Don’t Miss a Thing!

Subscribe via email to receive the latest recipes in your inbox!

Lynsey Lou's

Enjoying Life One Bite at a Time!

Archives for November 2015

SRC: Homemade (Gluten Free) Granola with Quinoa

by 8 Comments

Granola is one of my favorite snacks to have on hand at all times.  It’s a delicious and healthy snack and a cinch to assemble.  However, with my schedule the past several months I honestly can’t tell you the last time I made a batch of granola.  So, I decided to change that thanks to this month’s Secret Recipe Club exchange.

While looking through this moth’s assignment, Without Adornment, I came across several tantalizing recipes.  {Vegan} Pumpkin cinnamon buns, eggnog french toast, {Vegan} apple rhubarb galette, grilled apple pie and ooey gooey single serve brownie, just to name a few.  All of these had my mouth watering, but when I came across a recipe for a simple homemade granola I knew that is what I was making.


This granola is gluten free, but if you don’t have a gluten intolerance you can simply use regular rolled oats.  Along with oats, some bran, coconut flakes, almonds, quinoa and salt are added to the mix.  This granola is then tossed in a mixture of honey and applesauce to add sweetness and flavor.  It’s baked for a few minutes and then cooled.  That’s it!

This granola is pretty basic, but strays from the norm just a bit with the addition of quinoa.  Along with the added health benefits the quinoa adds another nice layer of texture to the mix.
 
Homemade Granola with Quinoa

Ingredients:


4 Cups (gluten free) rolled oats
1/2 Cup rice bran
1 Cup shredded coconut flakes
1 Cup almonds, roughly chopped
1/2 Cup quinoa flakes
1/4 Tsp salt
1/3 Cup coconut oil, melted if it’s solid
2/3 Cup honey
4-5 Tbsp applesauce

Directions:


Preheat oven to 300.

Combine oats, bran, coconut, almonds, salt and quinoa and stir to combine.  Pour coconut oil, honey and applesauce over the dry ingredients and stir to coat.  Add more honey and/or applesauce if you’d like it sweeter.

Divide mixture between two rimmed baking sheets and spread in an even layer.  Place in preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven and toss with a spatula and return pans to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and place pans on a cooling rack and allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, toss to loosen and allow to set another 5-10 minutes.  Once the mixture is cooled store in an airtight container or zip top bag.

Enjoy by the handful, over yogurt, or in cereal.

Recipe source: barely adapted from Without Adornment

Homemade Hostess Breakfast Basket

by Leave a Comment

Flowers, a bottle of wine or champagne are always a welcomed gift to every hostess.  While contributing to the main course is  always appreciated, thinking a bit longer term never hurts either.  All meals are a labor of love, but meals around the holidays; Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years are on a level all their own.

The host and hostess spend days, weeks and even months planning and preparing for the big day.  So the thought of what will be for breakfast the day after the big event probably never crosses their mind.  So a basket packed with goodies for breakfast the next morning is a thoughtful, sweet and personalized “thank you” to the person who has put so much work into the event.

This basket will give them something to look forward to once the last piece of pie is eaten, the dishes are put back in their home and the house is back to normalcy.

And, who doesn’t like a basket packed full of breakfast goodies?

I packed this one with homemade orange cranberry bread, creamy whipped orange butter and freshly ground coffee from one of my favorite local coffee companies; Mylo Coffe Co.  What else?  A hand written thank you note, a few kitchen tools and a kitchen towel.

Honestly the options are endless for a personalized hostess basket; movies, popcorn and candy, gourmet s’mores kit, candles and bath salts, cookies and coffee.  Truly the list goes on and on.

So the next even you go to, get creative and whip up a personalized gift basket for the hostess to show just how much you care!

What you need:

Basket or bucket
Kitchen towel
Kitchen tool
Thank you note
Freshly ground coffee

For the bread-
Favorite loaf of quick bread
Plastic wrap
Freezer paper
Kitchen twine or ribbon

For the butter-
4 Tbsp salted butter (or unsalted butter along with a pinch of salt)
Zest of half an orange
2 Tsp freshly squeezed orange juice
3 Tbsp powdered sugar

To assemble-


Wrap bread in plastic wrap, then wrap in freezer paper, making sure seems are on the back side of the loaf.  Tape the paper on the back.  Wrap twine or ribbon around the loaf.

