Granola Bars

tastier and more filling than anything you'll buy at the store

3 cups oats
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup crushed almonds
1/2 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup ground flax
3/4 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla

1. Combine all of the wet ingredients into a bowl.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet one at a time. Mix.
2. Press into a cookie sheet (the granola may not cover the whole cookie sheet. I usually shape it into a rectangle a bit bigger than a 9x13 pan).
3. Bake at 325 degrees F for 15-20 minutes til golden brown.  Take out and cool for 10 minutes.
4. Cut into bars, then bake an additional 5 minutes at 350 degrees.

recipe from a friend of Kel's

Buttermilk Biscuits

Warm, light, flaky, biscuits = pure satisfaction. And they are so simple to make.

5 cups all purpose flour, plus more for working, as needed
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1/2 cup very cold butter, cut into cubes
2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3 Tbsp melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 500°F with rack in upper third. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.

2. Add cold butter cubes to the flour mixture and coat well. Working quickly, rub the butter between your fingertips until roughly half is coarsely blended and half remains in larger flat pieces (3/4 inch size)

3. make a well in the center of flour-butter mixture and add buttermilk all at once. Stir quickly with a wooden spoon, just until mixture begins to come together into a sticky dough. (the dough will not form a ball at this stage and will, in fact, look unpromising).

4. Immediately turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead briskly 8 to 10 times, just until a cohesive ball of dough forms. With your palms, gently flatten dough into an even thickness and rounded rectangle; then roll out to a 3/4-inch thickness, working from the center of the dough outward with a floured rolling pin. (Flour rolling pin as needed, but avoid flouring top of dough).

5. Using a dinner fork, pierce dough completely through at 1/2-inch intervals (flour fork if needed).
Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter*, stamp out rounds as close together as possible, taking care not to twist the cutter. Place rounds end to end on a parchment-lined backing sheet. Place dough pieced that remain after cutting on sheet too. Bake biscuits until crusty and rich golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove biscuits from over and bush with melted butter. Serve hot. Store in airtight contain for 3 to 5 days.

*In absence of a biscuit cutter I use a wide-mouth canning jar ring.

TIPS
• To help the biscuits rise to their fullest potential, take care not to twist the cutter (thus pinching the edged together) when cutting out the rounds of dough. When you look at them, you can see the layers that will result in flakiness.
• Don't be afraid of brown biscuits. That crusty exterior provided contrast to the tender, light interior.
• To reheat biscuits, toast in a toaster over or on a cooling rack on a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes.

Very slightly adapted from Martha Stewart Living.

Belgian Waffles: Gaufre de Liège Style

This is a recipe for the delicious yeast-risen, donut-like waffles they sell from food trucks in Belgium.

3 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 cup sugar
1 1/3 cup butter, melted and cooled a bit
2 eggs, at room temp
1 pkg yeast (~ 1 heaping Tablespoon)
3/4 cup water, warm
2 tsp. vanilla
225 grams (8 oz) pearl sugar (carried by some stores and can be found online)

1. Mix flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.  Make a well in the middle.
2. Melt the butter. Beat the eggs well, then add the melted (and cooled a bit) butter and the yeast. Mix well.  Add the water and vanilla and mix again. Let that sit (1-3 minutes) to make sure the yeast is foaming.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the well of the dry ingredients and mix.  Knead for about 10 minutes.  The dough will be a bit sticky.
4. Place the dough in a warm place and allow it to rise 15-30 minutes.
5. Five to ten minutes before baking add the pearl sugar.
6. Shape the dough into a squarish circle (ha!) and flatten with hands, then place the dough in a HOT waffle iron.  Let bake and eat immediately as this is key to the deliciousness.

adapted from a recipe found here.

Beej's Tom Kha Gai

Beej’s Thai Chicken Coconut Soup (Tom Kha Gai)

Feeds four hungry people.

Ingredients

•

2 cans (14 oz.) coconut milk

•

2 cans (14 oz.) reduced-sodium chicken broth

•

16 quarter-size slices fresh ginger

•

2 stalks fresh lemongrass, cut in 1-in. pieces

•

2 pound boned, skinned chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1/2-in. thick strips

•

1 White Onion

•

1 cup chopped carrots

•

1 vine ripe tomato sliced into ½ in. thick slices and then cut equally into fourths.

