Snacks

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

June 3, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Summer is here. Swimming, trips to the lake, baseball games, camping, family vacations…I could go on and on. With all the wonderful fun that goes hand in hand with summer, heat and record breaking temperatures are here as well. When I think of hot summer days, I think of tall, ice cold drinks and treats to help cool down. Ice cream, icees, slushes, and sno cones are no stranger to cooling off during the warm months. Smoothies are also a great way to help beat the heat.

I’ve been on a smoothy kick lately. I’m not sure why my deal it, but I just can’t get enough of them! For the past few weeks I’ve been making them for Spencer and myself for breakfast throughout the week. I keep quite a bit of fresh fruit on hand and I have so much fun playing around with different fruit combinations. Call me a dork, but I love it. While smoothies are a great option for breakfast, they are also perfect for lunch and snacks too!

During the summer everyone is looking for lighter meal options to help avoid being weighed down by heavy foods. Smoothies provide a great alternative. They are a cinch to throw together and the options are endless. While I like to do a mixture of fruits in the morning, I love palying around with other options for other meals or snacks. Peanut butter and bananas are a classic combination, and I love them combined in a smoothie. Salty, creamy peanut butter and an ice cold frozen banana come together to create a delicious, creamy smoothy that is sweet and so satisfying. Whether you’re making snacks for a crowd or a snack before you head out the door, smoothies are a great option and will please everyone of all ages!

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 Ripe banana, frozen
1/4 Cup peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)
1/3 Cup plain Greek yogurt
1 Scoop protien powder (optional)
5-6 Ice cubes

Directions:

Place all ingredients in the blender and pulse until desired consistency is achieved. If the mixture is too thick, add a splash of milk or additional yogurt and pulse to incorporate.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

Easy (and Healthy) Tropical Granola

June 3, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Have you ever tried making granola at home? If you answered no, then you’d be amazed at just how simple it is! A little melting, a little mixing, a little toasting and your done. Yup. That’s all there is to it! But probably the best part about making granola in the comfort of your own home is the fact that you can customize it to fit your taste.

Customizing granola is incredibly easy. Add your favorite type of nuts. Try the dried fruits you like the most, and then get creative, try different combinations. Your options are endless. The version I have here has dried mangos, pineapple, papaya and some toasted and raw coconut. I also added some almonds and pistachios for another element of taste and texture. It’s delish!

If you’ve never made your own granola, what’s stopping you? The fact that you’d have to buy nuts and fruits, that you wouldn’t usually have in your pantry, in bulk? That you’d be stuck with excess after you made your granola? Well, I have an answer to cure those worries. Instead of buying those products in bulk, shop at stores that have the bulk bins that way you can scoop out what you need without having a lot of extra leftover.

I love keeping granola around our house. Not only is it a healthy snack, it’s quick and easy and ready to go at the drop of a hat. I find myself scooping it up by the handful enjoying it as I move from one task to the other. But not only is it a great snack while you’re on the go, it’s also perfect mixed into your favorite flavor yogurt. I always have a few containers of Greek yogurt on the hand, and when I find myself needing a little more substance, I mix in a few scoops of granola. It’s delicious, satisfying and quenchs my hunger!

Easy Tropical Granola

Ingredients:

2 Cups old fashioned oats
3 Tbsp flax seeds
1/4 Cup almonds, roughly chopped
1/4 Cup pistachios, roughly chopped
1/3 Cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/4 Cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
3 Tbsp raw honey
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 Tsp coconut extract
1/8 Tsp Siagon cinnamon
Pinch salt
1/3 Cup dried cranberries
1/3 Cup dried mangos*
1/3 Cup dried pineapple*
1/3 Cup dried papaya*

* 1 (7ounce) bag of tropical fruit trio can be used in place of the mangos, pineapples and papaya.
Directions:

Preheat oven to 325.

Combine honey and butter in a small saucepan and place over low heat to allow butter to melt. Increase heat, once butter has melted, and bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Allow mixture to boil for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add coconut extract, stir to combine.

In a large bowl combine oats, pistachios, almonds, flax seeds, cinnamon, and salt and stir to combine. Add the butter mixture to the oat mixture and stir to incorporate, making sure everything is coated. The mixture will seem dry at first, but continue stirring. The longer you stir the more the ingredients will combine with one another.

Transfer mixture to a rimmed baking sheet that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring the mixture every 5-7 minutes. Remove granola from the oven when fully toasted and golden brown. Allow mixture to cool completely.

Once the mixture has cooled add the dried fruit, toasted and raw coconut and stir to combine. Place in airtight containers to store.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

DB: Homemade Graham Crackers

February 27, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Do you ever find yourself wondering through the grocery store isles, eyeing different products and wondering “could I make them at home, and would they be just as good”? ~~Please tell me I’m not weird!~~ Well, I know I’m weird but please tell me I’m not the only person that does this! I don’t know why this intrigues me so much, but thoughts like this enter my head on a regular basis when I’m at the grocery store.

Well, this month I got to cure some of my curiosity. Sarah from All Our Fingers in the Pie was our February 2013 Daring Bakers’ host and she challenges us to use our creativity in making our own Crisp Flatbreads and Crackers!

Sarah shared quite a few recipe suggestions that all looked incredible, but I had been wanting to make graham crackers for quite some time. So when this challenge came up, not only was it all about flatbreads and crackers but we were given free reign as to what particular recipe we wanted to make. The only requirement; whatever it was had to be crisp. I instantly knew what I wanted to make; I wanted to make homemade graham crackers.

Graham crackers have long been snacks for kids and adults alike. Their crumbs are also a staple in numerous pie recipes; the infamous graham cracker crust, of course. They also make terrific accompaniments sweet dips and cheeseballs. These crackers are a little more “durable” than most, so they can withstand some of the more hearty dips you throw their way.

I think graham crackers are one of my all time favorite crackers. There’s just something so wonderful about a rich molasses flavored cracker that is dusted lightly with a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar. I can’t put my finger on it, but it’s just amazing. So imagine how amzing a homemade graham cracker is. You know the joy you get in your heart, mouth and stomach when you enjoy a cookie fresh from the oven? You will experience that same feeling when you make your own graham crackers and enjoy them straight from the oven. Oh. My. Goodness. There’s little better than that pure deliciousness.

Believe it or not, these crackers weren’t hard to make at all. Combine a few simple ingredients, that are typically pantry staples, to form a dough. Chill the dough, roll it out and bake. How simple is that? It truly is simple, the only thing that makes this a time consuming process is the chilling time required. But the chilling time is well needed to help form the dough to make those beautiful, deep brown crackers that are so amazing!

These crackers really are incredibly easy to make. I had so much fun making them and I really did impress myself! I enjoy making treats at home because I have control of the ingredients, plus I can personalize them by making them in different shapes! So stop putting it off because you’re intimidated, go make some crackers and cut them into so fun shapes!

Homemade Graham Crackers

Ingredients:

For the crackers-
2 Cups unbleached, all purpose flour
1/2 Cup + 2 Tbsp whole wheat flour (use all white flour if you don’t have whole wheat)
1 Cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
1 Tsp baking soda
3/4 Tsp Kosher salt
7 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen
1/3 Cup mild-flavored honey, such as clover
5 Tbsp milk, whole is best
2 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

For the topping-
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

For the cracker dough-
In a food processor fitted with the blad attachment combine unbleached flour, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pulse a few times to allow the ingredients to incorporate. Add the frozen butter and pulse several times until the mixture is the consistency of course meal.

Combine honey, milk and vanilla extract in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Once combined add to the flour mixture and pulse a few times, allowing the dough to barely come together. (The dough will be extremely soft and sticky)

Spread a large piece of plastic wrap on a counter and dust liberally with flour. Turn dough onto the prepared surface, and pat gently to form a rectangle that’s about 1 inch in thickness. Wrap the rectangle in the plastic wrap, then place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Meanwhile, to prepare the topping combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.

To prepare the crackers-
Divide the dough in half. Place one half on a well floured work surface, and wrap the other half in plastic wrap and return to the refrigerator. Roll the dough into a long rectangle that measures 1/8 of an inch in thickness. The dough will be sticky, so continue to flour the surface and rolling pin as necassary.

To make the traditional graham cracker shape, cut the rectangle to 4 inches wide. Working with the shorter side of the rectangle, cut strips every 4 1/2 inches to make crackers. However, if you want a non-traditional shaped cracker, you may use a cookie cutter of your choice. I used a fluted rectangle.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper, and place the crackers on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar topping. Place the crackers in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes or in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Repeat the process with the second batch of dough. Gather any leftover scraps, form a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm. Re-roll and repeat the process.

Place oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350.

