The Land of Fruits and Nuts....Granola 101

Having lived in California for the better part of my adult life, I'm well acquainted with the Archie Bunker-like term "the land of fruits and nuts".  It's usually lobbed at residents of the Golden State by people who have never set foot in California, fancy themselves quite the comedian, and consider pork rinds the cornerstone of a healthy diet.  As a loud-mouthed, feminist who's made a career for herself in the arts, I suppose over half the country lumps me in that big ol' nutty fruit basket which, truth be told, is just peachy by me.

But getting to the real subject of this post....Granola.  Fruit and nuts, other connotations aside, are healthy, tasty, and packed with nutrients.  Making granola is quite straight-  forward and there isn't a ton of prep.  Even though you bake it, it's not "baking".  I regard granola as a "what's in the larder" recipe where you can pick and choose based on a few basic parameters.  Once you get the hang of it, you can experiment with different combinations of ingredients.

Basic Granola Recipe

4 cups old-fashioned oats (not quick cooking oats)
1 to 1 1/2 cups dried fruit, such as raisins, cranberries, figs, cherries, apricots,
             blueberries, or currants (or a combination of the above)
1 1/2 cups nuts, such as walnut halves, almonds, cashews, or pistachios (or a
             combination of the above)
1 cup shredded, unsweetened, large-flake coconut
1 tsp. cinnamon
grated zest of one orange (optional)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup liquid sweetener, such as maple syrup, agave, honey, or molasses
1/3 cup butter

Preheat oven to 300 degrees and place the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven.  Combine the oats, dried fruit, nuts, coconut, cinnamon, orange zest, and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Heat the butter in a small saucepan over low heat.  When melted, whisk in the liquid sweetener until it is thoroughly combined.  Pour the butter mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until everything is well mixed and the oats look coated.  Divide the mixture between two rimmed baking sheets.  Spread the mixture evenly over the baking sheets in a thin layer.

Bake the granola for 40 to 50 minutes.  With a spatula, turn the granola a couple times during the baking.  I also find it's helpful to turn the baking sheets from front to back as my oven doesn't cook evenly (the back always cooks faster).  You can also rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom for the same reason.  The granola, when finished, should be a deep golden brown.  Take care not to let it get too dark!  Remove the cookie sheets and let cool completely.  The granola will crisp up as it cools.  When it has cooled completely, transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature.

After you've made it once or twice, you can start to modify the basic recipe.  If you like your granola a little sweeter, up the amount of syrup.  If you don't like the coconut, just omit it.  Same for the butter.  If you like it a little richer and more decadent, increase the amount of butter.  There's no right or wrong....just what you like.

Granola is perfect with a little milk or yogurt for breakfast.  It's great by the handful as a healthy snack right out of the container.  If you're on the go, pop a little in a zip-lock bag and away you go.  And if you're really lucky, someday you might get to eat your granola in the most perfect way possible....as you hike along the beautiful California coast!

   

The Tail End of the Lobster

Dan's impression of Woody Allen in Annie Hall

It may be the last day of the month, but I was bound and determined to get the Lobster Tale Trilogy finished by month's end and got it in just under the wire.  For awhile I pondered doing a lobster linguine to pay homage to my favorite dish at The Pentagoet Inn, but asked myself what on Earth was I thinking trying to replicate such an exquisite entree.  As a result, I decided this was the perfect time to create a Maine-based version of Eggs Benedict.

Dan and I have made a habit of coming up with different takes on our favorite....albeit deadly to one's waistline....breakfasts.  My favorite has always been Eggs Bjornstein which substitutes smoked salmon for the ham.  Dan, on the other hand, still being a carnivore at heart has embraced the Eggs Benedetto.  The Benedetto variation pays tribute to one of our favorite singers, Tony Bennett, and Dan's Italian heritage with prosciutto stepping in for the American oink.

Eggs Emoggin is the newest addition to the roster.  Unless you happen to be from this area of the country, the name probably has you stymied.  Eggemoggin Reach is a body of water that separates the Blue Hill Peninsula from Deer Isle and plays host to the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta.  The Deer Isle Bridge is a suspension bridge completed in 1939 which spans Eggemoggin Reach and provides the only vehicular connection between the mainland and Little Deer Isle.

The Easy Hollandaise Sauce is from The Black Dog: Summer on the Vineyard Cookbook and has never left me down.  While chefs may cringe with this quick take on the classic sauce, it's made my Sunday mornings far more enjoyable.

