New Experience #55: Homemade Granola

Homemade Granola

Yes, I know I'm long overdue in filling you in on the details of my progress on the completion of 100 New Experiences this year. I will catch up. I promise.

I've been busy though, you should know that. Since my last post, I have completed items #8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16.1, 48, 51, 56, 65, and 55. This post is about #55.

Eighteen months ago I found a recipe in the Chicago Tribune for homemade Granola. I've been holding on to this recipe and been thinking about making it ever since.

Great news! Today was the day. And you know what? It really is yummy. I can't wait to enjoy it tomorrow morning for breakfast with my yogurt.

Because it's so yummy and so easy to make I thought I'd share the recipe with you.

Homemade Granola
Prep: 15 - 30 minutes
Bake: 35 minutes
Makes: About 7 cups
Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups quick-cook rolled oats
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup shelled pumpkin seeds
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons water

Directions:

1. Mix: Stir together oats, almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds and sale in a large bowl. Make a well in the center.
2. Boil: Measure butter, brown sugar, maple syrup and water into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil (watch closely; syrup will bubble up). Pour hot syrup into the well. Stir gently with a wooden spoon until the dry ingredients are thoroughly coated.
3. Bake: Divide the mixture evenly between two rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Slide into a 300-degree oven. Bake, rotating trays and stirring the granola every 15 minutes, until golden brown and dry (but not brittle) to the touch, about 35 minutes. Let cool.
4. Store: Tumble into an airtight container; seal. Keeps at room temperature for 2-3 weeks.

Source: Home on the Range column by Leah Eskin, Chicago Tribune, September 4, 2011, sec. 6, p. 30; original source: adapted from a recipe shared by Leah Eskin's friend Vanina Wolf, who adapted her recipe from the Hotel Fauchere in Milford, PA.

JLG notes: I used salted butter because it's what I had. In the future, I would not add the additional 1 T salt because the end product is a little salty for my taste, but still yummy. I did not use any pumpkin seeds because I could not find shelled ones and I attempted to shell them, but had no luck. Instead, I added an additional 1/2 cup each of almonds and pecans. The recipe says it takes about 15 minutes to prep, but I had to slice the pecans and almonds. If I had raisins or dried cherries, I'd add them. It's all about personal preference. I'll definitely make this again.

Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta . . . It's What's for Dinner

In looking through my refrigerator the other day, I realized I had some pesto, chicken breast, sautéed onions, and pasta that needed to be used, so I decided to make chicken pesto pasta and found the recipe below on allrecipes.com.

Before you read the recipe, let me just say that I don't often follow recipes to the T. I usually view them as suggestions and add my own twists to make the dish my own. That's what I did tonight. I'll make this dish again, but next time, I'll grill the chicken breast rather than cook it on the stove. Additionally, I used pre-made pesto rather than making it from scratch, but I would make it from scratch in the future. I used vegetable broth rather than chicken broth and did not include sugar or salt or extra pine nuts.

Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta

Ingredients:


Pesto
2 cups fresh basil
3 cloves garlic
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 medium ripe tomato, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil

Marinade
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 cup white wine
2 Tablespoons dried basil
2 Tablespoons dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

1 16 oz package dry penne pasta
5 Tablespoons olive oil divided
1 large onion, diced
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 (8 oz) jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place basil, garlic, Parmesan, pine nuts, and tomato in a food processor. Gradually add olive oil, while pulsing, until mixture is smooth and creamy.
2. In a bowl, stir together chicken broth, 1 cup white wine, dried basil, oregano, and minced garlic. Stir in chicken pieces.
3. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until just al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Set aside.
4. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions, and sprinkle with sugar. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts, and cook about 3 minutes. Stir in chicken and marinade. Stir in 1/2 cup white wine. Simmer chicken pieces, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
5. Add pasta and pesto to the skillet. Stir in cream, and cook until the sauce is thickened. Adjust salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, and serve with freshly grated Parmesan.

Thanksgiving 2010

It's been a very busy day around Casa de Rayitos Algres (Little Merry Sunshine's house).

The men did manly things: hung the Christmas lights, fixed the storm door for my living room (which promptly broke 3 hours later), built a storm door for my family room, cut a hole in my roof, rearranged my living room, whined they were hungry and there was no food in the house, and watched 97 hours of football. I may have heard some belching too.

I, on the other hand, did woman's work: cooked and cleaned. After that, I cooked and cleaned some more. I never even made it to the shower today. Wait, I never even made it out of my pajamas today. That's how busy I've been.

