I’ve been making homemade granola for Douglas for a few weeks now, and it’s been a hit or miss experience. The first batch was incredibly delicious, so I thought I had it down pat. NOT! I overcooked the second batch (easier than you might think) and the third batch just didn’t have the flavor I was looking for. There was something missing from these batches that just didn’t add up.

The answer, of course, was right in front of my face. Although my first batch had turned out super delicious, I hadn’t included coconut because my husband claims not to like it. Like any sneaky but self-respecting wife, I decided I was going to add the coconut into my next batch to see if my husband even noticed—it’s a granola recipe staple, after all.

Low and behold, my granola finally came out just the way I wanted it to: crunchy from the golden oats, chewy from the craisins, wonderfully sweet from the coconut, brown sugar and Lyle’s Golden Syrup (one of my favorite secret ingredients, buy it on Amazon or at your favorite specialty market), and nutty from a combination of my favorite nuts: almonds, pecans, and cashews. My husband didn’t event notice the coconut in the granola—it melts into the oats, adding a much-needed healthy fat and a burst of sweetness.

Making your own granola is so much cheaper than buying it at the store (and it’s super easy), and I really think it’s much more delicious. You can use easily swap out fats and flavorings to change up the recipe, or add healthy stuff like flax seed to up the nutritional value. Really, the possibilities are endless, so go ahead, make your own granola!

Homemade Granola

Recipe adapted from Alton Brown. You can find Lyle’s Golden Syrup online at Amazon.com or at specialty food stores. You can substitute maple syrup for golden syrup if you like. Here’s a printable PDF of this recipe.

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup cashews or other nuts
¾ cup shredded sweet coconut
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Lyle’s Golden Syrup or maple syrup
¼ cup melted butter or vegetable oil
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins, Craisins, or other dried fruit

Directions

Preheat oven to 250˚F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.

Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add raisins and mix until evenly distributed. Let cool completely before storing in jars or a plastic bag.

And, because I’m an insane person, I’m also serving food at Japp’s on Friday night for Final Friday! We’ve got three kinds of tacos for sale and homemade coconut macaroons dipped in bittersweet chocolate, yum! It was awesome to see The Delish Dish logo in print for the first time! Check out the poster for this week’s event:

And here’s our fabulous menu for the week. Please stop by and say hi! I’d love to see your smiling faces!! Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone!

]]> http://kitchenbitchblog.com/2012/05/24/this-week-at-japps-taco-night-back-by-popular-demand/feed/ 0 thekitchenbitch Pickles Final Friday Poster Taco Night Poster 5.12 http://kitchenbitchblog.com/2012/05/16/this-week-at-japps-pulled-buffalo-chicken-sammies/ http://kitchenbitchblog.com/2012/05/16/this-week-at-japps-pulled-buffalo-chicken-sammies/#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 12:50:42 +0000 thekitchenbitch http://kitchenbitchblog.com/?p=3653 ]]>

My husband Doug and I will be selling my bar-friendly creations as The Delish Dish this Friday, May 18th, at Japp’s on Main Street in downtown Cincinnati from about 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. And, in tribute to all my gluten-free friends and family, almost all the dishes can be ordered gluten free! Yay!

Come to eat, chat, and mingle!

As my career progresses, I’m really beginning to understand the power of vinegar in cooking. It adds much needed acid to stews, sauces, soups and dressings, and it comes in wild variety of flavor profiles. For the most part I always stuck with white distilled vinegar, red wine vinegar, and apple cider vinegar, but I’m realizing there’s a whole world of vinegar flavors out there—many of which I can make at home!

I’ve always been a huge fan Marisa McClellen’s blog Food in Jars, and she recently re-posted one of her old recipes for Chive Blossom Vinegar. I immediately thought of my mom’s herb garden and the three giant chive plants that protect its borders. I forwarded the post to my mom, and low and behold she had a ton of chive blossoms for me to make this vinegar. Thanks Ma!

Like Marisa explains, this isn’t really much of a recipe as it is instructions, and the little photo collage above pretty much explains it all. You can use the resulting vinegar in place of the vinegar called for in any recipe you come across, but I suggest using it in salad dressings and other raw cooking preparations. I would put it in my vinaigrette for my everyday spinach salad and in the vinaigrette for my potato and pasta salads (instead of a mayo dressing, use a vinaigrette, light and tasty!). It will  add a nice mild onion-like tang to any dish you add it to! Here’s the step-by-step directions:

DIY Chive Blossom Vinegar

1. Gather chives with blossoms. Put them in water until ready to use.

2. Remove blossoms from chive stem. Soak in cold water for several minutes to remove any debris or critters.

3. Move the blossoms to a salad spinner or pat dry.

4. Pack the blossoms about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way up whatever size clean canning jar you’d like to use.

