Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes with Peach Jam

The combination of lemon and poppy seeds is such a classic. And somehow, it makes every recipe it touches just a little bit better.

Maybe it's the brightness of the lemon
Or maybe it's the crunch of the poppy seeds.
Either way, it's a combination made in heaven.

These pancakes capture everything that's great about lemon poppy seed muffins or cake -- and bring it all to the breakfast table. They're tender and light, and if you use a bit of butter to cook them, you'll get those amazing ever-so-slightly crisp edges.

Most recipes for lemon poppy seed pancakes call for buttermilk. But you shouldn't worry if you don't have any on hand -- since you're using lemon juice in the recipe, you can just use regular milk for the pancakes, and everything will come out just fine (after all, you can make buttermilk substitute by mixing a bit of lemon juice with milk...).

And, while these pancakes are great with maple syrup, they really shine when matched with peach jam -- something I found out this morning when we whipped up a batch for breakfast.

Back in July, I found myself the happy recipient of two cases of Georgia peaches. I put some away in
the freezer for smoothies. But, I also managed to preserve about half of them -- in the form of peach mostarda and rosemary peach jam.

The rosemary peach jam was a stellar match for these pancakes, which are redolent with lemon flavor and crunchy poppyseeds.

Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes

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Weekend Copycat Brunch: Breakfast Poutine

I owe a great deal of my home cooking inspiration to social media. Take for instance, the post from Milwaukee's Goodkind restaurant I ran across last weekend on Instagram.

💥 HELLO BREAKFAST POUTINE. French Fries | Trippe Sausage Gravy | Arugula | Goat Cheese Curds | Egg. GET INTO IT. 💥@goodkindbayview #goodmorning #brunch #summer #eatwelldrinkwell

A photo posted by goodkind (@goodkindbayview) on Jul 12, 2015 at 8:59am PDT

My first instinct was: "Whoa. I’ve got to get there and eat THAT."  

But, a quick look in my wallet told me that staying home was the more prudent thing to do (after all, it’s not like I would stop with poutine; I’d have to get one of their great brunch cocktails and then…)

I’ve made an occasional habit of recreating restaurant dishes at home. And I’ve had pretty good luck with both the artichoke a la mode pizza from Pizza Man (I was suffering from withdrawalwhen the original restaurant burned down) and the Stendler burrito from Comet Cafe (which is the best way -- ever -- to use up leftover corned beef).

Most recently, I replicated the salted honey pie from Honepie Cafe -- mainly because they don’t put it on their menu half as often as I’d like (OMG, so good).

So, I looked around my kitchen to see what ingredients I had on hand... [Keep Reading]

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Too Busy for Breakfast? Cherry Almond Granola Bars

There’s nothing better than a hearty bowl of oatmeal on a winter morning. But, sometimes our schedules just won’t allow it. That’s where these delicious chewy granola bars come in.

These filling bars are packed with hearty goodness, like buttery oats, almonds and dried fruit, and they don’t contain any of the preservatives found in store-bought varieties. And, while they're not cloyingly sweet like some granola bars, honey and a bit of brown sugar provides a nice balanced sweetness alongside unsweetened dried cherries.

We love this recipe since it's highly customizable. 

Love a little chocolate for breakfast?  Make peanut butter and dark chocolate chip granola bars with pecans.

Try peanut or cashew butter instead of almond butter. Sub out the flax seeds for sunflower seeds. Add raisins, dried pineapple, coconut... the sky is the limit. Just keep the proportion of dry to wet ingredients the same and you're all set.

Best of all, they come together quickly, so you can devote your time to other, more important tasks... like making your morning coffee. 

Cherry Almond Granola Bars

There are more great recipes where this one came from! We created this dish as part of our work with the Go Bold with Butter blog, where you'll find an amazing collection of delicious recipes using real butter.

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Spirited Spiced Pumpkin Oatmeal

Peef is generally in charge of breakfast at our house. He makes a pretty mean pancake, loves bacon, and knows his way around a pot of oatmeal. So, he can generally pull off a pretty good morning meal.

