If You're Happy Land You Know It
Thursday, March 22
Say "aggggghhhh"!
Super-Chunky Granola, Cook's Illustrated style
Thursday, March 8
If you have been around me long, you know that I LOVE Cook's Illustrated. Not just I love them because they make me happy. Nope, its the kind of love that I put my whole trust in, the whole shebang. Honestly, I should just marry them...
But seriously, they have the best recipes. They always have paragraphs and paragraphs explaining why they chose what they chose for their "best" recipe. I love this because you learn so much with each recipe that I have been able to use when I branch out and try my own combinations. Like for this granola, they made a huge (and scientific!) point about why some fat is required for really good granola. This way I know that any recipe I try later needs to have some oil in it, or I will have dry, dusty oats.
Oh, I could go on and on.
Below is the recipe for those interested. But really, you should all go out and buy a book or two (I love the books the magazine publishes at the end of every year with the whole year's worth of recipes, or the "Best" series). These cookbooks read like real books, which I of course love.
Published March 1, 2012. From Cook's Illustrated.
We’ve had it with the overpriced (and underwhelming) store-bought stuff. For homemade granola with real bite, what you need is some bark.
The Problem
The slow baking and frequent stirring that most do-it-yourself granola recipes recommend often result in a loose, granular texture—not the distinct clusters we were after.The Goal
Our ideal granola would be markedly crisp yet tender enough to shatter easily when bitten.The Solution
Our preliminary tests proved that whole rolled oats were essential for a hearty, crisp texture, and that any variety of chopped nuts contributed toasty flavor that developed as the cereal roasted in the oven. We wanted to keep our sweeteners and add-ins simple, so we opted for maple syrup, light brown sugar, and a variety of pantry staples. For the fat component, we went with neutral-tasting vegetable oil. This gave us a super-crisp—but not greasy—texture.For the big clumps that we were after, we used a spatula to press the granola firmly into the pan before baking. When we pulled the cereal from the oven, it remained in a single sheet as it cooled, during which time the syrup made by our sweeteners and oil bound the solids together. This gave us granola “bark,” which was ideal, since now we could break it into clumps of any size.
All our chunky granola needed was sweet bits of dried fruit. After a few tests, it became clear that the best way to incorporate the fruit was to keep it away from the heat altogether, only stirring it in once the granola was cool.
Finally, we developed a few twists on our basic formula by switching up the fruit-and-nut pairings and accenting them with flavor boosters like coconut, citrus zest, and warm spices.
Almond Granola with Dried Fruit
Makes about 9 cups
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups (10oz) raw almonds, chopped coarse
2 cups raisins or other dried fruit (if other, chopped)
1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in large bowl. Whisk in oil. Fold in oats and nuts until thoroughly coated.
3. Transfer oat mixture to prepared baking sheet and spread across sheet into thin, even layer (about 3/8 thick). Using stiff metal spatula, compress oat mixture until very compact. Bake until lightly browned, about 40 minutes, rotating the pan once halfway through baking. Remove granola from oven and cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 1 hour. Break cooled granola into pieces of desired size.
Granola can be stored in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Twist on the above recipe:
Pecan-Orange Granola with Dried Cranberries
Add 2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest and 2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon to maple syrup mixture in step 2. Substitute coarsely chopped pecans for almonds. After granola is broken into pieces, stir in 2 cups dried cranberries. Click here for the full post after the jump…
Who Will Comfort Dexter?
Saturday, March 3
So what does this have to do with Dexter? Let me explain...
It was nap time at our house yesterday and Dexter was not having it. He was yelling, kicking the wall, and not calming down. I was putting Maxwell down, and while in the other room, I could hear Dexter getting more and more upset. Now, it is easy to get reallllly upset as the mom when you just get a baby down and a toddler is just about to wake them up because they won't be quiet. Especially when you have high hopes of both kids going down at the SAME time (cue harps and sunshine and everything nice!).
So, I went in and strongly told him to be quiet, as this isn't his normal nap-time behavior. That just sent him over the edge. I stood on the other side of the door and at first felt angry that he was disobeying and possibly going to wake Maxwell up. Then I thought: this just isn't normal.
In I went, and instead of correction, I just gave him a big hug, which he at first refused, then started to rub his back. He instantly relaxed. As I rubbed his back, I began reciting nursery rhymes he knew and had him close his eyes. I started to recite a poem I had memorized, but one Dexter didn't know, and he looked up at me with a queer look in his eye and asked, "what you talking about, mommy?" "Nothing my dear" was my reply, and I went back to the tried and true Little Miss Muffet, etc. He was sound asleep in less than 5 minutes.
It was as I sat on the dge of his bed calming him down that I saw Who Will Comfort Toffle on the floor.
In the book, a boy who is isolated and afraid of many things goes on a lonely adventure, meeting all sorts of strange creatures along the way. In the end he overcomes his fears and rescues a girl from an evil monster. Together they make the transition from isolation and dread, to companionship and hope. The next to last line says:
And Miffle knows, and Toffle knows, that both have seen the endI thought as I rubbed Dexter's back that perhaps this is how many toddlers feel? The world is overwhelming and full of fearful things, and sometimes the way they act looks like it is out of line to adult eyes, but really what if they are just crying out for a companion to comfort them? It takes discernment to know what time correction is needed and what time comfort is needed, but yesterday I knew it was time for comfort.
Of fear and fright and long dark night, now each has found a friend
So, dear Dexter, for now I will be the one to comfort you. But, my dear, my deepest hope is that one day you find a friend who will stick by you to the end -- a wife who will love you and help you see the end of fear and fright and long dark night. Because life is messy and frightful at times, even when you are big. Click here for the full post after the jump…
Saturday Morning Walk
You can see Dexter wasn't thrilled about having his picture taken. It's also much colder than I anticipated. But were out and we're committed now!
Saturday Morning Walk
You can see Dexter wasn't thrilled about having his picture taken. It's also much colder than I anticipated. But were out and we're committed now!
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