5. Pour in vinegar to cover the blossoms, seal with the lid, and move to a cool, dark place for 2 weeks.

6. After two weeks, strain the vinegar, and move to a clean container. Store in a cool dark place.

I’ve been really digging marinades lately. They’re so easy to prepare (Mix all the ingredients together. Add meat. Wait.) and, with a little planning, you can have all the work done the night before so you just have to throw the meat on the grill when you’re ready to eat the next evening. Score!

I made a chicken kabob marinade similar to this one a few weeks back at a 50-person party I catered, and it was such a huge hit that I thought I’d recreate the flavors here for you. Let me tell you, juicing citrus for four is so much easier than juicing it 50. That’s task I wouldn’t wish on many, but having my super-awesome new citrus juicer attachment for my stand mixer made it a whole lot easier.

Lucky for you, this tasty marinade doesn’t need a whole lot of citrus juice when you’re only serving 4 to 6, and you can use whatever kind of citrus you have lying around the fridge: orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit. You name it, you can use it. Add a few sprigs of minced rosemary and some olive oil, and you can walk away from this marinade and call it a day.

One Year Ago: Vegetarian Delight: Spring Spinach & Mushroom Lasagna

Two Years Ago: Emerald Isle: One of the Seven New Natural Wonders of the World

Grilled Rosemary-Citrus Chicken Thighs

You can use bone-in or boneless chicken thighs for this recipe, or use any other cut of chicken you desire. This recipe serves 4 to 6, depending on how large your chicken thighs are. Click here to download a printable copy of this recipe.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons citrus zest, from 3 to 4 citrus fruits
½ cup citrus juice, from 4 to 6 citrus fruits
¼ cup olive oil
1½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2.5 pounds chicken thighs, skin removed

 
Put all marinade ingredients besides chicken in a zip-top bag. Shake well to combine. Add chicken, making sure it’s fully covered in the marinade. Refrigerate in a bowl on the counter for 1-2 hours, or in the fridge for up to overnight. Remove from the fridge 1 hour before you plan to grill to bring the chicken to room temperature.

Preheat the grill to medium-high. Grill the chicken, turning occasionally, until it reaches an internal temperature of 160˚F in the thickest part of the thigh, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove to a plate, let rest 5 minutes, and then serve, garnished with lemon or lime wedges, if desired.

As a lover and promoter of all things Indian (remember this Chicken Saag with crispy onions and this Chicken Tikka Masala? Holy yum!), I’m often looking for interesting new Indian preparations to try. Lucky for me, I got to spend a week with my adorable sister Annie in Washington D.C., and she knows all the best restaurants in town, including the most tasty Indian spots. With some finagling we got a small table in the lounge area of Rasika‘a Penn Quarter location and I was happy as a clam. Score!

My eyes passed over Chicken Green Masala with mint, coriander, and toasted spices on the menu, and my belly and I knew what we were having for dinner. I’m not always a big fan of mint, but I figured the Indian preparation would be a combination of sweet mint, spicy cilantro, and fiery chiles, so the mint wasn’t going to overpower the other ingredients. I’m not always the best menu item chooser (sounds weird, but it’s true, ask Doug), but this time I hit it out of the ballpark!

The Chicken Green Masala was fresh and bright, but still spicy and full-flavored. The tender dark meat of the chicken thighs helps to rein in the powerful sauce, adding some necessary meatiness and cooling the herbalicious heat. I. LOVED. IT. (In a way, this is like the Indian version of Green-as-Spring Veal Stew).

So, when my friend Raeshum and I were trying to decide what to cook for our men during Doug and I’s stay in Chicago, I knew we had to try making this Indian dish together. It’s awesome cooking Indian food with a lovely Indian lady, and between the two of us we’re pretty good at fixing up dishes to our liking. We found a recipe on Food and Wine‘s website and tweaked it to our liking, which meant doubling the spices and subbing in chicken stock for water to add more flavor to the sauce. The result was incredibly delicious and fairly easy, which makes this a great dinner for a weeknight or for company.

If you like Indian food and are looking to explore new flavors, this Chicken Green Masala should be next up on your t0-make list.