For the butter-
Place butter in a medium bowl and whip on high until smooth.  Add the orange zest, juice and powdered sugar and whip on low until just incorporated, increase mixing speed to high for 30 seconds.  Transfer to a jar and seal tightly.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the basket-
Place tissue paper in the bottom of the basket.  Place bread, coffee and butter in the basket.  Tuck in the spoon, thank you note and towel and head to your hostess’ house.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

by Leave a Comment

I’m ashamed to say it’s been months, maybe even a year since I’ve developed a new muffin recipe.  I’m not quite sure what happened, but I have definitely been slacking in the muffin department.  And the pumpkin department.  I mean it’s mid November and this is the first pumpkin recipe I’ve shared.  Can you say slacker???  Well…

…Until now.

I guess it’s true a what they say, good things come to those who wait.  Because, let me tell you something.   These muffins are nothing short of pumpkin amazingness.

These come together so quickly,  no mixer or special equipment required.  Simply mix the wet ingredients,  then the dry then combine the two and that’s it.  You can stop there and end up with a completely delicious muffin, but you know me, I had to take it a step further.

I added a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on the tops of theuffins before baking.  This added another hint of cunning as well as a lightly crunchy top.

Because you can never have enough sugar!  And, because calories are non-existent this time of year!  Ha

To make it a truly indulgent breakfast treat you could top these delicious pillows of pumpkin goodness with a dollop of cream cheese frosting.  Making these little muffins perfect for breakfast, brunch or even dessert.

This is one recipe that truly covers all the bases!

Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:


1 3/4 Cup flour
1 1/4 Tsp baking soda
1/2 Tsp salt
3/4 Cup granulated sugar
3/4 Cup brown sugar
2 Tsp cinnamon
1/2 Tsp ground cloves
1/2 Tsp ground nutmeg
1 Stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter*
2 Large eggs
1 (15 oz) Can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

For the cinnamon sugar topping-
2 Tbsp sugar in the raw
3/4 Tsp cinnamon
Pinch ground cloves

For the frosting-
1/4 Cup unsalted butter, room temperature
4 Oz cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 Cup powdered sugar
Pinch salt

Directions:


Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a mini muffin tin (or regular sized tin) with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, both sugars, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg and whisk to combine.  Slice 4 tablespoons of butter and add to the dry ingredients, using two knives or a pastry cutter cut in the butter until small balls of dough start to form.

Place the butter in a microwave safe bowl and place in the microwave a few seconds to melt.  Add the pumpkin and eggs to the melted butter and mix to combine.  Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until incorporated.

Fill each muffin cavity 2/3 full.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake for 15 minutes.  If using a large muffin tin bake for 20-25 minutes.

Remove from oven, run a knife around the edge of each muffin and transfer to a cooling rack to allow to cool completely.

For frosting-
Combine butter and cream cheese in a medium bowl and beat until smooth.  Add the powdered sugar and salt and beat until combine.

Frost cooled muffins, or place frosting in a bowl and serve along side muffins.*

*If you don’t have unsalted butter, you may use salted just omit the salt called for in the recipe.
*If serving the muffins the next day, wait until serving to frost.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

Cranberry Pepper Jelly Dip

by Leave a Comment

One of the simplest dip recipes I’ve ever made is the ever so popular red pepper jelly dip.  I mean it’s hardly even a recipe; a block of cream cheese with pepper jelly poured over the top.  But, it’s so good and so addicting.

Since we are officially in the “seasons of food” I decided to give that infamous dip a little holiday twist with the addition of cranberries.  I promise, this addition doesn’t complicate the recipe at all.  It’s still a matter of opening a package of cream cheese and a jar of jelly, but you mix in a touch of cranberry sauce to add a nice holiday twist.


The spicy pepper jelly is complimented by the tartness from the cranberry sauce and it all pairs perfectly with tangy cream cheese. Drag a butter Club cracker through it and you’ve got a perfectly delicious appetizer that will definitely be a crowd pleaser at your holiday gatherings.

