You know you've gone granola when...

...you start making your own granola.

Over the last year I've had several requests for the granola recipe I use. It's not my own and it's nothing fancy. BUT--store-bought and home-made granola can be expensive, so I went out searching for the most bare bones recipe I could find. And if you make your own vanilla extract, it can be even cheaper.

Sunset Hill Granola
8 c. rolled oats
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
4 t. vanilla extract
1 t. salt
2 c. nuts (if you have them around. I use extra oats when I don't. The cheapest options are walnuts or peanuts, but it tastes real daggone good with chopped almonds).

Stir brown sugar with 1/2 cup of water and microwave until brown sugar dissolves. Add the vanilla extract to the sugar mixture and stir. In a large bowl, pour mixture onto oats and nuts and stir. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread granola evenly on each sheet. Bake at 275 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hr. Let cool before storing.

Yogurt.

Cream-top yogurt with homemade granola has become somewhat of a staple in our house. We can't get enough of it. I cringe, however, when I go to pick up a $3 32 oz. plain organic yogurt that I know will be gone in a matter of 2-3 days. I just can't justify spending that much on breakfast when I could eat toast or eggs for a lot cheaper.

Considering our habit's expense and my love for making things from scratch, I decided that it was time to start making our own yogurt. It's so easy it's laughable--All you need is a crock pot, some milk, and some yogurt (yes, that sounds weird, but you'll see).

Sunset Hill Yogurt

1. Pour 1/2 gallon of milk (preferably raw or organic and pasteurized. Avoid ultra pasteurized) into your crock pot. Cover and turn on low for 2 1/2 hours.

2. Unplug the crock pot. Let sit for 3 hours.

3. In a separate bowl mix 1/2 c. plain yogurt (w/ active cultures...just look for those in the ingredient label) with 2 cups of warm milk from the crock pot. Pour the mixture into the crock pot. Replace the crock pot lid and wrap the crock pot with heavy towels. Let sit for 8-12 hours.

4. Viola! You have homemade yogurt. Will keep for 7-10 days. Keep some yogurt reserved as a starter for your next batch.

The great thing about homemade yogurt is that it is half the price of the store-bought stuff.

Store bought organic yogurt: 32 oz. for $3.

Homemade organic yogurt: 64 oz. for $3. (I buy gallon jugs of $6 organic milk).

I've been chowin' on this for the last two days and it is yummy. Totally worth it.

Vinagre!

I'm a complete sucker for PBS. Big surprise there. I was at home knitting the other night and found myself watching this cooking show called Daisy Cooks! Ms. Daisy started talking so enthusiastically about this condiment she grew up with called "vinagre" and made the bold claim that she would live without ketchup before she'd live without vinagre.

I was hooked.

I think God really wanted me to try out this concoction because Tim Felton showed up to my house on Monday with the key ingredient of vinagre: pineapple. Who buys pineapple in December??? Like I said, this was divine intervention.

Daisy claims you can use vinagre on just about anything. I haven't actually eaten anything with it yet, but I think I'm going to cook some pork chops and then spoon the peppers and onions from the vinagre on top. I did taste it, however, and it's pretty wild!

My belief in the divine fruition (pun intended) of this recipe was evidenced last night by the fact that I was actually hugging the quart of vinagre will singing its praises to my husband. Winter in Indiana will do strange things to a person....

Vinagre

2 ripe pineapples 1/2 large Spanish onion, sliced thin 1 tablespoon smashed fresh oregano leaves 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 20 garlic cloves, crushed 6 Habanero peppers or chili pepper of your choice, stems cut off, peppers coarsely chopped 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, or as needed 1/2 teaspoon salt, or as needed

1. Cut the tops off the pineapples and discard them. With a big knife, cut off the rind from the pineapples with as little pineapple attached as possible. Put the rinds in a pot large enough to hold them comfortably and pour in enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil and boil until the pineapple peel is very tender, about 30 minutes. Top off with water if necessary to keep the rinds submerged.

2. Meanwhile, put the onion, oregano, peppercorns, garlic, Habanero or other chili pepper, vinegar, and salt in a large jar with a tight-fitting lid.

