Roasted Chickpeas

So this may not be much of a recipe, but I had never thought of roasting chickpeas until I saw it on Good Thymes and Good Food. These make a great snack, and Dave really enjoyed them. I also liked that these came together quick and easy. I think they'd make a great snack or appetizer to munch on when you have company coming over, or they could be a side if you're looking for a healthier alternative to chips. You could roast chickpeas with any spice combination that you prefer.

You will need:
*1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and dried
*1 tablespoon olive oil (I just used my Misto)
*Kosher salt
*pepper
*3/4 tsp. garlic powder
*pinch cayenne pepper, or more if you want more spice

1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Toss the chickpeas with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Spread the coated peas into a flat layer on a baking sheet.
3. Bake in oven for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, shake pan to move chickpeas around.
4. Continue to bake for another 15 minutes, checking after every 5 minutes to make sure they do not burn. (Mine were finished just under the total time of 30 minutes)
5. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before eating.

Gingerbread Granola

Merry Christmas! (A few days late, I know) I hope you all enjoyed time with family and friends over the holiday weekend. We had a busy couple of days and are enjoying some downtime now that we're snowed in. I was completely spoiled this year with fabulous gifts. I'm most excited about my gift from Dave- a Nikon DSLR! I look forward to playing with it as I start cooking new recipes in the new year.

I made this granola to add to some of my cookie tins and trays this holiday season. I used some of the leftovers in my yogurt, and I think you could enjoy it at any time of year. If you like ginger, then you'll like this recipe. I found this linked through a Taste of Home email that I receive, and it is posted on a Disney Family website.

You will need:
*4 cups old-fashioned oats

*1 cup blanched, slivered almonds

*1/2 cup brown sugar
*
1/4 cup maple syrup
*
1/8 cup molasses
*
1/3 cup oil

*pinch salt

*1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

*1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

*1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger (I used a bit less because I didn't have enough)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Mix oats, nuts, and dried fruit together in a large bowl; mix sugar, spices, salt and wet ingredients in another.

3. Pour sugar and oil mixture over the oats and stir well, making sure everything is evenly coated.Pour out onto greased, rimmed baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

4. Let cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Pumpkin Crescents

So I had some pumpkin pie filling left from the recipe below. We were hungry and wanted a snack before we headed off to do the food shopping. I also had crescent rolls expiring soon, so I created this little treat. I only took a before picture, but I think you get the idea. They were a tasty treat!

You will need:
-crescent rolls
-pumpkin pie filling
-cream cheese

I just separated out the crescent rolls and dropped a dollop of the pumpkin pie filling on each. I then topped it off with a little bit of cream cheese. I cooked them about 10 minutes (as suggested from the crescent roll tube). Caution: filling is hot!