Granola Helps Me Do My Job

I know it's a stretch, but hear me out. If not for granola, many (more) of my days would be wasted procrastinating by playing online and whatnot. We all have days when we simply can't focus. There's too much running through our minds; we're disorganized; we can't decide which job to tackle first. You know the drill. Heck, I'm procrastinating right now, just by writing this post. (Yes, it needs to get done, but I sh/could have waited until my editing work was finished for the day.)

Anyhow, most of the time, just by writing a to do list, I get a handle on my priorities and am able to rein in my overactive mind. But there are some days when "overwhelmed" doesn't even begin to describe it. Those are the days when I tell myself, "It's time to make granola."

It's not always granola. Sometimes it's whatever crock pot concotion I come up with when I realize the day is getting away from me, or I have too much to do in a short amount of time. You see, the crock pot becomes my timer, my count-down clock. It's a race to the finish. I know what I want to accomplish and I have an alarm that will go off when my day is done. No overtime; no excuses; no goofing off.

But granola is my secret weapon. When there's a batch of oats and nuts roasting in the slow cooker, I am forced to take breaks at certain intervals. I'm also forced to work in the living/dining room instead of at my desk. Why? Because the batch has to be stirred every thirty minutes, give or take, or it will burn. Just the change of scenery makes me more productive.

To make it easier, I work close to the kitchen. I get up when the alarm goes off, stretch my legs, stir the pot, reset the timer, then go back to work. I have yet to burn a batch. This gives me a quick stretch break, and gives my brain a rest for a minute or two. My recovery time is minimal because this practice does not afford me the opportunity to get caught up in a vacuum of social media.

Sure, an easy remedy would be to disconnect from the web altogether when I'm working, but I need access to online resources such as style guides, dictionaries, and various other searchable tools that allow me to verify grammar rules and research facts.

The granola timer also helps on days when there are household chores to do in addition to work. Yesterday, I edited about seventy pages, washed dishes (twice), dished out dinner for three (msg-free lo mein), prepped today's lunch, made three quarts of chicken stock, AND cooked up a big batch of Almond Joy-type granola (just enough chocolate chips to add some sweet, almonds, and a ton of coconut). Will you hate me if I mention I went to bed with a clean kitchen and did not work a minute past 6:00 p.m.?

Of course, now it's getting late and I think I'm going to have to throw some ingredients into the slow cooker just so I can feel I've accomplished more than a blog post today.

My Convertible Granola recipe is here.

Happy Crock Potting!

Allergy Friendly and Tastes Good!

It seems the older I get, the more allergies and sensitivities, especially food sensitivities, present themselves. This is why I lean toward whole grains (if any at all), fresh, unprocessed meats, and real vegetables . . . lots of vegetables.

A while back, I posted the recipe for my take on my mother's glazed carrots. Well, this one has no processed sugar. It's also dairy free because I cut out the butter, and . . . it was sort of an accident.

I'm willing to bet there are other versions of the same recipe out there, but I came up with this combination all on my own while throwing an easy dinner into the oven a few weeks ago. I also made it again last night. Unfortunately, I like it so much, it didn't sit on a plate long enough for pictures, so you'll just have to take my word that it looks as good as it tastes.

Because I take short cuts where I can get away with it, I began with a bag of frozen carrots. If you prefer fresh, cut and blanch them before you begin. Just please, don't use canned.

Honey Garlic Roasted Carrots

1lb bag frozen carrots OR 1lb fresh carrots cut into rounds and blanched

1/4c oil (I prefer canola)

1/4c honey

salt

pepper

garlic powder (or 2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees farenheit

Line cookie sheet or baking pan with aluminum foil

Pour oil onto sheet to coat bottom

Lay still-frozen carrots on pan in a single layer and toss lightly (They don't need to be coated, just pick up a bit of oil so they don't stick.)

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

Cook at 400f for about 20 minutes

Remove from oven and toss again so they don't stick

Return to oven to finish cooking, about 10 minutes or just until they begin to caramelize around the edges

Remove from oven and immediately drizzle with honey

Let stand about 2 to 3 minutes on baking pan

Serve hot

This is my new favorite recipe for carrots.

Happy Cooking!

Hiya Honey!

Where do I begin? Both of these recipes became quick favorites and neither takes much prep time. One, I followed to the letter. Well, as much as I ever do. You see, unless you're baking, the science of cooking is inexact, so your grandmother's "a little of this, a little of that" is completely valid, and pretty much an accurate summation for a recipe.

Anyhow, the first recipe I followed closely, but the second went right out the window.

Each of these recipes is yummy on its own, but because they both contain a fair amount of honey, they also pair well.

Parmesan Honey Pork Roast

This fantabulous creation is my favorite slow cooker main dish to date. While I followed the base recipe for the sauce quite closely, I chose to use boneless chicken breasts (2 1/2 lbs.) instead of pork. Yes, this would make an amazing pork roast, or ribs, or butt. But I also knew, just from the ingredients that it would make fabulous chicken breast, or wings, or thighs.

I did serve it, as suggested, with mashed potatoes, but I did not thicken the gravy. Instead, I chose to just leave the sauce as loose as it came out of the pot. (I'm not so big on gravy.) I will warn you, the measurement for the basil sounds like a ton, but it was perfect. And I think I'd rather serve this with a brown rice pilaf than potatoes. (I promise I will eventually get around to posting that recipe.)

