Category: Recipes

Question: How do you use up leftover oatmeal?

Answer: You could just reheat it with milk, but it’s really not the same. Or you could make it into muffins, but I am not a fan of the texture. You could even serve it cold to children of strange taste (like one of my sons) who prefer it that way.

Or you could make these easy crackers, and no one will even guess they’re eating leftover oatmeal!

A Cracker’s Tale

I grew up eating oatmeal crackers that my mother made, but I have to admit, I never really appreciated them. They looked and tasted like oatmeal, and I just didn’t care for oatmeal that much. I guess I like more flavors in a cracker.

Since then, I have experimented with different cracker and crispbread recipes, since they are convenient for packing along on adventures, yet I don’t want the preservatives or the price tag of store-bought crackers.

Some recipes just didn’t work out well or my family didn’t like them; others took too much effort for a small batch that disappeared in minutes.

I was hoping for a cracker that would be hearty and filling, so my kids wouldn’t finish off the batch by the end of lunchtime. I wanted more flavor than plain oatmeal crackers, and I wanted to get some healthy seeds into my family’s diet. Most of all, I was looking for a recipe that was quick and easy and didn’t dirty too many dishes!

This recipe is the best result we have had from all the cracker trials!

These crackers are oatmeal-based, with added whole wheat flour to make them more of a “normal” cracker texture. I add a little honey, salt, and herbs for flavor, and lots of seeds to add interest and crunch! Even my 18 month-old loves these crackers!

They are hearty–more like waybread than Wheat Thins–so the entire batch isn’t likely to disappear in ten minutes. (You may have to warn children with big eyes and small stomachs to eat just a few, or they might get a tummy ache!)

A Note for the Faint of Stomach

However, people who are sensitive to raw or lightly cooked oats should be able to digest these just fine, since the oatmeal is cooked thoroughly before even being made into crackers. If you are very sensitive, try soaking your raw oats overnight before cooking them.

Method

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the oatmeal, flour, salt, honey, and melted butter if desired. I include butter for flavor, but you can certainly leave it out for a dairy-free option.

Types of Oatmeal

I used rolled oats cooked in water for my crackers, but you can certainly use quick oats or even instant oats in a pinch. That being said, your leftover oatmeal might well be firmer or looser than mine. If the dough seems too stiff to stir, add a tablespoon or two of water. If it seems too thin, add a little more flour. This recipe does not need exact measurements!

Stir in the pepitas, sesame seeds, flax seeds, and poppy seeds. Of course, you can substitute your favorites as well! Some people like to sprinkle the seeds on top of the crackers before baking, but I like to mix them in so they won’t fall off later in the cracker jar!

Generously butter a large rimmed baking sheet. Mine is 15 x 10 inches. You could use parchment paper instead of butter if you prefer. After peeling parchment paper off the bottoms of too many crackers, I have decided to use butter instead!

Plop the cracker dough on the baking sheet. Roll the dough to the edges of the pan, pressing it into the corners with your hands if necessary. Try to get an even thickness throughout, so the crackers cook evenly. If the dough is too sticky to roll, simply sprinkle a bit of extra flour on the dough before rolling.

Sprinkle about half a teaspoon of sea salt or herb salt over the crackers, if you like. To make your own herb salt, just crush a pinch of dried herbs and mix them with half a teaspoon of sea salt. Rosemary is particularly nice in these crackers, but feel free to use your imagination!

Bake the crackers for 15 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to score the dough into squares or rectangles or whatever shape you wish. I cut mine into 2″ squares.

Return the crackers to the oven and bake for another 40-50 minutes, until the edges are beginning to brown and the crackers are crisp. They will crisp up a little more as they cool, but do not remove them from the oven if they are still soft. You can always turn off your oven and leave the pan in for 5-10 minutes longer if you aren’t sure whether or not they are quite done.

Cool the crackers completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature. These crackers will keep for at least a week… if they last that long. They also freeze well!

When the chilly air nips noses and cheeks, sweaters come out of hibernation, and the teakettle is always warming, it is time to make this comforting pumpkin-spiced granola! Crunchy clusters of oats, almonds, and golden raisins with sweet spices lend an autumnal touch to a familiar breakfast or lunch treat.

Perhaps granola isn’t the first thing you think of when it comes to fall food. But then, we can’t be indulging in apple dumplings or maple lattes every day. Some days when you want a touch of fall on the table without a lot of fuss (or sugar), this spiced pumpkin granola hits the spot! And if your family loves yogurt as much as mine does (I make half a gallon of yogurt per week), you are always glad for something a little different to go with it.

Notes on Ingredients

Honey

You can use any kind of honey you like for this recipe. I usually keep raw honey in my pantry, so that is what I use here. The only consideration for this recipe is the consistency of the honey. Raw honey tends to be very thick, so you will need to heat it and re-liquefy it so that it will mix in with the other ingredients. Pasteurized honey may or may not be thick; use your judgment about whether or not you need to heat it before mixing it into the granola.

