Category Archives: THIS & THAT RECIPES

NO BAKE FRUIT AND NUT GRANOLA SQUARES

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For those of us trying to be good (that is staying away from cookies, candy, and the like), we still deserve a treat occasionally. And for those of us getting older and faced with the possible onset of diseases (like diabetes) that often hit as we hobble into our golden years, we have to be particularly careful what we put in our mouths.

So, I decided to look for a treat recipe for myself that packed a wallop. Wallop in this case defined as having “a big flavor bang, in a small package, that’s reasonably healthy”. (Not an easy task.) So, when I discovered a recipe for a 5-ingredient granola bar on the minimalistbaker.com site, I decided this treat would work for me with a few minor ingredient adjustments. And the recipe you find below is the result. Plus, I cut the pieces much smaller than the original recipe suggests. Actually, about a third the size. But as it turned out, one piece is absolutely enough. Because these babies are rich.

But OMG, they are delicious. Perfect for those times when nothing but a bit of sweet will do! But I try not to eat one a day. They aren’t vitamins after all!  Even if they do contain healthy ingredients. According to healthline.com “Dates boast an impressive nutrient profile but are quite sweet. Yet, they’re packed with fiber, which helps your body absorb its sugars more slowly. When eaten in moderation, they’re a safe and healthy choice for people with diabetes.”

And maple syrup, which again should be eaten in moderation, according to food.ndtv.com states “the glycemic index of maple syrup is around 54. Foods with glycemic index lower than 55 get digested slowly, enabling slow release of sugar in the blood stream, prevented chances of abnormal blood sugar spikes.”

And then there’s the peanut butter. (Oh, how I love peanut butter!) According to the nationalpeanutboard.org “Individuals with diabetes need foods that can help manage blood sugar and weight. Peanuts and peanut butter can be a powerful ally to reaching success. Peanuts and peanut butter have a low glycemic index, which means they don’t cause blood sugar to rise sharply.”

And to top things off, these squares also contain almonds and rolled oats. But everyone knows the health benefits of these two incredible ingredients, so I will skip describing their many glorious assets.

Final analysis – these granola squares are easy to prepare, contain healthy ingredients, and taste really, really good. Oh, and they’re crunchy. And who doesn’t love crunchy!

No more to say except – stay healthy, stay kind, stay involved, and stay safe. Oh, and stay informed. It’s natural to want to protect ourselves from all things unpleasant. But it’s not wise to forgo information that is not to one’s liking. Especially on current events. But we should always choose wisely how and where we gather information. And to my thinking, reliable sources don’t just state their own feelings on a subject. They try to give only the facts and allow the reader or listener to use their own critical thinking abilities. For me, this is the foremost criteria for good reporting. I don’t appreciate being talked down to. Or being told what to believe. But when someone is an expert, or reporting on what was said by an expert, it allows me to come to my own conclusion. For this type of reporting, I am most appreciative. And the only kind that truly holds my interest. Or for which any attention is received by me at all! 

Peace and love to all.

1 c. (packed) roughly chopped dates (I use Medjool dates)

2-3 tsp. water

1 c. toasted* slivered almonds

1½ c. toasted* rolled oats

½ c. finely chopped dried apricots (or dried fruit of choice)

¼ c. real maple syrup  

¼ c. creamy salted peanut butter (not natural)

½ tsp. vanilla  

Process dates and water in a food processor until only small bits remain (about 1 minute). Transfer to a mixing bowl. Stir in the toasted almonds, toasted oats, and dried fruit until well blended.  

Warm the maple syrup and peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour over the oat mixture and mix well.  Scoop mixture into an 8×8-inch baking dish or other small pan lined with parchment paper. (Be sure to use enough parchment paper that you can lift the bars out of the pan.)  

Press down firmly with your fingers until the mixture is uniformly flattened. This helps the squares stick together better.

Cover with plastic wrap and let firm up in fridge for 45 minutes or more.

Remove cold contents from the pan and cut into desired size squares.  

Store in an airtight container in your fridge.

*To toast almonds and oats, place on a rimmed baking sheet and place in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until slightly golden brown.

  

STRAWBERRY, RHUBARB, AND BLUEBERRY COMPOTE WITH BOURBON

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Perfect on sourdough waffles (recipe to come)

When its rhubarb season, I practically come unhinged. Because I love rhubarb. And this year is absolutely no exception. For years I contented myself with rhubarb pie. Which reminds me, I have never posted my recipe for rhubarb pie! (What planet has my mind been visiting that I have allowed this to happen?) I assure you, within a few days you will have my recipe. (Good grief Patti!)

Anyway, I remembered that I had a small amount of finely chopped rhubarb leftover from another recipe as I prepared the overnight sourdough sponge for waffles. And while my stand mixer was working away, I though how nice it would be to have a fruit compote to top the waffles I was baking the next morning. Thus, this recipe was conceived. But I only had about ¾ of a cup of rhubarb. And fairly finally chopped rhubarb to boot. So, what other fruit did I have on hand to add to the mix? Well, it just so happened that I had some fresh strawberries and blueberries in the refrigerator. Perfect. Add a bit of brown sugar, a pinch of salt, and a wee dram of bourbon to add another depth of flavor, and as the old saying goes “Bob’s your uncle”!

And I must say, this compote was absolutely perfect on the waffles. Heated gently just before serving and further doctored with a small dollop of whipped cream, the combination of light as a feather sourdough waffles, tangy compote, and whipped cream was unbeatable. (Sourdough Waffle recipe to follow shortly.)

This compote would also have been perfect on shortcake, pound cake (if you need a great pound cake recipe, give my recipe for Cream Cheese Pound Cake a try), or vanilla ice cream. And yes, I will be making more of this in the near future. Crazy easy to make and super delicious.

As always, play with your food. You never know what amazing new dish you might come up with.

Peace and love to all.

¾ c. finely chopped rhubarb

½ c. chopped strawberries

¼ c. blueberries

3 T. brown sugar

pinch kosher salt

2 tsp. bourbon

Combine chopped rhubarb, strawberries, and blueberries in a heavy saucepan. Add the brown sugar and salt; stir to coat evenly. Let sit until fruit has released its juices, about 15 minutes.

Bring fruit mixture to a light boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until fruit is soft and mixture has started to thicken, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in bourbon, and let cool, about 30 minutes. (Mixture should thicken a bit more as it cools.)

Place in a jar or storage container and refrigerate for up to a week. Great served on Sourdough Waffles or Pancakes. (Recipe to follow.)

    

ORANGE RHUBARB FREEZER JAM

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I found this wonderful recipe for rhubarb freezer jam on the vanillaandbean.com web site. And oh my – this jam is truly delicious. And easy to make. Just a few simple ingredients, a bit of time, and the next thing you know, your husband is enjoying a peanut butter and jam sandwich. With a happy grin on his face, I might add! At least that’s what happened at my house the day after I made this jam.

Before I go on, I want to spend a couple of minutes talking about rhubarb. Because rhubarb is one of my favorite foods. In fact, it actually may be my favorite vegetable. But it does have its limitations. It’s not really good eaten raw. It depends on sugar to make it palatable, and it’s only on the market for a short time each year. So, perhaps what makes it so special, is its unavailability most of the time. And yes, of course, you can freeze raw chunks of rhubarb for later use. But then you must remember it is in your freezer. (A definite limiting factor for me these days. Of course, I will still have to remember that I have jam in the freezer. But somehow, that is different. I won’t have to do anything with the jam after I take it out of the freezer. Except of course, enjoy eating it! And therein lies the difference!)

So, if you too like to build your own jam, I would suggest you prepare a batch or two of this lovely concoction at your earliest convenience. And now is the time. Rhubarb is being sold at farmer’s markets and grocery stores even as I write. But only for a limited time. So, don’t wait! Hie thee out of your comfy chair, strap yourself in a vehicular contraption, mask up, and visit your favorite purveyor of fruits and vegetables. Then hurry on home and prepare a treat everyone in your home will enjoy.

As always, enjoy your time in the kitchen. Take pride in all the wonderful dishes you prepare for yourself and your family. And share the bounty. I love it when our dear friends next door drop off a few cookies or some other treat they wish to share with us. And I know they are also pleased when we take a little “something” over to them. Makes for a nice change to each of our regular routines. And it’s just plain fun to share. (Something we all should have learned in kindergarten!)

So, just as a reminder, I have taken the liberty of reminding us all of the first 7 things the author Robert Fulghum felt everyone should have learned and embraced in kindergarten:

1. Share everything

2. Play fair

3. Don’t hit people

4. Put things back where you found them

5. Clean up your own mess

6. Don’t take things that aren’t yours

7. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.

Peace and love to all.

6 c. ½ – 1-inch pieces of fresh rhubarb 

1 T. orange zest  

⅓ c. fresh orange juice 

1¾ c. cane sugar

1 tsp. vanilla paste or vanilla extract or the seeds of half a vanilla bean

2-3 freezer containers

Stir the rhubarb, orange zest, orange juice, and sugar together in a large, heavy pot. (I use a long handled wooden spoon.) Let sit for about 20 minutes or until the fruit starts to release its juices.

Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat. Once simmering, increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil, stirring as needed to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot. The mixture will boil vigorously at first, but as it cooks down, it will boil more slowly.

Continue cooking, stirring and adjusting the heat as needed to avoid splatters, while allowing the mixture to continue bubbling.  

Cook until the jam reaches about 220 degrees. This will take about 18-20 minutes. (You can use either a standard candy thermometer or an instant-read thermometer to take the jams temperature. But be advised. If you use an instant read thermometer, be sure it is OK up to 220-degrees. Mine is good up to 250-degrees, but not all instant-read thermometers are the same.) When the jam reaches temperature, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla paste.

Allow the mixture to cool for about 15 minutes before transferring to containers. Do not fill the containers to the top. Leave at least a ½-inch space at the top of the containers so the jam has room to expand as it freezes. Add the lid and allow the jam to cool to room temperature. Chill in the fridge overnight to set, then transfer to the freezer for longer storage.

Once out of the freezer, store in the refrigerator.

 

BEEFY RED WINE SAUCE WITH SHALLOT, GARLIC, AND ROSEMARY

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Sometimes I amaze myself! And this sauce is one of those times! (Doesn’t happen as often as I’d like, but when it does, I feel like walking out on our deck and proclaiming to the world, at the top of my lungs, that – I – basically – rock!) Because, if ever there was a sauce that I would like to bottle and sell for $2 an ounce, this – is – it! And it had been oh, so simple to prepare.

Monday was Mr. C’s birthday. And usually, we celebrate our birthdays with lovely dinners at our favorite restaurants. But since our favorite restaurants aren’t open yet, and even if they were, we are still a bit leery of showing our faces in public places, my only option was to make him his favorite food at home.

Now something you should know. Mr. C. loves good food. And he is the least picky eater I know. (As long as the food is truly delicious and there isn’t too much cruciferous action going on!) And I’m no dummy. After all these years, I darn well aught to know his favorites. So, when I mentioned rack of lamb (and we happened to have one in the freezer), his eyes lit up and a big old smile spread from ear to ear. So, rack of lamb it had to be! And our favorite way to eat “lambie pie lollypops”, is using my recipe (on this site BTW) for Rack of Lamb with Kalamata-Rosemary Crust. But dang, the sauce in that recipe calls for 1 cup of demi-glace. And just between you and me, I haven’t made homemade demi-glace since I turned 70. I simply don’t have the energy any longer.  (But please don’t let that stop you. Because Demi-Glace is one of Gods gifts to us mere mortals. And of course, I have a wonderful recipe on this site!)

So, being the inventive gal that I am, I glommed together a quick and dirty version of the original sauce recipe. And it worked. Boy did it work! And it would be so perfect for other dishes too. A beautiful sauce to drizzle on a perfectly cooked steak or roast. Or on ground beef or lamb patties. Or on a slab of your favorite meatloaf. I mean really. The numerous uses absolutely boggles the mind! So, I hope you give this easy to prepare sauce a try. And the rack of lamb recipe too. It’s incredible.

As always, stay happy, stay healthy, and stay the course! (Whatever in the heck that means!!)

Peace and love to all.  

4 T. unsalted butter, divided

1 lg. shallot, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 c. dry red wine  

1½ c. water

2 tsp. beef base (I use Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base)

1 bay leaf

¾ tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary, or more to taste

freshly ground black pepper

¼ tsp. granulated sugar

1 T. all-purpose flour

Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a medium sized saucepan. Add the shallots and slowly cook until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine, water, beef base, bay leaf, rosemary, black pepper, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, for about 25 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by about half.

While the liquid is reducing, mash the remaining tablespoon of butter with the flour to make a smooth paste. (Helps immensely if the butter is at room temperature.)

Once the wine mixture is reduced, whisk the flour paste, a teaspoonful at a time, into the simmering liquid. Cook for a few minutes or until the sauce is nicely thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.

(And no, there is no salt in the list of ingredients. Beef base usually contains more salt than I would prefer. So, I’ve found, that it’s much easier to add salt if needed, than getting rid of the extra salt! Just saying!)

STRAWBERRY OR RASPBERRY, ALMOND, AND COCONUT GRANOLA

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Strawberry Dream Granola

In my mind I refer to this granola as Strawberry or Raspberry Dream Granola. Because it is so darned delicious and pretty darn healthy too. Not a lot of oil, and even then, it’s a “good” oil. And mostly sweetened by honey, with only a couple tablespoons of brown sugar thrown in to enhance the sweet-tart flavor from all the strawberry/raspberry action going on! All in all, a very delightful combination of ingredients if I do say so myself. And a lovely way to get any morning off to a good start.  

Now I know I already have several recipes for granola on this site. But we eat a lot of granola and I never want our taste buds to get bored. Plus, it’s really fun to experiment with different flavor combinations. But, in truth, almost any homemade granola is better for us and more to our liking than any similar product on the market. (No nasty, unpronounceable ingredients either!)  

And although some of the well-known brands like Nature Valley and Quaker Oats offer a good product, these cereals simply can’t compete with homemade granolas that include our favorite additives – nuts, dried and freeze-dried fruit, and coconut. (You notice, I didn’t mention chocolate chips. Because as much as I love chocolate chips, I just can’t imagine them in a breakfast cereal. Plus, I don’t want to experience any guilt from the breakfast food I consume. It would set a bad precedent for the rest of my day. Even though, it is almost inevitable that something I eat later in the day will fulfill my daily ration of food guilt! But if possible, I prefer to keep my guilt under control as far into my day as can be expected from a person with no will power!)

So, now you have the full story of why I enjoy preparing and consuming homemade granola. My work here is done.

As always, keep loving your time in the kitchen. Keep finding new and delicious ways to keep yourself and your family healthy. And continue striving to serve food that your family will still be enthusiastically talking about for days on end.

I realize it can be a daunting challenge. I get that. But as cooks, most of us still take no greater pleasure than in making people happy with the food we prepare. It must be part of our DNA makeup. So, I guess it all comes down to – just be yourself. And everything else will just naturally and beautifully fall into place.

Peace and love to all.

⅓ c. extra virgin olive oil

⅓ c. honey

2 T. brown sugar

1 tsp. fine-grain sea salt  

2 tsp. vanilla extract

6 c. old-fashioned rolled oats  

1½ c. roughly chopped almonds (or nut of choice)

1 c. coconut flakes

1 c. dried strawberries OR raspberries

4 T. freeze dried strawberry OR raspberry powder

1 c. freeze-dried strawberries OR raspberries (I use a 1.2-oz. package from Trader Joe’s)

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the olive oil, honey, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla together. Stir in the oats and nuts until they are evenly coated with the olive oil mixture. Spoon the granola evenly onto a large-rimmed baking sheet or sheets lined with parchment paper. (Don’t wash the mixing bowl.)

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and stir in the coconut flakes. Return to oven and bake an additional 11-12 minutes or until the oats are a lightly golden color.

Remove from oven and scoop back into the mixing bowl. Stir in the dried strawberries or raspberries and the freeze-dried strawberry or raspberry powder. Allow to cool undisturbed until completely cool. (The granola will crisp up as it cools.) Stir in the freeze-dried berries.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Wonderful served with milk or for a special treat, serve as a parfait with yogurt.  

    

PAN SEARED TENDERLOIN OR FILET MIGNON STEAKS WITH DIFFERENT BUTTERS

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I used Garlic Rosemary Butter this time.

You know what they say about butter. That “butter makes everything better”. And in the case of a beautifully cooked tenderloin or filet mignon, they are 100% correct.

Now some would argue that the meat alone is perfect and should be enjoyed au naturale. To this I say – phooey! If they truly want their meat “naked”, then try cooking it without as much as a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Now, that’s “natural”. But I’d bet my last pound of unsalted butter that no one would admit to enjoying a good steak without the requisite liberal sprinkling of salt and pepper just before cooking begins. Especially salt. Because salt stays on the surface of meat without dissolving. This helps the meat juices stay within the muscle fibers thus helping ensure a juicy steak. Of course, along with the salt, it is important to cook the steak at a very high temperature. The high heat helps form an evenly distributed and crispy brown crust. And in the case of meat cooked using this recipe, a lovely buttery crisp crust.

FYI: Our good friend Jim, who is truly a meat expert, prepares his steaks a bit differently. He brings the meat to room temperature, then at least an hour before he cooks the meat, he liberally sprinkles it with salt and presses it into the meat. Then he sets it aside. Salting ahead of time like this ensures the entire cut gets evenly flavored.  When salt is applied to raw meat, juices inside the meat are drawn to the surface. The salt then dissolves in the exuded liquid, forming a brine that is eventually reabsorbed by the meat.

Anyway, my point is, au naturale meat can be over-rated. Of course, I’m a lover of creamy and savory. So, for me, a lovely, flavored butter melting on a perfectly cooked steak is pure heaven. I could eat a great steak prepared this way weekly except for the obvious reasons. A) too much red meat is not good for me. B) Too much butter is not good for me. C) Expensive meat is not good for our budget!  So, I prepare this kind of an entrée only for very special occasions.

So, if you too have a special occasion coming up, I would recommend serving this steak. And I know. For special occasions we love to go out for dinner too. But with Covid, dining in one of our favorite restaurants has not been possible. So, I have made sure that any special occasions are still celebrated with as much fanfare and fine dining as possible. But, like you, I am really looking forward to having someone else do the cooking, table clearing, and dishes. But even as write that sentence, I’m reminded that the slight annoyance of not being able to dine out is only a problem to people for whom poverty is not a reality. And then I sit back, say a thank you prayer to every deity imaginable, and then lift my butt out of my comfortable chair and walk into my well-stocked kitchen and fix us something good to eat. We are the lucky ones. We have food in our freezer, clean water, a warm home, and enough of everything necessary to live happy and productive lives. I hope and pray the same for you.

Peace and love to all.  

2 beef tenderloin or filet mignon steaks (at least 1½-inches thick)

kosher salt

freshly cracked black pepper

2 T. unsalted butter

Remove the steak from the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking. (Having the steak at room temperature helps ensure that your cooking times are more accurate and the meat cooks more evenly.) Season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Cook immediately.

Or use Jim’s method: salt the steak at least an hour before cooking. Then proceed to either cook as described below, or grill over high heat. Either way produces a really good product.

Using a cast iron pan if possible, add the 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and allow the skillet to become scorching hot before placing the steaks in the pan. Sear the first side undisturbed for 2 minutes. Carefully flip the steaks and sear the second side for 2 minutes. (This will give your steaks a lovely and tasty crust.)

Transfer the skillet directly to your pre-heated 425-degree oven. (The skillet handle may be hot, so work carefully.) For rare, bake for 3½ minutes. The internal temperature should reach 120 – 125-degrees. Medium rare, roughly 4-5 minutes to an internal temperature of 125-130-degrees. After that, don’t bother spending your hard-earned money on tenderloin or filet mignon. Might just as well buy a cheaper cut of beef and make stew!

When your steaks reach the desired internal temperature, remove from the oven, transfer to a platter, and lightly cover with aluminum foil. Leave alone for about 5 minutes.

To serve, plate the steaks topped with slices of your choice of flavored butter. (See choices below.)

Garlic Rosemary Butter

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter

1½ tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1½ tsp. chopped fresh parsley

1 lg. garlic clove, finely minced

pinch sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Soften the butter in a microwave safe bowl until malleable, 10-15 seconds. (Don’t melt the butter.) Using a regulate table fork, mash in the rosemary, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Scoop onto a piece of plastic wrap forming it as much as possible into a half stick of butter. Place in refrigerator until the steak comes out of the oven and is resting. (If you make the flavored butter way ahead of time, take it out of the refrigerator a good 30 minutes before you plan to use it.)   

Garlic Lemon Butter

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 T. minced fresh Italian parsley

1 tsp. lemon zest

pinch sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Soften the butter in a microwave safe bowl until malleable, 10-15 seconds. (Don’t melt the butter.) Using a regulate table fork, mash in the garlic, parsley, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Scoop onto a piece of plastic wrap forming it as much as possible into a half stick of butter. Place in refrigerator until the steak comes out of the oven and is resting. (If you make the flavored butter way ahead of time, take it out of the refrigerator a good 30 minutes before you plan to use it.)   

Blue Cheese and Fresh Thyme Butter

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter

2 T. crumbled blue cheese, or more to taste

1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme

pinch sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Soften the butter in a microwave safe bowl until malleable, 10-15 seconds. (Don’t melt the butter.) Using a regulate table fork, mash in the blue cheese, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. Scoop onto a piece of plastic wrap forming it as much as possible into a half stick of butter. Place in refrigerator until the steak comes out of the oven and is resting. (If you make the flavored butter way ahead of time, take it out of the refrigerator a good 30 minutes before you plan to use it.)   

Dried Porcini Mushroom, Garlic, and Fresh Chive Butter

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter

1 sm. garlic clove, finely minced

4 tsp. chopped fresh chives

1 T. dried porcini mushroom powder*

pinch sea salt

Soften the butter in a microwave safe bowl until malleable, 10-15 seconds. (Don’t melt the butter.) Using a regulate table fork, mash in the garlic, chives, mushroom powder, and salt. Scoop onto a piece of plastic wrap forming it as much as possible into a half stick of butter. Place in refrigerator until the steak comes out of the oven and is resting. (If you make the flavored butter way ahead of time, take it out of the refrigerator a good 30 minutes before you plan to use it.)

*Porcini mushroom powder can be purchased online or you can make it at home. Place dried mushrooms in your blender or spice grinder and let it whirl. (My spice grinder is an inexpensive coffee grinder dedicated just for the purpose of grinding herbs, spices, and anything other than coffee!)

Store mushroom powder in an airtight container. Great for adding depth of flavor to almost any dish that calls for mushrooms. And of course, any dried mushroom can be ground into powder.

Horseradish and Fresh Chive Butter

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter

2 tsp. horseradish, or more to taste

4 tsp. chopped fresh chives

pinch sea salt

freshly ground black pepper Soften the butter in a microwave safe bowl until malleable, 10-15 seconds. (Don’t melt the butter.) Using a regulate table fork, mash in the horseradish, chives, salt, and pepper. Scoop onto a piece of plastic wrap forming it as much as possible into a half stick of butter. Place in refrigerator until the steak comes out of the oven and is resting. (If you make the flavored butter way ahead of time, take it out of the refrigerator a good 30 minutes before you plan to use it.)   

    

DRIED BLUEBERRIES, COCONUT, AND ALMOND GRANOLA

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And yes, that measuring cup stays in the container. We only allow ourselves 1/4 cup of cereal for breakfast. Of course, that’s not all we eat. We usually have half a piece of fruit, a couple bites of breakfast meat, an egg, toast, and yogurt too. So yes, our breakfasts are very hearty.

So, it’s just another routine day here at Chez Carr. Got out of bed, threw on my bathrobe, trundled out to the living room, drank my Americano while reading the paper, took my shower, got dressed, fixed breakfast, ate breakfast, did the dishes, put on my “head”. (“Head” meaning apply the minimum amount of makeup to make me less scary looking). After making myself presentable, I then sat down at my desk and read the email posts that interested me, made a quick revue of Facebook posts, and got my daily dose of reality by reading Heather Cox Richardson’s Letters from an American. Pretty darn interesting way to begin a day, right? (Actually, at my age, any day that I wake up still alive and kicking is cause for celebration!) But, if somewhere each morning I’m fortunate enough to find even one small morsel of delight in my daily morning routine, I’m pretty much assured that the rest of my day is going to run smoothly. And today’s delightful bright spot was this granola.

And yes, I make granola all the time. In fact, there are several great granola recipes already on this site. But this one was especially fun to make because it includes freeze-dried fruit. And I’d never worked with freeze-dried fruit before. And I find that I like freeze-dried fruit – a lot! At least I like the blueberries. I also purchased freeze-dried strawberries and raspberries, and I can’t imagine that I won’t find them just as delicious. Eating freeze-dried blueberries is just about as good as eating the crunch berries in Cap’N Crunch, without the corn flour, sugar, oat flour, brown sugar, palm and/or coconut oil, salt, sodium citrate, natural and artificial flavor, red 40, malic acid, reduced iron, niacinamide, (one of the B vitamins), yellow 5, strawberry juice concentrate, zinc oxide, blue 1, yellow 6, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid (4 more B vitamins), BHT (preservative), and tocopherols (preservative). (And no, I do not routinely eat crunch berries. I wish I could because they are truly a guilty pleasure. But I must draw the line somewhere. And my Cap’N Crunch line is drawn in indelible as well as inedible ink!) But back to freeze-dried fruit.  

There is however one itsy, bitsy problem inherent with freeze-dried fruit. It’s damn expensive! So, as much as I would like to eat it every day, it ain’t going to happen! At Chez Carr, freeze-dried fruit has now been relegated to the list of “once in a while if you’ve been really, really good” that includes, but is not limited to, that crème de la crème of steaks – filet mignon, saffron, a pound of fresh cracked crab (that I don’t have to shell), and Scharffen Berger baking chocolate.

But if you happen to have some freeze-dried fruit just lying around, I would highly recommend that you use it in this granola recipe. Of course, if you don’t happen to have any around, this granola is still wonderful without its inclusion. Let’s face it, the next time I prepare this recipe, there won’t be any freeze-dried fruit in my cereal either!

As always, be happy with what you have. Some things, like freeze-dried fruit are lovely, but going without them is OK too. In fact, if we all got everything we wanted, and all our wishes were invariably granted, how would we ever know the pure joy that simple pleasures can bring?

I treasure what I do have. And I don’t pine away for the things that are out of my realm of possibility. My dad taught me to be happy. And I will always be more than grateful for his insight. Peace and love to all.  

⅓ c. extra virgin olive oil

⅓ c. maple syrup or honey

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. fine-grain sea salt  

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

6 c. old-fashioned rolled oats  

1½ c. roughly chopped whole almonds (or nut of choice)

1 c. coconut flakes

1½ c. dried blueberries

1 c. freeze-dried blueberries, opt. (I used a 1.2-oz. package)   

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the olive oil, maple syrup, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon together. Stir in the oats and nuts until the oats and nuts are evenly coated.  

Spoon the granola evenly onto a large-rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and stir in the coconut flakes. Return to oven and bake an additional 11-14 minutes or until the oats are a lightly golden color.

Remove from oven and stir in the dried blueberries. Allow the granola to cool undisturbed for at least an hour or until completely cool. The granola will crisp up as it cools.

Stir in the freeze-dried berries. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Wonderful served with milk or for a special treat, serve as a parfait with yogurt.   

  

SEASONED SALT

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This morning I woke up thinking about natural progressions. How one thing can automatically lead to another. Like how breakfast leads to lunch leads to dinner. And since breakfast comes as our first meal of the day, and I woke up hungry, I started thinking about eggs. Because an egg is almost invariably a part of every breakfast I prepare. Usually, it’s an easy-over egg. But some mornings eggs are the base for a scramble or whipped up with milk for French toast or an ingredient in pancake batter. So, my container of eggs is almost always the first thing I bring out of the refrigerator as I assemble ingredients for our meal. And in our home, breakfast is huge. Huge as in important. It’s the most indispensable meal of our day. Without it, our energy levels would diminish throughout the day, and we wouldn’t be getting some of the important nutrients needed for continued good health.

So, as I was thinking about breakfast, I pondered the fact that we eat a fried egg almost every day without either of us ever getting sick and tired of doing so. I mean really. I couldn’t think of one other quality protein source I could eat every single day and actually look forward to it rather than run screaming into my bedroom to bury my head under a pillow! Then the answer came to me in a flash. Seasoned salt. Yup, seasoned salt. Every time I fry an egg or make a scramble, I season the egg or eggs with seasoned salt. Every – single – time! Seasoned Salt simply enhances the flavor of eggs to the point that we never tire of eating them. Never!

And then I realized (there’s that natural progression thing again), I list seasoned salt as an ingredient in a lot of my recipes. Yet I have never provided you with the recipe. How terribly remiss of me. So, on this 3rd day of January, year 2021, I’m rectifying this egregious omission. You now have this recipe, and because I’m feeling terribly guilty, I’m giving you my second best loved Seasoned Salt recipe free of charge. And yes, I use them both.

So, now you have the story of my life. Or at least a portion of it. Pretty heady stuff, right?!?!  

As always, find the humor and blessings in everyday life. Think how lucky we are to live in this beautiful world. And continue to work hard to keep it that way. Peace and love to all.

Seasoned Salt #1

½ c. kosher salt

8 tsp. finely ground black pepper (I buy cheap finely ground black pepper to use in this recipe) Shhh – don’t tell Martha S

4 tsp. paprika

4 tsp. granulated garlic

4 tsp. granulated onion  

½ tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. celery salt

½ tsp. granulated sugar

pinch cayenne pepper

pinch ground cinnamon

Whisk all together and store in an airtight container. And yes of course you can double, triple, etc. this recipe to no ill effect. Use anytime seasoned salt would be a nice addition or called for in a recipe. Great on easy over and scrambled eggs.

Seasoned Salt #2

½ c. kosher salt

2 tsp. finely ground black pepper

2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp. granulated onion

½-1 tsp. dried lemon peel granules (make sure you buy only granules that have no preservatives or other weird ingredients)

Whisk all together and store in an airtight container. Lightly flavored so perfect on fish or chicken.

BACON, CARAMELIZED ONION, SWISS CHEESE, AND SPINACH QUICHE

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I know, quiche can be kind of a pain in the bucket to prepare. But boy oh boy, the effort is well worth the pleasure of biting into a pastry crust filled with a savory egg custard blended with cheese, tasty bits of meat or seafood, and veggies. In my book, quiche is a treat.

So, the other evening I decided we had been good and deserved something special for dinner. And what came to mind was quiche.

Now years ago, before I became so lazy, I used to make a regular pie crust that involved getting out my stand mixer whenever I wanted to build a quiche. Too much effort anymore. Plus, I developed a true liking for this no-roll pie crust. It’s definitely not as flakey and perfect as my regular pie crust and I wouldn’t even consider using it with regular pies. (Find my favorite recipe under “Pie Crust” on this site.) But, because this crust recipe contains less fat, it comes out kind of crisp. I actually find the crispness of this pastry to be a perfect foil for the soft and fluffy filling. So, when I make a quiche now, I use the recipe below. And that practically cuts my work in half. But more about this quiche.

I had bacon on hand. As well as some spinach that needed to be used, an abundance of Swiss cheese, and a hankering for caramelized onions. Put them all together, turn yourself about, and you have the makings for a pretty darn good quiche. And isn’t that the lovely thing about quiche. Once you have the basic egg, milk, and cheese part down, you can use any number of other ingredients to flavor this dreamy dish. Besides bacon, you can use ham, crumbled and cooked breakfast, spicy, or Italian sausage, shrimp, scallops, crab, chicken – the list goes on and on. And any veggie or veggies that rocks your socks.

So, when life throws you a mixture of unrelated ingredients, you might consider them a blessing in disguise. They might lead you to fixing a unique and delicious quiche.