To decorate/mark the crackers-
Using a toothpick or skewer, prick the dough to form rows of dotted lines. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to touch, rotating half way through. Be sure to check the crackers half way through, since baking times will vary.

Recipe source: Smitten Kitchen who adapted it from 101 Cookbooks and Nancy Silverton’s Pastries from the La Brea Bakery

SRC: Cran-Nana Smoothie

February 25, 2013 by Lynsey 12 Comments

To say I’ve been on a smoothie kick lately would be an uderstatement. I have thought, craved and drank smoothies non-stop for the past few weeks. Not sure if I’m trying to turn over a new “healthy” leaf (nawww…that’s probably not the case, I love my sweets too much!) or what, but I’ve been craving them non-the-less. Not that craving smoothies isn’t a good thing; if I can quench a craving while consuming something healthy that’s always a win-win! My smoothie of choice, as of late, has been the green monster smoothie (I still need to make it and share it with you!). Not only is it one of my favorite colors ever, but it’s packed full of fruits and vegetables as well as packed full of flavor. And the name is fun; Green Monster. A drink really isn’t the first thing you think of when you hear the name.

As much as I love my green monster smoothie, I’m always on the lookout for new smoothie recipes to try. So when I came across this cran-nana smoothie on Natural Noshing I knew I had found the recipe that I wanted to make for this month’s secret recipe club exchange. Nora has tons of recipes on her blog that all look amazing, but since I’m on a smoothie kick this fit the bill perfectly. But, if you’re unlike me and would rather have something with a little more substance she’s got something for you too! Most of the recipes on Nora’s blog are grain free and gluten free, but that doesn’t mean she skimps on the good stuff. She’s got bars, cookies and all sorts of sweets as well as many savory recipes that all look amazing. So if you are trying to practice a gluten free lifestyle, or just trying to practice healther eating habits then you should definitely take a look at Natural Noshing.

So, onto the smoothie! I love smoothies for so many reasons; they are tasty and full of flavor, healthy (most of the time!), and they are easy to throw together. They can also be comprised of whatever you have on hand, there’s really no “set” recipe you have to follow when making smoothies. They are a great way to pack fruits and veggies in your diet, and the best part is you can sip it on the go.

This smoothie is simple and delicious. This particular recipe is comprised of ingredients I keep on hand at all times, which is even better because it means no last-minute trips to the store! I always have at least one or two frozen bananas on hand; if they start to get too ripe and I don’t have the time to bake something with them then I’ll chunk them in the freezer until I have time to do something with them. Since this recipe calls for frozen cranberries and bananas that eliminates having to add ice, which makes for a smoother consistency. This smoothie is delicious and full of flavor. It’s slightly tart from the cranberries, but the tartness is quickly tamed by the banana, it also has a slight tang from the Greek yogurt; and all of these ingredients come together and marry to make one delicious smoothie. So the next time you’re hungry and having to run out the door, throw these ingredients in the blender and pulse a few times and you’ve got a delicious and healthy snack that’s perfect to enjoy on your way out the door!

Cran-Nana Smoothie

Ingredients:

1/3 Cup frozen cranberries
1 Large frozen banana
1/2 Cup Greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)
1/4 Cup milk

Directions:

Peel and slice banana. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into glass and serve.

Yields one serving.

Recipe source: adapted from Natural Noshing

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SRC: Granola Bars

January 28, 2013 by Lynsey 14 Comments

I am a huge fan of granola; it’s so easy to make and a great snack. It’s one of those things that travels well and can be tossed in a baggie, put in your purse and pulled out the moment hunger strikes. It’s easily customizable, and there are so many different options for add-ins. I’ve made granola a couple times now, and I honestly can’t get enough of it! Since I’ve had success with granola, I’ve been itching to make homemade granola bars but I just haven’t found the time to get around to it…until now.

For this month’s secret recipe club I was given Sally’s blog, Bewitching Kitchen. Sally is a biochemist who is originally from Brazil. She has traveled to and lived in Paris and California, but now calls Manhattan home. She is a biochemist by day and cook and baker by night. She is married and has 3 fur babies, all terriers, so she definitely has a full plate! I enjoyed reading through her blog, getting “to know” her a little better and looking at all the wonderful recipes she’s made. Bewitching Kitchen is home to many delicious recipes, some with Brazilian influence and some without but all delicious. From looking at her recipe index it seems to me that her specialty and love is bread. Sally has a plethora of bread recipes, and they all sound mouthwateringly amazing.

