I'm super picky about granola so I rarely buy it at the store. I decided to try to make it myself and it came out really good! It's stores well, stays crunchy and you can put whatever the hell you want in it for way less money than that stale stuff you get at the store.
Here's how I make it, but you should experiment. It's fun!
SUPER NUTTY GRANOLA:
6 cups rolled oats (NOT quick cook or instant)
2 or more c. mixed nuts & seeds
(I do a combination of almonds, walnuts or pecans, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds)
1 c. shredded coconut
1/2 c. virgin coconut oil
1 tsp. cinnamon (optional: vanilla, cardamom, nutmeg)
a few dashes of salt
1/2 to 1 c. maple syrup (honey works too)
optional: cranberries or raisins or any dried fruit!
Preheat oven to 300
Heat the oatmeal in 2 deep saucepans, (it wont fit in one) over med-low heat. Stir constantly until they change color and become fragrant, 3-5 min.
Add the nuts and seeds and continue to cook, stirring often for another 3 min.
Add the shredded coconut. Cook 2 more min.
Add the cinnamon (or whatever spice you like) salt, maple syrup and coconut oil. Stir to coat.
Spread on 2 cookie sheets and put in the oven.
Bake for 20 min, stirring it every 6 or 7 minutes.
Remove from oven, add the fruit if you want and stir while it completely cools to room temp. on a rack.
Once it's cool, put into an airtight container. I keep mine on the counter.
xo
Spending New Years at the Oregon Coast is becoming somewhat of a tradition it seems. So much nicer than a crowded house party full of drunks and the awkward obligatory makeout at midnight.
Just hanging with friends, playing kuriki and boggle, drinking hot toddies and eating delicious food. We lucked out with gorgeous weather which was perfect for hiking around at the beach...
Everyone should start the new year this way. So good.
We were so nervous about being stuck in a snow storm while driving over Grants Pass down to San Francisco, but alas... we got perfect weather while driving our big, black, boss lady van down to SF for our final holiday show... thank gawd I had the fine ladies of
Stone & Honey and
DottySpeck to share the drive with me!
Thanks SF for coming out and for a nice end to the holiday show season!
Now... off to Ohio to visit fam... Happy Holidays!
I just want to give a heartfelt "Thank You" to everyone that came out to support local designers this weekend at Portland Bazaar and last weekend at UCU. I feel like I just made a bunch of new friends!
I have to say that every single one of you made my day with your praise and sincere support of xobruno. This is a relatively new venture for me, and our first year of holiday shows, so getting so much positive feedback is especially encouraging and meaningful and awesome in so many ways.
Thank you!
Heading off to SF for a final show this coming weekend, then hanging with the fam in Ohio until the end of Dec.
I will be back in action after the new year to fill any orders placed between now and then.
Feel free to email me though, and Happy Holidays friends!
xomichelle
We are doing 4 shows the first 3 weekends of December starting this Friday in Portland, then Seattle and San Fransisco... Come say hello and take advantage of some very nice prices my friends!
SUNDAY BEST SALE this Friday and Saturday in Portland
URBAN CRAFT UPRISING in Seattle this weekend
December 3rd & 4th Saturday & Sunday
THE PORTLAND BAZAAR is going to be awesome.
Saturday Dec 10 and Sunday Dec 11th
Then me and my
lady friends are heading down South for
RENEGADE SAN FRANCISCO Saturday & Sunday Dec 17th & 18th
Finally making these in some
new wax canvas colors:
Happy Day-After-Thanksgiving everyone!
I myself took a much needed break from crazy holiday production schedule and had the best day just cooking and hanging out with friends and eating delicious food... most definitely 3 things that rank highest on my "favorite things to do" list for sure.
I am thankful to be writing these words and for having such excellent friends and family. I'm thankful for this little business and the ability to make things with my own 2 hands. Something I never seem to get sick of.
So it IS Friday and the day after Thanksgiving and even though I should be in the studio cutting and sewing and hammering, I wanted to do a quick Food Fri post especially because this tart is so damn good.
I recently acquired a REAL tart pan since I took this photo and have made this recipe in said pan with successful results. That said, a pie dish or tart pan will do!
I have this written down in my willy-nilly book of recipes, but I think I adapted it from one of Deborah Madison's cookbooks.
bon appetit and thank you!
Click "Read More" for Recipe
I was lucky enough to stumble upon Frank's
voodoofunk blog a few years back while trolling the internet looking for some new Afro beats to add to my collection. Frank, after spending years crate digging his way through West Africa, shares has his rare collection with the rest of us on his blog along with great photos and art.
These are some of my favorite record cover paintings he had done by
local store sign painters - sadly, a dying art there and here everywhere it seems.
Voodoo Funk mix for your listening pleasure below.
I never got a chance to post photos from my trip to the Mediterranean in Sept/Oct, but today I was thinking about the beautiful Kilim rugs that I saw being made while in Turkey.
It was amazing to see the whole process: the actual spinning of the silk from the silk worm (I wish I had a good photo of that!); the natural pigment baths used to dye the wools, cotton and silks; and the weaving process itself.
Unfortunately, those rugs were a tad out of my budget (!), so I continue scouting stores and resale shops for them to make
Kilim bags out of back home. I just love the color and feel of the finely woven Kilim.
..aand I could use a little sun and Mediterranean food right about now.
Its Fall and we usually host what I call
"Second Sunday Supper at Seven Sharp" at our house every month. Usually through the Fall and Winter and even into the Spring if its cold, which it often is here in the NW. Needless to say, I haven't had the time to get them going this season which is a bummer because I love cooking and eating while kvetching with friends.
Luckily, I've been invited to some delicious dinners to get me through the doldrums of my busy holiday season. This particular dinner was themed "Gilded Tongues, Golden Potluck" So I decided to make a Golden Apple Galette using the tart apples we picked at our friends farm down in Brownsville Oregon.
Recipe Below: (Click "Read More")
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