•

2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms

•

2 1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice

•

2 tablespoons Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce

•

4 teaspoons sugar

•

2 teaspoons Thai chili paste (do 6 teaspoons if you like it spicy! Which I do!!!)

•

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

•

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. In a large pot, combine coconut milk, broth, ginger, and lemongrass and bring to boil over high heat. 

2. Add chicken, carrots, onion, mushrooms, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and chili paste. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is firm and opaque, 5 to 10 minutes. 

3. Discard lemongrass. Drop in tomato after heat is turned off. Garnish servings with basil and cilantro.

For best results let soup sit in fridge over night. Warm up and serve the next day!

Minestrone

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 tsp parsley flakes
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp black pepper
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
10 cups broth
15 oz can crushed tomatoes
15 oz can petite cut tomatoes
15 oz can garbanzo or kidney beans, drained
1/4 cup barley
1/4 cup split or frozen peas
2 medium carrots, chpped
1/2 cup small pasta shells

1. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil for 7 minutes, add spices and saute 3 more minutes. Add spinach and sauteé a minute or so.

2. Pour in broth, tomatoes, beans, barley, and peas. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes or until barley (and split peas) are tender.

3. Add carrots and pasta, bring back to a simmer for 10 minutes or until pasta is al dente.

You can also add a diced sweet potato or winter squash at the beginning with the onion.

Bagels

This recipe is adapted from the King Arthur recipe. Making bagels is more involved than making a loaf of bread but pretty fun if you have the time and the bagels are awesome.

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1 tablespoon brown sugar + more for the water bath
2 teaspoons salt
4 cups bread flour


1. Combine the ingredients and knead vigorously, by hand for 10 to 15 minutes, or by serious electric mixer on medium-low speed for about 10 minutes. High-protein bread flour takes a bit more effort and time to develop the gluten. The dough will be quite stiff; if you're using an electric mixer it will thwap the sides of the bowl, and hold its shape (without spreading at all) when you stop the mixer. Cover bowl with a towel and let dough rise till noticeably puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

2. Transfer the dough to a work surface and divide it into ~10 pieces. Working with one piece at a time, shape it into a smooth, round ball. Use your thumb and index finger to poke a hole through the center of each ball, then slowly stretch the hole, rotating the bagel while stretching, until it's a good 2 inches in diameter.  Place each bagel on a parchment-lined baking sheet (cornmeal works too but is more of a mess), and repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. Cover the bagels with plastic wrap, and let them rise for 30 minutes or more until they puff to the size of a nice bagel.

3. While the dough is resting, prepare the water bath by heating 2 - 3 quarts of water, and 3 Tbps brown sugar to a very gentle boil in a large, wide-diameter pan. Preheat oven to 425°F.

4. Transfer the bagels, four at a time if possible, to the simmering water. Increase the heat under the pan to bring the water back up to a gently simmering boil, if necessary. Cook the bagels for 1 minute, flip them over, and cook 1 minute more. Using a skimmer or slotted spoon, remove the bagels from the water and place them back on the baking sheet. If you'd like to dip the bagels in sesame seeds, etc. do that here. Repeat with the remaining bagels.

5. Bake the bagels for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they're as deep brown as you like. Remove the bagels from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Makes ~10 bagels.

Oatmeal Muffins

These 12 muffins will be gone in a flash!

1 1/4 cups oats
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil (or 1/4 c oil and 1/4 c apple sauce)
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cup wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup frozen berries

1. Mix oats and milk and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
2. Mix egg, oil, sugar.
3. Mix flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Combine oat mixture with oil mixture.  Add chocolate chips.
4. Combine wet with dry ingredients.
5. Fold in berries.
6. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes in a greased (or lined with paper) muffin pan.  Check with a toothpick and add 5 minutes if not done.

Yogurt Pancakes

Delicious and filled with protein.  Nice!  Makes 28 soda-lid-sized pancakes.

2 cups plain Greek yogurt
2 eggs
2 Tb brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup wheat flour
1/3 cup white flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup water

1. Mix together yogurt, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. 
2. Combine flours, baking powder and soda.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet slowly.  Stir in water to get the desired consistency*.

*This is a thick dough, so depending on your preferences, you may be adding more or less water.