After scouring through all of her recipes I went back and forth between some of her many bread recipes, flourless chocolate cake, triple chocolate brownies, and these granola bars. What a wide array of options, right? HA! After much debating, I finally decided on the granola bars since I had been wanting to make some for quite a while. I’m so happy with my final choice, they were delicious and turned out exactly how I imagined.

The process of making homemade granola bars is incredibly simple. Like homemade granola, it is so easy to customize to suite you taste. Simply toast the oats, along with any nuts, and grains. Toss in a binding mixture, pat out and bake. It really is as simple as that. I know these probably aren’t the healthiest of granola bars, but I wanted something with chocolate so I drizzled them with both white and dark chocolate. These were slightly crisp around the edges, with the centers being perfectly chewy. They were sweet, tart with a caramel undertone. They were a hit with my husband, 3 year old son and everyone else that’s tried them. They will leave you wanting more, I promise!

Granola Bars

Ingredients:

2 Cups old-fashioned oats
3/4 Cup sliced almonds
1/4 Cup chopped pecans
1/2 Cup flax seeds
1 Cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 Cup brown sugar
2/3 Cup honey
1/4 Tsp cinnamon
1 Cup dried cranberries
1 1/2 Tbsp dark chocolate
1 1/2 Tbsp white chocolate

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Line a 8×12 pan with parchment paper, spray with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl combine oats, almonds, pecans, flax seeds, and coconut and stir to combine. Spread evenly on a baking sheet. Place in preheated oven and toast for 10 minutes, tossing periodically to prevent burning. Remove from oven and transfer back to bowl. Reduce oven temperature to 300.

Meanwhile, combine butter, brown sugar, honey and cinnamon in a medium sauce pan and place over low-medium heat. Once ingredients are melted, bring to a boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer for 1 minute.

Carefully pour the brown sugar mixture over the oat mixture and stir to combine. Add the dried cranberries and stir once more. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Using a sturdy spatula, spread the mixture evenly in the pan then press firmly to pack the mixture together.

Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely, about 2-3 hours.

Melt the dark and white chocolate, in separate bowls, and drizzle over the bars. Allow chocolate to set, then cut the bars. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe source: adapted from Ina Garten, via Bewitching Kitchen and Life and Kitchen

Homemade Marshmallows

November 19, 2012 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

By now, you know that I’m a fan of everything homemade. If there is a storebought version, I try to figure out how to make it successfully at home. In my humble opinion, everything made at home is about 1000 times better that the stuff from the store. Not that I don’t get help from time to time with the store bought stuff, because believe me, this busy girl can use help and time savers! But, I am saying that I do enjoy the homemade stuff better!

Enter these homemade marshmallows. Who doesn’t love a good marshmallow? I have memories throughout my childhood of stuffing marshmallows in my mouth as fast as I possibly could…because they were just so good. And yes, there was the occassional game of “fuzzy bunny”, you know the one where you stuffed a ton of marshmallows in your mouth, one by one, and tried to say fuzzy bunny and whoever had the most in their mouth and could still be understood was the winner? Yes, you know the one. That game, too, had a factor in my intake of marshmallows. And while those packaged marshmallows are good, I have something that’s even better! Homemade marshmallows! But I have a feeling you won’t want to play the fuzzy bunny game with these, you’ll want to savor every last morsel.

These marshmallows are delicious, puffy and fluffy. Everything you want in a marshmallow, right? Right! They really weren’t all that hard to make; just a few simple step, allow to chill then cut and enjoy. One thing I did have to do while making these was let go of my OCD, and the urge to get every. last. smidgen of marshmallow cream out of the bowl. I was warned by Deb of Smitten Kitchen through her own experience of making marshmallows and trying to get every bit of marshmallow out of the bowl. I did have a little laugh at her expense, the story was quite commical…but I do completely understand the frustration she had while making these the first time. So head on over, read her story and learn from her mistake before you make these. These are worth every moment of time…and possible frustration, they are that good. I had skeptics and yes, I brought them some of these marshmallows and immediately proved them wrong.

I can’t tell you how many goodies we enjoyed while we had these homemade marshmallows. But I think the thing I enjoyed the most was one of the most simple treats we had, s’mores. I’m a sucker for s’mores and I really didn’t think anything was better until I had a s’more with a homemade marshmallow. Man. Is it so good! I can’t wait to make these again and enjoy some more s’mores as well as many other treats. How good will these be in hot chocolate? I see these going in my Christmas goodie baskets!