In the end, however, it was all worth it, when Dave started to carve the turkey and said, "what did you do to this turkey? It smells great!" Then he took a bite and declared it to be the best turkey he'd ever had. Ten minutes later, he tasted the rest of the meal and without hesitation exclaimed it to be best Thanksgiving meal he'd ever had. Suck it, Martha Stewart.

What did I cook? Glad you asked. Keep in mind that everything was made from scratch. I used no prepared foods, mixes, or shortcuts. Let's start with Breakfast.

Thanksgiving Breakfast
Overnight French Toast
Bacon
Orange Juice
Coffee

For lunch, it was every man for himself, but I had an abundance of cheese, roast beef, spinach, tomatoes, bread, leftover homemade Thai food from Monday, potato salad, and tortilla chips. Plus, an assortment of cookies, crackers, nuts and other snacks. Why anyone complained that we didn't have enough food, I don't know.

Thanksgiving Dinner
Turkey with a Pomegranate Juice glaze
Pomegranate Gravy
Cornbread Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Christopher's Grandmother's Green Beans
Pumpkin Mousse

I have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. My family and friends top the list. As a reader of Little Merry Sunshine, whether I know you or not, you're a friend. Thank you.

Overnight French Toast

My dear friend Debbie, who, by the way, is high on my list of things I'm grateful for this Thanksgiving and everyday, shared this delightful recipe with me last year when I joined her family for a pre-trick or treating Halloween brunch. It's so easy and yummy! I then made it for both Thanksgiving and Christmas mornings for my family and they all loved it. What I love most about Overnight French Toast is that I make it the night before, which saves me work in the morning.

As an aside, Debbie and I both went to Lake Forest College (we overlapped by a year) and she got this recipe from her dear friend Laura, another Forester. I think that proves my theory that all the best things in life come from Foresters.

Overnight French Toast
Ingredients
2 loaves French bread
8 eggs
3 c milk
4 t sugar
1 t cinnamon, or more
1 t vanilla, or more
2 T butter, cut into pieces

Directions
Grease 9 x 13" cake pan. Cut bread into 1-inch slices; arrange in layers. Beag eggs with all ingredients except butter; pour over bread. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight (4 to 36 hours). Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Dot with butter. Serve with syrup, berries, and powdered sugar.

Note: I decided to chop pecans and spread them over the top. I'll let you know tomorrow how that turns out.

Debbie recommends serving Overnight French Toast with Mango-mosas, so I share that recipe (from Debbie) below.

Mango-mosa
Ingredients
Dry sparkling wine
Dole Brand Orange/Peach/Mango juice (or orange juice with a fresh squeezed mango & peach)

Directions
Pour equal parts of the fruit juice and sparkling wine in champagne flutes and ideally serve with a raspberry tossed in each glass.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Margherita Pizza: The Cure for Thursday Night Dinner Blues

Last night, I had a friend over for dinner. It was a casual night and I wasn't really in the mood for my usual all-hands-on-deck full out dinner involving multiple pots and pans and a couple of hours to prepare. I just wanted something simple.

Looking through my frig, I realized I had all the ingredients for Margherita Pizza (tomato, basil, and mozzarella cheese). I've made this before and it was so good that I declared it The World's Best Pizza, but even for a casual dinner, I love trying new recipes and attempting to top my previous best. Thanks to the World Wide Web, I was able to do that in about 15 minutes.

Because this pizza was so good, I thought I'd share it with you. It's quick and easy, vegetarian, and everyone will love it. Keep in mind that I don't measure anything; I cook to taste. My notes are in italics. Note that this pizza does not have a traditional sauce, so it's important that the toppings really stand out. I'm just sorry I don't have a picture because it was gorgeous.

Margherita Pizza

Ingredients:
2 T olive oil (This will depend on how many tomato slices you are using. I covered them and then added more.)
Sliced Roma Tomatoes (I used 1 large Beefsteak Tomato, sliced into 12 or so slices I think)
1 clove Garlic (We like garlic, so I used 3 or 4 medium-sized cloves)
1/2 t Salt (I don't like salt, so I used a very quick dash)
2-3 shakes Balsamic Vinegar (I added this ingredient because I thought it would be good. It was)
1 store bought pizza crust (I used the large Boboli crust)
Fresh sliced Mozzarella Cheese
Basil leaves (5-6, cut into julienne strips) (I left them whole and used probably 18, enough to cover the pizza, but not touching or overlapping)
1/4 c fresh shredded Parmesan Cheese

Directions:
1. Combine Olive Oil, Tomatoes, Garlic, Salt, and Balsamic Vinegar into a bowl and let it marinade for 20 minutes (mine sat for an hour at room temp).
2. Brush the pizza dough with olive oil (I was quite generous with this). Top with a layer of Mozzarella Cheese (lightly). Add the Tomato slices on top of the cheese. Drizzle with olive oil (I used my left over marinade).
3. Bake in a pre-heated 500F oven for 8-10 minutes (I cooked it for 4 minutes, then added my basil slices and put it back in the oven for another 4 minutes) on a pizza stone or pizza pan (stone is better, but I didn't have either so I used a large cookie sheet). Cook until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly.
4. Remove from oven, top with Parmesan Cheese and Basil. Let cool on wire rack for 2-3 minutes.

