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup slivered raw almonds
1 cup whole raw almonds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cinnamon honey
1/4 cup brown sugar (i did not use this much, i only used about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
dried cranberries

Place a rack in the upper third and middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line one large or two small baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Whisk together oats, whole almonds, slivered almonds, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt together butter, oil, honey and brown sugar until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture begins to boil. Carefully whisk together so it’s well incorporated. Add the vanilla extract. Pour the warm mixture over the oat and almond mixture and toss together with a wooden spoon, ensuring that all of the oat mixture gets moistened by the sugar and oil mixture.

Spread mixture onto prepared baking sheet(s) and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, removing from oven to stir and toss on the pan twice during baking. When time is up, Remove from the oven, let cool, add cranberries and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Or! Pack it up and give it to your bff's. They'll love you forevs. Word.
smooches!
gigi

Chocolate chip coffee cake

I love coffee cakes. I love chocolate. I love finding recipes about chocolate or coffee cake and then i print them or tear them out of magazines. (even if the magazines don't belong to me. Spare me the lecture...). Sometimes when the day is perfect that the sun is shining on me, a special recipe finds its place on my fridge. This recipe has been on my fridge for about 8 months.  I found it at: http://www.lovintheoven.com/2010/02/chocolate-chip-coffee-cake.html . This cake looked and sounded  soooooo good. I have been meaning to make it and i finally found an excuse. What was the excuse? To bribe little kids so that i will always remain their favorite. Yup.  Don't judge me bro.

Recipe:

•1 stick butter at room temp.
•1/2 cup of sugar
•1/3 cup brown sugar
•2 eggs
•1 cup sour cream
•1 tsp vanilla
•1 tsp water
•2 cups flour
•1 1/2 tsp baking powder
•1 tsp baking soda
•1 tsp cinnamon
•6 oz chocolate chips  (i used mini chocolate chips)

1. mix 1/2 cup white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, chocolate chips.

2. cream butter, 1 cup white sugar, and eggs. add the sour cream, vanilla and water.

3. in a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and soda. combine into the wet ingredients.

4. pour half of the batter into a greased and floured 9×13 inch pan. sprinkle half of the cinnamon, sugar and chocolate chip mixture on the batter. pour in the rest of the batter and top with the rest of the cinnamon, sugar and chip mix. - This batter is a little dense so this is going to take time. Don't worry, it doesn't have to be perfect because the batter will rise and swell all around the empty spaces.

5. bake at 350 F for 30 minutes. let it cool for at least an hour before cutting into it, or the chocolate chips will be too melty and it will be hard to get out of the pan.