Homemade Marshmallows

Ingredients:

1 Cup confectioner’s sugar, plus extra for dusting
3 1/2 Envelopes (2 Tbsp + 2 1/2 Tsp) unflavored gelatin
1 Cup cold water, divided
2 Cups granulated sugar
1/2 Cup light corn syrup
1/4 Tsp salt
2 Large egg whites
1 Tbsp vanilla*

Directions:

Spray the bottom and sides of a 9x13x2 with non-stick cooking spray then dust with confectioner’s sugar and set aside.

Pour 1/2 cup water in a bowl of a stand mixer then sprinkle with gelatin. Set aside and allow to soften.

Secure a candy thermometer to a 3 quart sauce pan and combine 1/2 cup water, sugar, salt and corn syrup and place over low heat. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon until sugar has dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved increase heat to medium and allow mixture to come to a boil. Boil the mixture, without stirring, until candy thermometer reads 240 F, about 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and carefully pour over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.

Secure bowl to stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat mixture on high until the mixture is white, thick and nearly trippled in volume, about 6 minutes. In a separate bowl, using a clean whisk attachment beat egg whites on high until stiff peaks form and hold. Add egg whites and vanilla into the sugar mixture and beat until just combined. Pour mixture into the prepared pan (don’t worry about getting all of the mixture from the bowl…it will result in a huge mess), spread mixture evenly into the pan. Sift 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar over evenly over the top of the marshmallows. Place in the refrigerator and chill at least 3 hours, or up to 1 day.

Once the marshmallows are set, remove from refrigerator and run a knife around the sides of the pan to loosen them up. Invert marshmallows into a cutting board. Dip a sharp knife into confectioner’s sugar, then cut marshmallows into 1-inch cubes. (I actually used a well oiled pizza cutter and it worked well) Sift the remaining confectioner’s sugar into the now empty pan, and roll all sides of the marshmallows in the sugar then shake off the excess. Store in an air tight container.

*Store in container for up to 1 week.

*Vanilla extract can be substituted for any desired flavor: scraped vanilla bean, almond, mint extract etc.

Recipe source: Smitten Kitchen originally from Gourmet, December 1998

Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes

November 9, 2012 by Lynsey 3 Comments

Donuts have become sort of a weekend ritual for us as of late. I enjoy the time we spend on Saturday mornings; sitting and hanging out with each other and enjoying some donuts while watching cartoons. It truly doesn’t get much better than that. Sometimes we’ll go to the donut shop, get an assortment of donuts, a couple of kolaches, and of course let Tucker pick out a few donuts of his own! Other times we decide to stay home and I’ll make up a batch of donuts and twists. Sometimes it’s all 3 of us in the kitchen, while other times Spencer sleeps in and Tucker and I will make a batch of donuts. I love that Tucker is so interested in being in the kitchen and helping out, I also love the time we have together and the memories we make! I know I will hold them dear to my heart forever.

A couple of pics I snapped real quick with my phone.

A few weekends ago was one of those weekends where we stayed in during the morning and made homemade donuts. Spencer was asleep, so when Tucker woke up we went in the kitchen and starting cooking! We planned to go to the pumpkin patch later that afternoon, so I thought it was only fitting that we make pumpkin donuts for breakfast. We not only made pumpkin donuts, but pumpkin donut holes too! There’s not a whole lot that’s more fun than donut holes; all the deliciousness of donuts in a perfectly portable bite size.

These donuts and donut holes encompassed everything fall. They are amazing straight out of the oven, sprinkled with a mix of cinnamon and sugar, but they are just as tasty room temperature for snack or even the following morning for breakfast! They are the perfect way to start out any day, especially a big day of playing at the pumpkin patch!

Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes

Ingredients:

1 3/4 Cup all-purpose flour
2 Tsp baking powder
1/2 Tsp salt
1 3/4 Tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 Cups sugar
1 Tsp vanilla
2 Large eggs
1/2 Cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 Cans (approximately 2-2 1/4cups) pumpkin puree

For the coating-
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2/3 Cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a mini muffin pan and a standard donut pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice and stir to combine. Set aside. In a large bowl combine pumpkin, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and sugar and beat until smooth. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined and smooth.

For the donuts-
Fill the donut pan 3/4 full, using a scant 1/4 cup of batter. Place in oven and bake 15-18 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove from pan, toss in cinnamon sugar mixture and place on cooling rack or eat.

