Scot's Granola

Are you a cereal person?  Scot is.  Before we met, cereal might have been 50% of his diet.  His favorite is Cinnamon Toast Crunch.  And after we met, I started eating cereal for breakfast too.  It is easy.  And Cinnamon Toast Crunch is unfortunately really delicious.

We weren't allowed to eat that growing up.  My dad only bought Raisin Bran, Off brand Cherrios (not honey nut), Corn Flakes, or even Grape Nuts.  We would beg my dad to let us get things with marshmallows in it and he always claimed that it was just sugar.  Now, I think:  "Go Dad!"  Then, I was just jealous of all the kids on TV who looked so happy eating Cocoa Krispies.  Or do you remember that one cereal which was basically a box of mini chocolate chip cookies?

Anyways, Cinnamon Toast Crunch is delicious.  And even after transitioning to shopping at Whole Foods only, they have their own "Organic, All Natural, Secretly exactly the same as CTC" version.  And it is just as good.  And I was not convincing myself that it was somehow better for me, they just sold it (they don't sell any regular grocery store cereals at WF)...so of course, I bought it.

About a year ago, Scot and I decided to remove all processed foods from our diet.  I am not crazy.  I am not going to refuse processed foods as a guest in someone's house or make my own yogurt.  But we did want to make sure to cut out foods that we regularly eat.  For us, the only thing left to cut out was cereal.  

I remember a while back, I wrote about how I was trying to eat savory breakfasts, instead of sweet.  And I still prefer that.  However, I never jumped on the breakfast soup train.  I still haven't been able to eat leftover dinner food for breakfast.  The only savory option that has stuck with me is eggs and toast.  And I probably eat that over 50% of the time.  Other than that, I either eat oatmeal or granola.

Scot is more like 95% of the time, he eats granola.  And he goes all out.  He starts with the granola, adds milk, then drinks all the milk right away.  He tops it with greek yogurt, a banana and usually some berries (often blueberry).  I usually just do milk and yogurt.

And this recipe is the granola I make him, approximately every two weeks.  Except for the times I am too lazy and we have to buy granola in bulk from WF (which is honestly about 20% as good as this).  It is "his" because it is all the things he really likes:  maple syrup, pecans, and coconut.  And lots of fiber (oats and flax).  We haven't been adding the dried fruit lately because we always put fresh fruit in it.  But it is good both ways.

Lastly, I have to admit that this is the best way to make granola.  But this isn't the only way I make granola.  I do get lazy and skip steps.  Sometimes, I just don't feel like pre toasting everything, so I skip that step (and leave out the amaranth completely).  Sometimes I completely leave out the oil, to make it a little healthier (still tastes great).  Sometimes I throw it in with whatever else is in the oven at the time (I have baked this at 400° and it turned out just fine).  But I love this version the best.  Don't let it overwhelm you though, you can just throw everything into a mixing bowl, roughly measure, pour on a baking sheet and bake until toasty.  Still real good.

PS:  If you are curious about "my" version.  I like only honey, only almonds, and no coconut.  I also really like to add dried currants to mine.  But in general, you can swap out any nuts, sweetener, and/or dried fruits.  And add any extras like coconut and spices.

Scot’s Granola

2 tbsp amaranth

2 cups pecans (whole)

1 cup almonds (whole)

1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

½ cup light cooking oil

6 cups oats (not instant or 1 minute)

¼ cup flax seeds

½ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

½ cup maple syrup

¼ cup agave nectar

1-2 cups of dried fruit (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325°.

Preheat a dry, stainless steel skillet (with lid) to medium/medium-high heat.  Add 1 tbsp of amaranth, cover with lid and give it a shimmy shake.  Continue until most of the amaranth has popped.  Now, throw that popped amaranth away because you probably burnt it.  Repeat twice until you successfully pop and do not burn 2 tbsp of amaranth.  Transfer popped amaranth to a large mixing bowl. 

Toast nuts in the same skillet.  Once toasted, finely chop and add to mixing bowl.  Toast coconut in same skillet.  Once toasted, add to mixing bowl.  In same skillet, add the oats and the oil.  Cook until fragrant and lightly toasted, then transfer to the large mixing bowl.  Add flax seeds, salt and cinnamon to the mixing bowl and mix to combine all the dry ingredients.