3. Strain the pineapple liquid over the seasonings. If there is not enough liquid to cover the ingredients, re-cover the pineapple with water and boil for 20 minutes. Taste and add a little salt and/or a little vinegar, if you think it needs it. You can use it as soon as it cools, but it will get better as it sits.

tryptophan is my drug of choice

Y'all,

I was recently challenged by my friend, co-communer, and fellow blogger Josh to update my blog. Well, here it is.

Some of you bloggers out there may be wondering, "why such the long hiatus?" I've got a good excuse--cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye. Our camera is shrimped and therefore I've been unable to take any pictures. In fact, the only reason I'm able to do this post is because my sister took some pics over Thanksgiving and I swiped them from the ole' facebook. That's my story. We've been doing plenty of canning and gardening and cooking over the last several months, but I guess you'll just have to put your big girl pants on and hold tight until next year. Now, moving on...

This Thanksgiving we decided to shrimp the ole' Butterball turkey and instead went with a more local, less synthetic, and more fresh (you'll learn how fresh in a minute) Schact Farm heritage turkey.

• Local=Schact Farm is on the southside of Bloomington and is operated by our friends Matt and Mandy Corry.

• Less synthetic=check it out here. They can say it better than I can.

• Fresh=This turkey was caught and harvested the week before we ate it. Since we help out at the farm from time to time, I wouldn't doubt if Will had caught or at least attempted to catch the bird we eventually enjoyed on Thanksgiving day.

Here's us with the bird...

(This picture likely qualifies us for Awkward Family Photos.)

And here it is as part of my mom's exceptional Thanksgiving spread...


And here is a picture of a guy trying to be funny at the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning...
Oh, and ps--the turkey was REALLY good.

Happy blogging y'all. Maybe I'll see you after the holidays when I hopefully have a new camera???

Red pepper and tofu recipe

I discovered this recipe in March while we weren't eating meat during Lent. It's now one of my favorites and is perfect for bell pepper season. It'll feed you for a couple of days as well!

Tofu Stir-fry with Noodles and Red Peppers

2 T canola or vegetable oil

1 package extra-firm tofu. Cut it into lots of cubes.

2 red bell peppers, cut long and thin, seeds removed.

1/2 head of green cabbage, cut thinly.

2 garlic cloves, slivered.

1/4-1/2 t. red pepper flakes (I use ground red pepper since that's what I have).

2 T peanut butter, smooth or creamy.

1/4 c. soy sauce or tamari

1/4 c. rice vinegar.

1/2 package of spaghetti, cooked.

Heat 1 T. oil in large skillet over high heat; add tofu and 1 t. salt. Cook, tossing occasionally, 8-10 minutes until golden.* Transfer to plate when finished.

Heat remaining 1 T. oil in same skillet over med-high heat. Add bell peppers, cabbage, garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/2 t. salt and mix. Cover. Cook, tossing occasionally, until veggies are crisp-tender, 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Stir together p.b. and 1/4 c. hot water in a small bowl until smooth. Stir in soy sauce and vinegar.

Add tofu, spaghetti and sauce to skillet. Simmer until heated through and saucy, 1-2 min.

Adios mis amigos, hermanos y hermanas

*I've talked to a lot of folks who never feel like they're able to cook tofu correctly. The key is to get the oil HOT and be patient while the tofu cooks. The more it looks like the color of french fries, the better the taste and texture!

Beetakopita

Yes, I know it's supposed to be called spanakopita.

For the second year in a row we've had pretty measly (not measle-ly) spinach production. We have, however, had a BOUNTIFUL harvest of beets (they are super easy to grow and can be started outside from seed). The Roses love their beets, so much so that Will risks his life by drinking the beet brine straight from the jar when we pickle them.

sick.

With so many beet greens, Will had the idea of making his own "Beetakopita" recipe. It goes something like this...

Beetakopita

2-3 lbs beet greens, chopped

1 onion, chopped

4-5 garlic cloves, minced

8 oz. feta cheese

16 oz. ricotta cheese

1/2 c. fresh parsley, chopped (1/4 c. dried)

1 T. dry dill

2 sticks butter

1/2 box of phyllo dough

Saute onions and garlic in large saucepan until translucent. Gradually add handfuls of beet greens until wilted. Stir in feta and ricotta.

