P is for...Pecans

Pecans just happen to be my favorite nut, I'm not sure exactly why, but I think it started out because when Vanilla Bean could actually eat nuts she avoided walnuts since they gave her canker sores.  I got in a habit of using pecans instead of walnuts in any recipe that asked for nuts...and it just stuck.
So, I had decided to do pecans for "P" sometime ago, but couldn't decide what to make with pecans, I was still debating until I got home from work today and decided on granola.  Once again, I pulled out three recipes and began throwing this and that together, I wanted to use my grandmother's recipe, but she would sweeten hers with unsweetened apple juice concentrate --- I didn't have any and wasn't planning a trip to the store this evening, I had a recipe from my cousin's wife I have been meaning to try but a couple of the other recipes I looked at included wheat bran...actually come to think of it they asked for oat bran or wheat germ....oops mine got wheat bran...

Toasting in the oven.

Don't ask me how, that is another story on its own, but I at one point ended up buying a four pound bag of wheat bran when I needed a cup or two.  Do you have any idea how many cups are in four pounds of wheat bran?  Yeah, I am still trying to use up that wheat bran and it still looks like I haven't hardly touched it.  I keep it in the deep freezer to keep it from going bad and I have a tendency to forget it is there.  Well, today I remembered and added some to my granola.

I don't know if I will ever make it through this bag.

I also added some of my orange olive oil, since it was fresh on my mind after yesterday's post.

Looking forward to eating some yummy granola.

I also love pecans because they remind me of my great aunt Anna.  Aunt Anna is probably one of the most admired people in my family and we were all sad to see her go when she left this world at 99 and a half years old.  When she was in her upper 90's and her hearing was going and her sight limited by macular degeneration, she loved cracking nuts, one Christmas she shelled 40 pounds of pecans for people and the last time I visited her she said, "I just wish they would let me crack nuts."  I loved my great aunt Anna, she was an inspiration to all who knew her.

Watching her shell pecans.

Checking out her nutcracker a little closer.

Sharing some other bits of wisdom and history.

Addendum: This is in the comments, but in case you don't read the comments and would like to try to replicate this particular batch of granola, here is the approximate recipe.

Approximately - 

8 cups oatmeal

1 cup coconut

1 cup pecans

1/2 cup ground flax seed

1 cup wheat bran  (this could be wheat germ, I didn't read properly....and also needed to use up some wheat bran)

Mix the above together.

Combine, approximately:

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup orange olive oil

3/4 cup honey

1/2 cup brown sugar

Heat in microwave 2-3 minutes till sugar dissolved, coconut oil liquified, be careful not to boil.

Add to oat mixture, stir to coat.  Spread on cookie sheets and bake in oven 50 minutes at 300 degrees, stirring and rotating pans half way through.  

Remove from oven, stir in 1 cup dried berries and some dried banana chips.  Cool and store in airtight container.

Note: If you want you can just use a 1/2 cup of canola oil for the coconut and olive oils.  And I meant to add some cinnamon, but forgot.