Humble Mornings

Hi.

It’s us.

Sheepishly peering out from our desktop computers.

In a nutshell, we’ve been working 60-hour weeks and made the huge mistake of putting our favorite blog on the back burner… What were we thinking?!

To cover the long and short of it, here’s what’s happened in the last couple months (really? Months?! Gulp…):

A festive and calorie laden Christmas extravaganza. The ringing in of 2011 (Happy New Year, by the way!). Two family birthdays, a food show and Valentine’s Day.

Yup. That pretty much covers it.

Anywho, while cooking has been less accessible with our hectic schedules, we still have managed to feed ourselves (I’m sure that was never a concern of yours, let’s be honest). And with my early morning hours, I need a pick-me-up at 5am that goes well with my 2 large cups of incredibly dark and caffeinated coffee.  You may have already guessed what I’m about to say.

Homemade granola. With honey, cinnamon and pecans. Sprinkled atop nonfat vanilla yogurt with berries. Holy wow.

There are a few things I love about this morning hero. One, the consistency is phenomenal. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m a texture person. Too much crunch or too much mush doesn’t do it for me; I need balance and so do my teeth. Two, when paired with yogurt (granted, in moderate quantities) and berries, you get a breakfast consisting of almost all food groups, enough to make your second grade teacher incredibly proud. And finally, it leaves you feeling full and happy until lunch rolls around. It may even get those with a bad case of the cranks to crack a smile… or at least keep frowning to a minimum.

I like to make a double batch and keep it in a glass jar. It lasts for a couple weeks if you store it in a cool, dry place. But beware of husbands… they’re known to break it out and eat it night and day.

So please accept this recipe as an apology for our slackitude, as well as a toast to the good meals to come in 2011.

Happy Eating,

Elizabeth

Everyday Granola

By Molly Wizenberg of Orangette fame, as printed in Bon Appetit Magazine

3 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut

3 Tablespoons packed brown sugar

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup honey*

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup assorted dried fruit***

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Mix first seven ingredients in a large bowl. Stir honey and oil in a small saucepan on medium-low heat until smooth.

Pour honey mixture over oat mixture; toss to coat. Spread on prepared sheet. Bake until golden, stirring every 10 minutes, about 40 minutes**. Place on rack; stir granola and allow to cool. Mix in fruit. Serve.

* Sometimes, I like to switch it up by having it be a quarter cup of honey and a quarter cup of maple syrup. Mmmmm. Maplely.

** I like to bake it for 50 to 60 minutes in order to get a slightly crunchier granola.
*** Cranberries and cherries are great, but honestly, any dried fruit works!
**** Apologies for the lack of photos... I forgot to snap some once the tossing and the coating got going.

E Does Eggs

Some people use the word ‘hate’ to the point of lessening its true meaning. “I hate scary movies” or “I hate cats” usually doesn’t convey any sort of intensity with an aversion to the genre or the mammal; it’s simply become a replacement for the word ‘dislike.’

Having said that, let me be clear about one thing: I LOATHE eggs.

It hasn’t always been this way, mind you. I can remember loving scrambled eggs when I was little; my mom would make them with butter and salt and I looked forward to eating them.

All this changed one bleak day when I was four years old. The preschool I went to served lunch to its students, and the main dish presented was one that would genuinely affect the next twenty-two years of my life: egg salad sandwiches. I’ve talked to people about the curious nature of serving a large group of three to six year olds egg salad sandwiches, and even those who love them agree that most kids are pretty damn picky when it comes to their lunch options. Egg salad is not for everybody, even some egg lovers.

But I digress. Sitting there, in that classroom, with that sandwich looking up at me, I was certain this was not going to end well. The teacher in the room was a big, Texan redhead named Ginny (we called her “Big Ginny” as my sister also has that name, not because she was, in fact, big) and she believed if something was in front of you, you eat it. I was primed to sit there for the entire lunch hour and do exactly the opposite of that (which I had successfully done with other teachers in the past), but something about her honestly intimidated me, and my friends were trying to convince me they were delicious.

So I took a bite.

And immediately threw up.

Dramatization courtesy of Sailor Moon

For almost ten years after this incident, even smelling the sulphuric tinge of hardboiled eggs would induce my gag reflex. My stomach has since strengthened, but the Egg Salad Incident of 1988 not only made me swear off eggs completely, it also made Easter a particularly difficult holiday to handle. 

I realize what many of you are thinking because I’ve dealt with this reaction for over two decades. “You hate eggs?! How can you hate eggs?!” Unfortunately, my aversion to the incredible edible is so strong now that it’s more of a phobia, and less of an actual dislike. This does not bode well for someone who loves to eat and experience new dishes because eggs come up across the board in almost every international cuisine available. I mean, seriously… Find me a culture that doesn’t use it. I dare you.

So this year I turned a corner and decided to get over my fear and try to reestablish a taste for them. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves; I will never eat or enjoy hardboiled eggs. Ever.

That’s just one bridge this girl isn’t prepared to cross.

The family I married into, that is to say, Lindsay’s family, loves eggs and has been overly accommodating to my aversion for the entirety of the eight years I’ve known them. Knowing a blogging opportunity when we see one, we decided to cover my reintroduction, and Lindsay excitedly came up with a recipe she thought I’d enjoy. We both agreed scrambled eggs would be the best dish to start with, as it was something I knew I had once liked. Also, it incorporated goat cheese and fresh herbs, two ingredients I hands down love. There was work to be done on both sides: cooking accomplished by Linds, calming of nerves and anxiety by me.

The morning I tried eggs for the first time in twenty-two years came quicker than I had hoped. Lindsay furiously chopped, whipped the eggs into a frenzy and heated the pan. I sat at the kitchen counter, simultaneously proud of and kicking myself for agreeing to try them. I’m not kidding when I tell you everyone gathered ‘round to watch me take a bite and see my reaction. It smelled good, it looked good, so why not? It was a foot in the direction of overcoming by fear and hatred. I lifted my fork and took a bite.

And they weren’t half bad.


I don’t want to lie to you and tell you it was a “Sam I Am” moment, because there was no sudden love or passion for them within me. There is a caveat to this statement, though, and it’s that I’m sure if I liked eggs, Linds’ version would be one I requested again and again. It’s just hard to go wrong with fresh herbs and goat cheese.

I would also be lying if I said I’ve craved them since. Baby steps, my friends, baby steps. However, I have ordered an omelette at a restaurant and split one recently with a good friend. I no longer pull the bits of egg out of my fried rice, either.

My relationship with eggs is still a distrustful and shaky one, but I feel we are closer to a truce and that a friendship in the future is possible.

Happy Eating,

Elizabeth

Scrambled Eggs with Herbes Fines and Goat Cheese

4 eggs

pinch of salt

Couple grinds of fresh ground pepper

2 springs rosemary, finely chopped

3 sprigs thyme, finely chopped

bunch of chives, finely chopped

1 tablespoon of butter

2-3 ounces goat cheese

Heat a medium, non-stick pan over medium heat. While the pan is heating, crack all the eggs into a bowl and whisk lightly. Add the salt, pepper and herbs to the eggs and stir to combine. 

Cut goat cheese into small pieces, set aside. Add butter to pan until melted, then add eggs. Let the eggs cook in the pan until the bottom of the eggs are cooked, about one minute. As they start to cook, you will see curds form at the bottom. Using a spoon or spatula, gently lift these curds to the top to allow the uncooked egg to flow beneath. As it cooks more, it will be more a matter of lifting and folding, rather than stirring them briskly.  When the eggs are still wet and not totally set, add the goat cheese.  

It should just be slightly melted and soft, not completely mixed into the eggs. When the eggs are almost set (still a little wet looking), remove them from the pan, as they will cook a little more on their own. Serve with good toast. Serves two.




Going back for seconds!



Keen on Peaches

Walking with my fingers wrapped around a warm cup of coffee, snacking on a perfectly rich scone from Arizmendi, sampling nibbles of fruits, cheeses and oils from the various purveyors… ahhh, I love the farmer’s market.  It’s easily my favorite weekend activity, and usually a priority on Sunday mornings.  I love perusing the fresh fare from different local farms.  I even love going just to look. But most importantly, I go to the farmer’s market to be inspired.

 The other morning my friend Kelsey and I went to our local farmer’s market to pick up food for the week.  Upon tasting a perfectly ripe peach, we had the "ah-ha!" moment I was waiting for.  I thought that peaches for breakfast on a warm summer morning sounded ideal.  I ran the idea by Kelsey, she mentioned her granola... and the rest was history.  Beginning our day with this was so fantastic, I thought it necessary to share it with you all.

It's obviously the warm weather, but when it's summer time I find any excuse to use the grill.  Move over meat...  why not grill peaches?  As used in this recipe, they are wonderful for breakfast, but they also stand out on fresh summer salads or for dessert with a plate of artisan cheeses; these stone fruit add depth to any dish. 

I like to use Greek yogurt for its rich texture. I think it stands up better to the warm fruit than other types. I found that when using regular yogurt, it becomes soupy when poured over the peaches.

After compiling the fruit, granola and yogurt, there will be extra granola, which is one of the best parts! Save the leftovers for breakfast or as a snack during the week. I love this granola because it is relatively light—there are only 2 tablespoons of oil. Although it has cranberries and cranberry juice, it does not overpower it in flavor. You can absolutely use golden raisins, cherries or another dried fruit in place of the cranberries. Also, the color and flavor in this granola makes it a great, festive treat around the holidays.

Happy Eating,

Lindsay

Grilled Peaches with Honeyed Yogurt and Granola

2 ripe white or yellow peaches

Nonstick cooking spray

1 heaping cup of plain Greek yogurt

1-2 teaspoons honey

2 handfuls of Kelsey’s Granola (recipe follows)

Begin by making sure the grill is clean. Spray the grill with nonstick spray and prepare the barbeque to medium-high heat. Meanwhile, cut each peach in half, remove the pits and set aside.*  

In a small bowl combine yogurt and honey to taste; mix well.

Place the peaches on the grill cut side down. Cook until grill marks show and fruit is heated through, about 5 minutes.

Place two peach halves on each plate. Divide the yogurt mixture between the peaches, spooning it in the well of the peaches and letting it flow over the sides. Sprinkle a handful of granola over the yogurt on each plate. Serve immediately.

*If the pits are too difficult to remove, leave them in the peaches. They will come loose as the heat on the grill. Remove after cooked.

Kelsey’s Granola

Ingredients

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1/3 cup slivered almonds

1/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1/3 cup pecan halves

1/3 cup frozen concentrated cranberry juice cocktail, thawed

1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1 cup dried sweetened cranberries

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a heavy large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Combine oats, almonds, coconut, and pecans in a large bowl. Combine cranberry juice concentrate, brown sugar, oil, cinnamon, and allspice in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to boil, whisking until sugar dissolves. Pour hot syrup over oat mixture; stir to coat evenly.

Spread mixture out on prepared sheet. Bake until golden brown at edges, about 20 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven. Add cranberries to the oats in the pan; using metal spatula, stir to blend. Return to over, and bake until granola is golden and beginning to dry, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes longer. Let granola cool completely on baking sheet. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week.