Using the same half-cup measuring cup that you used to measure the oil (because then the syrup won’t stick), measure out the maple syrup and agave nectar (just eye ball it) and add to the mixing bowl.  Mix to combine and then transfer the mixture onto a large baking sheet.  Bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes or until desired crunchiness. 

Once the granola has cooled, mix in dried fruit (if desired) and place in sealed container to store. 

(Servings:  10, Prep time:  45 min., Cook time:  45 min., Difficulty:  Easy) 

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  9/10
Scot (taste):  10/10
Effort:  3/5
Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Always protecting us from danger.

Eggs and Toast with Goat Cheese

Are you fascinated by birth order stuff?  I am!  Partially because I am second born out of four and it is well known that middle children are most perfect.  Ya know, they aren't spoiled with attention like the first born.  They aren't spoiled by being the baby of the family their whole life.  

There is no doubt in my mind that my oldest brother just read that while shaking his head.

All kidding aside, I am relatively obsessed with birth order.  It is only a matter of a few interactions with new people that I not only try to predict where they fall in their family, but I also verify this prediction by asking.  I am actually not even very good at predicting.  BUT, when I do find out, I always do one of those "ahhhhh, makes sense".  

Which brings me to my point...my little baby sister cannot spread cream cheese on a bagel.  She is 19.  There are a lot of difficult parts about growing up, moving out of the house, becoming an adult.  But spreading cream cheese on a bagel just isn't one of them.  

So in honor of my last born sibling and some of the simple talents she never developed because people always spread the cream cheese on her bagel for her...here is my next kitchen tip.

2012 foodforscot Kitchen Tip:  Have trouble spreading cream cheese on your freshly toasted bagel?  The number one thing to focus on:  confidence.  You can't start to spread and question your cream cheese placement.  Once the cheese hits the toasty surface, it cannot be changed.  Just go with it.  The process needs to take under 20 second per half or you might as well just eat the spread separately.  If you aren't ready for this speed racing spreading, your best bet is to let your bagel cool down for a few minutes.  But that will leave you with sub par results.  At this point you need to weigh whether you want inconsistent, non-uniform cream cheese on your bagel OR a luke warm product.  The choice is yours.

And finally, to continue with my series, Food from Me to You, here is one of my favorite, easiest dinners.  Because of my state of the art IHOP training back in the day, I know how to make eggs the way I like them.  And eggs with runny yolks (I consider them over easy, but everyone defines that differently) and toast is THE best dinner.  I love eggs so much, but sometimes have a hard time eating them early in the morning.  For some reason, they aren't as good when they are the first thing I eat.  But mostly, I am so lazy in the morning that I have a hard time getting out of my granola slump.  I am also so hungry in the morning.  I barely make it from my bed to the kitchen without massive amounts of whining.  Regardless, I always eat eggs for dinner.  If I have some sort of weird/incomplete meal to eat,  I just put an egg on it.  Normally, I eat the over easy egg with goat cheese crumbled over the top and toast.  Sometimes I add some veggies, if I have some.  Normally I make this when I don't have much, so it is never the same.  In the photos here I have added smoked salmon, tomatoes, goat cheese and some potatoes.  

Eggs and Toast with Goat Cheese

Yum!

(Difficulty: Easy)

foodforscot Ratings:

Scot (taste):  8/10

Shanon (taste):  8/10

Effort:  1/5

Dishwashing Effort:  2/5

Oatmeal and Banana Pancakes

Over the past year-ish, I have been trying to re-program my brain on breakfast.  Growing up, I never really ate breakfast.  I can't remember when I was really young, but I can remember back to at least 4th grade.  I remember because my 4th grade teacher said in front of the ENTIRE class, "Shanon, your mom told me you don't eat breakfast."  I was embarrassed beyond belief.  I think I started eating breakfast in late high school, but I have no memory of what I ate.  In college, I definitely ate breakfast.  I would eat a wide variety of things from granola bars, bagels, stuff from the cafeteria, fruit, etc.  Once I met Scot, I started eating cereal.  And with all of this, I am just talking about everyday breakfast, not like weekend, fun breakfast.  And I have never eaten weird kid cereals like that marshmallow one, but I usually ate Cheerios, Honey Bunches, Life, Mini Wheats, or Raisin Bran.  