One Year Ago: Almond-Poppy Seed Muffins for Mom

Two Years Ago: A Man Meal Mother’s Day (Quiche Lorraine and Cranberry-Spinach Salad)

Chicken Green Masala

This recipe is adapted from Vikram Sunderam. You can substitute unsweetened light coconut milk for full-fat unsweetened coconut milk, if desired. Serves 4 to 6. Click here to download a printable PDF copy of this recipe. 

Ingredients
2 cups cilantro leaves
1 cup mint leaves
1 jalapeño, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup water or chicken stock
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 onion, finely chopped
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (1¾ pounds), cut into 1-inch pieces
3 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
Kosher salt
Basmati rice, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. Make the sauce. In a blender, combine the cilantro, mint, jalapeño, garlic, lemon juice and water (or chicken stock) and puree until smooth.

2. Brown the chicken. In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil. Add the chicken, season it with salt, pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden in spots, about 7 minutes. Set the chicken aside on a plate.

3. Finish the sauce. Add the onion and turmeric and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the cinnamon, cardamom and cloves and cook for 1 minute. Add the cilantro puree and coconut milk, season with salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, add the chicken, and simmer over low heat until the sauce is slightly reduced and the chicken is tender, about 15 minutes. Serve with basmati rice.

Good morning dear readers! This warm weather has me pumped up for summer days in the garden and summer nights by the grill, and I can’t help but smile when I see lovely stacks of fresh berries popping up at markets around the city. Obviously these aren’t the same plump and juicy berries we’ll be buying from farmer’s markets in a month, but sometimes I just like to play make believe, you know?

And all the big-box retailers know that I’m not the only one pretending summer is here, and they’re stocking their shelves with piles and piles of fresh fruit for eager customers with their eyes (and stomachs) already on summer. For instance, Sam’s Club has giant boxes of mangoes and strawberries littering their aisles, and I walked away with a giant box of each late last week—and I’m still trying to use them all! I’ve made two kinds of jam (Strawberry-Mango and Strawberry-Rhubarb) and two kinds of ice cream (Roasted Strawberry & Buttermilk Ice Cream and Mango Sorbet), and I still have fruit to spare.

While I can, of course, think of much worse problems to have, I actually had a similar problem last week after a catering event. I had several boxes of raspberries leftover and nothing to do with them. When I received a trifle dish as a gift the weekend before at my belated bridal shower , and I knew I had to put the thing to good use. Although it turned out I didn’t have enough fruit to make a large trifle, I made several small ones for the weeknight guests I was having (Oh yeah, here’s a shot from my bridal shower. Thanks so much Aunt Margie and Michelle and Meredith! I was so happy to finally get to wear my short wedding dress.)

I decided to go with a very well-rated Raspberry & Sherry Trifle recipe from Paula Deen. I didn’t add sherry to a box mix like she suggested. Instead, I purchased a store-bought angel food cake and used that in between my trifle layers. Perfect and easy! I love this dessert because you can make individual portions and you can make it ahead of time—both big bonuses in my book.

And if you don’t know if you like sherry, this dessert will definitely change your mind. Sherry is a fortified wine (brandy is added to it after fermentation) made in Jerez, Spain. It ranges from very dry to very sweet, depending on what’s added to it. It adds incredible depth to the custard, and this dessert wouldn’t be quite the same without it.

One Year Ago: Man Meals: Greek Pasta Bowl with Roasted Tomatoes

Two Years Ago: Artichoking on Mother’s Day  and A Man Meal Mother’s Day

Raspberry & Sherry Trifle

Adapted from Paula Deen. Serves 12. You can easily halve this recipe to make 6 individual servings. Click here to download a printable copy of this recipe.

1 store-bought angel food cake or pound cake
1 cup dry sherry
7 egg yolks
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 cups whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
3 (12-ounce) packages frozen sweetened raspberries, thawed
Whipped cream, for garnish, optional
Fresh raspberries, for garnish, optional
Mint leaves, for garnish, optional
 

Make the custard. Cut the cake into large chunks, about 1½ inches wide. Place the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and sherry into the top of a double boiler. Whisk until completely combined. Place the top pan over simmering water (do not let water touch the bottom of the top pan). With a wooden spoon, stir over medium heat for about 8 minutes, until the custard is quite thick, about the consistency of mayonnaise. Let cool.

Whip the cream with the confectioners’ sugar. Take half of the whipped cream and add it to the cooled custard, stirring well.

To assemble: In the bottom of a trifle bowl or a 13 by 9-inch disposable aluminum foil pan, layer 1/3 of the cake cubes, 1/3 of the raspberries, and 1/3 of the custard. Continue layering, ending with custard. Take the remaining whipped cream and completely cover the top of the custard. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Serve with additional whipped cream, fresh raspberries and a sprig of mint, if desired.