But, some mornings he pulls out all the stops. This past Saturday was one of those days.

I was sitting in the other room pulling together an article for OnMilwaukee.com and Paul was shuffling around in the kitchen.

I heard the clatter of a few dishes, the rubbery vaccuum sound of the refrigerator door, and the metallic tinging of spoon against stainless steel saucepan.

It wouldn't have been difficult to guess that he was making oatmeal. But, without a drop of milk in the house, I wasn't exactly sure how he was going about it.

Turns out he was getting creative with the quart of Sassy Cow Pumpkin Spice eggnog we bought at the co-op the other day (we have this inane compulsion with eggnog that means we buy it from the very first moment we see it available in the store until the mysterious moment in January when it disappears).

But, I didn't know that until he brought me a bowl of the most ultra-creamy deliciously spicy oatmeal I've ever eaten.  On top of everything, he'd finished it off with a glug of pumpkin spirits from our own local Great Lakes Distillery.

Some people drink bloody Marys in the morning... we just eat spiked oatmeal ;)

In case you can't find the Sassy Cow Pumpkin eggnog where you live, here's a version of the recipe using a bit of pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spices. And yes, it's just as good.

Spirited Spiced Pumpkin Oatmeal

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Lazy Weekends: Baked Orange Dream French Toast

 We all dream of waking up on a sunshiney, springtime Sunday morning to the smell of coffee and breakfast baking in the oven.  But, very few of us ever seem to have that sort of experience. 


Rather, we find ourselves jarred from sleep (far too early) by the alarm clock, our hungry (and impatient) children, or our demanding pets.  We stumble out of bed, bleary-eyed and disgruntled, fumble for our glasses and head down the stairs to hit the morning grindstone.


Trust me. I understand. Our lives have been an absolute blur lately. Seems we get up each day, head off to work, and barely have time to eat dinner together. 


Weeknights are spent conducting interviews for freelance projects, writing up articles, or attending events.  And we've been getting up at the crack of dawn on weekends to capture as many daylight hours as we can in the kitchen, experimenting with new recipes and taking pictures of our creations.  


Sometimes it seems as though we never have time for a leisurely breakfast.

But, it pays to remember that mornings don't have to be all work and no play.  In fact, a little bit of advance preparation goes a long way when it comes to breakfast -- which means you can have your lazy Sunday brunch and eat it too.


This particular dish makes use of canned (or fresh) mandarin oranges -- a sweet treat that's available all year round, but is especially cheerful during the dark winter months or during the dreary, rainy weekend days of spring.  Add a bit of cream cheese and some vanilla spiked custard, leave in the fridge overnight, and you're well on your way to a delicious breakfast with very little effort.

Whether you want something you can quickly and easily pop into the oven for your family on a lazy Saturday morning, or a delicious springtime dish to serve to company, this delicious take on baked French toast is sure to brighten even the dreariest of mornings.

Baked Orange Dream French Toast

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Browned Butter Oatmeal with Bananas

  At our house, weekday breakfast generally consists of a smoothie made from yogurt and fruit. We seldom have time to linger over our coffee, engage in polite conversation, or spend time cooking up morning treats.  So, we take our smoothies to go in stainless mugs.  And most of the time we pick up our coffee at the office.

But, things are different on the weekend.  At our humble abode, weekend mornings are slow and somewhat lazy.  They are days when we have time to enjoy long walks around the dewy neighborhood, piping hot cups of cabin coffee, fat newspapers, and deliciously indulgent breakfasts.  Sometimes that means sitting down to a full plate of eggs, sausages and toast. Other times, it means enjoying something as simple as a steeping hot bowl of deliciously filling oatmeal. 

This oatmeal is ideal for just that sort of weekend morning – when you have a bit of time to let the oatmeal cook while you spend your time putting on a pot of coffee and watching butter turn from a delicious golden to a nutty brown.  

