Brown Rice Apple Slaw

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One of the things I learned about food blogging: it takes a lot of time.

I have been doing a terrible job in posting new things lately, but life doesn't always allow me to take my sweet moments with my blog.

My days pass in a blink of an eye. I'm running from one appointment to another, constantly looking at my cellphone to check the boys' schedules, drop them off, pick them up, then brief stops at the grocery store to prepare something quick for dinner.

Taking food pictures? That is not happening very often lately.

But I'm trying.

Taking my time to cook something new and tasty, posing the end results for nice pictures, and sitting in front of the computer to display them, for me, it's therapeutic.

So, kudos to all of food blogger moms out there, who seem to always manage to juggle it all. I don't know how you do it, but I envy you.

What I managed to prepare for dinner (well, side dish is more appropriate, but if you're counting calories, this works great as main dish, too), is brown rice apple slaw with almonds and crispy onion.

And without mayo-based dressing, it means you can enjoy this as much as you want.

Ingredients:

• 1 small onion
• Oil for frying onion
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 2 fuji apples, julienned
• 2 cups shredded red cabbage
• 1 cup microgreens (any kind you like)
• 1/4 cup sliced roasted almonds
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons honey

Directions:

• Peel and slice the onion thinly, fry in the hot oil until brown and crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Cool down completely. If you are not using it immediately, store in the airtight container.
• Combine olive oil, mustard, vinegar, and honey in a bowl. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.
• Mix rice, cabbage, apple, and microgreens in a large salad bowl. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss. Store in the refrigerator to chill. Sprinkle with almonds and crispy onion before serving.

Sufganiyot - Israeli Jelly Donuts

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One does not need to be Jewish, Israeli, or even celebrate Hanukkah to enjoy Sufganiyot. This Israeli version of jelly donuts is easy to make, light, fluffy, and most importantly, delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1 package (2 teaspoons) dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm milk, about 105-110 F
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups cooking oil
• 1 cup seedless strawberry/blueberry jelly
• Powdered sugar, for sprinkling

Directions:

• In a mixing bowl, combine warm milk, 2 teaspoons of sugar and yeast. Let stand for 5-10 minutes, until the mixture turns foamy. Add flour, salt, eggs, and the rest of the sugar into the bowl. Using your hands, mix the dough until well combined but still sticky to the touch. Add butter into the dough, continue kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic. Shape dough into a ball, transfer to a greased bowl, turn to coat. Cover the bowl with kitchen towel, store in a warm place in the kitchen and let rise until almost double in size. It should take about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Punch down and then roll out the dough using a rolling pin, until it reaches 1/2-inch in thickness. Cut out holes using 3-inch biscuit/cookie cutter, place rounds on a line cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. You should be able to get about 24 rounds. Cover the cookie sheet with kitchen towel, and let rise for another hour.
• Place the oil in a frying skillet. Heat over medium heat until the temperature reaches 350 F. Fry 2-3 rounds in hot oil, about 1 minute each side, until golden brown. Transfer donuts to a cookie sheet lined with paper towel to absorb excess grease. Repeat the process with the remaining rounds.
• Place the jelly in a piping bag with 1/4-inch round tip. Poke a hole in the center of the donut using a sharp knife, squeeze the jelly into the donut through the hole. Repeat with the remaining donuts. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Fennel Citrus Salad with Honey Mint Dressing

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Fennel and citrus salad with honey mint dressing.

To me, it's such a great respite from whatever not-so-healthy food I've been consuming lately.

Let's face the fact, I have not paid much attention to my diet. I let things slide from time to time, and indulged in greasy, or sweet goodness more than I care to admit.

And then there was yesterday. An event where little C graduated from Cub Scout and is moving on to Boy Scout, the Blue and Gold dinner.

Where the dinner menu included fried chicken and pulled pork sliders, some pasta and salad. And also the whole array of dessert on the table. I hit my new low. I was no longer holding on for dear life to a healthy wagon, I fell off of it and landed in a fatty puddle. 

My body just can't cope with it anymore. What the heck was I thinking?

The next day I became sluggish. I spent the majority of my day laying down on the coach, soaking in self-loathe. The house was a total mess, but I didn't care.

I dragged myself to get up and tried to do my best to (at least) look alive. I was really forcing myself to take a shower and get dressed.

