Cookies, granola and jam oh my!

20121228-200640.jpgHolidays for me are filled with food memories. As a child, that is what sticks out the most. My parents big blue cookie tin, that seemed to be filled with unending amounts of chocolate chip cookies. My aunts house smelling like cinnamon and clove, while cider bubbled away on the stove. Oatmeal muffins that my father and grandfather made every year. This is probably why my favorite gifts to give are homemade and edible. Here’s what my holiday gifts looks like this year:

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20121228-200739.jpgChocolate covered cherry cookies.

20121228-200804.jpgIrish creams.

20121228-200820.jpgBrown butter ginger.

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20121228-200901.jpgClementine jam.

20121228-200920.jpgAnd my favorite this year, maple honey granola with cherries and cranberries. Sooooo good. Alas I had even more plans for food gifts, but life got in the way. Somehow I managed to pull off the jam and granola the day before gifts were due. There’s always next year for grandeur. This year was full to the brim with baby.

Maple Honey Granola

1/3cup honey
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup veg oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups oats
2 cups puffed rice cereal
1 cup slivered almonds
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch salt
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small pan heat honey, maple syrup, oil and brown sugar. Once sugar is melted removed from heat and add vanilla. In a large bowl combine oats, cereal, almonds, cinnamon and salt. Pour syrup mixture over granola making sure everything is evenly coated. Spread granola on 2 parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake until golden, approximately 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through baking. Once cooled add dried cherries and cranberries.

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