You’ll love the way the sweetness of the bananas play off of the nutty oats and complement the deep caramel tones of browned butter and brown sugar.  It’s the sort of breakfast that brings together the heartiness of stick-to-your-ribs grains with a subtle sweetness that makes breakfast feel like a treat.  

And, on the weekend, what more can you really ask for?

Browned Butter Oatmeal with Bananas


You can find this recipe, along with plenty of other mouthwatering dishes, on GoBoldWithButter.com  Seriously -- you should check it out.  So. Much. Good. Food. 

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Spiced Apple Oatmeal: Autumn in a Dish

I'm sitting inside, snuggled on the couch with a cup of Rishi peach oolong tea (which is delicious, in case you were wondering).  And I've just finished one of my favorite autumnal breakfasts, a steaming hot bowl of spiced apple oatmeal.

It's a simple porridge. But, it's warm and hearty and redolent with all the flavors that exemplify the beginnings of autumn.  Spicy ginger and warming cinnamon. A splash of vanilla and a quick grate of nutmeg.  And a pinch of salt to bring everything together. On top of everything, oatmeal is seriously good for you.  But, that's neither here nor there.  It's delicious.  And, on a brisk morning like today, there's really nothing better than a steaming bowl of oatmeal.  Especially when Peef is the one in the kitchen, cooking it up.

But, there are a few tricks to making that perfect bowl of oatmeal. Here's what we like to do.

1. It helps to start with a good quality whole grain oatmeal (not instant or quick-cooking).  Personally, I love both the texture of steel cut oats and the creamy texture you get from rolled oats.  So, I like to use a mixture of the two. 
2. Use milk for cooking the oatmeal.  This gives your breakfast more protein, as well as a richer flavor and a super creamy texture.  For two servings, we like to use 1 cup of whole milk and 1/2 cup of water.
3. Add fruit!  In this case, we added crisp apples.  But, just about any fruit will work.  Try dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, cherries, or pineapple.  Or add fresh fruit like peaches or blueberries toward the end of cooking.
4. If you'd like a little textural crunch, try adding a handful of chopped nuts. Walnuts are a particular nutritional powerhouse, but almonds offer additional calcium and an amazing sweet  nuttiness.   A dollop of peanut or almond butter is also delicious.
5. You can microwave your oatmeal... but trust me when I say that it's really better when cooked the old-fashioned way, right on the stovetop.  To cut down on the cooking time, soak the oats in water overnight by bringing the water to a boil, turning off the heat, and adding the oats. Cover the pot and let sit over night. The next morning, reheat the oatmeal  on low heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 And there you have it:  the perfect bowl of oatmeal. Not too watery, not too thick... and it will make your entire house smell like you've been baking an apple pie.


Peef's Spiced Apple Oatmeal


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Year-old Leeks Make Awesome Breakfast Sandwiches

As I was sitting down this afternoon to contemplate what delicious thing to blog next, it occurred to me that I never told you about a delicious brunch sandwich we threw together almost a month ago.

It was a fairly lovely weekend, weather-wise, so we decided to spend some time prepping the vegetable gardens for summer planting... pulling weeds, working the soil a bit, and spreading out whatever compost our bins had produced over the course of fall/winter.  But, it was also time, I decided, to pull the leeks!

For the second year in a row, I'd overwintered a couple dozen Bandit Leeks -- a cold hardy variety which produces nice thick stalks with a pleasantly sweet, mild flavor.  I love winter-hardy vegetables like the bandit leek for their ability to give me backyard-fresh produce so early in the season -- a true gift, especially after a long, hard Wisconsin winter.  And it seems a bit of a miracle to me, at times, that these lovely tender spring leeks are the product of an entire YEAR of growth.

These pictures are from our crop last year (this year's leeks were eaten down a bit by hungry bunnies, so they weren't quite as photogenic):

You'll note that these 2010 leeks have very long green tops.  Well, I learned my lesson and buried this year's crops of leeks quite a bit deeper this year, so we had longer, more impressive white stalks in our 2011 harvest.  But, even these short, nobby stalks were quite tasty -- and  a welcome spring treat.

After marveling at the way they survived even the brutality of this year's winter (during which we received record amounts of snow, and plenty of cold), I pulled a few of this year's leeks fairly early in the morning. Since it was just before breakfast, I washed them, sliced them into thin strips, and allowed them to sweat slowly in some sweet cream butter with a bit of freshly clipped tarragon (which was just starting to green up out in the herb garden).  When the leeks were meltingly tender, I added a few whipped eggs, cooking them up into a soft scramble.

We had leftover rolls from some Cuban sandwiches we'd made the evening before, as well as some Virginia ham. So, along with a bit of Swiss cheese, everything came together to create a lovely, flavorful spring sandwich.  You can just imagine the sweet, slightly oniony flavor of the leeks pairing just perfectly with the salty ham... and dancing gracefully on your tongue with the subtlest hint of cool, tender, anisey tarragon.

It was the sort of sandwich that would be perfect eaten right out on the patio as the sun was rising on a cool spring morning.  Can't you just feel the dew between your toes as you sip your coffee and take in all the vibrant green hues -- the grass, the budding trees -- along with the scent of the late blooming tulips and early blooming lilacs?

To me, this is the perfect kind of food.  It's the sort of dish that makes the most of that perfect moment in a given season. In this case, it's  lovely convergence of winter greeting spring, dormancy springing to life, and hunger meeting the ultimate in satiation.



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Want more? Read Lo's latest ruminations at DEVOUR Milwaukee, her Milwaukee Magazine blog.

Breakfast for Dinner: Green Chilaquiles with Eggs

I've never been a big fan of the "breakfast for dinner" concept.  I know that other people get a huge kick out of eating a big plate of pancakes at 6pm.  But, not me.  I prefer my pancakes at 10 a.m., accompanied by a glass of orange juice and a strong cup of coffee.

But, I’m not completely unreasonable.  In fact, there are certain “breakfast-like” foods that I can be persuaded to eat in the afternoon and evening.

I can be coaxed, for example, into hauling out my trusty blue pyrex pie plate to whip up a quick and delicious vegetable quiche for dinner every now and again (that's quite a bit like eggs & toast, isn't it?).  And I've also been known to get a craving for latkes (probably close enough to pancakes) in the late afternoon on certain occasions.

And then there are chilaquiles... ah, how I love my chilaquiles.

Interestingly, chilaquiles claim to fame is often their magical ability to ease the symptoms of a hangover.  As the story goes, the eggs, which contain good quality protein, supposedly help restore the body’s strength.   And the spicy chiles in the sauce apparently possess a natural pain reliever, providing relief from the tell-tale headache left behind after an evening of excess.

But, I don’t need to have a hang-over to crave this dish. In fact, I will gladly scarf down a bowl of chilaquiles for breakfast, lunch, or dinner without hesitation.

Give me a bag of slightly dry corn tortillas… or a half-eaten bag of nice, thick-cut corn chips…  Then show me the rich stores of homemade roasted tomatillo sauce that I have languishing in the freezer downstairs… and I’m yours.

Chilaquiles are one of the easiest (and most delicious) dishes known to man.  The word chilaquiles is derived from a Nahuatl word meaning "in a salsa of chiles.” And the concept is really that simple.

They don’t require a recipe at all if you have a bit of salsa, tomatillo sauce, or mole on hand. Just heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. When hot add a cup or two of the sauce and cook for a minute or two, giving it a good stir.  When the sauce is heated, add a few handfuls of tortilla chips and toss to coat. Serve over refried beans or top with a fried egg or a bit of leftover pulled chicken. A garnish of cilantro, sour cream, and/or cotija cheese is also nice.

So, pull that tomatillo sauce out of the freezer and enjoy these chilaquiles -- for breakfast, brunch, OR dinner.

Quick Roasted Tomatillo Sauce


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Want more? Read Lo's latest ruminations at FOODCrush, her Milwaukee Magazine blog.