My problem is:  I really, really crave savory things.  Pretty much always, but especially in the morning.  Number two problem is that I really want to cut out processed foods completely.  Cereal is the only processed food that we eat on a regular basis.  I mean, I am not going crazy about it.  I will buy potato chips for a BBQ.  And for camping, my standards are much lower.  Gummy bears are part of my life.  But I don't want to eat cereal every morning.  Plus, I don't even like it.

I started thinking...why are the majority of breakfasty foods that Americans eat sweet?  Why is that the standard?  And why don't we eat vegetables for breakfast?  Fruit is pretty normal.  Veggies in an omelette, frittata, or other egg dish is normal.  Who decided this?  I think we can all agree that lunch is kind of the same as dinner.  I guess most people consider lunch to be a quicker meal.

One factor that is certainly important is that in the morning, you want to eat something that is easy to digest.  And easy to prepare.  And easy to eat (which is different than easy to digest).  This is why I think we don't eat salads, raw veggies, etc.  It is also why we probably stay away from heavier foods, meats and even fish.  I know we eat those things for fancy breakfast and brunch, but most people don't wake up before work and cook up a nice cut of salmon.

After coming to this realization, I semi-accepted the focus on whole grains and carbs being the main bulk of breakfast.  Oatmeal, granola, whole grain toast are all pretty common.  Protein usually comes in the form of eggs or yogurt.  Maybe some cheese or milk.  And then fruit and veggies might be thrown in depending on which grain or protein.

Now I love oatmeal with fruit, nuts, etc.  And I love a yogurt parfait with granola and fruit.  But I can't eat those every morning.  Plus, I don't want my everyday breakfast to be sweet.  And eggs and toast won't last forever.  So, I am going to be further exploring eating less "breakfasty" food for breakfast.  Soups.  Quinoa.  Beans.  Tacos.  Leftovers.  And most importantly, I am going to see if I like how other cultures do breakfast.  I could eat congee for breakfast.  I found this NY Times article, which was very helpful.  Mark Bittman puts it quite well, "But even putting aside the healthy argument, the narrow spectrum of highly sweetened morning food is limiting and ultimately boring."

So stay tuned.  I will let you know how it goes.  You may be wondering why I am sharing a recipe for pancakes after all that gibberish up there.  Well, I just am.  I like pancakes.  These are pretty good too.  Did you know that oatmeal pancakes can be made with:  oat flour (ground up oats), instant oats, quick oats, or whole old fashioned oats? It doesn't matter, they all taste good!  If you process the oats into oat flour, the pancakes are a bit smoother, but even when putting in the whole old-fashioned oats, the oats cook through and taste great and hearty.  I like both.  I also like not dirtying my food processor when I am super lazy.  I also added some chopped pecans.  If you are making the oat flour, it is best to process the nuts the same way so that you don't have big chunks.  I just chopped mine because I was going for a hearty, crunchy pancake.  Scot loves this kind of stuff.

Oatmeal and Banana Pancakes

from Allrecipes

1 cup uncooked rolled oats

1 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons dry milk powder (I did not use)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

2 cups milk

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 banana, mashed

Place the rolled oats into the jar of a blender and blend until the texture resembles coarse flour. Whisk together the blended oats, whole wheat flour, allpurpose flour, brown sugar, dry milk powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside.

Whisk together the egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Stir in the mashed banana. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Let the batter stand for 5 minutes.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle over medium-high heat. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the griddle, and cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry, about 2 minutes. Flip, and cook until browned on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 15 min., Cook time: 30 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  7/10

Scot (taste):  9/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  2/5

Oatmeal Pancakes with Lemony Maple Blueberry Sauce

This was a delicious camp breakfast.  It could be easily adapted to work as a great backpacking meal (or you could just bring fresh fruit backpacking...day one/two?...otherwise just sub some dried fruit)  The sauce didn't thicken up for me as much as I hoped it would, but I also didn't follow any of the measurements, so what can I really expect?  It was still delicious.  