For the donut holes-
Fill the mini muffin tins evenly, using about 1 1/4-1 1/2 tablespoons, and bake for 10-12 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool 2-3 minutes, until able to handle, then dip in butter and coat in cinnamon sugar mixture.

Recipe source: adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod and King Arthur Flour

Need more pumpkin-
Pumpkin doughnuts from Pinch my Salt
Baked pumpkin pecan donuts from Shutterbean
Pumpkin spice rolls from The Girl Who Ate Everything
Pumpkin donuts with buttermilk spiced glaze from Portugese Girl Cooks
Pumpkin cream cheese muffins from The Girl Who Ate Everything
2011Week of pumpkin from Lynsey Lou’s

SRC:Brown Sugar Granola

October 29, 2012 by Lynsey 13 Comments

For this month’s secret recipe club swap, I was assigned Finding Joy in My Kitchen. “SnoWhite” is a doctor by day and cook by night. She started cooking as a hobby during graduate school mainly as a way to maintain her food allergy and since then it’s turned into so much more. Her love of cooking started way before school; her mom and grandmothers all enjoyed cooking and were very good at what they did. They have played a roll in her joy of cooking and are an inspiration to her while in the kitchen.

After browsing through a multitude of recipes, I finally decided on this recipe for brown sugar granola. We’ve been on a granola kick lately and this seemed like it would be perfect for fall! Another reason I decided on granola, is because my little man ALWAYS wants a snack after school and I’ve been looking for more healthy alternatives to give him for the ride home. What’s better than granola? Plus, he loves it. It’s a win win; it’s healthy, tastes good and he enjoys it!

This granola is packed full of flavor and the brown sugar and cinnamon flavors truly do remind me of all the goodness of fall. Granola is perfect as a snack, but it’s also great in cereal, on yogurt, applesauce, pearsauce, ice cream and so on. There are so many things that you can do with granola, the options are endless, the only limit is your imagination! I love homemade granola because you get to control the ingredients and customize it to your tastes; the options and add-ins are endless!

Brown Sugar Granola

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 + 2 Tbsp brown sugar
3 Tbsp water
1/2 Tsp roasted Siagon cinnamon
2 Cups oats
3 Tbsp flax seeds
1 Cup pecans, roughly chopped
1 Cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Place butter, brown sugar, and water in a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Stir to dissolve sugar, once sugar has dissolved allow mixture to simmer for 2-3 minutes. Once the mixture has simmered remove from heat.

Meanwhile, place oats, flax seeds, and pecans in a bowl and stir to combine. Add the cinnamon and stir. Once the brown sugar and butter have simmered, pour over the oats and stir to coat completely.

Transfer granola to prepared baking sheet and spread evenly. Place in preheated oven and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, stir and return to oven for 5 more minutes. Turn oven off, remove granola and stir and return to oven. Allow granola to sit in cooling oven for an additional 20-30 minutes and stir every 5-8 minutes, ensuring it doesn’t get too brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Add raisins, stir and transfer to airtight containers.

Recipe source: adapted from Finding Joy inMy Kitchen

Back to the Basics:Quick Sweet and Spicy Pickles

August 15, 2012 by Lynsey 2 Comments

I am, and always have been an avid pickle lover. I remember being little and having my very own jar of pickles at my grandma’s house. I would carry the jar around her house and devour pickle after delicious pickle. I haven’t changed much over the years; I still whole heartedly enjoy pickles. Sweet. Sour. Dill. Even spicy, whatever type they are I am a fan. I’ve never met a pickle I didn’t like. I believe Tucker is following in my footsteps. He can spot a jar of pickles from across the room and immediately heads for them. He’s not partial either; it doesn’t matter what type of pickle, he just wants it! Spencer, on the other hand, can take pickles or leave them.

Well, let me correct myself. Spencer, could take them or leave them, until he had these. These, my friends, are the pickles that won Spencer over. He can still take or leave the store bought pickles, but anytime these pickles are around, he’s enjoying a hefty serving of them. These are the pickles that united our house!

