Ransacked Goods

Homemade Muesli

My husband is a creature of habit when it comes to his eating. While I live to eat, he eats to live. EVERY day, day after day he eats a boring bowl of muesli for breakfast. While he may shake it up every once and a while - this is it folks. My taste buds are bored just thinking about it. But combine this with the fact that he is gluten free and pre-diabetic, this is an excellent breakfast for him. So I wont mess with what works.

I do however take issue with buying it for $3.50/pound at our local store and it's not even organic. He goes through at least 2 pounds a week so I hunkered down to reinvent it with my own recipe using organic ingredients. Here is what I came up with and it's around $2/pound and all organic. 

 

Erik's Homemade Muesli

3 cups organic rolled oats

2 cups organic rolled barley

1 cup organic rolled rye

1 cup oat bran

1 cup sliced almonds

3/4 cup misc. dried fruit

1/2 cup unsweetened dried coconut flakes

Not So Good

Dear Spaghetti Squash.... I'm underwhlemed, sad to say. I really want to like you because you seem so cool. A vegitable that miraculously turns into noodle when cooked! Who would have thought you'd have all of that goodness spun up inside? But you're bland and I'm not a fan of that.

Anyone have a good recipe?

Early Gift Making

A little holiday crafting has begun. It's never to early to get into the spirit. And slow and steady is my pace now days when it comes to crafting. See if you can guess what we're making. I'm not going to give it away.... but you can take a peek here. And make a note that children of friends make an excellent assembly line!

Italian Cooking

A little while back I took an Italian (specifically Calabrian) cooking class on the recommendation of a friend of mine who has already taken several here. I signed up for it ages ago because her classes always sell out and I nearly forgot about it! Thank goodness I didn't because it was a really relaxing evening, the food a treat and so refreshing to absorb myself in something completely out of my routine. I wish I could just meditate while making pasta all day long, but alas, duty calls. Several people in the class had recommendations of classes all over the Bay Area so hopefully I'll get to try another one soon.

Check out the menu we prepared below. This class was devoted to making ricotta from scratch. It was heavenly - warm a goopy, I'd take it on anything. And I think the fact that it was made by a little old Italian lady who didn't measure made it taste better.

Bruschetta con Ricotta Fresca (Bruschetta with fresh ricotta)
Ravioloni Calabresi (Large ravioli filled with fresh ricotta, sopressata, parsley, egg and pecorino cheese)
Frittata con ricotta (Egg frittata with ricotta)
Zucchine ripiene con ricotta (Zucchine stuffed and baked with ricotta)
Cannoli Siciliani (Homemade cannoli shells filled with homemade fresh ricotta)

 

Check out Rosetta's beautiful book too.

 

Olive Oil Granola

After growing sick of my own granola I decided to try a new recipe and I have to say this is my new favorite. Oh cardamom how I love you! And the granola was surprisingly lite with the olive oil. Give it a try: Olive Oil Granola with Dried Apricots and Pistachios. My only alteration was omitting the 3/4 cup of maple syrup, yikes this isn't supposed to be frosted flakes! And I'd probably cut the brown sugar back even more.

Nibbles

It has been a gloomy week around here battling colds and yet another round of pink-eye in the house (enough already). Unfortunately I got hit pretty hard this time around which has slowed me down a bit. Thankfully the rainy days are over for a bit and everyone seems to be on the mend. I followed Nicole's lead the other day and made up a batch of savory socca to nibble on while we settled in to read a new stack of books.

I think the baby was the most pleased with it since it was a perfect new snack for her.

Cooking with Cardamom

I've become a BIG fan of cardamom over the past few years but only now am I attempting to bake more with it. This Cardamom Orange Cake was very subtle and perfect with a cup of tea, not too sweet and very fragrant. I'm eager to delve into more recipies, both sweet and savory.

My holiday baking was pretty lack luster this year. Too much going on, too much sugar in the house already but it really is one of my favorite things to do. So even though it is way past the holidays I made this Upside-down Cranberry Cake yesterday which was much enjoyed. I'll be baking again soon but with the New Year comes a release on sugar, begone empty calories and sugar headaches! What to do about next year's holiday cooking.... well I have a while to think about it. What can I do to take out the sugar, take out the excess of the holidays in general but still foster generosity and create new traditions.... humm... time to take on some sleuthing.

Eggnog Bread Pudding

It has been a busy holiday season and we've been really lucky to spend time with freinds and family over the past few weeks. I'm eager to get all the decorations packed up, new gifts in their propper place and have the dust settle in general.Ah, a fresh start for the new year is easier said than done.

