Granola

One of the down-sides of moving from SFO was leaving some of the foods we loved. After being spoiled by the wonderful granola at Arizmendi Bakery, I have set out on a quest to re-create this marvelous taste treat. Inspired by the tasty homemade granola our neighbors have shared, I have tried combining the ingredient list from Arizmendi with the proportions and directions from a neighbor's recipe. I'm sure this will be an evolving recipe.



6 cups thick-rolled oats
3/4 cup golden raisins
1 cup pumpkin seeds
2 cups pecans
1 1/2 cup sweetened coconut (not sure I should be using sweetened)
1/2 cups sunflower seeds (not in Arizmendi recipe)

3 tbs rice bran oil
1 tbs butter
1/4 cup molasses
1/4/cup honey (light - like clover)
1/8 cup dark brown sugar

Preheat oven to 300℉.

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Warm oils and sugars together in microwave so they will blend with oats. Pour oil/sugar mixture over cereals and mix well. It doesn't seem like enough, but it will eventually cover the oats.

Divide granola between 2 pans and spread out evenly. Bake for approximately 50 min, or until lightly browned, stirring after 20, 30 & 40 minutes.

Stir several times as it cools to break up any clumps. Store in airtight containers for up to 1 week or refrigerate for longer storage. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Provencal White Bean Salad

Eric made this for us on a visit and I just had to have the recipe.

• 2 cups dried small white beans
• 6 cups of water
• 1/2 cup champagne vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbs dijon style mustard (do not sub french mustard - tried this and it reminded me of hotdogs)
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 small bunch green onions, tops only, very thinly sliced
• 1 cup black olives, pitted and halved
• salt & pepper
• grape tomatoes, cut into quarters
• handful of parsley or spinach and a few sprigs of rosemary 
• 1 lemon, juice & zest

Rinse & put beans and water in crock pot on high for 4 hours until beans are tender. Pour them into a colander and drain. We rinsed them as well since they were a bit over done.

Add olives, onions, herbs & tomatoes to beans in a large bowl.

Combine vinegar, oil, mustard, lemon and garlic. I also added herbs to marinade, but may not do this next time. 

Pour marinade over beans, season with salt & pepper & toss.

Refrigerate overnight.

You can mixed this with chopped salad greens or spinach to serve.

Summer Squash Soup

This recipe was derived from a recipe by Faith Durand.

I initially made this with yellow squash, all thought the original recipe was for zucchini.

This makes 1 1/2 quarts - appetizers for 4 or  dinner for 2

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 white onion, sliced
• 8 to 9 large cloves garlic, sliced thinly
• 4 medium squash, about 1 1/2 pounds
• 4 cups water
• 1 cube Rapunzel veggie boullion
• 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
• Salt and pepper
• yogurt
• chopped mint leaves

Melt the butter in a heavy 4-quart stock pot over medium heat. When it foams, add the sliced garlic and onions and cook on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent. Keep the heat low enough that the garlic doesn't brown; you want everything to sweat.

When the onions are soft, add the squash and cook until soft. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer at a low heat for about 45 minutes.

Let cool slightly, then blend. 

Taste and season with ginger, salt and pepper. When serving, top with a dollop of yogurt and sprinkle with finely chopped mint leaves

Unike most soups, this is not significantly better after a night in the refrigerator. The flavors meld, but IMHO the soup was slightly better fresh.

Tahini Salad Dressing

Blend all ingredients together. This recipe makes 1 cup:

• 1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)
• 
  
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/8 cup tamari 
• 1 Tbs red wine vinegar
  
  
  

• 
  juice of 1/2 lemon 
  
  
  2 cloves garlic, pressed
• black pepper to taste
  
  2 tsp minced ginger root

Homemade Yogurt

So far I've only tried this with fresh goat milk, but I assume it will work with grocery store milk as well.

Heat milk slowly to almost boiling (at least 180 degrees F) to kill any native bacteria that could compete with your starter. This also changes the structure of the milk proteins to create thicker yogurt. You could omit this step if you are using raw milk, but your yogurt will be runny and may not be true to your starter culture.

Pour milk into clean quart jar(s). Cool heated milk to 110-15 degrees, thin about 1 tablespoon of starter yogurt with cooled milk then stir the thinned yogurt into the cooled milk.

Place jar(s) in a 110-115 water bath and let it ferment for about 4 hours. Cooler, longer fermentation creates a thinner yogurt that will be more tangy flavor and is more easily digested.

Cabbage Wraps

This was derived from Joni's interpretation of a wrap from World Wraps in their early (and tastier) days.

1 block firm tofu
peanut or other light oil

1/2 medium red cabbage
cumin seeds
black pepper
mirin (or rice wine vinegar)
tamari (or soy sauce)
juice & zest of 1 lemon
handful of golden rasins

1 jalapeno, seeded & minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

chopped cilantro leaves

We use our trusty cast-iron pan for this but do not let this dish sit long after cooking.