I used old fashioned oats in the pancakes (with some hesitation) and they really were great.  The pancakes were so filling.  I could only eat 4 smaller (4 inch) pancakes.  

Uh.  Just wondering.  Is that for me?

I doubled the recipe for 3 people and it was too much.  But don't worry, Copper needed breakfast too!  

Camping is his favorite.  No, we did NOT take him hiking in his tank top.  Totally embarrassing.  

Oatmeal Pancakes with Lemony Maple Blueberry Sauce

from dirty gourmet

1/2 cup old fashioned oats or 1 packet of instant oatmeal

3/4 cup “Complete” Pancake mix (just-add-water)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1 cupswater

2 tablespoons oil for skillet if not non-stick

Lemony Maple Blueberry Sace (recipe below)

At Home: In a large zip-top bag, combine oats, pancake mix, cinnamon and pecans (you will need the extra room to mix the batter).

At Camp: Pour 1 cup of water inside the zip-top bag containing the pancake batter ingredients. Seal bag and mix the ingredients by gently kneading and squeezing them together.

Cut one of bottom corners of the zip-top bag with the pancake batter and squirt 1/4 of contents into a lightly oiled skillet on medium high. Let pancake cook until bubbling on top. Flip and let cook until golden brown. Repeat with the rest of the batter.

Top the pancakes with lemony maple blueberry sauce!

(Servings: 2-3, Prep time: 15 min., Cook time: 20 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Lemony Maple Blueberry Sauce

by Backpacker

1/2 pint fresh blueberries (Substitutes: any other berry, or soft fruit like peach,

pear, and plum)

1/2 cup real maple syrup

1/2 lemon (juice and rind)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon butter

At home: Pack syrup in a leak-proof bottle; pack sugar in a zip-top bag.

At camp: Using a sharp knife, gently peel the yellow part of the lemon rind. Avoid cutting too deep into the white part of the skin (it's bitter). Finely chop the yellow peel and set aside. In a skillet, melt the butter over low heat, then add the blueberries. Mash some of the blueberries with a fork, then add the remaining ingredients, including the lemon rind. Simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes until the mixture starts to thicken. Makes 1 cup.

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  8/10

Scot (taste):  9/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  2/5

Sweet Potato-Chicken Hash with Poached Eggs and Green Chile Hollandaise

Hi.  I missed you.  Actually, not really.  Is that bad?  Should I just lie about things like that?  Ok, I kinda did.  But not enough to cry about it.

I apologize for my vacay from the blog.  I was having a blast.  Which apparently can be very distracting.  I have about 85 recipes to post in order to catch up.

Here is one of them.  I made this for Scot's birthday brunch.  There was no doubt in my mind that he would love the heck out of this brunch dish.  After he took his first bite, and proclaimed his love, I booyeah'ed at least 3 times in my head.  It is important to stay grounded.

I would explain what is in this, but actually Bobby's title says it all.  It is a perfect sweet potato dish for me too.  I like when sweet potatoes are savory with a hint of their natural sweetness.  And adding spice is ideal.  I guess this is a brunch item at Bobby Flay's restaurant, which is why it uses 160 pots and pans and also why there is tons of prep.  It is definitely a restaurant type meal, but nice to make for a special occasion.  I didn't patty the hash up, like it says in the recipe.  In fact, the hash is particularly patty-able.  I just cooked it all loose in a big skillet and served it in mini cast irons skillets.  Makes sense.  

Sweet Potato-Chicken Hash with Poached Eggs and Green Chile Hollandaise

by Bobby Flay via FoodNetwork

2 large sweet potatoes

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup canned chipotle peppers

1 tablespoon honey

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cups water

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

4 eggs

To prepare the hash: In a medium saucepan, cover the potatoes with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes, peel and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper and place in a saucepan of simmering water. Poach for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through. Cut each breast into 1/2-inch cubes. Place the potatoes, chicken, scallion, cilantro, chipotles and honey in a large bowl and mix gently until combined, season with salt and pepper. Form into 4 equal-sized patties. Heat the oil in a large saute pan until just smoking. Season the patties with salt and pepper to taste and saute the patties on each side until golden brown. Keep warm.

