In an Irish Home

Andy Williams may have been singing about Christmas when he crooned It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, but for me, hands down, autumn is the hap-happiest season of all! Back in the day when I was a big-haired, cowboy boot wearing, Texas girl, I used to call this season… “sweater weather”. Back then, I lived for the cooler weekends when I could throw on a pair of well worn jeans, a cozy jumper {sweater} and head off to some grassy field an hour or so outside of Dallas for a bit of antique shopping.

Now, my life is so different. I’m a wife and mother. We split our time between Ireland and America. And our home is fully furnished {finally!}. I still live for the weekends, but now I’m much more likely to get out for a hike, throw myself on the sofa and relax with a stash of newspapers and magazines or get creative in the kitchen whipping up recipes…{truth be told, a spot of retail therapy in Dundrum also makes the list!}

This past Bank Holiday Monday was a perfect day for being in the kitchen. Among other autumn treats, I made Pumpkin Maple Granola, which I double batched because it disappears so quickly. The base recipe is Nadia’s Granola. We love this incredibly more-ish treat but, let’s be honest, it’s nice to change things up every now and again. With that and sweater weather in mind, I created this simple, delicious, Pumpkin Pecan Maple Granola. It takes only 40 minutes to mix and bake and has 11 ingredients: pumpkin pureé, mixed spice, pecans and cranberries…oh my!  And, the smell will drive you around the bend: it’s like a yummy pumpkin spice candle.

If you prefer to substitute currants or raisins for the cranberries…go for it. Ditto if you want to use a different type of nut…or not nuts at all. This granola doesn’t have any of that over-the-top sugariness that you’ll find in store bought granola. We enjoy it in a multitude of ways: over Weetabix, Special K, yogurt, fresh fruit, ice cream, or by the handful.

I know the last few days have been cold in Ireland, but I hope you are making time for yourself and your friends/loved ones outdoors in our beautiful countryside. With Halloween less than 24 hours away, be safe, enjoy the candy, carved pumpkins, costumes and bonfires…autumn is truly a magical season.

~ XoK

Pumpkin Pecan Maple Granola

Makes 5 cups/600 grams

Ingredients

50 ml/2oz/¼ cup maple syrup

28g/1oz/¼ cup brown sugar

50 ml/2oz/¼ cup olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon mixed spice {pumpkin spice}

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

76g/2.7oz/1/3 cup pumpkin pureé

340g/12oz/3 cups rolled oats

118g/4.2oz/1 cup raw pecans, roughly chopped into pieces

130g/4.6oz/1 cup raw pumpkin seeds

50g/1.8 oz/1/3 cup cranberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F.

2. Mix first 7 ingredients in a large bowl.

3. Add oats and mix to coat.

4. Spread mixture out on a large, rimmed, baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes.

5. Add the pecans and pumpkin seeds and bake for another 15 minutes. Continue to stir every 5 minutes.

6. Remove the hot muesli from the oven and allow to cool completely before adding cranberries. Store in a sealed container to keep fresh.

Additional Notes, Related Articles & Credit:

* If you live in Ireland, you can buy Pumpkin pureé year round at Fallon & Byrne.

** Oats are said to reduce harmful LDL cholesterol. To learn more, check-out this article from Mayo Clinic online.

*** Getting outdoors is incredibly healthy for the body, the spirit and the mind. If you’re in Ireland, or visiting soon, check out these articles and websites for places to hike in Ireland. My personal favorites are Glendalough, Killiney Hill, Big Sugarloaf, Bray Head, The Gap of Dunloe, The Giant’s Causeway and the Howth Cliff Walk.