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A Gallon of Granola

A Gallon of Granola

A Gallon of Granola

 

8 cups old-fashioned oats

2 cups coarsely chopped nuts (cashews, pecans, or almonds)

2 cups raw (untoasted) sunflower seeds

1 cup sesame seeds

1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut (available in health food stores)

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup maple syrup

3/4 cup light-tasting vegetable oil, such as sunflower oil

2 cups chopped dried fruit (raisins, currants, and dates are good)

 

Preheat oven to 35O°F. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the oats, nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, coconut, and salt. Warm the maple syrup and oil in a saucepan. Pour over the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon, then roll up your sleeves and work the mixture with your hands until everything is damp. Spread on baking sheets—no more than about V2 inch thick—and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden. When the granola has cooled, stir in the dried fruit. Store in jars or plastic bags.  Yield: 1 gallon  VARIATION: Instead of all oats, use other grain flakes: bran or untoasted wheat germ can replace some of the seeds.

Pantry-Friendly Alfredo Sauce Mix

Pantry-Friendly Alfredo Sauce Mix

1 C. instant nonfat dry milk powder
1⁄4 C. cornstarch
1⁄8 C. dried onion flakes
1 tsp. garlic powder
1⁄2 tsp. salt
1⁄2 tsp. white pepper
2 C. parmesan cheese

2 T. dried Italian Herbs, optional

Combine all ingredients well and store in lidded container. To make sauce, per serving, combine ¼ C. mix with 2 tsp. butter or 2 tsp. sour cream and 1⁄4 C. milk. (I want to test this mix with butter powder, sour cream powder and reconstituted milk to see if I can make this LTS).

Garlic Confit

Garlic Confit

Peel the cloves from 2 heads (or more) of garlic. Place the cloves in a small saucepan and pour in enough olive oil to cover them, 1/2 to 3/4 C. for 2 heads. Over medium heat bring the oil to just a hint of a simmer, then reduce the heat to as low as it can go. You want to poach the garlic, not simmer it. Cook for about 45 minutes, until the garlic is soft and tender, but not falling apart. Transfer the garlic with a slotted spoon to a clean jar and pour the oil in to cover the cloves.

Cool the mixture to room temperature. Cover the jar tightly and keep refrigerated for several weeks, or freeze for several months. (Keep the cloves covered in oil and be careful about using a clean spoon to dip into the jar). As a variation, add rosemary and/or thyme to the saucepan along with the garlic to cook.

10 Ways To Use Garlic Confit

1.Whip a few cloves and some of the infused oil with vinegar to make a vinaigrette. Toss it with delicate greens.
2.Smash some of the cloves and whisk them with some of the infused oil. Toss the thick garlicky oil with steamed vegetables. (Excellent with asparagus, green beans, snow and snap peas, broccoli, and cauliflower.)
3.Toss roasted or grilled vegetables with a spoonful of the tender garlic.
4.Spread the tender cloves over toasted bread or cheese-smeared crostini. (Goat cheese is a great option.) For a composed hors d’oeuvre, garnish the garlic toasts with chives or any fresh herbs.
5.Layer garlic confit into a sandwich or pizza.
6.Toss garlic confit into a vegetable pasta. (Just pick a vegetable and pair it with garlic confit and pasta. For an easy option, try fresh tomatoes and basil.)
7.Whip the tender cloves into any vegetable puree for sweet garlic flavor. (Try garlic confit with a potato, celery root, cauliflower, winter squash, or sunchoke puree.) A whipped chickpea or cannellini bean puree will also benefit from a spoonful of garlic confit.
8.Make a vegetable and garlic confit salad. Slice the cloves in half and toss them into a tomato, basil, and toasted bread salad. Use some of the oil to sauté corn-off-the-cob just briefly. Toss the corn with sliced or smashed cloves, fresh basil, and feta. (Add zucchini and/or tomatoes to the corn salad if you wish.)
9.Add garlic confit to sauces and soups.
10.Use the back of a fork to break down cloves into a paste. Stir the garlic paste into plain Greek yogurt or ricotta to make a creamy garlic dip or condiment. If you wish, add summer herbs to the mixture or drizzle the top with a good olive oil or chili oil.

A Warning About Botulism: Garlic is an extremely low-acid vegetable. When it is stored improperly in oil (without oxygen) and in warm temperatures (at room temperature), it can produce a very serious toxin that causes the illness botulism. Botulism can be fatal if not treated immediately. It is very important to refrigerate garlic confit, as per the Center for Disease Control. Use a clean jar with a tight seal to store garlic confit; cool the garlic and oil as quickly as possible, and refrigerate it immediately. If you store the preserved garlic properly, it should keep for several months, however, to be completely safe, I recommend only storing it for up to three weeks. If you’re worried, you can also safely freeze garlic confit for several months.

6 heads of garlic, cloves peeled (2 cups)

6 thyme sprigs

3 small bay leaves

3 dried red chiles, such as chiles de arbol

2 cups pure olive oil

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan and simmer over low heat until the garlic is tender but not browned, about 30 minutes. Let cool.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic, herbs and chiles to three 1/2-pint canning jars. Pour the cooking oil on top, seal and refrigerate for up to 4 months.

