Pumpkin Maple Pecan Granola

Fall is my favorite season.  And with fall comes all things pumpkin, which I love.  TDN gets sick of pumpkin by the end of November, but this was one of his favorite fall recipes last year which has been requested to come back into the granola rotation.  It has a nice maple flavor, as well as the subtle, but not overwhelming taste of pumpkin.  I could eat a whole batch of this in a sitting, no problem!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup pumpkin puree

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together oats, pecans, spices, sugar, and salt.

In a small bowl, whisk oil, syrup, and pumpkin puree together well.

Pour pumpkin mixture over dry ingredients and quickly mix with a wooden spoon.

Spread the mixture onto your baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring once after about 15 minutes.

Remove from oven when golden brown.  Pour into a large bowl and stir until completely cool.

Transfer to an airtight container.

Recipe adapted from Minimalist Baker

Quick Candied Walnuts

Candied nuts are another of my weaknesses.  There's just something so satisfying about the sweetness and the crunch and the savory nuttiness all rolled into one.  AND you can add them to a salad, making any salad that much more satisfying.

I kept forgetting to pick up more candied pecans at the store - or regular pecans, couldn't remember those either - and I needed nuts for a salad I was planning.  I did have a huge bag of walnuts in the pantry - for granola purposes, of course! - so I set out to make my own candied walnuts.

What a satisfying experiment!  They were simple and perfectly delicious, one of my favorite combinations.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup walnut halves and pieces
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter

Instructions:
Lay out a sheet of parchment paper on a counter or baking sheet.
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add walnuts, sugar, and butter.
Heat over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until all sugar is melted and nuts are coated.
Transfer immediately onto parchment and spread the nuts apart with a spatula.
Let the coating harden for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a bowl or container.