Wow, my friends. I’ve had quite possibly the craziest month of my life, which is in itself a incredible thing to say since I’ve had some very crazy times, but in terms of work I’ve never quite worked like this before. It looks like the six-day work week is here to stay (at least in my life), and I’m really trying to get accustomed to working longer days and longer weeks in order to get Delish Dish Gourmet Chef Services off the ground.

And this little business of mine is picking up way faster than I ever imagined: I’m booked for almost every weekend in May already! I’m doing a bridal shower, a Cinco de Mayo/Derby Day burrito party, a 50-person rehearsal dinner of sorts and, of course, Final Fridays at Japp’s Since 1879 (who’s website will be up and running shortly I’m told)!

I’m so grateful and amazed at how many people have asked me to cook for them since I launched the business. If things keep on the up and up, I’ll be a full-time chef in no time! (YES!!) And let me tell you, I’m really looking forward to quitting my day job—or at least one of them! Working four jobs has been a juggling act, but that’s what Libras do best I’m told

But really, we all know you’re here for the food, and this dish is a doozy! I’ve had Dorie’s recipe for Green-as-Spring Veal Stew bookmarked for quite some time now, and when I came across Mark Bitman’s even more simple version, I knew I had to combine the two recipes to make my own version. With all the changes I’ve made this recipe is most definitely mine, but I have to thanks Dorie and Mark Bitman for their guiding hand with this one.

This dish really does scream “SPRING!!!” The vibrant green sauce is incredibly fresh, and every bite packs a wallop of herby awesomeness  (yes, that is a technical term) with a touch of sweetness from the peas.

As you know, I absolutely love veal (remember this post?), but veal stew meat can be hard to come by, at least here in Cincy. I simply called Eckerlin Meats in Findlay Market and asked them to set some aside for me to pick up later in the week. Score! If you don’t want to bother looking for veal stew meat, I suggest using chicken thighs. However, I wouldn’t add them to the simmering broth until after about an hour of cooking time, that way the chicken only simmers with the broth for about 25-30 minutes.

I decided to serve this dish over homey egg noodles, but you could serve it over rice or by itself as a simple stew. As always, the beauty of cooking is that you can make each dish yours.

OH WOW! I forgot to mention: The two-year anniversary of The Kitchen Bitch Blog came and went! Here’s what I was up to 2 years, long before culinary school and Delish Dish Gourmet Chef Services!

One Year Ago: Mushroom and Tofu Gratin + the Jam Giveaway Winner
Two Years Ago: Move Over Frozen Food Aisle! and Man Meals: Stop Your Bitchin’, Get into the Kitchen

Green-As-Spring Veal Stew

This recipe is a combination of two recipes: one that appears in Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table, and this one, which appeared in Mark Bitman’s Minimalist column. This recipe serves 4, but can easily serve 6 if you increase the veal to 3 pounds and the chicken broth and water to 2 cups each. Click here to download a printable PDF copy of this recipe.

1.5 pounds veal for stew, cut into 2-inch cubes
1.5 cups chicken broth
1.5 cups water
2 carrots, trimmed, peeled, and quartered
2 celery sticks, trimmed, peeled, and quartered
1 onion, quartered
3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground white or black pepper
4 cups packed spinach leaves (or a mix of argula and spinach)
1 bunch (from a 1 oz. package) fresh dill fronds
½ cup fresh parsley leaves
¼ cup green onions (or tarragon)
Scant ½ cup creme fraiche, sour cream, or Mexican crema
1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 oz. (half of a 12 oz. bag) egg noodles

Put a Dutch oven or other large casserole with a tight-fitting lid over high heat and a minute later add oil and butter. Add the meat, in one layer (if you use the larger amount of meat you may have to cook in batches). Cook, undisturbed, until the meat is nicely browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Remove the meat from the pot.

Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, broth and water to the pot. Season the mix with salt and white pepper and bring to a boil. Stir in the veal and bring the broth back to a boil, then cover the pot (if your lid is a little shaky, seal the pot with foil and then top with lid) and lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook the veal for 1½ hours. (You can make the dish up to this point, and once cooled, refrigerate for a few hours, or for as long as overnight; reheat gently until the meat is heated through before continuing.) Transfer meat to a bowl, cover, and keep it warm while you work on the sauce.