Oil

I used avocado oil for this granola, as it does not have a strong flavor. You are welcome to substitute a different oil if you like, but be aware that this may impact the flavor of your granola. I like coconut oil in granola recipes, but it does leave a slight coconut flavor and aroma, which I did not care for in this particular recipe.

You can also omit the oil altogether, and use a bit more pumpkin puree instead. This does change the texture and flavor of the granola slightly.

Sugar

This recipe is lighter on sugar than other granolas you may have tried. If you like your granola on the sweeter side, increase the brown sugar to a packed 1/3 cup.

If you don’t happen to have any brown sugar around, not to worry! It’s easy to make your own. Just drizzle a little molasses into some white sugar or evaporated cane sugar, mix thoroughly, and you’re all set! Start with a tablespoon of molasses per cup of sugar, and adjust with more sugar or molasses to your liking. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. I like to mix up a cup or two at a time, since brown sugar can get hard if it sits too long.

Method

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F.

In a small saucepan, combine the honey, pumpkin, and oil. Heat gently over a low flame, stirring until the honey liquefies and melds with the pumpkin and oil. (Heating the mixture might not be necessary if your honey is very runny; I use raw honey, which tends to be quite thick.) Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, flour, almonds, brown sugar, and spices. You can use pumpkin pie spice, or just make your own with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Here’s a quick recipe:

This recipe makes one tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice, which is just what you need to make this granola! To make more pumpkin pie spice, simply multiply the recipe by 2 or 3. For example, use 3 tsp cinnamon, 1 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp cloves, and 1/2 tsp ginger to make a double batch. That way, you’ll have some handy for other autumn goodies like pumpkin spice snickerdoodles or iced pumpkin scones!

Pour the pumpkin mixture into the oat mixture and stir gently until just combined. You don’t want to stir this too much; leave some large clumps. Those are the best part!

Divide the granola between two 9×13″ baking pans, or use one large rimmed baking sheet.

Bake the granola for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

How to tell when your granola is done

You will know your granola is finished baking when:

• It smells fragrant
• The nuts are toasted
• The color darkens a bit, especially around the edges of the pan
• The clumps don’t break apart easily

You do not need to bake the granola until it is completely crispy; remember, granola will continue to crisp up as it cools!

Stir in the golden raisins once the granola is done baking. Cool the pumpkin granola completely in the pans, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.

Happy fall baking!

~ Kimberly

Do you like breakfast cereals? I don’t. They never really fill me up in the morning, and I disdain the frosted cardboard taste and texture. But everyone else in my family likes cold cereal, so I usually keep some around for dire circumstances like postpartum and days that my husband leaves for work before 6:30. He doesn’t feel like frying eggs or pancakes at 6 AM, and I don’t blame him. But I also don’t get up that early these days, with a baby keeping me up all hours.

At any rate, when I found a recipe for homemade breakfast cereal, I was only too happy to try it and ditch the honey-flavored rings defying my nutrition goals from the corner cupboard. The first attempt turned out pretty well, I thought. Except for the fact that my kids refused to eat it.

So I played with the recipe a bit until we came up with this version. The original recipe, printed in The Simple Bites Kitchen, does not call for sugar, but I added some for the sake of peace. Two teaspoons of sugar spread out through 12 cups of cereal doesn’t seem too bad. It makes more of a difference in sweetness than you would think, though. The original recipe was supposed to be an “apple crisp” flavor, but… my kids don’t like dried apples for some reason. So I switched up the dried fruits and nuts for a combination that suits my family better. You can adjust them freely to match your own taste.

The cereal we ended up with is a sort of compromise between muesli, granola, and conventional cold cereal. It takes grains and seeds (like muesli), and toasts them (like granola), then mixes them with dried fruit and puffed grains–which could easily be used as a cereal without the extras. The combination certainly adds variety to the breakfast table, while providing ample amounts of protein, carbs, and fiber to hungry kids and grownups alike. Serve it with whole milk or yogurt, and maybe some fresh or frozen fruit for added flavor.

Variations on the Basic Muesli Recipe

You can find many ways to vary this recipe:

• In place of the oats, try a rolled 7-grain mix

• Add more spices like cloves or nutmeg, or stir in a teaspoon of vanilla extract

• Try orange juice instead of apple cider

• Drizzle in a bit of honey or maple syrup instead of the sugar

• Switch up the dried fruits and nuts

• Use different puffed grains

I made a valiant effort to make puffed quinoa for this recipe. It tasted fine, but no matter what method I used, the grains never seemed to get any bigger. To me, it just wasn’t worth to toast half a cup of grains and end up with half a cup of “puffed” grains that got lost in the mix.

If you want to make your own puffed grains, it is pretty easy, and you might well have more success than me! They did taste good, even if they didn’t puff up much.

If you try any variations and find one you like, please let me know! I love to try different flavor and texture combinations.

Method

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Set out two large, rimmed baking sheets and line them with parchment paper. (I don’t know if this step is completely necessary, but I always do it out of habit.)

