We are now on day 5 of my pumpkin recipes after taking a little break in between for chocolate chip cookies. I just got my work schedule for December and I am SO excited that I got Christmas off. I didn’t originally have it off, but my job is flexible enough that I get to drop and trade trips with other employees.
Not only do I have Christmas off, but I have the more than week off during that time so that I have plenty of time for baking. We all know that baking during the holidays is a whole fiasco for me. I take up the kitchen for at least 24 hours, baking into the wee hours of the morning.
It’s become a tradition for me and I truly cherish it. Last year, I was on reserve for work so I was unable to do that. It was the first Christmas in my life where I didn’t get to spend it with my family. Instead of being home when everyone else was, I was in a hotel in Ft. Lauderdale by myself. Sure, the warm weather was nice to have, but it was really hard for me to be away.
This year, I’m not taking anything for granted. Hopefully I’ll be able to see all my friends and family while I’m home for the holidays.
I’m already brainstorming my Christmas baking list for this year. Usually, I bake about 4-5 different kinds of cookies, one kind of bar, and one kind of bread. I’m thinking I might increase the types of cookies this year because there are so many that I love.
Onto the pumpkin pie granola… I wouldn’t exactly call this granola since it wasn’t as hard and crunchy as normal granola. It was actually rather soft and spongy. I’m guessing it was because of the pumpkin in the recipe. I wonder if baking it longer or at a higher temperature would eventually cause the mixture to harden…
This recipe from Dashing Dish was made to be a bit healthier, but you can definitely taste the difference. I’d say, use real sugar, use sweetened apple sauce, and use honey. I subbed stevia in the raw and agave in the raw, but it gave it that weird aftertaste that stevia does for me. I’m not a fan of sweetener, sweet n low, equal, or any of those fake sugars. I’m all for the real thing, and I really think that makes a huge difference in baking.
And now for the giveaway…
Tate’s Bake Shop was not only nice enough to send me a book to review, they’re sponsoring a giveaway to one of my lucky readers! Here’s what you’d be getting:
It has “something for everyone with three 7-oz boxes of cookies, one each of chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and white chocolate chip macadamia nut. Two rich, buttery raspberry bars, two chocolate chip and walnut loaded blondies, and two rich, dense and fudgy plain brownies round out this crowd pleaser. Each 7-oz box contains approximately 12 cookies, and bars measure 4” x 2.75″‘ This particular cookie and bar tower set retails for $48 on their website.
How do you enter?
Just leave a comment on this post saying what you do for Thanksgiving, if anything at all.
Do you throw a Friendsgiving? Eat Tofurkey? Stay at home in PJ’s and watch movies all night? Sit at your computer at 12:01 AM and wait for Black Friday deals?
Make sure to let me know by this Saturday, November 17th at 11:59PM pacific time. The winner will be chosen by random.org.
Ingredients
- 4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup baking stevia OR 1 cup sweetener of choice that measures like sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cups pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup applesauce (unsweetened)
- 3 tbs sugar free maple syrup (or honey or agave nectar)
- Optional Add-ins: 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, 1 cup honey teddy grahams lightly crushed
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix together the oats, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, stevia, salt, and baking powder.
- In another bowl, mix together the pumpkin, applesauce, and maple syrup. Slowly mix in the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients until evenly coated.
- Evenly spread out the granola on prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, then stir granola around. Bake for an additional 20 minutes or until the granola is golden brown and is crisp. Take the granola out of the oven, and let it cool completely.
- Stir in any additional add-ins, if using. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.
That granola looks divine!!
This is the first Thanksgiving where I will be cooking the meal…Excited and nervous at the same time!
This year I will be celebrating my honeymoon in Chile!
We generally have a chicken treated like a turkey because none of us are that fond of turkey. XD. But we raise meat chickens every year and always have one!
Me and my sister take over my moms kitchen and make absolutely anything and everything that sounds good to us. We start planning our menu months in advance, she’s always in charge of the turkey and I’m always in charge of the desserts. We split the sides, I normally make the green bean casserole and cranberry sauce, she makes her cheddar bay biscuits and scalloped potatoes. This year I’m making pumpkin cheesecake after letting both our hubbies vote!
Oh and then we always watch a movie after the food coma starts settling in!
Spending the day with friends and family in AZ…and I can’t wait!
Liz said…
Spending the day with friends and family in AZ…and I can’t wait!
P.S. Forgot to comment from my gmail!
I always spend Thanksgiving with my family, eating way too much food and watching football all day!
This is such an excellent idea! I love pumpkin everything.