But I managed to peered into my refrigerator and found 2 fennel bulbs. I also had 2 oranges. And some mint leaves. It took me 5 minutes to make the salad, and that was what I needed.

That. Was. Exactly. What. I. Needed. 

Life, invigorated!

Maybe I will make more of this and it will be my meals for the next 2 days.

Ingredients:

• 2 fennel bulbs, cut vertically in half, then slice thinly
• 2 navel oranges (or use any kind of sweet citrus you want), peeled and sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped pistachio 

Directions:

• Whisk mint, ginger, honey, and lime in a bowl until well combined. 
• Arrange fennel and orange slices in a salad bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Toss to coat.
• Divide salad into individual plates. Sprinkle with chopped pistachio before serving.

Serves 4 - 6

Chocolate on Chocolate Raspberry Tartlets (Gluten-Free)

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So finally, after about a week of raining, today the sun came up and shone brightly for a good part of the day. 

The ground is still wet and muddy, and the streets are still littered with fallen tree branches and dried leaves, but the smell of cool clean air is wonderful. It's so fresh and intoxicating, I just can't get enough of it.

This is the kind of day that sparks some creativity in me. A tub of organic raspberries stared at me in the kitchen, waiting to be transformed into something good and a bar of semi-sweet chocolate said, "Me too!"

At the same time, I was craving for something sweet and indulgent. A break from our savory soup days.

Come on mini pie pans, rolling pin, and pastry bag! Let's get busy and make delicious things happen!

Ingredients for the tart shell:

• 3 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour*
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2-4 tablespoons cold milk (if needed)

Ingredients for chocolate custard:

• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 tablespoons corn starch
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 cup fresh raspberries
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions:

• To make the shell: Pulse flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Scatter butter pieces in the bowl of food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about the size of  a pea. Add egg into the mixture, continue processing until the dough comes together. Add milk if necessary. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap with plastic and refrigerate for about 30 minutes before using.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a large disk with 1/8-inch in thickness. Use a large round cookie cutter, or a sharp knife to cut a circle about 1/2-1 inch larger than the diameter of your mini tartlet pan. Press the dough firmly and evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Cut the excess dough from the top sides of the pan using a sharp knife. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and tartlet pans. Usually you can get about 20-24 mini tartlets from one batch. Using the tines of a fork, poke some holes on the bottom of the tartlets. Freeze the dough for about 30 minutes before baking.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake tartlet shells in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely, remove shells from the pans. Set aside.
• To make the chocolate custard: In a medium saucepan, bring milk and vanilla into a boil. Turn off the heat and cool down slightly, about 10-15 minutes. 
• In a mixing bowl, beat egg yolks, sugar, salt, and corn starch until creamy. Gradually stir in warm milk into egg mixture and continue beating until well incorporated. Return milk and egg mixture into the saucepan. Cook mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens. Add chocolate pieces, continue whisking until the chocolate melted completely. Remove saucepan from the heat, add butter and mix to blend.
• Transfer custard to a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure that the wrap sits directly on the surface of the custard. This will prevent 'the skin' to form. Chill in the refrigerator. 
• When ready to serve, fill each tartlet shell with chocolate custard. Arrange fresh raspberries over the custard and sprinkle some powdered sugar on top.

* For non gluten-free version, simply substitute with regular all-purpose flour

Makes 20-24 mini tartlets

Green Papaya Salad (Som Tam) with Grilled Squid and Shrimp

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So we've been cooking quite a bit of chicken dishes lately, as shown in the last 5 or 6 entries of this blog. Time to move on to something different.

Green papaya salad, as you would suspect, is healthy, light, and refreshing. Add squid and shrimp to the salad, and you got yourself a complete lunch you won't feel guilty about.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups shredded/julienned green papaya*
• 1 medium carrot, shredded/julienned
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1-5 red Thai chiles (depending on how spicy you want your salad to be)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus 1 tablespoons for squid and shrimp
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (Nam Pla)
• 2 tablespoons palm sugar (use brown sugar for substitute)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 3 tablespoons fried onions
• 3 tablespoons cracked peanuts
• 10 medium sized shrimp, shelled, tail still intact
• 10 pieces of squid, cleaned
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• Place shrimp on 2 skewers, and squid on another 2 skewers. Mix olive oil with 1 tablespoon lime juice and brush over squid and shrimp. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until done (squid will cook very quick, do not over cook), cool down. Remove seafood from skewers. Set aside.
• Place green papaya, carrot, and tomatoes in a large salad bowl. Using a mortar, crush red chile peppers and garlic into a paste. Add lime juice, sugar, fish sauce, and whisk together until combined. Pour the dressing over salad, toss together to combine. 
• Separate salad into individual plates. Sprinkle with cilantro, basil, fried onions, and cracked peanuts. Serve with grilled squid and shrimp.

