Well, I must say, I feel like I've missed you, food loving identity. Its all been about my babies recently. Luckily we all have to eat and I have to think about food all the time anyway. My newest creation that my whole family loves is my granola. I have given out for Christmas gifts, and then the following year, provided the recipe for others to give it out as well. Hope its good karma. Its delicious cold or warm, or mixed into pancake or muffin mix ...for once, something sinful tasting is good for you too.
Chef Schu's Granola
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups steel cut oats or old fashioned oatmeal (not instant)
1 cup spelt berries (found in bulk section)
¼ cup whole flax seeds
¼ cup wheat germ
¼ cup whole hazelnuts, rough chopped (or any other nut you want)
½ cup dried rainier cherries, chopped
½ cup unsweetened whole coconut flakes
¼ - 1/2 cup honey
¼ -1/2cup brown sugar
2 Pinches of kosher salt
Preheat oven for 300 degrees. In very large skillet over medium high heat, melt butter; add steel cut oats, spelt berries, & flax seeds. Toss with a wooden spoon often until the flavors smell nutty, about 5 minutes. Do not burn.
Next add wheat germ, chopped hazelnuts, dried cherries and coconut flake. Drizzle and mix in honey and brown sugar and salt. Mix until everything is evenly melted and dispersed and spread on a baking sheet. Put in oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Make sure to toss granola a few times during the baking process, the edges will brown quickly....take out of oven, let cool slightly and crack out of pan.
