This was a Very Important Weekend.
There was wedding dress shopping with Childhood Best Friend (yes, I cried – I really do need to invest in some good waterproof mascara…any suggestions?).
There was introducing Boyfriend to Parents (as well as Childhood and College Best Friends).
There was laughter. And fun. And excellent food.
And most importantly, at the epicenter of all of this, there was celebrating the birthday of my beautiful momma, the woman who not only gave me life but inspires me every single day. I love you, Momma, and I hope that you had a wonderful weekend and an even more wonderful birthday today.
(Everyone wish Momma Swope a happy birthday!)
Also, at some point this weekend, there was granola. And it was good. Now, have a great breakfast and tell someone you love them today.
Cranberry Pecan Granola
Ingredients
- 4 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup wheat germ
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons light agave nectar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease two baking sheets; set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the oats, coconut, wheat germ, flaxseed, salt, cinnamon and pecans. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, honey, brown sugar, agave and vanilla. Pour the honey mixture over the oats mixture, mixing well. You may need to use your hands to evenly coat the dry ingredients with the honey mixture.
- Once everything is well mixed, spread evenly onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 7-10 minutes, until the granola just starts to turn golden.
- Stir in the dried cranberries. Allow granola to cool completely on the baking sheets, then store in an airtight container for up to a week.
And I love you. Thank you. You are the best daughter in the whole wide world (and a pretty darn good cook, too–this is very yummy granola!). 🙂
Happy Birthday, Momma Swope 🙂
Thanks! This means a lot coming from the Queen of Desserts!