This is definitely one of those go to entrees for any time of year. There's no standing over a stove and no turning on the oven during those hot summer months. But it's also great as part of a stick to your ribs winter meal. I matched it with the cold broccoli salad below, but it would be great with oven roasted root vegetables as well.

original recipe and photo from everybodylikessandwiches.com

Broccoli Crunch Slaw

Many moons (nearly twenty years) ago, on my very first trip to Florida, I was dragged on a grocery shopping excursion to WalMart. It was there that I first tried the deliciousness that is broccoli slaw. Yes, the ability of southern chefs to turn virtually any vegetable into a "slaw" astounds me, but I've learned to trust them thanks to this one. It was amazing!

I enjoyed it so much that when I moved to the southwest, one of the first things I did during my first excursion to WalMart was stop at the deli counter and purchase two pounds of the stuff. Then I began scanning recipes on Pinterest to try and find a broccoli slaw that could duplicate it. Alas, I failed to find an exact copy, but thanks to this recipe, I was able to adapt one to fit my own taste and I happen to love it.

Don't get me wrong, this one is terrific, but I prefer the one I use because it's quicker, kind of a cheat, actually. My dressing is based on this recipe, and any other ingredients I use come out of "a little of this, a little of that"-type experimentation.

Quick Broccoli Salad

Chopping an entire head of raw broccoli is a royal pain. Also, blanching your broccoli for this recipe rather than serving it raw is a good idea unless you have time to let it sit overnight so it can soften a bit. That said, I do neither. I buy the chopped, frozen broccoli and thaw it. The texture is perfect and the broccoli is already washed, blanched, and chopped for you.

I also make a ton at once because it seems no matter how much I make, it's not enough. (I actually double this recipe if I plan to take it anywhere even though it's already about doubled from the original.) I like to have this all on its own. It makes a great lunch, but it's also a terrific side dish any time of year. And it's a novel substitute for a basic garden salad.

for the dressing:

1 (6 oz) container of plain Greek yogurt (or about 3/4 cup of homemade)

1/4 c lemon juice

1/4 c honey

few dashes of Tabasco to taste

for the salad:

2 (14-16 oz) bags of chopped frozen broccoli

1/2 red onion, diced

1/4 c of roasted, unsalted, chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds

1/4 c dried cranberries or raisins (or both)

1/4 c unsalted sunflower kernels

2-4 strips of bacon, cooked until crisp, and chopped or crumbled (optional)

In a large bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients

Add salad ingredients and fold together until evenly mixed

Let sit in refrigerator for a few hours or overnight

Make sure the broccoli is fully thawed before serving

If you're not using bacon, you may want to add a pinch of salt to the dressing before you add the salad ingredients.

Happy Cooking!

Everything but the . . .

We all know I've been playing around a lot with recipes from Pinterest lately. And I'm having a blast doing it. The only problem is that I can be so busy Sunday through Wednesday that I forget (or cant find time) to post my results on the blog as I promised you all I would. So I've decided to stop beating myself up over it and just accept the fact that other areas of my life are more important. Accomplishing other tasks that actually earn me money must take precedence right now.

That said, rather than struggle and whine about having not enough time, I shall promise you this: I will continue my Wednesday posts sporadically as I find time to put them up. This way I can focus on making sure I'm consistent with the posts that are most important to me. Those, of course would be the Sunday mornings that have cultivated a loyal following.

Some of you may find it ironic, then, that today's post not only came about because of the Wednesday Pinterest series, but also that it's an original recipe. (Perhaps I should have put it up on Friday and split the difference?)

The recipes that inspired this one also inspired a favorite way to consume granola in general, which I shall reveal when I finally give them their space on the blog. Enough blathering, here's the recipe:

Kitchen Sink Granola

5c rolled oats

1T cinnamon

1T pumpkin spice (no, I didn't make my own, but I will eventually)

1/2c white sugar or your favorite measures-like-sugar substitute

1/2t salt

1t baking powder

1c canned pumpkin puree (freeze the rest in a small container; you'll use it eventually)

2/3c unsweetened applesauce

1/4c honey

1c walnuts (no need to toast them first)

1/2c sunflower kernels

1c craisins

1c raisins

1c white chocolate chips

Dump all dry ingredients (the first group) into a 6-quart or larger crock pot and combine (I use a wire whisk.)

Mix wet ingredients (the second group) in a separate bowl

Add wet ingredients to dry and stir (with a spoon) to combine thoroughly

Set crock pot to high and, if desired, timer to 4 hours -- vent lid with a chopstick or wooden spoon

As granola cooks, stir every half hour

After 2 hours, add next group of ingredients (if you tweak the recipe and add other seeds or nuts, you will want to add them now)

After 3 hours, add last group of ingredients (if you choose to add other dried fruits, now is the time to do so)

From here, you will want to stir more frequently and/or change the heat setting to low (total cook time is about 4 hours.)

Your granola is done when it's a warm brown color and fairly dry in texture.

It will dry and begin to really crisp as it cools.

I allow it to cool in the crock pot and continue to stir every half hour or so.

Once cool, add white chocolate chips, transfer to an airtight container, and use within about 2 weeks.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that although the name seems obvious, the mix-ins were chosen at random. They happened to be yummy stuff I had in the pantry/fridge/freezer. I had to stop myself from adding m&m's because I knew I was more likely to consume this for breakfast than for any other meal. And we all know peanut m&m's are not for breakfast.

My advice regarding mix-ins: Yes, I chose to use an excessive amount of mix-ins, but notice I was careful not to exceed 5 cups, the amount of oats.

I'm actually still playing with this one and haven't found a final combination I really love. That said, I also forgot to take pictures before devouring the last of it. Instead, enjoy the pic below of the snowstorm that closed schools in Oklahoma City for up to two days in some areas. (Amateurs.)

Happy Crock Potting!

It snowed all day, near blizzard conditions at times, and it was gone within 24 hours.
But it was nice to have a taste of home.