To prepare the poached eggs: Heat the water and vinegar until simmering in a large frying pan. Break each egg into a cup and gently add to the water. Poach for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the yolk is nearly cooked. Remove the eggs from the pan with a slotted spoon to drain the liquid and top each hash patty with 1 poached egg.

Green Chile Hollandaise

3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Pinch white pepper

1 large poblano pepper, roasted, skinned, seeds removed and finely chopped

1 stick unsalted butter, melted until foamy

Place the yolks, salt, pepper in a blender and mix until smooth. Slowly, drop by drop add the warm butter to the mixture and blend until emulsified. Place in a bowl and fold in the chopped poblano peppers. Serve immediately or place the bowl over a pot of simmering water to keep warm, stirring occasionally.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 1 hr., Cook time: 30 min., Difficulty: Intermediate)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:  

Shanon (taste) :  9/10
Scot (taste):  10/10
Effort:  4/5
Dishwashing Effort:  4/5

Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti

Biscotti is an overcooked biscuit.  But since it is Italian, we consider it a specialty rather than a mistake.  Now, I know it is technically "twice baked" not "overbaked", but in all other matters in life, this delicious treat would be considered a bad biscuit.  

How about some respect?  The technique for biscotti was likely developed in order to have nonperishable food for traveling and for the army.  So, that is a good idea.

Because I am high maintenance, I love to dip biscotti in coffee, but can't stand drinking the coffee that has been dipped in.  It is all crumby.  Also, in Italy, biscotti is often dipped in a sweet dessert wine.  

Cinnamon is my favorite and this is a classic biscotti recipe.  

Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti

from Joy the Baker

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla

For Topping:

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 beaten egg (for brushing biscotti before baking)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and arrange two baking racks in the upper portion of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Also whisk together the cinnamon and sugar for the topping and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fit with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Scrape down the down and beat in the egg followed by the egg yolk. Beat in the vanilla extract.

Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter all at once. With the mixer or just with a spatula, bring all of the ingredients together until a somewhat stiff dough is formed.

Divide the dough in two on the two making sheets. Shape each half of dough into a 9-inch long and 1 1/2-inch wide log. Brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle very generously with cinnamon sugar. Bake the two sheets on two different racks in the oven for 20 minutes. Rotate the cookie sheets for even baking and bake for 20-25 more minutes until golden and firm to the touch.

Remove from the oven but keep the oven on. Let biscotti cool until able to handle. Using a serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-inch wide diagonal slices. Place biscotti cut side down on baking sheet and sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar. Bake again until pale golden, about 10-15 minutes.

Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

(Servings: 20, Prep time: 30 min., Cook time: 45 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:  

Shanon (taste):  8/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Sticky Sticky Buns

Sticky Sticky Buns.  No comma.  

Have you ever tried these?  These are the famous sticky buns from the bakery, Flour, in Boston.  I had the privilege of tasting these babies about a year ago at Flour.  

The real Sticky Buns from the Flour bakery in Boston

I wouldn't label myself as a "sticky bun person".  Or a "caramel roll person".  Or a "pecan roll person".  I mean...who would really?  That would be pretty embarrassing.  No, but seriously...if no one told me to try the sticky buns at Flour, I never would have.  

Bonus points for me.  I did try them.  And they are perfect.  As a die hard caramel lover, these complete me.  

The Goo

What makes them special is that they are made from a rich and decadent Brioche dough.  To make the dough, you need to throw every ounce of trust into your stand mixer.  To be honest, after minute 27 of my mixer chugging along, I doubted its endurance.  I was actually just waiting for it to blow up.  I put on my apron, hoping that would somehow spare my life.  And although the housing motor arm thing was at least 480 degrees.  Celsius.  It survived!  It did it!  So what I am trying to say here is:  you are going to need a stand mixer to pull off this Brioche dough.  And you will also need some patience and 5 eggs.  And just a tiny bit of butter.  

Now, I have to admit that I messed up the recipe.  There have been several corrections to the original printing of the Flour cookbook.  None of which I was aware of until today.  And what a bummer that one of the corrections was to this very (famous) sticky bun recipe.  In the book, it says to use an entire batch of Brioche dough listed on page 73.  Unfortunately, it should say use half the batch.  I used the whole batch.  The recipe below is the correct version.