Cranberry Pepper Jelly Dip

Ingredients:


Half a jar of pepper jelly, regular or spicy
1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp Cranberry sauce , homemade or store-bought
8 Oz cream cheese, room temperature

To serve-
Crackers

Directions:


Spread cream cheese in an even layer on a shallow serving dish.

Combine jelly and cranberry sauce in a bowl and mix to combine.  Spread over the cream cheese.  Serve with crackers.

*If not serving immediately, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

Cranberry Orange Sauce

by Leave a Comment

Thanksgiving is NEXT WEEK people!

Can you believe it?  It seems like yesterday we were lounging in the pool and soaking up the sun and now here we are about to give thanks, celebrate the birth of our amazing Savior and ring in the new year.  Where, oh where, has the time gone?

This week and next week are dedicated to Thanksgiving eats.  I’m sure you all have the turkey and dressing care of but I’ll be sharing a variety of appetizers and desserts…and just maybe a side or two.  Yesterday I shared a delicious, oh-so-addicting, and very easy caramel apple dip.  This dip is to die for and is perfect to snack on before or after the big meal and it’s also great to whip up for drop-in visitors through-out the holiday season.

Today, I’m sharing a super simple cranberry sauce.  Because, what is Thanksgiving without that tart cranberry goodness?

Now, how many of you grew up with that jellied cranberry sauce from the can, complete with the ridges?  I’m waiving my hand over here.  I loved that stuff, and still do.  But that hasn’t stopped me with playing around with other cranberry sauce recipes over the years.  And this year I have a sauce that is so easy and only requires 4 ingredients.

That’s right, 4!

This cranberry sauce is elevated with the flavor from both the zest and juice of an orange, making a delicious and elegant side for your holiday meal.  It also makes a delicious spread on a sandwich featuring some of those delicious leftovers.

3 Ingredient Cranberry-Orange Sauce

Ingredients:


1 Pound fresh or frozen cranberries (not dried)
3/4 Cup + 1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 Cup water
1 Orange, zested and juiced
Pinch of salt

Directions:

Combine water, sugar, and orange juice in a sauce pan over high heat.  Bring mixture to a boil then add cranberries, salt and orange zest, stir to combine and reduce to a simmer.  Allow mixture to simmer, until most of the skins have burst (about 10 to 15 minutes) and remove from heat.  Stir and transfer to serving dish.  Cover and chill until ready to serve.

*Can be made in advanced and stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Recipe source: A Lynsey original

Caramel Apple Dip

by Leave a Comment

When I think of fall there are several things that come to mind but there are two things that really stick out; pumpkin and apples.  Right now it’s nearly impossible to look around and not spot something involving one of those two flavors.

Caramel apples are one of my favorite fall desserts.  There’s something so enticing, so mesmerizing, so magical about an apple dipped and coated in caramel.  It’s my weakness.

But, sometimes dunking those big juicy apples in buttery caramel just isn’t in the cards.  Enter this caramel apple dip.  This dip is easy to make, only requires a few very simple ingredients, and comes together very quickly.  It’s creamy, sweet, and smooth, just like traditional caramel sauce.  And it goes perfectly with apple slices.

This dip is so delicious, so addicting and makes a great appetizer or snack.  This would be a great appetizer for Thanksgiving, or any gathering.  It’s sweet, without being overly sweet, light, goes perfectly schmeared on an apple slice and it’s incredibly addicting.  

Oh…and you just may want to double the recipe if you’re serving a crowd because it disappears as quickly as it’s made!

Caramel Apple Dip

Ingredients:


16 Individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
1/4 Cup water
1 (8oz) Package cream cheese
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1 Tsp vanilla

Directions:


Place a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add the caramels and water and allow to melt, being sure to stir frequently.  Once the caramels are melted and the mixture is smooth remove from heat and set aside.

Place cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl and beat on high to cream.  Once the ingredients are completely combined, fold in the caramel mixture.  Serve immediately with apple slices.

Recipe source: Chef In Training