My Thanksgiving tradition is sort of an anti-tradition. No pumpkin pie! I love pecan pie though in placement of it. And although I usually end up at an ‘orphan thanksgiving’ here in NYC, I’m actually heading to my best friend’s family’s house for thanksgiving in New Jersey this year. I’m so excited!
Gather with friends and njoy a hearty meal..:)
I live in NYC and after years of not, we thought we’d try to check the parade out this year!
Then it will be food, napping and football!
We live far away from our families, so every year we host “stray thanksgiving.” We make the turkey and pie, and friends bring their favorite sides. It’s a fun way to spend the day!
I usually make it to a couple different traditional Thanksgiving dinners on different days with different members of my family and my boyfriend’s family. My friends and I will also be doing a Friendsgiving the week after Thanksgiving!
This year my mom and I are cooking and bringing everything to her aunt’s house, as her aunt is pretty lonely these days.
Thanksgiving is our big holiday, as most of the family is out of town for Christmas. So, we all will be getting together at my mom’s house to eat, play games, and chat!
My family isn’t too big on celebrating Thanksgiving other than just relaxing, stay in PJ’s, sleep in, watch TV and just a normal day with ZERO STRESSS 🙂
Oh gosh I definitely want to try those new Chubby tate cookie recipes!!!
We spend Thanksgiving at either my parents house, or my husband’s parents house. If at my house, Dad cooks up the entire meal with little help from us (but we try!) — with my husband’s family it’s a toss-up! Sometimes we’ll go out to dinner somewhere, other times, they will prepare a meal. 🙂
I’ll be visiting my parents for thanksgiving and possibly baking some pies!
I host a “Friendsgiving” the weekend before, then go home and spend actual Thanksgiving with my family.
I spend it with lots of family!
I spend Thanksgiving with my family. We have a huge turkey dinner, complete with all the fixings, sides, and dessert! 🙂
i’m a sucker for pumpkin anything, so i’m loving the recipes lately!
thanksgiving is the big holiday in our family, the time everyone gets together! we’re mostly vegetarians, so we always have lasagna as the main course, and then all of the yummy sides. i can’t wait for it next week!
Usually just lunch with the family but I think this year we are going to hit some sales early since there are a couple things I want at Walmart that starts on Thanksgiving.
Studying for law school finals 🙁
we do a huge Thanksgiving feast with all the family and it is great!
ykatrina at hotmail dot com
sadly this year i will have no t’giving – i leave that day to go sing in europe with a punk band! so i’m treating it like any other day…but it’d help if i had some cookies to console me!
We always go to my dad’s side of the family and eat with them on the day of Thanksgiving and then on the Saturday after have a “chosen family” (ie, friends) Thanksgiving (:
We don’t celebrate thanksgiving here. ):
Nonetheless I’m excited to try out some pumpkin recipes!
this thanksgiving, i’ll mostly be studying for my school finals 🙁 but i’m planning on taking breaks to spend time with my family and to EAT A LOT! 🙂
My Thanksgiving always starts off with gas station hot cocoa, the the whole day is devoted to family and of course, eating. Thanksgiving is truly the greatest holiday (after my birthday of course) lol
I will be spending Thanksgiving with my big Italian family!
i will be spending thanksgiving with my family, i can’t wait to see my new baby nephew coming from out of town!! then early the next day we will continue the tradition of black friday shopping with the ladies! while we let the men sleep 😉 Can’t wait!!
forgot to leave my e-mail address! opps! 07nataliel@gmail.com
Most of the Thanksgivings of my adult life have been spent away from my family, so it’s not too big a deal. Usually a fun day regardless.
My family is far away, so thanksgiving is a potluck with friends and new people every time, too much wine, and lots of stuffing for me!!
This year my entire family will be getting together for a Thanksgiving feast. I’ll make the pies, as usual!
lots of food and games
kdschirado@yahoo.com
Don’t know what I got myself into but I’ve decided to host Thanksgiving at our place for both sides of the family. We’ll see if I survive from all the cooking (considering that I don’t cook at all) to be able to hit the sales the following day.
This comment has been removed by the author.
For Thanksgiving, I’m hosting about 20-25 friends and family for the celebration.
EMS591@aol.com
I LOVE pumpkin! The smell, flavor and color mean Fall to me.
We usually celebrate Thanksgiving with family, but since we moved cross country and have a wee one due any day, we will be having Thanksgiving by ourselves. At least it means there are more leftovers for us 😉
We go back to our home state and celebrate with extended family. There’s lots of turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes!
For thanksgiving, I go to my mom’s and eat all her food 🙂
Cooking for the family at my house.