We love these pickles for many reasons. They are sweet, with a hint of spice, slightly zesty and they have a little bit of tang. I am a huge fan of the sweet and spicy combination and these definitely present the heat then quickly cool down from the sweet. They are incredibly easy to make and require very little heating time. The vinegar, sugar, chile and various spices are brought to a light boil just long enough to allow the sugar and salt to dissolve. After the boiling process, the hot liquid is poured over the sliced cucumbers. The thick slices of sit in that sweet hot liquid and soak up all the goodness. These pickles differ slightly from more traditional recipes because they don’t require a long “resting” process; 20 minutes is all it takes. Of course, the longer they sit the more time they have to soak in all that wonderful flavor. So regardless if you’re looking for a quick pickle to serve in under an hour, or if you’re just looking for a pickle that isn’t super involved but still tastes amazing this is the pickle for you!

Quick Pickles

Ingredients:

2 Cups red wine vinegar
2 Cups water
1 1/2 Cups sugar
1/4 Cup Kosher salt
3/4 Tsp coriander seeds
1/2 Tsp celery seeds
1/2 Tsp whole, black peppercorns
2 Cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 Red Fresno chile pepper, cut in half length-wise
6 Kirby cucumbers (approximately 2 pounds)

Directions:

In a large saucepan combine red wine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, coriander seeds, celery seeds, peppercorns, garlic and the chile pepper and bring to a boil. Allow mixture to boil until the sugar and salt dissolves.

Meanwhile, slice the cucumbers 1/4 inch in thickness (I used a mandolin) and place in a large jar or heat safe bowl.

Once the vinegar mixture has come to a boil, and sugar and salt have dissolved, pour over the sliced cucumbers making sure all slices are completely submerged. Allow the pickles to sit in the liquid for appoximately 20 minutes, until room temperature. Drain the pickles, and reserve the pickling liquid. Serve pickles.

*If not serving the pickles immediately, place in a and seal and place in the refrigerator.

Recipe source: barely adapted from Kelsey Nixon of Kelsey’s Essentials

DB: Pepper Jack and Oregano Crackers

July 30, 2012 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Do you ever walk up and down the cracker isle at the store in awe of just exactly how many types and varieties of crackers there are? If that’s not enough to boggle your mind, then thinking about the process of what goes into making each one of those crackers will get you to thinking. To take it one step further, I then think about the ins and outs of each process and wonder if it’s possible to make such deliciously crispy crackers at home. Well, guess what? It’s very possible. And, the upside about making homemade crackers is they can be customized with the flavors that suite your tastes. From sweet to savory, they can all be done at home. Even better, it’s honestly not that diffucult and doesn’t require any special equipment!

I have always been curious about the process of making crackers, but actually never thought it was possible to make them at home. Then enters the daring bakers, with a variety of cracker recipes for us to choose from for this months challenge! I chose a savory cracker for this round, but I can’t wait to play around with different flavor combinations and different types of crackers. My world of homemade crackers is just beginning. I had a blast making these crackers and they were a hit with the whole family. They are crispy, butter and packed full of flavor. I truly enjoyed every moment of this challenge and can’t wait to try more cracker recipes in the near future!

Our July 2012 Daring Bakers’ Host was Dana McFarland and she challenged us to make homemade crackers! Dana showed us some techniques for making crackers and encouraged to use our creativity to make each cracker our own by using ingredients we love.

Pepper Jack and Oregano Crackers

Ingredients:

For the topping-

1/4 Tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tsp Kosher salt
1 Tsp sugar

For the crackers-
1 2/3 Cup all-purpose flour
2 1/4 Cups firmly packed grated pepper jack cheese
2 Tsp dried oregano
1/2 Tsp salt
1/2 Tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 Cup vegetable oil
1/2 Cup water

Directions:

For the topping-
Combine cayenne pepper, salt and sugar in small bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.

For the crackers-
Combine flour, grated cheese, oregano and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Slowly stream in the oil, and pulse to combine until the mixture comes together and resembles wet sand. Gradually stream in the water, until dough comes together and forms a ball.

Remove dough from food processor and evenly divide dough in half. Form a disk shape with each piece of dough, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

When ready to make the crackers-
Preheat oven to 325. Line baking sheet with silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.

Divide one disk of dough in half and place on a well floured surface. Roll the dough to 1/8 of an inch thickness.* Once the dough is rolled out to appropriate thickness cut into strips using a sharp knife or use cookie cutters to make desired size and shape crackers. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with topping mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden-brown. Repeat process with remaining dough.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Store in airtight container. These crackers are best if enjoyed within 3 days.

Recipe source: The American Culinary Institute. (2008). Garde Manger: The Art and Craft of the Cold Kitchen (3rd ed.) “Pepper Jack and Oregano Crackers”. John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Hoboken, NJ

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