Lemony Crepes: Perking Up A Winter Weekend

 After indulging in Peef's rich & savory cassoulet this week, I've apparently gotten caught up in all things French. My mind is now drawn to pondering rich creamy cheeses, delightfully earthy wines, and creamy sauces.  Since French cooking is delightfully tied to the changing seasons, it seems all the more appropriate that I've been dedicating my time to dreaming en Francais.

That said, I'm also fully conscious that, as the Milwaukee winter turns snowier and more blustery, my mind also has a tendency to wander to thoughts of more tropical climes where inhabitants sip limey drinks in the warm sun. The increasing presence of citrus fruits (including one of my very favorites -- the satsuma tangerine -- a fruit whose candy sweet flesh is surrounded by an inexplicably easy-to-peel skin that makes it easy to consume multiples in one sitting) has me craving bright, sunny dishes

Fortunately for me, I've just returned to the grind from a delightfully long weekend during which we had a little bit of time to poke around the kitchen and create some delicious new dishes.  One of the highlights was a plate of deliciously tender lemon crepes strewn with beautiful seasonal pomegranate seeds, a perfectly welcome brunch dish that would also double as a light evening dessert.

To make my favorite lemony crepes, spread the pale side of a warm homemade crepe with a bit of butter, sprinkle with sugar, and embellish with a generous squeeze of lemon before rolling up into a loose cigar shape.  Top with powdered sugar or a generous sprinkling of pomegranate seeds or other fresh fruit.

Now crepes may sound fancy and complicated to the uninitiated.  But, for anyone who knows a few basic secrets, these deliciously light pancakes are one of the easiest (and most versatile) French dishes to master. They were one of the first dishes I learned how to make in my high school home economics class, and I've made the recipe so many times I quite nearly have it memorized.

Secret #1:  There really are no secrets.  Most information about successfully making crepes can be found right on the miraculous Internet... so don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Secret #2:  The crepe batter is actually best made ahead. After mixing, the batter needs a rest so that it can relax and absorb the flour, ensuring that the finished product is supple and tender.  Rather than being a nuisance, this is actually an advantage to the home cook with less than scads of time.  Be sure to make the batter at least 1/2 hour ahead of time... but you can also make it the night before and allow it to rest in the refrigerator until you're ready for it in the morning.  Your crepes will thank you by being deliciously tender & easy to deal with.

Secret #3:  You don't need a special crepe pan to make crepes. And don't let the so-called experts try to fool you. Any old 8-10 inch non-stick skillet will do.  I used any number of pans for my crepes before I finally broke down, in a moment of uncharacteristic weakness, and procured a 10-inch non-stick crepe pan from Amazon.com.

Secret #4:  You'll probably mess up a couple of the crepes when you make a batch. So what? I've made lots of crepes, and I still mess up at least one per batch. Sprinkle some sugar on it and enjoy it as a snack. It will taste just as good as the rest, even if it's not quite as gorgeous.

Secret #5:  Crepes are the perfect playing field for getting creative with more interesting flours.  Try substituting half of the wheat flour with buckwheat, quinoa or corn flour.  If you're gluten-free, crepes can also be made with a wheat-free blend, such as Bob's Red Mill.

I tend to make an entire batch of crepes at once, stacking them on a warm plate.  The residual heat from the crepes will keep them warm enough while you're working that you shouldn't have to reheat them before filling and serving.

Once you've got your crepes made, it's up to you to let your imagination run wild.  Crepes are delicious with as little as a sprinkling of cheese or a drizzle of honey. But, they can be fancied up with any number of either sweet or savory fillings.  

Of course, I'd recommend a smattering of sugar and a drizzle of lemon juice... it's a sure cure for just about any winter funk.

Basic Crepes


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Want more? Read Lo's latest ruminations at FOODCrush, her Milwaukee Magazine blog.

Gifts and Bread and Delightfully Runny Eggs

The past week has been filled with myriad gifts.  And they've all been wonderfully unexpected -- and positively delightful:

• a handful of delicious Girl Scout cookies (stay tuned to hear all about these on Thursday)
• a spectacular dinner at Meritage
• a Glorious grilled cheese event filled with delicious food and new friends
• a loaf of bread

That last one was a particular doozy.  We were the lucky recipients of one of those fantastic looking loaves of  Cook's Illustrated Multi-grain Sandwich Bread that Rebecca from Cakewalk made this week.