There are really worse things in life than having monster sticky buns.  Lucky for me, I also used the wrong yeast and I live in Colorado, so I didn't get much rise out of them before baking.  Even with the multiple mistakes (even though they may have cancelled each other out), these were still amazing.  They tasted just like I remember.  Not sure why, but even with twice the dough, these weren't super dense or heavy.  Killer.

Speaking of killer, that is the reason I did not wait to try these again with the right amount of dough and the right yeast.  These are an annual breakfast treat.  But I love them and couldn't wait that long to share them.  But at the same time, I didn't want to risk my slender/tan winter bod.  Ya know what I mean?

These will make you happy.  Share them.  Be a good person.

Sticky Sticky Buns

by Joanne Chang, Flour

Goo:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks; 170 grams, 6 ounces) unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups (345 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup (110 grams) honey

1/3 cup (80 grams) heavy cream

1/3 cup (80 grams) water

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Basic Brioche Dough, (1/2 the recipe below)

1/4 cup (55 grams) light brown sugar

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup (100 grams) pecan halves, toasted and chopped

To make the goo: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the brown sugar and cook, stirring, to combine (it may look separated, that's ok). Remove from the heat and whisk in the honey, cream, water, and salt. Let cool for about 30 minutes, or until cooled to room temperature. You should have about 2 cups. (The mixture can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)

On a floured work surface, roll out the brioche dough into rectangle about 16 by 12 inches and 1/4-inch thick. It will have the consistency of cold, damp Play-Doh and should be fairly easy to roll. Position the rectangle so a short side is facing you.

In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and half of the pecans. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the entire surface of the dough. Starting from the short side farthest from you and working your way down, roll up the rectangle like a jelly roll. Try to roll tightly, so you have a nice round spiral. Trim off about 1/4- inch from each end of the roll to make them even.

Use a bench scraper or a chef's knife to cut the roll into 8 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2-inches wide. (At this point, the unbaked buns can be tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 1 week. When ready to bake, thaw them, still wrapped, in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, then proceed as directed.)

Pour the goo into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, covering the bottom evenly. Sprinkle the remaining pecans evenly over the surface. Arrange the buns, evenly spaced, in the baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and put in a warm spot to proof until the dough is puffy, pillowy, and soft and the buns are touching-almost tripled in size, about 2 hours.

Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat to 350 degrees F.

Bake until golden brown, about 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool in the dish on a wire rack for 20 to 30 minutes. One at a time, invert the buns onto a serving platter, and spoon any extra goo and pecans from the bottom of the dish over the top.  The buns are best served warm or within 4 hours of baking. They can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, and then warmed in a 325 degree F oven for 10 to 12 minutes before serving.

(Servings: 8, Prep time: 10 hrs.+, Cook time: 45 min., Difficulty: Intermediate)

Brioche Dough*

2 1/4 cups (315 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

2 1/4 cups (340 grams) bread flour

1 1/2 packages (3 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast or 1-ounce (28 grams) fresh

cake yeast

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (82 grams) sugar

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 cup cold water

5 eggs

1 3/8 cups (2 3/4 sticks; 310 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 10 to 12 pieces

In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the all-purpose flour, bread flour, yeast, sugar, salt, water, and 5 of the eggs. Beat on low speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or until all the ingredients are combined. Stop the mixer, as needed, to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure all the flour is incorporated into the wet ingredients. Once the dough has come together, beat on low speed for another 3 to 4 minutes. The dough will be very stiff and seem quite dry.

On low speed, add the butter one piece at a time, mixing after each addition until it disappears into the dough. Continue mixing on low speed for about 10 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. It is important for all the butter to be thoroughly mixed into the dough. If necessary, stop the mixer occasionally and break up the dough with your hands to help mix in the butter.

Once the butter is completely incorporated, turn up the speed to medium and beat until the dough becomes sticky, soft, and somewhat shiny, another 15 minutes. It will take some time to come together. It will look shaggy and questionable at the start and then eventually it will turn smooth and silky. Turn the speed to medium-high and beat for about 1 minute. You should hear the dough make a slap-slap-slap sound as it hits the sides of the bowl. Test the dough by pulling at it; it should stretch a bit and have a little give. If it seems wet and loose and more like a batter than a dough, add a few tablespoons of flour and mix until it comes together. If it breaks off into pieces when you pull at it, continue to mix on medium speed for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until it develops more strength and stretches when you grab it. It is ready when you can gather it all together and pick it up in 1 piece.

