Easy and cheap granola
I wanted easy and cheap granola. I looked at lots of different recipes. I wanted crunchy. I wanted chunky. I wanted something that would not be too sweet.
Over the past two weeks (in preparation for Purim) I've made over 12 batches of granola. I'd like to share with you my final recipe.
- 1 C oats
- 1 1/2 C instant oatmeal oats (the fine cut ones)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (you can use more if you'd like)
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 egg white, well beaten
- 1/3 C almonds, rough chopped
- 1/4 C raisins
- Heat the oven to 350F. Cover a 9x13 pan with parchment paper.
- In a bowl mix everything but the nuts and raisins. Spread it out on the parchment paper. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Add the nuts and stir the mix with a spatula to incorporate the nuts. This is where you decide what size chunks you want. Turn the oven down to 325F and put the tray back in for 15 mins.
- Add the raisins, stir again and put the tray back in for 5 mins. Let it cool and then pour in to a container.
That's it. It is a super flexible recipe. The only measurement I am exact about is the salt. Other than that you can change just about anything. You can toast it longer if you want but just add the raisins later. Stir more or stir less. Add coconut. Do whatever. Have fun!
Total time 35mins
Update: It's now three days later and I made a batch of granola according to my own recipe. It works! It is crunchy and not too sweet and has flavor. Cool!
תוויות: food
Chocolate Cake!! Dairy-free (parve)
Among the challenges of the kosher cook is baking without butter or sour cream or milk. Not because these items are not kosher but because you then have a super tasty cake that must be paired with a dairy meal. (Can't follow a meat meal with a dairy dessert immediately.) So you are left with tweaking either a luscious dairy cake with substitutes or tweaking a "kosher cookbook" cake that is just not that wonderful because it is intended for the hassled mother of 5 making Shabbat dinner for 17 guests.
Here is a cake that to my mind strikes a nice balance. I drastically cut the time listed in the cookbook and added cocoa and salt. Enjoy and please leave comments.
Chocolate Cake!!!!
- 2 ¼ C Flour (I use 70-30 whole wheat. For WW, remove 1/2 a tbsp for each cup)
- 2 C Sugar (I use light brown)
- ¾ C cocoa (plus a bit more for good luck)
- 1 C oil
- 1 ¼ C good, fresh, hot coffee
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- 4 eggs (I use 3 + a white)
- 1 tsp vanilla
Preheat your oven to 325 F (If you need to convert between F & C use http://joshmadison.com/software/convert-for-windows/ because it is wonderful.)
Put everything in a big bowl and mix. You can do this by hand.
Pour in a greased and floured pan and place in the oven for about 35-40 mins. You can also use two layer pans and then have fun with the filling. Use the toothpick test to check it.
Cool and eat.
Now wasn’t that easy?
תוויות: food, Torah
Turkey and lentils without love
So tonight I made really good food but feel that I should get a bad husband award.
I've spent my day sending out CVs (entry level IE positions anyone??) so when the lovely wife said she was going out for the evening I planned on making my dinner quick & easy. In the end she stayed home with a less than happy tummy.
Rather than making tummy-friendly food I stuck to my guns and made my quick & easy (and cheap) dinner idea. Good food. Bad husband.
Turkey & Lentil
Cook up 1/2 C brown lentils (40 mins in boiling water)
Meanwhile back at the ranch....
Heat 3 T of oil in a frying pan
add 3 cloves of garlic (crushed)
& 1/2 med onion (minced)
add 1 tsp of curry paste and mix it all well.
Add 1/2 C of chopped leftover turkey. I used frozen "shwarma mix" which is pretty low-grade chipped turkey.
give it 3-5 mins then add the drained lentils for another 2.
Total hands on time (including checking/washing the lentils) time: 10-15 mins
Total time to plate: 50 mins
תוויות: food
Get Dressed!
Here is a wonderful salad dressing from Martha Ferrell of West Hartford. I saw it on
Courant.com
HOOVER'S HONEY-MUSTARD DRESSING•1 cup mayonnaise
•3 tablespoons yellow mustard
•3 tablespoons honey
•2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
•2 tablespoons vegetable oil
•2 teaspoons cider vinegar
•1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
•1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
I didn't have basil but it's still good. Go easy on the garlic.
תוויות: food
A blog is a writer clearing junk out of his head by bouncing around the room of chipmunks that we call society.