So many happy things happened this week - and not all of them are mascarpone related. Early on, (during one of my new favorite pastimes) in emailing Lo back and forth, she sent me her "non-recipe" for Peanut Butter Granola. This was after I sent her a forwarded email from E. about her revelation for Quinoa Granola, after I posted the recipe for the Spiced Nuts and Seeds. Peanut Butter Granola was way too tempting to resist, so of course I made time to make it on Monday. There is still a little bit left, but then this morning, I had to make another batch of Quinoa Granola, since it too was very intriguing. Both are fantastic! And both would go well with the Day 4 way of using up mascarpone cheese: mixing it with honey and serving it with granola.

Actually, R1 and her slew of Luc-aged children were here for the morning - all playing together well enough that we had adult conversations about such important things as V (the re-made TV series), the Alien Illusions scarf that I finally just gave her, and miscellaneous things that have happened since the last time we chatted. I told her about the mascarone, revelations of Crystal Ball Farms milk, and then we ate cold slivers of crostada from yesterday with that amazing Kenya AA coffee from Alterra. She suggested mixing it with honey, and adding it to the Quinoa Granola, since it was out of the oven and still sitting in plain sight as we were discussing. Of course, it was delicious. And of course, I have a just a bit more honey-mixed mascarpone which will be devoured in exactly the same manner.

Both of these granolas demand your immediate attention! And I hope Lo won't mind that I'm excitedly posting her "non-recipe" without her explicit consent. She also mentioned having made it with almond butter to great effect, and I'm sure any nut or seed butter would work similarly well. I make granola following my method outlined here, but really you can use whichever method you are preferring at the moment.

Thanks, Lo!

Lo's Non-Recipe Peanut Butter Granola

• 2 c. oatmeal (Lo likes steel-cut, which I tried, and LOVED!)
• dash of honey
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 c. peanut butter
• nuts, seeds, whatever

I guess I changed this up more than I realized as I consult my post-it note. I used:

• 2 c. rolled oats
• 1 c. steel-cut oats
• 1 c. nuts (pecans, walnuts)
• 2 T. honey
• 2 T. agave syrup
• 1 T. oil
• 1/2 c. peanut butter
• handful of leftover coconut from when I made these
• handful of raisins, since Boy-O loves them

However you do it, it is going to be wonderful - and you will not be able to stop eating it. I did heat the honey, syrup and peanut butter in a small skillet to warm up before tossing it into the dried mix. I find it particularly good in milk.

Quinoa granola, ready to go.

E.'s Quinoa Granola

• 6 c. oats
• 2 c. quinoa
• 1 c. sesame seeds
• 2 c. nuts
• 3/4 c. honey
• 3/4 c. oil
  

I changed this one too, as it seems I just cannot help myself. For the half batch I used:

• 3 c. rolled oats
• 1 c. quinoa
• 1/2 c. sesame seeds
• 1 c. nuts (almond, pecan, walnut)
• 6 T. honey
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• pinch of salt

Boy-O had a big bowl of this for lunch, and I am happily reassured of his imminent nutrition due to the complete protein content. My mascarpone week has been fun, and I look forward to making it again. If you are in any way able, I'd urge you to check out Crystal Ball Farms milk products, and make up a batch yourself. I think I'm sold for life. I made some yogurt out of their 2%, and it turned out really well. I don't find them on a proper website, but a simple Google search will turn up many articles on their dairy.

I wonder what I'll be obsessed with next week!