Cube tofu into  about 0.5 inch dice and fry in oil until lightly browned, then remove from pan.
Slice cabbage into thin strips and saute in pan with spices & raisins.
When cabbage is almost softened to your taste, add garlic & jalapenos with crispy tofu and cook a few more minutes. Adjust seasonings.

Garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve in flour tortillas with pico de gallo.

Homemade Goat's Milk Yogurt

Heat 1 qt fresh goat milk to almost boiling (about 200 degrees F)

Put 1Tbs to 1/2 cup store bought yogurt in a bowl to warm up.

Heat a container of water to over 115 degrees F to use as an insulating bath for jar.

Pour hot milk into clean quart jar and allow to cool to 115 degrees F.

Stir yogurt into warm milk.

Place jar in 115 degree water bath - and place in a warm place. Check water occasionally to keep warm.

Yogurt should be done in 10 hrs. Refrigerate.

Sourdough Spent Grain Bread

Ferment 1 cup spent grains from beer wort with 1 cup sourdough starter for several hours or overnight

Knead in bread machine with 3 cups flour (half white WW & half clear bread flour), 2 tsp salt, 1 T sugar (if grains are bitter) and 1 cup water. Add flour or water to make medium firm dough.

Proof bread till doubled

Preheat stone in oven to 450.
Cook with steam for 15 min
Lower oven to 400 and cook for 35 more minutes (total 50 min)
Bread should be about 190 internal

Cool for 45 min

Garden Herb Loaf

From "Seasoned Loaves", Country Gardens Early Spring 1996

3½-4  cups all-purpose flour
3  Tbsp. sugar
2  pkg. active dry yeast
1½  tsp. salt
¼  tsp. dried marjoram, crushed
¼  tsp. dried thyme, crushed
¼  tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
½  cup water
¼  cup milk
¼  cup butter
1  egg
1  Tbsp. butter
Dried marjoram, thyme, and rosemary (optional)

In large bowl combine 1½ cups flour, sugar, yeast, salt, marjoram, thyme, and rosemary.  In saucepan heat and stir water, milk, and ¼ cup butter until warm (120° to 130°).  Stir into flour mixture. Stir in egg and enough remaining flour to make soft dough.  Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead in enough remaining flour to make dough smooth and elastic (4 to 6 minutes).  Place in greased bowl; turn once.  Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled (about 45 minutes).

Punch dough down.  Turn out onto lightly floured surface.  Divide into 3 equal portions.  Cover and let rest 10 minutes.  Roll each piece into 30-inch rope.  Braid ropes; pinch ends to seal.  Loosely coil braid to form round loaf, tucking ends under.  Place on greased baking sheet.  Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled (about 40 minutes).

Bake in 375° oven 30 minutes or until lightly brown; cover with foil last 10 minutes to prevent overbrowning.  Melt remaining butter and brush over loaf.  If desired, sprinkle with dried herbs.  Remove from baking sheet.  Cool completely.  Makes 1 loaf.

Breadsticks with Rosemary and Sage

From "Seasoned Loaves", Country Gardens Early Spring 1996

1½  tsp. active dry yeast
1  cup warm water (105° to 115°)
1/8  tsp. sugar
3-4  cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1  tsp. salt
¼  tsp. ground white pepper
2  Tbsp. olive oil
1  Tbsp. snipped rosemary
1  Tbsp. snipped sage
Olive oil

Stir together yeast, ¼ cup warm water, and sugar.  Let stand 10 minutes.  In large mixing bowl stir together 3 cups flour, salt, and pepper.  Make well in center.  Add yeast mixture, remaining water, 2 tablespoons oil, rosemary and sage.

Using a fork, gradually draw flour into liquid in well.  When dough is too stiff to stir with fork, turn out onto lightly floured board.  Knead in enough remaining flour to make moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes).  Shape into ball.  Place in lightly greased bowl; turn once.  Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Divide dough into 3 pieces.  Roll 1 piece into 12x10-inch rectangle.*  (Refrigerate remaining dough.)  Dust dough with flour and fold into thirds.  Set pasta machine on widest opening and pass dough through.  Pass through widest setting again, flouring dough as needed.  Reset on narrower setting; pass dough through, folding as necessary.  If dough is too large to work with, cut in half and work with 1 piece at a time.  Repeat machine rolling and flouring until dough is about 1/16 inch thick.  Dust dough with flour; pass through ¼-inch-wide blade to cut into strips.   Strips should be 12 to 16 inches long.  Place ½ inch apart on greased baking sheet; shape into curves or twists as desired.

To create twists or braids, twist 2 strips together or braid 3 strips together and seal ends.  Brush with olive oil.  Bake in 400° oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on wire racks.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.  For longer storage, wrap, label, and freeze.  Makes about 5 dozen single breadsticks.

* If you don't have a pasta machine, cut dough rectangle into ¼-inch-wide strips with straight-sided pastry wheel or pizza cutter; proceed as above.