Plated + Served: On The First Day of Christmas…
I’ve really had the holiday spirit this year, so, like the song, I’m going to celebrate the 12-days of Christmas with 12 delicious recipes that play off of the lyrics.
Today is the First Day of Christmas and as the song says, “My true love gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree.”
Sorry to disappoint you, this is not a recipe for roasted partridge. I do have the pear tree covered, however, with this crunchy, nut-free Granola with dried pears and cranberries. You don’t have to use dried pears, any dried fruit will do, and you can add nuts, if you want.
But I’d recommend leaving out the partridge…
Crunchy Granola with Dried Pears and Cranberries
prep: 15 minutes
cook: 40 to 50 minutes
you’ll need…
⅓ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup canola or vegetable oil
5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (DON’T use instant, quick or steel-cut oats)
1 cup dried pears
1 cup dried cranberries
let’s get to it…
Place one of the oven racks about 6 to 8-inches from the top or in the top 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, salt and oil together in a large bowl.
Add oats one cup at a time, stirring gently with a rubber spatula so that the oats are completely coated.
Spread oat mixture evenly onto lined baking sheet and press down mixture with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 20 minutes and rotate pan. Continue baking 20 to 30 minutes longer, or until lightly browned.
Remove from oven and sprinkle dried pears and cranberries evenly on top. Press down on the fruit using a rubber spatula. Cool in the pan for 2 hours.
Break into pieces and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks (if it lasts that long!).
Crunchy Granola Parfaits
