Granola, Take 2

Picture coming.

Granola
Originally found at Food Network

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup sunflower seeds
3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar. In a separate bowl, combine honey and oil. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color. Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add fruit and mix until evenly distributed.

My Notes:
Yes, I know I've done Granola before, but I was less than impressed with the final result, and decided to try a different recipe. I love Alton Brown, and found this recipe, and decided to give it a try.

The result? I love it. It's so much crunchier, and actually clumps together. Plus, it's pareve.

Sweet Potato Muffins

Sweet Potato Muffins
Originally found at Once a Month Mom

1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed sweet potato
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup applesauce
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tin with paper liners (or spray).

In a large bowl, cream together sugar and eggs. Add potato, honey and applesauce, and whisk until well combined. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, then slowly work into wet ingredients.

Fill muffin cups about 3/4 of the way, and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

My Notes:
Yes, I'm having a slight obsession with sweet potatoes. They're yummy. I'm not sure why I haven't been exposed to them before. This recipe is nice and yummy, and pumpkin can easily be substituted if you prefer. Best of all... they're pareve.

If you plan on feeding these to an infant, please substitute brown sugar for honey.

Sausage and Pepper Paella

Sausage and Pepper Paella
Originally found at Epicurious

2 links hot and/or sweet Italian sausage (about 6 ounces total)
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 small onion, finely diced
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup Arborio or other medium-grain rice or converted rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup drained diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups water

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Squeeze sausage meat from casings into a 10-inch heavy ovenproof skillet and add bell peppers, onion, and oil. Cook mixture over moderately high heat, breaking up sausage with a fork and stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, or until vegetables begin to brown. Add rice and sauté, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in wine, tomatoes, and water and bring to a boil, stirring to loosen brown bits. Transfer skillet to oven and bake, uncovered, 25 minutes, or until most liquid is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper.

My Notes:
I used turkey sausage. And yes, they do have kosher varieties.

This is an interesting recipe. When it came out of the oven, I wasn't so sure how I was going to feel about it, but it was pretty good. I should mention that I did not use medium grain rice, I used the regular ol' long grain that I get at the store. I also don't have an ovenproof skillet, so I transferred to a square baking dish and it turned out just fine.

Sausage Subs

Sausage Subs
Originalish Recipe

Turkey Sausage Links
1 each red and green bell pepper, sliced
French Bread

Either grill or fry the sausage until almost done. Add sliced peppers and a bit of oil (if necessary) and allow to sit on the heat for a few minutes, until charred. Cut a loaf of french bread in sub-sized sections, then in half. Place sausage in bread, and layer on peppers. Serve hot.

My Notes:
Yeah, it's a really basic recipe, but it's the first I've tried. And it was pretty good, if I do say so myself.

Peanut Butter Pie

Peanut Butter Pie
Adapted from All Recipes

15-20 oreo cookies
5 Tbsp butter
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup milk
1 (8 ounce) package Cool Whip, thawed

Crush cookies to a coarse powder. Melt the butter and combine with cookie crumbs. Press to the bottom of a 9x13 in pan (or two pie tins).

Mix the cream cheese and sugar together until well blended. Stir in peanut butter and milk until well combined. Fold in Cool Whip. Pour batter over cookie crust and freeze until firm.

My Notes:

One of my friends made a version of this a couple weeks ago and I fell in love with it. I used soy milk and it worked fine, but I don't think you can get away from the dairy entirely.

My friend also swirled Nutella on the top of the pie (before freezing), but I ran out and didn't realize it until I was already making the pie. It tastes great either way.