To be honest, I've been drooling all over myself ever since she brought a loaf of Lahey bread over to our house for Soup Night (seriously -- it was one of the best loaves of homemade bread I've ever had in my life -- and Peef just about inhaled the leftovers).  So, I was pretty excited when she dropped that hefty paper bags into my hand as we were pulling out of her driveway.  I just knew this loaf of humble bread would be the beginning of something wonderful.

And it really was.
We got up fairly early on Saturday. It was an ordinary day (barring the nasty pinched nerve I seemed to have developed in the muscles surrounding my left shoulder blade).  But, the sun was shining, and we had no place to be but home.  I'd been craving an egg sandwich all week, so I was delighted to remember that loaf of bread, which was sitting on the counter.

Just this side of 2 minutes later, we had bacon grease sizzling in our cast iron frying pan... and eggs dropping out of their shells into gently sputtering pools. Next thing I knew, Peef had four slices of that delicious bread slathered with mayonnaise (and one with mustard -- since that's how HE rolls)... and the eggs were done.

It's interesting how, after eleven years of marriage, I still ask Peef how he wants his eggs cooked for egg sandwiches.  He always answers exactly the same -- "runny."  What he means is that he'd like them over-easy -- cooked just enough that the whites aren't "snotty."

Sometimes it's difficult to get four eggs perfectly cooked -- so we often end up with a combination of kindof-right, mostly-right, and perfectly-cooked eggs.  But, not today. Today was a special day.  I slid the eggs out of the pan onto the bread, and Peef placed the final slices on top.

The slightest bit of pressure sent the yolk from one of the eggs exploding down the side of one of the sandwiches -- into a gloriously orange puddle of deliciousness.

We bit into our sandwiches.  The tender crust yielded just perfectly, and we chomped through it into the impeccably cooked egg.

We both smiled.
Sometimes the best gifts come in the most unexpected packages.

So, while we're on the topic, how do you like YOUR egg sammich?


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The Stendler: Leftover Corned Beef to the Rescue

Do you still have a bit of leftover corned beef from St. Patrick's Day?  Wondering how to use it up?

Well, if you're not in the mood for a sandwich, or some delicious Reuben risotto, why not try making up a delicious breakfast burrito?

Cuz that's what we did with some of ours.  This beauty happens to be fashioned after a particularly delicious brunch option served over at The Comet Cafe here in Milwaukee.  It's called "The Stendler" and it features a grande flour tortilla packed full of hashed brown potatoes, corned beef, swiss cheese, creamy scrambled eggs, and a drizzle of Siracha.

Seems we're oft-inspired by the folks over at Comet. But, really, can you blame us? After all, they serve up some of the best comfort food and diner fare in the city, including that oh-so-inspiring Buttafuoco -- that delicious broiled tomato sammich with hot peppers, provolone, and plenty of crisp lettuce.  And, they rely on local ingredients whenever possible.  I call that a win-win!

Although we love to patronize local establishments whenever possible, sometimes we also love to enjoy a cozy weekend brunch at home.  And this dish, combined with the option of being able to sit around all morning sipping coffee in your warm cozy pj's, makes the whole notion of sticking around the house pretty appealing. 

Of course, we just HAVE to make a few tweeks. Rather than taking the time to grate up potatoes and fry up hashbrowns, we actually prefer a more rustic and flavorful option: roasted potatoes.   On a normal day, I'd add rosemary to these potatoes for an added flavor punch. But, today, we'll just keep them simple so that the other flavors in the Stendler can shine through.

First, you'll want to chop up a potato or two, toss them with olive oil, and throw them in a 425º oven for 20-25 minutes until they're crisped and golden on the outside and super creamy on the inside.