Layer phyllo dough and mixture in a greased glass baking dish: 10 sheets on the bottom, add beet/cheese mixture, 10 sheets in the middle, add mixture, and 10 sheets on top. Brush butter on the top of the phyllo as you layer.

Cook at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, uncovered.

(picture missing; camera is on the fritz).

Adios mis amigos, hermanos y hermanas.

presto, pesto!

Since we can't keep up with eating all of our garden basil, we end up making a lot of it into pesto and freezing it for the rest of the year. Kevin (a.k.a. the Guff) is harvesting some here...

We use a pesto recipe from Simply In Season (see link on left).

1 c. packed fresh basil leaves

1/3 c. walnuts (walnuts are cheaper than pine nuts)

1/2 t. salt to taste

Chop together in food processor. Freeze in ice cube trays. When frozen, remove cubes and place in a resealable plastic bag. When ready to eat, microwave and add minced garlic and parmesan.

Adios mis amigos, hermanos y hermanas.

Choppin Broccoli

For all you soy sauce addicts out there, here is your jam. I've been drooling over this recipe for about three months now and have to resort to finding ways to cook it when Will isn't around because he's so sick of it.

There's lots of good broccoli at the farmer's market, so head on down to downtown Saturday mornings.

Tofu and Broccoli Stir-fry

1 block extra-firm tofu

2-3 T. canola oil

Chop into lots of cubes (I usually cut the block 3 ways through the side and 4 ways length-wise). Fry in pan of hot oil on med. heat until all sides are golden.

2-3 stalks broccoli (use the parts of the broccoli you like to eat).

Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Boil broccoli for 2 minutes, until it's bright green. Don't boil too long! Drain.

1 T. cornstarch

1/4 t. red pepper flakes (or ground red pepper)

3 T. soy sauce

2 T. rice vinegar

4 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 c. water

1/2 c. cashews or peanutes (optional)

Combine. Set aside.

Add broccoli to skillet and toss with tofu for about 2-3 minutes, until crisp. Add sauce and stir to coat. Continue stirring and cooking until sauce thickens. Serve with rice!!

Adios mis amigos, hermanos y hermanas.

Straws and berries

This year the Rose garden is producing strawberries out the wazoo, compared to last year's meager handful.

Other than just eatin' em whole and having them with yogurt at breakfast, here's what we've been doing with them...

Strawberry Pie (courtesy of the Mennonites and Simply In Season)

1 c. sugar
3 T. cornstarch (or more)
Blend in a saucepan

1 c. strawberries (mashed)
1/2 c. orange juice or water (omit if you have an additional cup of strawberries)
Add and cook over med. heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils (Note: It's REALLY important to get this sauce nice and thick!). Boil and stir for at least 1 min. or longer. Remove from heat.

2 T. lemon juice.
Stir in and cool.

4-6 c. whole strawberries
9-in. baked pastry shell or graham cracker crust.
When cooked fruit is cool, gently fold in the rest of the berries and pour into crust. Chill for 3 hours.

Shortcake Biscuits Supreme (courtesy of Will's mom).

4 c. cut strawberries
1c. sugar
Stir together, cover, and let sit at room temp. for at least 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

2 c. flour
4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. cream of tartar
1/2 t. salt
2 t. sugar
Sift all ingredients together.

1/2 c. shortening
Cut into sifted ingredients with a knife or pastry blender until crumby.

2/3 c. milk
Add milk all at once and stir until dry ingredients are moistened. Loosely form small handfuls of dough into biscuit shapes and place in a greased baking pan. (dough should be moist and your hands should be messy!). Bake at 450 for 15-20 minutes. Don't brown. Pour strawberries on top and enjoy!

Strawberry Jam (makes about 8 8-oz jars; water bath canning recipe)

8 c. crushed hulled strawberries
6 c. granulated sugar
1. Sterilize jars and lids
2. In a large, deep, stainless steel saucepan, combine berries and sugar. Bring to a boil over med. heat, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Boil, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and test gel to make sure it sticks on spoon. Skim off foam.
3. Ladle hot jam into jars with 1/4 in. headspace. Put on lid, but not too tight.
4. Process for 10 minutes in boiling water. Wait 5 min. before removing jar from pot.


Adios mis amigos, hermanos y hermanas.