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.

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.