Xmas Granola

In a very large bowl combine 15 cups of oats, lots of toasted and chopped pecans, walnuts and cashews, a few handfuls of salted whole almonds, 2 cups flax meal, 2-3 cups wheat bran (can do combo of wheat bran and wheat germ but I was out of wheat germ), and 1 cup packed brown sugar.

Helpful hint: For the pecan, walnuts, and cashews I toasted them and then put them in a plastic bag and used a meat hammer to crush them into bite sized pieces. Much easier than a knife!

In a sauce pan combine 2 1/2 cups honey, 1 cup canola oil, 2 Tablespoons vanilla, and 1 1/4 cup water. Heat until bubbling.

Pour over oat mixture. Mix until evenly coated and then bake in batches on baking sheets at 325 for 20 minutes, stirring in the middle. I have a convection oven so I could two sheets at a time.

Let cool and then add lots of good dried fruit. I used fancy raisins.

Cranberry Orange Cornmeal Cake

Preheat to 375. Grease a 10 inch springform cake pan.

In one bowl combine
2 cups flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 T baking powder
1/2 t soda

In another bowl mix together
3 eggs
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 T vanilla
1/4 cup plus 2 T oil

In a third bowl mix together
3/4 cup plus 2 T (1 3/4 sticks) butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/4 t salt
zest of 1 orange

Incorporate egg mixture into butter mixture
Add 1/2 of flour mix and mix quickly. Then the rest of the flour and
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 1/4 to 2 cups cranberries

Mix all together, but do not overmix

Pour batter into pan and top with
1 1/4 cups cranberries and 2-3 T sugar

Bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes.