Your kids will love to help choose the extra ingredients, help measure, mix and most of all, use the masher to level the surface of these homemade granola bars. I really like to make a different batch each time. I recommend Trader Joe’s Unsalted Blister Peanuts because of their amazing crunchy texture and they are delicious, even though there is no added salt.
Healthy Sticky Chewy Pull-Apart Oat Bars
Makes 9 Bars
Ingredients:
¾ stick unsalted butter (or 1/3 Cup)
½ Cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp honey
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ Cups oats
2 Tbsp flour
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp cinnamon
1/2 Cup shredded, sweetened coconut
¼ Cup chopped peanuts
Then you can add a handful of some or all of the following: chopped dried apricots, golden raisins, chopped dried cherries, chopped dried cranberries, toasted pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, toasted walnuts, toasted hazelnuts, and/or mini chocolate chips.
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8” square baking dish. Melt butter, brown sugar, honey and vanilla over medium low heat. In a large bowl, add oats, flour, salt, cinnamon, coconut, peanuts and any extra dried fruits, nuts or seeds you want to add and mix together. Once melted, pour the warm butter mixture into the oat mixture and stir well to incorporate. Spoon the mixture into the baking dish and press it down using a masher to level the surface. Bake 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely, cut into squares and enjoy.
I have the privilege of volunteering some of my Saturday mornings this summer at the Herb Farm kitchen garden. I'm hoping to be inspired by all the new varieties, flavors and textures I find. Just today, I helped harvest two different types of spinach leaves. The Herbfarm restaurant asks the head gardener Bill and his gardeners for things to harvest for that night's meal. Its a way of eating I'd love to follow someday from my own garden. As I help harvest, I can only imagine the dishes that will be made. Its peaceful, beautiful, and wonderful to work with your hands and your thoughts. This gem of a garden in Redmond Washington is approximately 5 acres filled with so much loveliness such as quails, chickens, ducks and woolly pigs, greens, herbs, garlic, heirloom strawberries etc...I only saw a sample of what will grow there this summer. I can't wait to learn more about growing and harvesting edibles. A special treat from today was a bag full of spinach and bordeaux spinach to bring home to my family..Bill had to cut them back because the leaves grew too big for the likeness of the restaurant. Spinach right out of the ground actually does taste better.
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.
Have you ever been stopped in your tracks by a painting or song or a landscape? Yes, yes and yes on my part. But the other night....it was simply a Turkish fig that made my mouth drop open and start salivating. I could barley get my tasks done because I kept stopping to admire what nature had brought to my cutting board that day. Yet another proud moment in Heirloom catering, that did not feel like work to me. It was my last gig until Poppie arrives...which, for that, I am thankful. It was a beautiful summer day, and once again I got to spend the day cooking with my always cheerful co-chef, Melissa. We both shared the 'experience' of those figs....as well as all of the other summery fresh ingredients that we kept sampling and communicating to each other through satisfied and in-the-moment facial expressions. The only mistake was the batch of risotto that could have fed and army instead of a group of women probably more interested in the opening of baby presents and hearing of nursery decor than carbo loading on the "light fare" served at an evening baby shower. That said once again proudly, the menu was a hit.
Menu
Summer Gouda Tart with Wild Mushrooms & Spring Greens
Not often do I really feel like I can just be in my element, focusing on exactly what I love to do, just for my own self. The creation of a menu to the execution is still a thrill for me. Recently I have been all about caring for others and meeting my very basic and simple needs: Food, water, shelter, sleep and of course nesting for our upcoming new arrival, baby Poppie. Therefore my 'self' as well as my blog has suffered a bit. No regrets however. Last weekend, as I worked a catering gig with my friend, Chef Melissa Peterman of HoneyBeeSting.com & Foodista.com, I realized cooking and menu planning SHOULD be part of my basic and simple needs. I love it and it brings out the best in me. I'm revived, replenished and inspired (of course after I sleep and recover). Its a joy to work with a partner who practically shares the same brain in regards to food. A happy client is icing on the cake! here is our menu below:
Salad
Arugula & Sorrel Salad with Soft Boiled Duck Egg Sprinkled with Black Hawaiian Sea Salt
Shaved Pecorino Cheese, Chive Blossoms, Honey Citrus Vinaigrette
Intermezzo
Mango sorbet, Kaffir Lime & Mint Simple Syrup topped with Borage Flowers
Main
Basil Chimchurri Marinated Grilled Flank Steak, Heirloom Tomatoes, Rustic Herb Mash
Fin
Grilled Pound Cake with Mike & Jean’s Berry Farm Raspberry Sauce
Grilled seasonal Stone Fruit, Local Cream freshly whipped, Chiffonade of Chocolate Mint
I believe cooking is art. I think that is why I get so much pleasure out of other mediums of art as well. Its just the way my mind works. I consider other forms of art that I partake in, a hobby. I do it for my own satisfaction. I absolutely love creating something tangible from just an idea in my mind. I go through a similar process when cooking. I get inspiration from a number of places and I can practically taste the dish in my mouth, just like I have an idea of what a painting will look like when I'm finished with it. Often times the best dishes are the quick last minute ones that were initailly made to just full your belly or the unplanned pieces of art. That said, the food or the artwork always has a small change or surprise that I hadn't thought of. I used to say I like creating something from 'nothing'. But 'nothing' doesn't do justice to the number of tool boxes I have filled with acrylic paints and brushes, yards of fabric, spools of thread and knitting yarn, the extra clay I bring home from my wheel throwing classes or my jam packed pantry filled with ingredients I cannot wait to experiment with and taste. I try to create beautiful things because I love to be surrounded by beautiful and meaningful things that were made with love. "What's for dinner?" inspires and challenges me to make something beautiful to eat. That is why I love it so much. Here is my most recent painting. My daughter Ryanne was the initial inspiration for me because of her love of birds...but the fun surprise was, I think it turned out to be an unplanned self portrait.
Summer inspires me to put flowers on my table and cook from my garden. I planted some beautiful lettuces this spring and now we are reaping the harvest before we get hit with more heat. This salad is a play on the classic Caesar salad. Its about respecting the original flavors while adding some new textures. I make my own tart dressing (not creamy) and fennel salted croutons. I add in crunchy prosciutto, shaved parma and highlight a warm lemon-rosemary whole roasted chicken. That way I can pull the meat off the bone and toss it when its still warm and juicy. Let's just say, there was not a lot of conversation during dinner that night, just a lot of crunching.
Lemon-Rosemary Whole Roasted Chicken
1/2 stick butter
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
One 4¾ - 5 pound whole free-range, organic chicken
2 Lemons, halved
4 sprigs of Rosemary
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 475°F. Remove neck, giblets, and cut out the excess fat from main cavity of chicken. Rinse chicken inside and out; pat dry with paper towels. Place lemons and rosemary in main cavity of chicken. Tie legs together and tucks wings behind the neck. Melt butter in a cast iron skillet and then add trussed chicken on its back. Using a large spoon, pour the melted butter over the body of the chicken until completely covered in melted butter. Place chicken in oven and roast 1 hour. Tent the chicken with foil to prevent over browning half way through cooking process. The chicken should register 170°F on an instant-read thermometer when inserted into thickest part of thigh. Transfer chicken to platter; let stand 10 minutes (internal temperature will increase by 5 to 10 degrees). Carve and serve.
***Discard rosemary and lemons. Freeze the chicken carcass to make stock for future use.
Quick Stock Recipe:Place carcass in a stock pot and cover with water. Add carrots, onions, thyme, peppercorn and/or bay leaf if desired. Boil then turn heat down to simmer for 4 hours. Discard bones, and strain. Freeze stock or use within 3 days.
Fennel-Salted Croutons 1 Loaf ciabatta bread, cut into 1" cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp flavored salt, such as fennel salt
1/4 tsp kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Drizzle the cut bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Then sprinkle and toss in the salts, and pepper. Evenly disperse the croutons on a baking sheet and bake for 30-45 minutes or until golden. Be sure to mix the croutons a few times during the baking process because the bread closest to the sides will burn easily.
Caesar Salad Dressing 4 T red wine vinegar
6 drops Tabasco sauce
1 Tablespoon anchovy paste
8 shakes Worcestershire sauce
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
4 tsp dijon mustard
3 cloves minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt & fresh cracker pepper
8 Tablespoons olive oil
Shaved parmigiano-reggiano (a vegetable peeler works great)
A mixture of green or purple romaine, butter lettuces, savoy spinach, mache etc.
Whisk together vinegar, Tabasco, anchovies, Worcestershire, lemon juice, mustard, garlic and salt and pepper in a bowl, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Toss the greens with enough vinaigrette to coat the leaves.
To complete the meal, toss the fennel-salted croutons and crunchy prosciutto bits into your salad. Add the warm roasted chicken meat and top with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano.
