Fall is the best!

Today is one of those stunning fall days, with a clear blue sky, chill in the air, and trees ranging from green to yellow to red. After a gorgeous bike ride through a nearby neighborhood, my housemate and I stopped at a happening farmer's market that reminded us of former days in Brooklyn and Seattle. We indulged this feeling with freshly fried hot, greasy, soft cider doughnuts (perhaps the best I've ever had, not hard and cakey at all), tiny end-of-season strawberries, and a start-of-season potato pancake with applesauce. Top notch.

All this to forget the squirrel seen investigating the mouse traps in our kitchen at 9 am today.

I've been trying to buy even fewer processed foods, and learn to make what I can quickly at home. I figure it's far cheaper and often better this way. Thus the homemade bread, and today I decided to finally try granola. As I made this today, I realized that it's perfect for someone like me who loves to bake, but holds back in favor of more practical cooking. The process of measuring and stirring is about the same.

Homemade granola

• 1.5 cups oats
• 1/4-1/2 cup chopped nuts
• 1/4-1/2 cup seeds (flax, sesame, pumpkin, etc.)
• 2 tablespoons honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, etc. (this makes for a fairly-unsweet granola)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, melted butter, coconut butter, etc.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon or other spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4-1/2 cup raisins or chopped dried fruit

Mix everything except fruit together in a large bowl, first dry then wet ingredients. Spread thin on a baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees until golden, stirring about every 10 minutes, about half an hour. Granola will harden as it cools. Mix in dried fruit at the end.