Eggs Emoggin

4 poached eggs
2 pieces toasted multigrain bread
butter
2 lobster tails, cooked and cut into 1" medallions
1 cup baby spinach
1/2 cup Easy Hollandaise Sauce (recipe below)
2 teaspoons capers
salt
freshly ground pepper

Poach eggs to your liking.  I've always been a runny yolk girl, but Dan has only recently discovered the wonders of the runny yolk.  While the eggs are poaching, lightly toast the bread and butter it if you like.  Place the spinach on the bread and top with the poached eggs.  Top with the lobster and drizzle with the Hollandaise sauce.  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste and garnish with the capers.

Easy Hollandaise Sauce

2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 stick butter, melted
splash of Tabasco sauce
dash of cayenne pepper
salt to taste

Combine the egg yolks and lemon juice in a food processor or blender.  Turn on and slowly pour in the melted butter.  The sauce will emulsify.  Season with Tabasco, salt, and cayenne pepper.  Yields 1/2 cup.

Monday Morning Musings Over Muesli

I hope everyone had a great and very green Earth Day.  While I wasn't out in a garden or planting a tree, I did wander into the realm of one of the....if not the.... greatest "back to the land" pioneers ever to grace the American landscape.  Henry David Thoreau.  

Walden was one of the many books I had sitting on bookshelves and penciled in on my "must read" book list.  Interestingly, it simply took my stumbling across a quote by Thoreau last week to finally transport me Walden Pond. 

Not to be too cryptic, but this year is quickly turning into one of great change and even greater uncertainty for Dan and me.  This isn't the first time and it certainly won't be the last that we are unable to see around the curve in the road or over the next hill.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, life isn't about the destination, it's about the journey. 

So what was Thoreau's quote that stopped me in my tracks?  "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.  Live the life you have imagined."  And so we will go....and hope the next hill will be a lucky one.  Stay tuned.

We usually have dry cereal during the week, but today just seemed like a Muesli kind of morning.  It's chilly and overcast and while Muesli is still cold, it does feel a little more cozy.  After trying many recipes, this is what I've come up with as our favorite morning treat. 

Monday Morning Muesli

1 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup slivered almonds, plus more for topping
1 cup vanilla yogurt, plus more for topping
1 navel orange, supremed       
vanilla soy milk

Mix the oats, raisins, cranberries, and slivered almonds in a bowl.  Add 1 cup of the vanilla yogurt to the bowl and stir to combine.  Spoon the moistened oat mixture into an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.  To serve, spoon mixture into bowls and add enough vanilla soy milk to thin to your desired consistency.  Top with another dollop of vanilla yogurt, the orange segments, and a sprinkle of slivered almonds.  Serves 2.

I usually double or triple the above recipe and store it in an airtight jar so I always have it on hand when the mood strikes.

What Came First, the Chicken or the Egg?

I know, I know.....very corny, but that question has been debated back and forth forever.  A few years ago it was reported British scientists determined it was the egg.  Based on the order of my blog posts last week, it was also the egg.....or rather the eggshell.  But enough of the brain teasers.

Growing up, our traditional Easter dinner was of the ham, potatoes, and green bean variety.  As a vegetarian, a lot of traditional holiday fare is off the menu.  So what's a non-meat eater to do?  In our house this year, we're going out to a Middle Eastern restaurant with our dear friend, Ridge.  Bring on the hummus, stuffed grape leaves, and felafel!

Diebenkorn's Ocean Park Series #49

Dan is a huge admirer of Richard Diebenkorn and there is an exhibit of his Ocean Park Series at the Orange County Museum of Art which he has been longing to see.  We decided it might be a nice way to spend the afternoon before we meet up with Ridge.  As we're not having a traditional Easter dinner, I decided to make a lovely Easter breakfast prior to hitting the freeway and going behind the Orange Curtain.  One of our favorite neighborhood restaurants in L.A. is BLD on Beverly Boulevard.  The first time we went there I ordered the most decadent scrambled eggs I've ever had.  They have since replaced that scrambled egg dish with another, but this is my homage to their salmon scramble that won me over on that first visit.

KCB Easter Eggs

6 free-range eggs
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon capers
3 oz. smoked salmon, torn into 1" pieces
3 oz. light cream cheese at room temperature
salt and pepper

Whisk the eggs and milk in a large bowl.  Melt the butter in a saute pan over medium low heat and add the egg mixture.  Reduce the heat to low.  Whenever the eggs start to set, loosen and stir with a rubber heat-proof spatula.  About halfway through the cooking, add the red onions, capers, and salmon.  Continue cooking and stir occasionally.  Do not let the eggs brown.  They should be light and fluffy.  When the eggs are finished cooking, add the cream cheese and stir just until incorporated.  Season with salt and pepper.