From Our Kitchen to Yours! Happy Holidays!

From Our Kitchen to Yours! Happy Holidays!

 

So many of our clients have requested our recipe for our homemade granola, that I thought I would post it. Making granola is quite easy, and you can simply modify the recipe for different occasions. This is a great Christmas gift to give to friends and loved ones, and one that the kids will enjoy participating in. After you prepare the granola, you can purchase some pretty cellophane bags and tie them up with a bow, or as we do, recycle those glass jars and decorate the lids. The shelf life is only 2-3 weeks, unless you can vacuum seal your bag, so you will not want to prepare the granola too far in advance of giving the gift. Put together a holiday basket, full of goodies, and I can suggest some homemade preserves as well from the Farmer’s Market in Old Quebec!

Hôtel Manoir d’Auteuil Granola Recipe:

  • 6 cups rolled oats (not instant)DSC_1138
  • 6 Tablespoons packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • half teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2/3 cup honey
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup sunflower seeds
  • ½ cup sliced almonds

Heat the oven to 300 degrees F and arrange a rack in the middle

Place oats, seeds, almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine: Set aside.

Place the honey, oil, and vanilla in a small bowl and stir to combine. Pour over the oat mixture and mix until the oats are thoroughly coated.

Spread the mixture in a thin, even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, then stir and continue baking until the granola is very light golden brown – about 8-10 minutes more.DSC_1155

Place the baking sheet on a wire rack and cool the granola to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Then add:

  • ½ cup chopped dried cranberries
  • ½ cup chopped dried apricots

Stir into cooled granola mix.

Remember, you can easily change it up using pecans, pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips, dried mangos and more. How about an apple spice version using dried apples, cinnamon and nutmeg. Or how about a granola à la provence, using hints of lavender. Use your imagination, trust me, it will be fantastic! All of us at the Hotel Manoir d’Auteuil wish you a wonderful Holiday Season, full of love, health and happiness, as well as memories you will treasure for years to come.