Evening in Solitude

I know I told you I'm an extrovert a couple of posts ago. I told you to not believe me when I try to convince you that I'm anything but. Every extrovert loves a night home by themselves every now and then, though. Tonight was one of those. It brought joy to my heart to know that I would be able to just be quiet, read and since I had hours on my hands, make my second TNR recipe for the week.

I mean, my night was delightful. Classical music shuffling on my ipod and in my ears, reading this book that challenged yet encouraged who I am in the Lord, sipping on chai tea, a creme brulee candle flickering to my side, the additional smell of granola wafting in from the kitchen and at the beginning being able to watch the sun set outside the window next to me. I know the phrases written may seem extra flowery, but all elements really were there, and it really was that peaceful.  I cherish nights like this.

Since one of the elements of the evening was making my TNR recipe, I, of course, have to now share it with you.  I'm pretty excited about this one.  Granola.  It all started in Italy.  There is a delicious granola cereal there that has chocolate chunks in it, that turns out was the only thing I HAD TO HAVE when I visited this summer.  So when I came home I went on a quest to find something like it.  There is granola with raisins, with nuts, with dried fruit, with lots of other things that aren't quite my favorite.  There are some with chocolate, but it's hit or miss in finding those.  After watching me on this hunt in every grocery store, my roommate suggested I just make some myself and add chocolate chips.  Genius!  So tonight I did.  I haven't added the chocolate chips yet, but the base recipe is a wonderful thing to snack on while I now finish up this evening with a movie.  Enjoy this delicious recipe!

Granola

6 cups Quaker Oats
¼ cup honey
¼ cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
2 sticks of butter, melted
1 cup pecans (or any nut), chopped

Combine honey, vanilla, brown sugar and cinnamon in bowl.  Add melted butter to mixture.  Combine with oats.  Add pecans.  Cook in oven at 200-350 degrees.  Stir occasionally to keep from burning. (Cooking at 200 degrees will take approximately 4 hours.  High temperatures will cook faster, but you must stir more often to keep from burning.) 

Add raisins, craisins, or other toppings as desired.  (I’m going for chocolate chips!)