* I found that the best method to do this is by using a mandolin (which frankly, I both love and hate!). Large cheese grater doesn't produce the beautiful noodle-like look I was aiming for. If your mandolin doesn't have small julienne attachment, simply slice your papaya thinly and proceed to julienne using a sharp knife. It takes time but it's worth the effort.

Make sure you wear hand protection (thick glove, etc) when operating mandolin. This bugger is the most dangerous kitchen item I own. Lost skin on my knuckles many times, no thanks to it!

Serve 4 as main dish

Kiwi Strawberry Tart with Cream Cheese Custard Filling

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Not until I was done baking and in the middle of taking picture that I realized that this tart looks very Christmasy, with red and green beautifully scattered over the top.

I might want to bake another one on Christmas day for dessert.

Ingredients:

For the tart shell:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• 1 large egg
• 2-3 tablespoon cold milk

For the filling:

• 1 pack (8-ounces) cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• vanilla bean
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 6 yolks from large eggs
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoon brandy (optional)
• 5 kiwi, peeled and sliced
• 2 cup sliced strawberries

Directions:

• To make the shell: In a put processor pulse together sugar, salt and flour. Add butter cubes and continue pulsing until the the mixture resembles cornmeal. Add egg into the food processor, pulse for about 5 to 10 seconds more until the mixture forms clumps and lumps, add some milk if the mixture is too dry. Take the dough out of the food processor, knead lightly to make sure that all of the ingredients are well incorporated. Form the dough into a ball, wrap with plastic and store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before using.
• Preheat the oven to 375 F. Butter a 9-inch tart pan and set aside. Roll out the dough on a floured parchment paper into a 12-inch round. Using the paper as aid, transfer the dough onto the pan, peel off the paper, and use your fingers to make sure that the dough adheres very well to the pan. Trim the edges and pierce the dough with fork all over. Place the shell on the center shelf of the oven, and bake until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool down completely.
• To make the custard: Place milk in a medium saucepan. Slit the vanilla bean lengthwise using a sharp knife, and scrape off the seeds into the milk. Heat the milk over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Turn off the stove and let it sit to steep, about 10 minutes.
• In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch and egg yolks until creamy. Add hot milk gradually into the egg mixture, continue whisking until all of the ingredients are well mixed. Return the mixture into the saucepan, cook over medium-low heat while whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and bubbly. Strain the mixture using fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Let it rest to bring the temperature down to room temperature. 
• Add brandy, if desired, whisk to combine. Fill the tart shell with the custard, use rubber spatula to distribute the custard evenly. Refrigerate the tart for at least a couple of hours to chill the custard completely.
• Arrange sliced kiwi and strawberry on top of the tart before serving. Serve chilled.

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Persimmon Cookies

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I don't have Hachiya persimmon tree in my yard, but one of my neighbors does. Every year, around this time, that tree produces tons of fruits. So many of them, it looks like a big giant flaming orange blob from the distance.

And the owner(s) of the tree, I imagine, are getting really tired of persimmons, so they filled a big card board box with persimmons and placed the box outside of their house, right on the driveway, free for anybody who wants them.

And then there was me.

Who certainly can't pass on the opportunity to bake some persimmon bread and cookies. So I took about 8 persimmons, kept them for about a week until they're ripe and ready to use.

Now I have cookies. Lots of yummy cookies.

Ingredients:

• Pulp from 2 medium Hachiya persimmons (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped pistachio

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Mix flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Sift all of the dry ingredients and set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add persimmon pulp and egg, mix until well blended.
• Add dry ingredients into the mixing bowl and mix. Fold dried cranberries and pistachio into the batter. 
• Drop a tablespoon of batter onto a greased cookie sheet, place them about 2-inches apart from each other. Bake in the oven for about 12-15 minutes. Remove from the cookie sheet and transfer to wire rack to cool down. Store in airtight container if not consumed immediately.