When the hot potatoes come out of the oven, I like to toss them with a bit of salt and some nice, freshly ground pepper.  To be honest, this is probably my favorite part of the whole dish. In fact, even if you don't have any corned beef on hand, I'd recommend you make up a batch of these for breakfast some Saturday morning, just for the heckofit.

You'll also need to whip up some scrambled eggs.  I like to melt a bit of butter in a nonstick pan and cook the eggs slowly over medium-low heat so that they cook through, but don't become dry. If you do it right, the eggs take on a custard-like consistency that's just perfect for breakfast burritos.

Layer some grated cheese (we like plain old Swiss, but Irish Dubliner is a real treat here), the roasted potatoes, some leftover corned beef, and your scrambled eggs into a nice big (warmed) flour tortilla.  If you like a bit of heat, you can also also drizzle a bit of extra Siracha inside the burrito before rolling it up.

What you end up with is another fusion dish that really brings new meaning to the idea of corned beef hash.

If you like a crispy tortilla, you can rub the finished burrito with a little bit of olive oil and place it into a 375º oven for 15-20 minutes.  But, you can also sprinkle on the Sirach and dig right in.

See all those layers of corned beef and potato goodness?

I'm a big fan of the Reuben sandwich, but the Stendler probably comes in at a close second.  And it definitely ranks right up there when it comes to fantastic weekend breakfasts.

Yum.


©BURP! Where Food Happens

Fight Back Fridays: Double Ginger Granola Repast

In celebration of Fight Back Fridays (a great event sponsored by Food Renegade), I wanted to repost one of my recent favorites: Double Ginger Granola.

Not only is this hippie food AWESOME for you, but it's a fine example of how making your own breakfast cereal can save you money and contribute to your good health!
Granola is awesome because you can customize the flavors to your own liking. Add as much fruit as you like. Like nuts? Add those. Wanna change it up a bit? Throw in some carob chips! Or cocoa nibs!

This particular granola is a celebration of all things ginger -- with a few cranberries and some cocoa nibs thrown in for good measure. Read the full post, which contains all sorts of fun facts, here: Granola. Real food for real people :)

I'm sneaking this post in at the last minute (past the deadline, really) because I believe in this event. It gets great people together for a great cause -- to spread the word about real food!

If you haven't already, I'd like to invite YOU to participate in Fight Back Fridays -- a celebration of real food. It’s your standard blog carnival, but it’s all about being Food Renegades. Who are the Food Renegades? Well, they’re the adventurous ones — the people who opt out of the industrialized food system, distrust standard nutritional advice, and embrace Real Food.
Read the Guidelines HERE.


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Hippie Food: Double Ginger Granola with Cranberries & Cocoa Nibs

It's true. I'm probably a hippie chick at heart.
You probably wouldn't be able to tell from my appearance. After all, these days I have a professional wardrobe. However, in the days of yore, my closet contained a very nice collection of peasant skirts, which I wore with t-shirts (in those days, I worked selling books at an independent bookstore). I'm also a bit of an activist by nature. I believe that most great movements begin as grassroots endeavors, and I firmly believe in the power of people to incite real change in the world. I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty. And I take the opportunity, whenever I can, to vote with my $$$ by supporting local farmers and local businesses.

There are other signs.
I'd rather have a string of beads than a set of diamond studs any day.
I secretly long for a tie-dyed VW bug.
I heart me a nice pair of Birkenstocks.

And, I love me some delicious, crunchy granola.
My mother used to make granola when I was a kid. She had the concept right, for the most part, but she tended to bake the raisins right along with the oatmeal, nuts, and honey... so they always had this sort of burnt taste. It wasn't until I grew up and went out on my own that I realized the raisins in granola weren't supposed to be crunchy.
Turns out, my mother wasn't alone, granola actually took a seriously long time to catch on, even among the health food crowd. I'm not sure we can chalk that up to a history of burnt raisins; but, some of the initial concepts for this crunchy snack were pretty unappealing.