As always – stay safe, stay sane, and stay home. Christmas is going to be rough this year. There is no denying that fact. But be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem. We will get through this. But it takes a team effort. Peace, joy, and love to all.

Quiche No-Roll Pie Crust:

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour   

heaping ½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

scant ¼ tsp. baking powder

7 T. vegetable or canola oil

5 T. cold water  

Whisk the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder together. Whisk the oil and water together. Pour over the dry ingredients. Stir with a fork until the dough is evenly moistened. Pat the dough across the bottom of a fairly deep pie pan, then up and over the rim. Crimp or mold the pie crust around the edge to make it pretty.   

Bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside until you are ready to assemble the quiche. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.

Quiche Filling:

8 slices thick, meaty bacon, cut into small pieces

½ med. yellow onion, diced

3 c. finely chopped spinach, not packed

2 c. grated Swiss cheese, divided  

4 lg. eggs

1⅓ c. whole milk

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

pinch ground nutmeg, plus a bit more for sprinkling

While the crust is baking, fry the bacon in a medium sized fry pan until crisp. Remove cooked bacon from pan with a slotted spoon. Remove all but about 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat.

Add onion and cook over medium low heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and starts to become a light golden brown, about 20 minutes.  Add the spinach and sauté for a couple of minutes, just enough to wilt the spinach a bit. Remove from heat.  

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk the eggs, milk, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg together. Set aside.

Quiche Assembly:

Spread the bacon evenly over the partially baked crust. Then spread on the onion and spinach mixture. Sprinkle 1½ cups of the grated cheese evenly over the onion mixture. Pour the egg mixture on top. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup cheese and nutmeg. 

Bake in the 375-degree oven until puffed and firm when touched in the center, 35-45 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 165 degrees. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving. To serve, cut into 6-8 wedges.

      

RUDI’S ROSEMARY MAKER’S MARK PECANS

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I may have baked my pecans a minute too long. They look dark, but in no way do they taste burned. In fact, they taste perfect!

Well, have I got a lovely recipe to share with you today. And just in time for Christmas too. Because if these savory and slightly sweet glazed nuts aren’t Christmas gift fare, then I’m Ebenezer Scrooge! And I’m not miserly enough to be Scrooge. (Old enough true. But not miserly enough!) And, even if you make a batch of these nuts just for yourself, you are going to feel totally pampered. Because these shining examples of culinary ingenuity, are a special treat. And don’t we all deserve a treat, especially this year? You bet your sweet bippy we do!

This recipe was sent to me by our friend Rudi, who along with her husband Bert spend their summers here on Camano Island. (Well, not this year, for obvious reasons, but most summers.) And while here, we got to know them because they attended some of the jazz concerts we hosted. We hit it off right away. They are true food lovers, as are we. So of course, we became friends. And now Rudi reads my blog and thought I might like these nuts. So, she sent me her recipe. Well, liking them is an understatement! I love them. So, thank you, thank you, thank you Rudi for the recipe.

So, aside from the fact that these nuts are delicious, you should know that building them is stinkin’ easy. But you really do need to use fresh rosemary in this recipe. And if you don’t have a rosemary plant or two in your yard or on your deck, why the heck not? This amazing herb can be grown outdoors as a perennial shrub in Zones 7 and warmer. In colder areas, it needs to be kept in a pot and brought indoors for the winter. Believe me, if I can make it grow, you can too. Of course, I my have an advantage. I’ve been growing some of my own herbs (rosemary, sage, oregano, bay leaves, and thyme) for decades now. I also grow my own chives and Italian parsley. Chives are a perennial, so every year they re-appear as if by magic. Parsley, however, is a biennial so I’m still required to regularly buy parsley at the grocery store. And I use a lot of parsley. But I digress. Back to these nuts.

You simply must give them a try. They are so simple to make and so delightful to munch on. Thanks again Rudi for the recipe.

So, as always, have fun making great food. Keep trying new recipes. And keep counting your blessings. Peace and love to all.

2 T. unsalted butter

2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. ground chili pepper

1 T. brown sugar, packed

1 T. Maker’s Mark bourbon

2 c. pecan halves

Melt butter in a small frying pan. Add the chopped fresh rosemary, salt, chili powder, brown sugar, and bourbon. Stir to combine. Add the pecans and stir to coat.

Bake in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in a pre-heated 375-degree oven for 13-17 minutes, or until the nuts darken a bit and become fragrant. Stir halfway through the baking time. (Watch carefully. They burn easily.)

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.   

My furry helpers. Max to the left on Andy’s desk. Miles spread out as far as possible on mine. And yes, this recipe is what appears on my computer screen. So any punctuation errors, etc. are because of Miles!