Recipe is adapted from White on Rice Couple's lovely persimmon cookie recipe.

Banana Chocolate Eggrolls

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Ingredients:

• 24 eggroll wrappers
• 6 ripe bananas, cut into halves, then quarter each half, so you get 8 pieces per banana
• 1 cup chocolate spread or warm melted chocolate
• Oil for frying
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, for dusting
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, for dusting

Directions:

• In a small bowl mix powdered sugar and cinnamon until well blended, set aside.
• Lay one sheet of egg roll wrapper, and spread about a teaspoon of chocolate about 2 inches from one corner of the wrapper.

• Place 2 pieces of banana on top of chocolate

• Fold the corner over the banana and start rolling until it reaches the middle. Tuck in left and right corners and continue rolling.

• Brush the last corner with some water and seal the egg rolls. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients.

• Heat the oil to 350 degrees F. Fry egg rolls a few at the time to prevent overcrowding. Transfer to paper towel to drain. Dust with powdered sugar and cinnamon before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired

Strawberry Cherry Fruit Leather

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So now here I am, forcing myself to sit down in front of the computer and start typing.

I know I have not been diligent in keeping up with my recipe blog lately. But hey, all I can say is that the last few weeks before school ends were borderline crazy.

Big C was immersing himself in track and field program at school for almost 3 months, that involved daily practice after school, and track meets in various locations near and far. 

That being said, 14-year-old boy can't (legally) drive himself to and from practices and meets, plus the other 14-year-old team mates also need transportation from time to time, leaving me with lots of driving and carpooling. 

And many hours of sitting around on the bleacher, obliviously roasting myself in hot pre-summer Bay Area sun, cheering and 'whoo-hoo''-ing appropriately when necessary.

He did wonderfully well, though. Having done very well in 100 meters and high jump. This mom could not be more proud!

Little C had memorable 3-day camping trip with his class, in which I decided to go along with.

We went to Malakoff Diggins State Park, did gold panning (we got zilch!), hiked many miles, learned a lot of California gold rush history, and did all kinds of camping stuff.

While the trip was fun, I was so glad to come home and sleep on my bed again. After all this years, flimsy air mattress and I don't like each other very much, still.

So, those busy days are over, for now.

Last day of school was happening last Friday.

Today, the boys and the dog have already been complaining about boredom, after only 3 days off school. And I'm thinking that I can't wait until their summer camps start.

For the time being, I will enjoy my free time this week. I'll even try to cook, photograph and post new recipes, because next week the word 'busy' will come back into my vocabulary.

Strawberry Cherry Fruit Leather

Ingredients:

Almost any kind of fruit can be used to make fruit leather, but for this particular one, I used strawberries and cherries.

• 1/2 pound strawberries, hulled
• 1/2 pound cherries, pitted
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar (depending on the sweetness of the fruit)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

• Quarter strawberries, place in the food processor together with pitted cherries, and pulse until a smooth puree forms. This should yield about 2 cups of puree. Transfer fruit puree to a Dutch pan, add sugar and lemon juice.
• Cook fruit puree over medium heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring often, until the puree thickens.
• Pre-heat oven to 140 degree F or use dehydrate feature if your oven support it. 
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat, spray with cooking spray. Divide fruit puree into 2 baking sheets, spread evenly to form rectangle using rubber spatula. 
• Place the baking sheets in the oven, leave the door slightly open to let the moisture out. Dehydrate the puree in the oven for 5-8 hours, until the surface is no longer sticky. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Cut into 2 inch strips and roll them up (you can use wax paper to roll them up, if you choose to). Store in airtight container for up to one week.

Pics below are from Malakoff Diggins trip.

Slow Cooked Jerk Pork with Mango Blueberry Salsa

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Flavor fiesta in the mouth!

Fresh ingredients, simple preparation, and maximum flavors. Do I need to say more?
For lower carb option, serve with cooked hull-less barley instead of rice.
Leftover pork can also be made into pulled pork sliders, if you choose to.

Ingredients for Jerk Pork:

• 1 boneless pork loin (about 5-6 pounds)
• 5 green onions, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 scotch bonnet peppers
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 5 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt

Directions:

• Cut the pork into 3 equal sections. Place inside a slow cooker.
• Put the rest of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it forms a marinating sauce. Pour the sauce over the pork. Secure the lid on the slow cooker, cook on high heat setting for about 4-5 hours (8-10 hours on low heat setting), or until the pork is tender. Remove the pork from slow cooker, use 2 forks to pull pork into shreds. Return shredded pork into the slow cooker and mix with the juice.
• Serve with rice and mango blueberry salsa.