Thanksgiving day begins with a run around the neighborhood with my dog, Jackson. Then I head home to help Mom with the cooking and eating! Watching the Macy’s day parade and football is also a pastime I enjoy! When the food is all ready, we all gather at the table and eat and drink and share memories!
we all go to my daughters house, because she has a huge dining area and we all bring Thanksgiving themed covered dishes
smokisno@yahoo.com
Hi! I love your site, particularly all the banana bread recipes. My family is just my older brother and me. This year we’re going to eat something yummy I’ve made (pumpkin pie? chocolate crinkles? shortbread? some of each?), check out a new Mexican restaurant, and drive up to the highest point in our state. My brother’s taking one of his telescopes and he’s going to show me some constellations. It’ll be a fun night if I don’t freeze (I’m a wimp about the cold). Happy Thanksgiving!
I am a cook at a assisted living facility so I will be working, my son ( going to culinary school) is going to make us a non traditional dinner Aisain dinner,then he will be going to work (retail) for early black Friday.Happy thanksgiving to all.
Usually all of our five kids are here with their mates. This year one will be missing as she is too near her due date to fly. Our first grandson will be here, though! We always, always, always have the same menu. The kids say I can experiment the other 364 days of the year, but Thanksgiving is a fixed menu. We have a brined turkey (actually I roast one the day before so I have enough juices for the vat of gravy I have to make), dressing with spinach, mushrooms and oysters, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted yams with tiny marshmallows, green beans with bacon, and jellied cranberry sauce. There always has to be pumpkin pie, a chocolate walnut pie, and an apple pie. I’m looking forward to the command performance. = )
WE always have a big family get together a week before Thanksgiving, then spend Thanksgiving day with immediate family.
I’m going back home to my parents’ and helping my mom cook it all!
For the first time, I’ll be having Thanksgiving at my boyfriend’s family’s house. I love to cook and play around in the kitchen but who knows what this year will bring!?
Between going to my moms AND my grandmothers for a dinner, needless to say we are stuffed to the gills, to then come home and lay on the couch until bedtime! 🙂
I spend my Thanksgiving holiday with family. We alternate years. This year we are spending the holiday with my in-laws…lots of good food and fun!! Friday morning we sometimes head out for some good deals.
We always spend the early part of the day with my family, I start early morning there to help mu mom, she’s older and it’s hard for her but she still insist we all come to her house! Then we have an evening meal at my home for my inlaws, our children and grandsons. The following day my husband I leave on a mission trip each year to a small mission church in West Virginia to work with 40 – 60 children. It is a truly special weekend for us.
The last 4 years I have spent Thanksgiving with my boyfriend now fiancee’s family. We usually do the norm of watching football and eating ALL DAY.
We spend it with my mom and eat until our hearts are content! I love it-it’s my favorite holiday!
We will be going to my grandmothers for Thanksgiving!
Cooking for my family!
Cooking turkey dinner with my mom, dad and brother
Every year we have a big family celebration with my aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins. This year I’m hoping to contribute to some of the cooking!
I bake! Last year fig pecan pie, this year my first pumpkin pie!
We’re heading to my mom’s for food, fun and relaxation! Then it’s home again to begin baking and the mad dash towards Christmas! I love the holidays!!
I’m having my first newlywed holiday, so the traditions will be slightly different.
Heading to the beach….and hauling all the food with us!
This Thanksgiving will be my son’s first. I don’t have the energy to cook so we’re going to go out for dinner. And then take out the Christmas decorations. I also send my husband a Thanksgiving email every year to tell him the many reasons I am thankful for him.
Thanksgiving is all about the family. We share the cooking duties and meet together to share the goods! Turkey and ham, dressing, veggies, Mom’s orange rolls and yummy desserts! Hopefully enough leftover turkey for sandwiches the next day.
Love your blog Kim and especially all the photos!
Doing a Turkey Trot with my hubby, then heading to the in-laws’ house for dinner.
Mmm…that granola looks yummy! For Thanksgiving we have ‘dinner’ at my hubby’s grandma’s house at noon, then head over to my parent’s house around 4 or 5 for another Thanksgiving, and to let the kids run around with their 5 cousins on my side. It’s a crazy, busy, fun day filled with food and family 🙂
My extended family gets together for a big Thanksgiving dinner – it’s kind of a potluck because we all bring different things. Naturally, my favourite part is actually dessert!…and getting to catch up with my cousins. 🙂
i eat and eat and eat until i reach of state of food coma 😛
I plan on cookin up a storm at our home surrounded by lots of family and friends… can’t wait!
Spending the day with my family and eating way too much food!! And probably watching a movie 🙂
Just trying to save room for the bourbon pecan pie!
We spend time at home as a family, nothing too exquisite 😉
mummytotwoboys@yahoo.com
I just checked my email…and found out I won!!! Thank you so much!! I am really looking forward to tasting all of these yummy treats!! Thank you!