Above is an awsome bread pudding I makde with eggnog. The recipe called for leftover cinnamon rolls instead but that wes just too far on my wicked meter so I opted for whole wheat. Yummers!

 

Challah Time

Cooler days around here means time for more baking. I'm pretty proud of the way my first challah bread turned out, squishy white bread goodness. This is the Chickpea's favorite especially with what she calls "puppy seeds" on top. Funny how this bread always reminds me of this t-shirt a NY friend used to wear and gives me a chuckle. I love it when a simple food becomes intertwined with memories of a single individual. Smell it, pass it in the store, read it on a menu and who ever they are flash for a moment in your mind.

Rhubarb, blackberries, lasagne, beets, milk toast, Corn Pops, ox tail, salmon dip.... 8 foods, 8 people.

 

 

Dinner Gone Bad

via OrangeWillow on Etsy

Do you ever ruin dinner? The other night I made this soup and it was terrible. After a few bites I couldn't take it and I told my daughter it was okay to say "Mommy made a bad dinner, sometimes." So I made us eggs and toast instead, problem solved. My husband who hates to waste even the tiniest morsel of food ate the whole lot like a soldier. I kept thinking what have I done to this poor man!

Baking Bread

So what's the last thing that a busy mother of two, let alone a 9 week old, needs to be doing... baking bread from scratch. I have vivid memories of playing with my grade school friend Phoebe at their huge house in Seattle. We'd come in from playing outside to her mother's freshly baked rustic baguettes. It doesn't take much to imagine myself sitting at her counter with that perfect bread slathered in butter, simple perfection, what could be better. I finally jumped on the bandwagon and ordered a copy of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I'm sitting here eating piping hot chewy bread and it's wonderful. I can't wait to bring a piece to Chickpea when I pick her up from school. Bread baking is certainly a habit you need to get into but it seems to be worth it.

Cherry Kuchen

I made a cherry kuchen from the Joy today. Couldn't have been an easier recipe to make with a little left over fruit hanging around. I also threw in the few strawberries we had saved from the blasted squirrels in the yard. Next time I'd love to make it with just strawberries and put a little whipped cream on top. It would be like the simplest strawberry shortcake ever made - one of my favorites.

Lemon Simple Syrup

With a huge surplus of lemons I made this lemon simple syrup which is truly simple. I've been enjoying it with my mineral water for some sparkling lemonade, what a treat. Why haven't I done this before?

And have you seen this recipe card generator from Skip to My Lou? I'm totally going to use this when the holidays hit.

Recipe Binder

At long last I've finally finished organizing all my messy recipe clippings into one binder. A great setup courtesy of Nicole for Christmas. I can't tell you how long it took to go through these recipes and sort, clip and really consider if I would ever make them or not. So what did I learn? My cooking habits have definitely changed since having a child. All the spicy Asian foods went the way of the recycling bin. And I love to make breakfast foods and desserts (but I already knew this). I swear half of the binder is baked goods. Now they are a pleasure to look through and easy to cook from.

And check out the recipe this binder is open to... Ice Cream with Caramel Brioche Croutons. I've had this stashed for years but have still to make it, yummers.

Blackberry Basil Lemonade

 

I just made this refreshing drink and sat down to enjoy it... when a friend called and said she was drinking a rootbeer float. Her's sounded better but this is still really yummy.

Blackberry Basil Lemonade

Muddle: 5 blackberries, 3 basil leaves, 1 tablespoon turbano sugar (or agave syrup), juice of 1 lemon

Top with mineral water and ice

Almond Sugar Cookies

Chickpea has been asking to make dog shaped cookies for weeks and weeks now. I'm not quite sure how she got that idea in her head but it was finally time to indulge it. Here is the recipe that I adapted in my usual quest to get a little nutrition into treats. I put half of this dough in the freezer for another rainy day and it made plenty. They were pretty yummy.

Almond Sugar Cookies

• 2 sticks butter
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup almond meal
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup white flour

Cream together butter and sugar. Add egg, baking powder, almond and vanilla extracts until combined. Stir in almond meal and flours until smooth. Divide and wrap dough in parchment and put in the fridge until cool and firm. Roll out on well floured board to 1/4 inch and cut with shapes. Bake on an ungreased sheet for 6-9 minutes at 350 degrees.

Baked Kale Chips

We made these Baked Kale Chips the other day. Super yummy YES, super burly YES. Anything we call dinosaur food around here seems to be popular. Check out Julia's Green Tea Muffins... not sure if they can be called dino food but they are a lovely green.