Bon Appetit!

Bean and Corn Chili

Homemade Bean and Corn Chili and Beer Bread

I honestly thought I had posted this recipe before, but apparently I haven't. My bad. It's one of my faves and the thought that I haven't shared it with you is embarrassing.

I've been making Bean and Corn Chili since the Fall of 2006 when Tony made and served this at an impromptu Labor Day dinner party. I simply love it. It's easy, healthy, vegetarian (vegan, in fact, if you make it with organic vegetable broth), freezable, and great for all occasions. Because of the decreasing temperatures this past week, earlier sunsets, and bountiful harvest of tomatoes and one pepper from my garden, I've begun craving this fabulous recipe.

The best part of Bean and Corn Chili is that it's one of those recipes where you don't have to follow it exactly. For example, I discovered I was out of red wine today, so I used white instead. You can also add other types of peppers or beans if you'd like. Whatever is pleasing to your palate or you'd like out of your freezer/cabinet/garden.

I also like to make homemade cornbread to accompany Bean and Corn Chili, but tonight I'll probably make beer bread.

Bean and Corn Chili

Ingredients

• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely sliced
• 6 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 30 ounces kidney beans, canned, rinsed and drained (I like Joan of Arc Spicy Chili Beans rather than plain kidney beans)
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 8 ounces frozen corn kernels
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 1/2 cups nonfat chicken or vegetable broth

Directions

1. In a medium skillet, saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil and red wine.
2. Add the skillet contents and the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker. Mix thoroughly.
3. Cover; cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours.

Enjoy!

What's Cooking at Little Merry Sunshine?

One of my favorite pastimes is cooking. I love trying new recipes and seeing what works and what doesn't. I enjoy learning new things in the kitchen.

I have to be honest, it's not clear where this love of cooking comes from. I recall that my mom was a pretty good cook when we were kids, but it was never something she truly loved, so she didn't spend time trying new things like I do. My dad's idea of cooking is opening up a can, tossing a frozen dinner in the microwave, or if he's being fancy, cracking the lid on the jar of Prego.

Wait, I do know where my love of cooking came from. Like so much else in my life, it came from Watervale. The summer after my sophomore year at Lake Forest College, I spent the summer working at Watervale. I worked in the kitchen, which didn't thrill me at the time because I had wanted to be a waitress (that's where the real money was and wait staff spent their days at the beach while I spent most of mine in the kitchen). On a daily basis, I made all the bread, all the salads, and all the salad dressings from scratch. I also made Creme Brulee every week, which may explain my snobbery about it now. While I didn't really appreciate it then, the culinary skills I learned that summer have really served me ever since.

Because I love to cook, I thought I'd start a new feature on Little Merry Sunshine called "What's Cooking at Little Merry Sunshine?" featuring some of the meals I've cooked or creations I've baked recently. If things turn out, I'll even share the recipes.

This week, I have been busy in the kitchen. I made Chicken Pot Pie, Spaghetti and Beef Stew, all from scratch.

Chicken Pot Pie
3 cups mixed frozen vegetables
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked & cut-up
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
1 cup Bisquick mix
1/2 cup milk
1 egg

1. Pre-heat oven to 400.
2. Mix first 3 ingredients in a greased glass pie plate.
3. In a separate bowl, mix last 3 ingredients together. Pour over chicken mixture in pie plate.
4. Bake about 30 minutes.

All together this took about 35 minutes to make including cooking time. I served it with a salad. It easily would have fed a family a four. Mom and I had tons of leftovers. I think we got 3 meals for two out of it. This wasn't the best Chicken Pot Pie I've ever had because it was a bit bland, but it was quick and easy and hit the spot on a freezing cold January night.

The beef stew and spaghetti were outstanding as well. I'll share those recipes later.

Finally, I can't finish today's blog post without wishing a very happy birthday to a dear friend of mine. Words can't describe how much I treasure our friendship.