Legend has it that we can credit the beginnings of granola to Dr. Graham, health enthusiast and inventor of graham flour/graham crackers. Dr. Graham preached that people should shun meat, alcohol, tobacco, stimulants (coffee, tea) and white bread. He didn't make or advocate granola... but he did inspire the production of GRANULA, sheets of graham crackers baked, rebaked, and broken up into little pieces. *YUM* Apparently, after the delicious granula concept failed to take off, Dr. Kellogg and Dr. Post subsequently invent their own variations in the late 1800's --the former resulting in the granola name, and the latter giving birth to modern-day Grape Nuts cereal.

When the term "granola" was revived by the modern health food movement in the 1960's, it became the lovely hippie food we know today.

As for me, I've been making granola for a number of years. Usually, I've gone with a pretty standard recipe -- oatmeal, some sort of nuts, cinnamon, sweetener (usually maple syrup or honey; sometimes brown sugar); and dried fruit. This recipe follows the mold, only I experimented a bit with the flavorings. This variety uses a bit of fresh ginger, some vanilla powder, and just a touch of cinnamon. It also benefits from some chopped up crystallized ginger -- which adds a bit of zing -- and dried cranberries, which keep the granola from getting too sweet. Cocoa nibs add a bit of chocolatey interest -- and a nutty crunch.
We usually eat our granola for breakfast with a bit of vanilla kefir poured over the top. It's the best cold cereal I've ever had (maybe next to Grape Nuts :)), and it sticks to my ribs just enough that I'm not ravenous before noon.
Granola keeps well. You can store double ginger granola for up to a month in an airtight container at room temperature. It keeps for 6 months in the freezer.

In addition to breakfast food, granola is also nice sprinkled over fruit, yogurt, or icecream. This lovely gingery delicacy is especially nice as a topping for baked peaches.

Double Ginger Granola with Cranberries & Cocoa Nibs



©BURP! Where Food Happens

Weekend Bits: Cornmeal Waffles with Fried Chicken & Mushroom Milk Gravy

While the rest of you were enjoying your leisurely weekend activities, we were busy throwing our New Year's resolutions to the wayside, our caution to the wind, and our healthy eating habits to the dogs. And it was SO much fun.

First, Peef wandered over to Bunzel's Old Fashioned Meat Market to pick up a bit of their double-smoked slab bacon. What he DID expect was the usual Saturday morning crowd. What he didn't expect was for the butcher to hand him a package of bacon that was... unexpectedly fresh. Oh, yeah baby. This smoked piggy had just made its way to the butcher case from the smoker -- and it was still warm. He was seriously giddy when he brought the bacon home and pushed it into my hands. As the smoky bits warmed my palms and permeated my nostrils, I decided that this was going to be a Very Good Day indeed. And it turns out I was right.

I cooked up a batch of good old fashioned southern greens with that bacon. And my, oh my, were they good. Also made some delicious smashed potatoes with garlic and smoked gouda.

And then... the crowning moment... we fried up some chicken. What you should know about us is that we fry chicken... oh, maybe once every couple of years. So, this was a very special day. And you can imagine that hopes were particularly high.
Fortunately for us, all possibility of myocardial infarctions aside, this fried chicken was Seriously Good. And we enjoyed our southern dinner with particular gusto.

But, the best was yet to come. Now there was LEFTOVER fried chicken. We were almost too giddy for words. We popped straight out of bed the next morning in anticipation of what came next -- waffles with fried chicken and gravy.
This was a special occasion, so we didn't make just any old waffles. Nope. We hauled out the big guns and manufactured some of the best cornmeal waffles that you've ever laid eyes upon. They were light. And crisp. And flavorful. And the cornmeal gave them just the right amount of "oomph" to push them right past "good" and so far into "fabulous" that we have to just take a moment, right now, to reflect.
And yeah -- I'm going to give you a little bit more time with this photograph. Cuz it was seriously That Good.
If you've got somewhere to be, then I'll let you go. But, please -- take a couple of recipes along. After all, you might be frying up some chicken real soon.

Milk gravy with mushrooms

Cornmeal waffles with buttermilk



©BURP! Where Food Happens