Clover Cookie

 

Growing a Girl

I'm working on my snack repertoire for Chickpea. Seriously, this girl is growing... Every other minute for the last month she's saying either "I'm hungry" or "I'm tired". By 9am this morning she had eaten: a bowl of Cheerios with milk, half an English muffin, a glass of green juice, half a banana, a full graham cracker and half a yogurt. I don't think I could even do that if I tried. And afternoon snacks are serious around here. When I picked her up from school the other day she ate a bowl of cottage cheese, fruit leather and a whole carrot all at once. Did I mention she's not even 3? This appetite reminds me that satisfying hunger is an opportunity to fulfill nutrients, explore food diversity and broaden her pallet. And we're lucky we have a fairly adventurous eater here who is only turned off by potatoes and spicy food. I realize some kids have difficulty try things beyond toast, mac n' cheese and taquitos despite having food loving and happily cooking parents. They grow and tastes change, I know mine do. But food is about exploring, savoring, sharing and keeping our bodies healthy. It's a long journey to nurture and cultivate that sensibility within a child, perhaps one snack at a time.

Here's a little more food for thought...

Hungry Monkey: A Food-Loving Father's Quest to Raise an Adventurous Eater

Green Dinosaur Smoothie

Here's our breakfast invention this morning. Chickpea didn't think Mommy could make a green smoothie. It was actually much greener than the photo shows. Did I mention it was totally yummy with no spinach taste?

The Green Dinosaur Smoothie

1 banana

1 cup frozen mango

1/2 plain yogurt

1/2 cup almond milk

1 1/2 cup fresh packed spinach

Little Cakes Cookbook

Little Cakes: Classic Recipes for Any Occasion

A generous friend of mine surprised me with a little gift of this cookbook after telling me she used it to bake a classic white cake for her daughter's half birthday. We quickly made the carrot cake which was wonderful. What I like about this book is first, it has every cake you could possibly want but secondly, and more importantly, the proportions are smaller. You're not making a giant cake (obviously) and it's just the right amount. There is no running to the neighbors to unload half of your baked goods because you know your family wont finish them. Uh, yeah I do that all the time... "knock-knock, hot cookies?" Not that I hear them complain but I like to remind myself that sugar and tasty treat are just that, a small treat to enjoy.

Raspberry Bread Pudding

This was so perfect and cozy for a wet, rainy morning. Adapted from this recipe at Smitten Kitchen.

Lemon Tea Cakes

Guess what, rain - rain - and more rain today. I am so not a Seattle girl anymore. I heard someone say on NPR the other day that it takes 10 years for you to adapt to a weather pattern in a new place, be it hot, cold, wet or mild. I'm going on 14 years down here in the Bay Area and I love our mild seasons, one wardrobe, the early springs, the light jackets....

So the Chickpea and I hunkered down for a lush little tea party of our own today. We baked these satisfying little Lemon-Lime Tea Cakes and poured some strawberry tea and sat and chatted. Then it was on to dancing in the livingroom with her yellow tu-tu, the same one I used to wear when I was little.

Rainy days aren't son bad after all.

Homemade Pizza

We like pizza around here - that is homemade pizza. It's an event for Chickpea and me, rolling the dough, choosing and layering the toppings. It provides the perfect exploring and snacking opportunity for her and chance for me to teach and relax. I wish more meals were like that around here for us and I'm trying to make them so. Cooking was always a family activity when I was growing up and it will be in my home too, it's just a matter of time and experience. Chickpea and I made our dough from scratch this time and it turned out perfectly. It was loving made with hands eager to pull and kneed it and not too patient fingers to let it sleep and rest.

New Years Food

I've never been a fan of New Years. It seems like a raucous holiday where people allow themselves to be loud and drunken. Perhaps it has just been years of urban living that has made me a little bitter. We'd prefer to go to bed early than to listen to air horns and gun shots leading up to midnight. Don't get me wrong, I love champagne and toasting to a prosperous future and fortunate past. But that doesn't fit with family life with a young child. But beginning a new year does seem like a significant point in time to acknowledge. It's not just another holiday or a day off of work but a time to reflect and open ourselves up to the new opportunities we'll come across in a fresh year.

So I was looking around for some unknown to me New Years traditions that would fit our family (NO fireworks or red underware). That brought me back to food and the constant theme of prosperity. There is a great article here on some of the traditional foods and mythology behind them for New Years around the world. I'm burnt out on sweets after Christmas so that left out some wonderful baked goods. Hoppin' John is the American dish but I don't really feel like I have any southern roots to celebrate so I think I'll go Italian this year and try this recipe below.

Some other ideas from friends: eating 12 grapes, a crab feast, lighting candles or lanterns outside your front door, a night of boardgames. Any more suggestions?