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the oats, coconut, almonds, and pepitas. You may substitute these for different nuts and seeds, but keep the amounts equal.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the apple cider, sugar, and spices. Stir thoroughly, then pour over the oat mixture and toss to combine. So far, this sounds like a granola recipe, but this mixture won’t clump together like granola does.

Spread it out over the two prepared baking sheets. Pop them in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Stir every 10-15 minutes, and rotate the pans. Try not to let the oats get too dark. We’re not making granola, just bringing out the flavor of the grains and nuts by toasting them.

Cool the oat mixture on the pans for 5 minutes or so, then carefully pour everything into a large bowl to cool completely.

Mix in the dried fruits and puffed grains, and you’re all set! Transfer the cereal to an airtight container, and relax in the knowledge that breakfast is ready. The cereal will stay fresh at room temperature for 2-3 weeks… if it lasts that long!

Need a festive, fall-themed treat to add to your tea table or harvest gathering? These iced pumpkin scones perfectly complement the season of blustery weather and brilliant colors. Pair them with soup on a chilly day, or serve among other dainties for an autumn tea party. Whenever you bake these, don’t expect them to last long! The aroma of these scones fresh from the oven is enough to draw eager taste-testers!

I can’t recall where the original recipe for these scones came from, but I have been making this version for the past year. The sweetly spiced orange-hued scones with a drizzle of cream cheese glaze atop seems just the right combination of sweet and spice. I hope your family enjoys these iced pumpkin scones as much as mine does!

Method

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Butter a large, rimmed baking sheet and set it aside.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl: add the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Stir to combine.

You can use all-purpose flour or a lower-gluten whole wheat flour in this recipe. I have made these scones with a mixture of half all-purpose and half white whole wheat flour. You could also use whole wheat pastry flour, as this has a lower gluten content.

A word on gluten

Why is lower gluten important? Gluten is formed by two proteins in a grain when they are exposed to moisture. This compound makes a dough stronger and more elastic. Flours with a high gluten content make yeasted breads rise better, so it is good for using in those recipes. Bread flour, pizza flour, and hard red whole wheat flours have high gluten content, up to 13%. Sometimes bakers even add extra gluten to their flour with a dough enhancer, if they need a dough to be especially strong.

However, gluten can make delicate cakes, pastries, and quick breads tough in texture. I like my scones light and feathery, so I look for lower-gluten flours and use a gentle hand when kneading.

Cake flour has the lowest gluten content of any flour, at 7 to 8% gluten. It has been subjected to a harsh bleaching process which strips the grain of vitamins and minerals, as well as weakening the gluten. Pastry flour is another good option for light-textured baked goods, at 8 to 9% gluten. It is made from a different type of wheat than bread flours, usually a soft spring wheat. You can find pastry flour in white or whole wheat varieties.

All-purpose flour is a combination of different types of flour, so its gluten content ranges from 9 to 12% depending on the brand. The point of all-purpose flour is that it can be used for any type of baked good, from yeasted breads to pastries. However, if you want a nice high rise to your yeast breads or the lightest, flakiest pastry, then it might be better to use a different type of flour.

I like to use a mixture of unbleached all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour in my baking. For yeast breads and pancakes, I use whole wheat flour made from hard red wheat. For scones, muffins, and quick breads, I use white whole wheat flour, which has a gluten content similar to all-purpose flour. (King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour has 12.2% gluten.) And for the lightest cakes, I use straight all-purpose flour. Cake flour has an unpleasant flavor due to bleaching, in my opinion.

If you would like to learn more about gluten, this article on the Gluten Content of Flours is helpful.

Back to the recipe…

Once your dry ingredients are combined, cut in the butter and cream cheese with a pastry blender or a fork. It works best when they are cold, so keep them in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. I add the butter and cream cheese together, even though the textures are slightly different. The pieces are small enough when they are about the size of peas and the mixture looks crumbly.

In a smaller bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, eggs, and cream. Whisk lightly, then pour into the flour mixture. Stir until the mixture forms a soft dough. Add a little more cream if necessary.

Place the ball of dough onto a floured board. Knead it very gently a few times, then shape it into one large or two small flat discs. If you want to make large scones, shape the dough into one large disc about 3/4-inch to 1-inch high. If you wish to make smaller scones, divide the dough in half and shape each half into a disc about 1/2-inch high.

Use a large, sharp knife to cut the dough into wedges: 8 wedges per disc makes a nice size. Arrange the scones on the prepared baking sheet so that the edges are not quite touching.

Bake the scones for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. The larger scones may take a few more minutes to bake.

Make the glaze

Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Combine the cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar in a small bowl and mix well. Drizzle in cream or milk until the glaze reaches the desired consistency. If you are using regular cream cheese, add a few drops of vanilla extract or a pinch of cinnamon. Otherwise, pumpkin-spiced cream cheese spread makes a fun alternative! I have made it both ways, and both are delicious.

Cool the scones on a wire rack for 10 minutes before glazing. Scones are best enjoyed the day they are baked, but you may store them, tightly covered, for 1-2 days if necessary.

Happy baking!

~Kimberly