No More Bisquick! 90% Whole Grain Pancake Mix

No More Bisquick! 90% Whole Grain Pancake Mix

4 C. White Whole Wheat Flour or Organic White Whole Wheat Flour
1 C. Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or Organic All-Purpose Flour
3 1/2 C. old-fashioned or rolled oats
3 tsp. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 C. vegetable oil

Pancakes
1 C. homemade mix
1 C. buttermilk, nut milk, or a combination of plain yogurt and milk; or 3/4 C. liquid whey
1 large egg

To make the mix: Grind the oats in a food processor until they’re chopped fine, but not a powder. Put the flour, oats, and all other dry ingredients into a mixer with a paddle. Mix on slow speed, and drizzle the vegetable oil into the bowl slowly while the mixer is running. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks at room temperature, or indefinitely in the refrigerator or freezer. To make pancakes: Whisk together 1 C. mix, 1 C. buttermilk (or a combination of half plain yogurt and half milk; or 3/4 C. liquid whey), and 1 large egg. Don’t worry if it seems thin at first: the oats will soak up the milk, and the mix will thicken a bit as it stands. Let the batter stand for at least 20 minutes before cooking. Heat a lightly greased griddle to 350°F (if you’ve got a griddle with a temperature setting; if not, medium-hot will do). Drop the batter onto it in 1/4-C.fuls (a jumbo cookie scoop works well here) to make a 4″ diameter pancake. If you have English muffin rings, use them; they make a perfectly round, evenly thick pancake. When the edges look dry and bubbles come to the surface without breaking (after about 2 minutes, if your griddle is the correct temperature), turn the pancake over to finish cooking on the second side, which will take about 2 minutes. Serve pancakes immediately, or stack and hold in a warm oven. Yield: a batch using 1 C. the mix will make about 5 to 8 pancakes, depending on size.

Chicken & Pork Dry Rub Mix

Chicken & Pork Dry Rub Mix

2 T. seasoning salt
2 T. sea salt
1/2 C. brown sugar
2 T. cumin
2 T. chili powder
2 T. black pepper
1 T. cayenne
1/3 C. paprika
3 T. lemon pepper
3 T. onion salt or powder
3 T. garlic powder
2 T. dry mustard
1 T. dried basil (optional)
1 T. dried oregano (optional)
1 T. dried parsley (optional)

If you like it Cajun or hot add a few pinches of dry hot pepper flakes. Mix all together and use on chicken and pork.

Garam Masala

Garam Masala

For a quick version:

Combine

2 tsp. ground cardamom
5 tsp. ground coriander
4 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground cloves
2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg

Store in air tight container.

For a more authentic version, use whole spices, and toast them in a dry pan, then crush in spice grinder.

  • 2 T. coriander seed
  • 1 T. cumin seed
  • 2 tsp. whole peppercorns
  • 1 cinnamon stick crushed
  • 1 tsp. whole cloves
  • 1 T. dry ginger
  • 1 Cardamom pod (or use 1 T. ground cardamom)
  • 2 pinches saffron threads

 

In a small dry skillet, add the whole coriander, peppercorns, cloves, cardamom pod (if using) and cinnamon stick. Dry roast these for three minutes over medium heat then add the cumin seeds. Continue roasting for several more minutes. Stir frequently to prevent the seeds from burning. Once these begin to smell fragrant and have darkened slightly, pour the spices into a bowl to cool. Put the roasted spices as well as the dry ginger, ground cardamom (if not using pod) and saffron threads into a high-powered blender, coffee or spice grinder. Grind these to a fine powder. Store this in an air-tight container for up to 6 months.

Chive Oil & Chive Blossom Vinegar

Chive Oil & Chive Blossom Vinegar

Chive Oil & Chive Blossom Vinegar

 

Clip blossoming chives near the base of the stem, trimming off brown or dried parts. Pick off blossoms. Chop stems into 1/2″ lengths.

 

For vinegar, pack blossoms into pint jar (or jars, depending on how many blossoms you have and how much vinegar you’ll use). Fill jar with vinegar to within 1/2″ of top. I used white wine vinegar, but some recipes call for white vinegar, which to my taste would be too strong; others call for white balsamic vinegar. Seal with lid, but not too tightly, to allow vinegar to breathe. Store in cool, dark place for two weeks. Strain into clean jar(s) and seal with lid(s). Keep up to six months in a cupboard away from heat or light.

 

For oil, place chopped chives, a few blossoms and enough oil to cover in a blender. Blend on high until completely pulverized then add more oil to thin it. Pour into lidded container and place in refrigerator for four days. Bring to room temperature, strain through fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into medium bowl or pint measuring C., then pour strained oil into ice cube tray and freeze. Pop frozen cubes out of trays and place in zip-lock bag. Store in freezer and thaw as needed.

Garlic Confit in Olive Oil

Garlic Confit in Olive Oil

Garlic Confit in Olive Oil

 

1 C. garlic cloves, peeled

1 dried bay leaf

2 sprigs fresh mint

1/8 tsp. kosher salt

3 peppercorns

1 C. extra virgin olive oil

 

Place a small saucepan on low heat and add peeled garlic, bay leaf, mint, salt, and peppercorns. Cover garlic with olive oil and simmer. Cook on low until garlic is soft and golden, but not browned, approximately 30 to 45 minutes. If garlic burns, you must discard entire batch of garlic and oil and start again. Once golden, remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Transfer garlic and olive oil into a sterilized jar, and seal tightly with the lid. Refrigerate up to one week.