Sausage With Lentils

Our recipe forsalsiccia e lenticchie is a modern and convenient take on the traditional lentils and zampone. This recipe should serve 4 to 6 people and should be accompanied by mashed potatoes for the full Capodanno effect!

• 1 1/2 cups green lentils
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 pound prosciutto, pancetta, or bacon, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 small fennel bulb, diced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage with fennel
• 1 medium can of chopped tomatoes
• 1 small dried chili pepper, or red pepper flakes to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper to taste

Most lentils sold these days do not need to be soaked ahead, but it is best to follow any package directions that come with the lentils you buy. Put lentils in a pot of boiling, salted water; when the water boils again, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or according to package directions. Drain.. Saute the bacon, onion, carrot, fennel, shallot and garlic in the olive oil in a large skillet. When vegetable are soft, remove and brown the sausage in the same skillet. Set sausage aside on paper towels. Remove all fat from the skillet and return the bacon and vegetables to the pan; add the tomatoes, hot pepper, and bay leaf, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the sausage and heat through, simmering for 5 minutes or more. Season with salt and pepper and serve on a large platter accompanied by mashed potatoes. A chianti is a good wine to enjoy with this dish.

Homemade Granola

If I could only attempt to count the pounds of granola we eat around here, I know I would be astonished. It's always on our grocery list - actually it's not but I always remember to buy it because it's required in our house. I was recently reminded how easy it is to make. I used to do it all the time but I haven't made a batch in a long time. Here is the basic recipe I use - done in 20 minutes while the kiddo napped. Really easy to adapt to your liking.

Homemade Granola

• 2 cups oats
  
• 1 cup shredded coconut
  
• 3/4 cup nuts (what ever mix you like)
  
• 1/4 cup canola oil (can substitute any kind of fat - butter, coconut oil...)
  
• 1/4 cup honey (can substitute another kind of sweetener - agave, rice syrup...)
• 1 cup cranberries (what ever mix of dried fruit you like)
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 tbsp flax seeds (super good for you)
  
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350. Combine oats, coconut, nuts in a bowl. Combine honey and oil in another bowl and then stir into oat mix. Spread out on a baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes. Watch very closely so it doesn't burn and stir occasionally. After baking let cool completely then break it up and mix with dried fruit and seeds.

Apple Love

I'm a Washington girl so my apple love runs deep. Posts like this from my friend up north make me homesick. We're fortunate to have an excellent tree in our backyard that keeps me happy this time of year. It's a wonderful thing to open up the door and walk outside in the morning to pick a crisp cold apple for breakfast. I need to gather my repertoire of Fall apple recipes and start diving into the tree. But this weekend I started simple with apple pie from the Joy, one for us and one for a friend's house warming party (delivered warm).

I'm in the middle of reading My Life in France by Julia Child. I'm completely absorbed by her constant discovery of food and how she revels in the process of learning and exploring her surrounding with such gusto. To take simple ingredients and truly appreciate them is such a gift, not only for our individual sense but to be shared with company. Ah, if only I had the leisurely schedule to take cooking classes all day and test out recipes on my husband for fun.

Perhaps with that in mind, I made asparagus risotto last night, something I've always wanted to try. As it kept growing and growing with every addition of stock, a quick call to the neighbors needed to be made. Dinner for 6, full tummies and tired children... a good meal indeed.

Some of my favorite additions to pie crust are almond meal, lemon and coconut oil for a heartier more flavorful taste.

 

Raise your hand if you like pie for breakfast?

Peas Please

Fresh English shelling peas are one of my favorite treats from the farmers market. A giant expensive bag slims down to a tiny precious bag once your done shelling and sampling – it’s so worth it. I steam them and throw them together in a cold pasta salad made with lemon juice, olive oil, shallot, Italian parsley, feta, pine nuts and plenty of salt and pepper. It’s the best summer evening dinner, I promise.

Waiting for Rhubarb

If you don't like rhubarb, you're crazy, simple as that. I was lucky enough to grow up in the Northwest where this unique veggie thrives. I vividly remember it growing along the side of my great-grandmother's house, giant rippled green leaves and red stalks, almost a little prehistoric looking. I get excited when I see it in the farmer's market in early summer. And I dutifully make a pie every year to fill my craving and remember a bit of the past up north. When we moved into this house the first thing that I planted in our garden plot was rhubarb. And, I've been waiting... and waiting. Rhubarb takes at least 3 years to mature and for the first time my plants are looking productive. A few more years of patience and I'll really be in business. Here's the recipe I think I'll be indulging in this year. Come on give it a try, much better than an apple pie any day.

Country Rhubarb Cake, photo by Mikkel Vang