Remove vegetables and herbs from the broth (you can fish them out with a slotted spoon or strain the broth and return it to the pot or to a smaller saucepan) and discard them. Bring the broth to a boil and boil until the sauce reduced to about 2 cups. (The sauce will thicken further when you add it to egg noodles at the end.)

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the egg noodles according to their package directions. Drain, return them to the pot, and toss with a tablespoon of oil.

Toss all of the greens and fresh herbs into the broth and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the spinach is nicely wilted. Puree the mixture in a blender or food processor, in batches if necessary. Return sauce to the pot and add the frozen peas. Simmer the sauce until the peas are warmed through Whisk in creme fraiche and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste the sauce, add more lemon juice, if you’d like, and season as needed with salt and white pepper.

Return meat to the pot, give the pot a stir and gently heat everything through. Pour the sauce and meat over the cooked eggs noodles and toss together. If the sauce is a still a little too thin, stir the noodles over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve immediately.

Hello from Washington DC, dear readers! I’m running around our nation’s capital with my youngest sister, Annie, and we’ve been having a grand time eating our way around the city. (I mean, what else would I do  on vacation?) Sadly, this has been a working vacation, but it’s a vacation nonetheless, and I’m super excited because we’re both taking off this afternoon to go to the Newsuem, a highly interactive museum dedicated to … you’ve guessed it, the news. As a journalism school grad (Go ‘Cuse!), it’s right up my alley.

Next week I’ll go into more detail about some of the yummy restaurants we’ve tried, because today we’re focused on one thing: Easter. And even if you don’t celebrate Easter, these eggs are really fun to make as a colorful party statement.

I have to admit: I’ve been saving this recipe for over a year now, since I made them last Easter, so the pictures were taken with my old camera. The pictures aren’t as beautiful as I would like, but I think they still convey how fun and festive these eggs are.

The process is simple really. You will need:

• Hard-boiled eggs
• Liquid food coloring (I like to have both neon and traditional colors. You need 10-20 drops of food coloring to get bright hues.)
• Several Tupperware containers or bowls deep enough for dying the eggs
• Vinegar, for brightening the dye.
• Enough water to completely submerge the eggs in each container.

Start with cold hard-boiled eggs. Roll them around on a paper towel on the counter so they develop little tiny cracks all over.

For each color you would like to make, combine 2 tsp. vinegar, 10-20 drops of food coloring, and enough water to cover the eggs in that container. Then, take your cracked egg(s), and lower them into the mixture. The longer you leave the egg in the mixture, the darker the color will be. If you’re going to leave the eggs in the mixture for more than an hour (up to 4 hours), then transfer the container to the refrigerator.

Remove the eggs from the dye, pat dry with paper towels, and peel them. Voila! Speckled eggs. You can eat them as you would a hard-boiled eggs, or you can make them into really gorgeous deviled eggs with your favorite deviled egg recipe. The possibilities are endless!

Happy Easter everyone! What’s your favorite Easter tradition? Do you make hot cross buns? Or egg casseroles? Or always order a Honeybaked ham? I want to know! Share your traditions in the Comment section.

One Year Ago: Philly’s Best: Chicken Cheesesteaks and Build Your Own Waldorf Salad

So, I’m probably like a million years behind many of you on this, but I recently discovered a great (new to me) baking product: Pillsbury’s Baking Spray with Flour. (And no, Pillsbury isn’t paying me to say this … but I wish they were.)

Why do I love it? Well, it means I don’t have to butter AND flour my baking pans to make sure cakes and tarts don’t stick. And, of course, it’s awesome that I can simply spray my pans instead of smearing butter all over them a paper towel and then trying not to make a mess of my kitchen while sprinkling flour on them—never a very fun task.

I still keep regular baking spray around for everyday tasks, but I love this for baking. You can find it right by the PAM and other brand spray oils in the supermarket.

In other news, I was invited back to Japp’s Since 1879 again this weekend, and they officially have a license to serve food! (Last week I had to get my own—an expensive and nerve-wracking endeavor, let me tell you.) Since their event coordinator called me soon after they received the license yesterday, I had to rush to come up with an easy but delicious menu for Friday night, but I think I did pretty well. Here it is:

Do you, dear readers, have any suggestions for gourmet hot dogs? Doug and I searched far and wide for inspiration, and came up a little lacking. I’d love to hear about the gourmet hot dog adventures you’ve had or experienced! Leave your ideas and recipes in the comment section.

One Year Ago on Kitchen Bitch: Pan-Fried Salmon Cakes and Meyer Lemon and Mission Fig Scones