Chicken Soup

4 carrots, sliced
1 small onion, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced (you can use the leaves if desired)
2 Tb butter
1 chicken breast, baked in oven
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
4 oz  (about 1/2 cup) noodles (or barley)

1. Melt butter in large sauce pan, add carrots, onion, and celery.  Allow to soften for 5-7 minutes.
2. Add broth and bring to a boil.  Add noodles (or barley) and cook for amount of time on package.
3. Add any seasoning you desire: bit o' sage, pepper, rosemary, thyme, even oregano!
4. Slice or shred baked chicken* and add to soup. Heat for another minute and enjoy!

*Season your chicken with salt and pepper and bake at about 375 for 20 minutes. This is easily done in your toaster oven.

Sweet Potato Fennel Soup

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 large fennel, sliced (stalks included!)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt, to taste
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup white whine (or substitute)
2 sweet potatoes, cubed
4 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
2 cups water

1. Place oil in large cooking pan, turn heat on medium high, once the oil is heated up add carrots, celery and fennel. Cook until soft, 6 - 8 minutes, adding the salt and pepper while cooking.
2. Add white wine. Allow to alcohol to cook off, about 2 minutes.
3. Add broth, water, and sweet potatoes. Once the soup reaches a boil, switch heat to allow soup to simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Blend half of the soup in a blender (or food processor) then mix it back into the other half.
5. Enjoy! Serves 4.

Toasted Pumpkin/Squash Seeds

'Tis the season! This works for any kind of squash seeds so keep and toast them whenever you use squash.This is Janice's recipe used at the Annual Johnson Pumpkin Carving Contest. You will only wish you had more seeds.

2 cups pumpkin or squash seeds, leaving some stringy pumpkin guts (don’t wash or rinse)
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil OR melted butter
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp chili powder (optional)

Mix everything in a bowl, spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 325 for 1+ hour, scraping up and shifting seeds around every 15 minutes until toasty.

Pear Butter with Star Anise, Ginger, and Cardamom

A variation on traditional pear butter, this recipe emphasizes and compliments the more fragrant, flowery flavor of pears. Delicious!

8 - 10 lbs ripe pears, cored and chopped (remove any bruised parts, do not peel)
2+ cups sugar
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 star anise*
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp nutmeg

1. Process pear chunks in a blender or food processor in small batches to get a smooth pureé. Pour pear pureé into a large, heavy bottom stock pot. Stir in sugar (1/4 cup for every cup of pureé), orange juice concentrate, ginger, star anise, cardamom, and nutmeg. Taste and adjust flavors if necessary.

2. Cook over medium to medium-low heat, stirring often to prevent burning. Reduce heat if mixture spatters a lot. Allow mixture to gently bubble as it thickens. Simmer for 45 minutes - 2 hours. (Pear butter is ready when a small dab on a chilled plate is not runny.) Remove star anise.

3. Ladle pear butter into hot, sterilized jars (a wide-mouthed canning funnel is oh, so helpful) and seal, allowing for 1/4-inch head space between the pear butter and the rims of the jars. Use proper canning procedures if you would like to store jars outside of the fridge. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes (half-pints) or 15 minutes (pints).

* I double the star anise because I love the flavor.

The above recipe is a tweaked, simpler version of this recipe.

Traditional Pear Butter

This it a superb way to make use of an abundance of ripe pears. With these spices it tastes very much like traditional apple butter.

8 - 10 lbs ripe pears
2+ cups sugar
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg

1. Process pear chunks in a blender or food processor in small batches to get a smooth pureé. Pour pear pureé into a large, heavy bottom stock pot. Stir in sugar (1/4 cup for every cup of pureé), orange juice concentrate, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Taste and adjust flavors if necessary.

2. Cook over medium to medium-low heat, stirring often to prevent burning. Reduce heat if mixture spatters a lot. Allow mixture to gently bubble as it thickens. Simmer for 45 minutes - 2 hours. (Pear butter is ready when a small dab on a chilled plate is not runny.)

3. Ladle pear butter into hot, sterilized jars (a wide-mouthed canning funnel is oh, so helpful) and seal, allowing for 1/4-inch head space between the pear butter and the rims of the jars. Use proper canning procedures if you would like to store jars outside of the fridge. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes (half-pints) or 15 minutes (pints).

The above recipe is a tweaked, simpler version of this recipe.