Long before we purchased our little Snowshoe Lodge, we rented a house on a street just a few hundred steps outside the beautiful village of Lake Placid, NY.
This was the first time we were not staying in one of the many hotels we had frequented over the years. As a matter of fact, our love affair with Lake Placid began on Columbus Day, 1996, exactly eighteen years ago, when we visited Santa’s Workshop for the first time. Nick still in a stroller and the girls in ponytails and Rugrat overalls. Ohhh, how I digress…
So, yes, back to what I was saying…
We rented a house.
A whole house…complete with kitchen…pots ‘n pans ‘n all…and kids, now old enough to drink coffee and walk around town without us and play darts and watch Americas Next Top Model marathons…I did it again…
As I was saying…
Kitchen.
I had the idea to make what I considered to be quintessential mountain food…homemade granola. I was so excited – it just seemed fitting that granola be the first thing I create in a Lake Placid kitchen the first chance I had.
Our first evening came and went. And while enjoying dinner out, probably a little prime rib, end cut, and a baked potato with sour cream, I couldn’t help but dream of the crunchy homemade granola I’d soon be receiving rave reviews for…
The moment finally arrived…I combined my oats and other special ingredients and set it in the oven to bake for an hour with the intent to stir it every fifteen minutes or so… Here’s where it gets fuzzy, I recall some family competition going on, and perhaps I was breaking a small sweat over the air hockey table or a game of gin rummy or something of that nature, when all of a sudden, I could not believe my nose. Burn burn burnt.
Yep, I burnt the granola.
My dream came crashing down and there was no saving it. It turned so quickly.
So, my friends, the moral of this story? Watch your granola, closely. And when you lose at air hockey, lose gracefully. No 2 outta 3’s ….
So this past weekend, while in Lake Placid, I was a lot more careful…and it worked out.
We even made parfaits with vanilla Greek yogurt and raspberries.
It was a good day!
I was in the mood for everything fall…crunching leaves beneath my feet, the sound of geese flying overhead, and the aroma of cinnamon and pumpkin spice…
While the guys were mountain biking, I was making Maple Pecan & Pumpkin Spice Granola, and that suited me just fine!
This granola has all the makings of a perfect autumn treat. Just stick around while it’s baking…
Buon Appetito!
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 2 cups chopped pecans
- 1 cup sweet coconut
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup mixed jumbo raisins
- ½ cup dried berries and cherries
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Place parchment paper on two cookie sheets and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine first seven ingredients.
- In a separate bowl mix maple syrup and vegetable oil together.
- Pour syrup mixture over dry ingredients and stir until fully combined.
- Split the granola mix equally on each cookie sheet.
- Bake for 30 minutes total, stirring every 7 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool.
- Before serving, add the raisins and dried berries and stir.
Ciao!
Looks delicious! Definitely a must try this fall season.
http://www.xwineandlipstick.blogspot.com
Thank you!! 🙂
What a great story! The granola looks decadent yet easy.
HaHa! Thanks, Karen! This granola is sooo good and the house smells amazing while it’s baking!