Granola

1 1/4 c. nuts (pecans, walnuts, peanuts), broken pieces
3 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 c. almonds, halves or slivers
1/4 c. sunflower seeds

1/3 c. canola oil
1/4 c. real maple syrup
1/4 c. honey

1/2 cup raisins, dried cranberries, or other dried fruit (optional)

Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix oats, nuts, seeds, and coconut together in large bowl.

Heat maple syrup, honey, and oil in small saucepan, whisking occasionally until warm.

Pour mixture over dry ingredients; stir with spatula until mixture is thoroughly coated. Turn mixture onto an 11-by-7-inch jelly roll pan, spreading mixture in an even layer.

Bake, stirring and respreading mixture into an even layer every 5-10 minutes, until granola is golden brown. Immediately turn granola onto another jelly roll pan to stop cooking process.

Stir in dried fruit if desired, then spread granola evenly in pan; set on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Loosen dried granola with a spatula; store in airtight container.

*You can use whatever combination of nuts and seeds you like: pecans, walnuts, cashews, peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, pepitas, sesame seeds, etc. Just try to keep the amount of dry ingredients to 5 1/2 c. or the syrup mixture won't provide a good coverage.

*I like to mix 1/4 c. granola with 1 heaping Tbsp. of plain, nonfat yogurt for breakfast.

Breakfast Pizza

Crust:
1 pkg. (22-24 oz.) hash brown patties, thawed
1 egg, beaten
salt & pepper to taste

Topping:
1 pkg. sausage gravy, prepared according to package directions
1 lb. ground pork sausage, browned and drained
8 eggs, scrambled and seasoned to taste
1 1/2 c. shredded cheese (your choice)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In large bowl, break hash brown patties into small pieces. Add egg, salt, and pepper; mix well. Press into large rectangular dish and flatten evenly. Bake 20 minutes.

Top baked hash brown crust with gravy, sausage, eggs, and cheese; bake additional 8-10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Optional toppings: bacon, ham, green onions, onion, bell pepper, fresh mushrooms, etc. Add whatever you like! You can also top individual servings with salsa and/or sour cream.

Yields 8-10 servings.

Florentine Scrambled Eggs

The original recipe, Florentine Scramble, is from Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade Cooking Made Light cookbook. I made changes to suit the tastes of my family.

8 eggs
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning Mix (I use Pampered Chef's brand.)
1 Tbsp. fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 c. frozen chopped spinach, cooked
1/4 c. red bell pepper, diced
olive oil

In small bowl, stir together eggs, seasoning, and cheese; set aside.

Squeeze excess water from spinach and put in microwave-safe bowl; stir in tomatoes. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 1 minute; set aside.

Heat medium skillet over medium heat until hot; spritz with olive oil. Scramble eggs until almost done; add spinach mixture. Fold until combined and eggs are just cooked.

Serve hot with buttered toast and fresh fruit.

Brunch Cups

12 refrigerated biscuits
1 lb. ground sausage, browned and drained
6 eggs, scrambled
shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven according to directions on biscuit can.

Flatten biscuits and mold into muffin cups in pan; fill with sausage, egg, and cheese. Bake according to directions on can.

*Include whatever ingredients you have on hand: bacon, ham, peppers, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, etc. Another option is to use refrigerated crescent rolls instead of biscuits. If you have any filling ingredients left over, wrap then in flour tortillas and have breakfast burritos another day.

Brown Sugar Banana Nut Bread

1/2 c. margarine, softened
1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
4 overripe bananas, mashed
2 c. all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. chocolate chips, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease loaf pan.

In large bowl, cream together margarine and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Stir in vanilla and banana.

In smaller bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to banana mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in walnuts and chocolate chips, if desired. Pour into loaf pan.

Bake for one hour, or until bread tests for doneness.

*I like to sprinkle walnuts and/or chocolate chips on the top before baking.

*I recently tried this with chopped peanuts instead of walnuts and it gave a great flavor! I also sprinkled some Pampered Chef® Sweet Caramel Sprinkle on top, which gave it a nice crunch and sweet, flavorful crust.

Tip: When your bananas start to turn brown, peel them, wrap them in foil, and freeze them. When you get ready to make your bread, take four out of the freezer, unwrap them, and place them in a bowl to thaw. They will not look appetizing, but they're perfectly fine. You can make your bread whenever you want and not have to wait for the bananas to be just right.