Ingredients for Mango Blueberry Salsa:

• 2 ripe mangoes, diced
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 Jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large glass bowl, mix all of the ingredients until well blended. Store in the refrigerator before serving.

The recipe for Jerk Pork was adapted from Caribbean Pot Website

Jicama and Grapefruit Salad

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Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• Salt and pepper 
• 2 cup shredded red cabbage
• 1 cup shredded jicama
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 3 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
• Segments from 2 large grapefruits
• 1/4 cup candied walnuts, chopped

Directions:

• In a medium glass bowl, mix together the first 4 ingredients to make the dressing. Set aside.
• In a large salad bowl, combine cabbage, carrots, jicama and mint leaves. Add the dressing and toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to individual salad plates, top with grapefruit segments and chopped candied walnuts.

Pineapple Coconut Bread

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Delicious and incredibly moist (thanks to sour cream), crunchy topping makes this sweet and (slightly) tart bread a perfect snack anytime.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sweetened grated coconut
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks in juice, drain well

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread grated coconut on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, stirring occasionally, 6 to 10 minutes; set aside. Butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch (8 cups) loaf pan; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.
• Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at the time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low, and alternately add flour mixture in three parts and sour cream in two, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix just until combined (do not over mix).
• Using a rubber spatula, fold pineapple chunks and 1 cup of coconut into batter. Spoon into prepare pan and smooth top; sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of coconut. Bake until toothpick inserted int he center comes out clean, 65 to 70 minutes (cover pan with foil halfway through). Let bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart's website

Cinnamon Sugar Apple Chips

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Ingredients:

• 2 large Red/Golden Delicious apples
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon until well blended. Using a mandolin, slice the apples to 1/8 inch thickness. 
• Lay apple sliced side by side on the parchment paper, in a single layer. Sprinkle apple slices with cinnamon sugar. Bake in the oven for 1 hour, then take out the baking sheets and flip over the apple slices. Bake for another 1 hour, then turn off the oven. Leave the baking sheets in the oven until the chips cool completely (I like to leave them in the oven overnight). Remove from baking sheet and enjoy. Or store in an airtight container for later consumption.

Breakfast Granola Muffins

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup granola
• 1/2 cup low-fat milk
• 1 cup golden raisin
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, or plain low-fat yogurt
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F with a rack in the middle. Oil 12 muffin cups. Combine granola and milk in a bowl and let sit for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cover the raisin with hot water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain and soak with paper towels.
• Sift together whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• In medium bowl, beat together the eggs, honey, buttermilk or yogurt, canola oil and vanilla. Quickly whisk in the flour, then fold in the granola and raisins. Combine well.
• Spoon into muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool in the tins for about 10 minutes, then un-mold and cool on the rack

Makes 12 regular size muffins.

Recipe is taken from New York Times, published 12/07/2009

Pear, Caramelized Onion, and Feta Flatbread

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Ingredients for flatbread:

• 1 1/4 cup warm water (105-110 degrees F)
• 1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 1/2 cups bread flour
• cornmeal for dusting

Ingredients for toppings:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 large pears, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 4 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

• Whisk the warm water, sugar and yeast together in a bowl. Let stand in a warm place for about 10 minutes, or until the yeast is foamy.
• Combine the flour and salt in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook and mix well. Add the yeast mixture and oil, mix well. Continue to mix, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer dough to a floured surface and give it a few turns by hand to finish kneading it. Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl, tuning to coat. Cover with kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet. Add sliced onion and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar, mix well with the onion. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is caramelized. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Add sliced pears onto the same skillet and cook until they are tender. Remove from heat.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Punch down the dough and transfer it to a floured surface. Stretch dough into 2 rectangles, as thin as possible. Sprinkle cornmeal onto baking sheet (or pizza stone) and place stretched dough on the sheet. Brush the dough with the remaining olive oil, spread the onions, followed by sliced pears. Spread feta cheese over the flatbread, and sprinkle with chopped rosemary. Bake flatbread in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until the crust turns golden brown. Remove from the oven and slice into sections. Serve warm.