Place the dough in a large bowl or plastic container and cover it with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the dough. Let the dough proof in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or up to overnight At this point you can freeze the dough in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

*Note: You will only need half this recipe for Brioche dough for the sticky buns. However, I used the whole batch of dough and they still turned out wonderful.

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foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  9/10

Scot (taste):  9/10

Effort:  5/5

Dishwashing Effort:  4/5

Oatmeal-Maple Scones

Lots of people say that you shouldn't humanize your dog.  But I say, it is fine.  My dog basically is a human.  I believe he has deep thoughts.  One example is with food.  There is no doubt in my mind that my dog likes good food.  He doesn't just eat, he tastes and enjoys his food.  

Yes, I know he eats grass.  But to be honest, it is tasty.  I used to eat clovers growing up.  They are salty and herby.  

So, I have been eating a lot of jelly beans lately (for obvious reasons), and I am a Jelly Belly fan.  However, I am anti-buttered popcorn jelly bean flavor.  Why?  Why do you have to put those in my bag of assorted jelly beans?  I eat by the handful (still one at a time tho, I am no glutton) and every once in awhile, I don't investigate my batch before chowing.  When I accidentally put one of those buttered popcorn jelly beans in my mouth, I regret my entire life's worth.  I cannot shallow those things.  

Anyways, my point is that I give them to my dog.  And he loves them.  He doesn't just shallow them.  He chews them, tastes them, savors them.  And Scot says it is because dogs taste things to make sure they aren't poisonous.  Lies.  If that was true, he would never know if bacon was poisonous.  Because he pretty much inhales that stuff.  We all have weaknesses.  

For the record, I also hate the chocolate jelly beans.  But I just give those to Scot.  

One flavor that Scot and I may love equally is maple.  Syrup.  And I knew these would be a hit with him because they also have oatmeal, golden raisins and pecans in them.  A very hearty and rustic scone.  Like the Honey-Cinnamon Ice Cream I made from the Flour cookbook, which was sweetened completely with honey, these scones are sweetened only with maple syrup.  And I have the good stuff, straight from New York.  Personally, I am not a huge fan of powdered sugar glazes.  I have a problem that I can't get over, where I can taste the powdered sugar from which it is made.  I don't know how else to explain it.  It just bothers me.  And I think these glazes are too sweet.  Sorry to bother you with my personal issues.  I know Scot likes them, so I did give this maple glaze a try.  Scot is one of those, "Is there is sugar in syrup?" types of people, if you know what I mean.  It was fine with the glaze, but I probably would prefer the scones without it.  

Oatmeal-Maple Scones

by Joanne Chang, Flour

1 1/4 cups (210 g) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups (125 g) old-fashioned rolled oats

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup (50 g) pecan halves, toasted then chopped

1/2 cup (80 g) golden raisins

1/2 cup (1 stick 114 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 8-10 pieces

1/2 cup (80 g) cold heavy cream

1/2 cup (160 g) maple syrup

1 cold egg

Glaze

1 cup (140 g) confectioner's sugar

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1-2 tablespoons water

Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 350F.

Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle (or handheld mixer), mix together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pecans, and raisins on low speed for 10 to 15 seconds, or until combined. Scatter the butter over the top and beat on low speed for about 30 seconds, or until the butter is somewhat broken down and grape-size pieces are still visible.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cream, maple syrup, and egg. On low speed pour the cream mixture into the flour mixture and beat for 10-30 seconds, or just until the dough comes together. It will be fairly wet.

Remove the bowl from the mixer stand. With a rubber spatula, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure that all of the dry ingredients are mixed into the dough. Using a 1/3-cup dry-measuring cup, drop mounded scoops of the dough onto a baking sheet, forming 8 scones and spacing them 2 to 3 inches apart. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown on top. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes.

To make the glaze, mix the ingredients together, using enough of the water to make a smooth, pourable glaze. Pour over the cooled scones and serve.

(Servings: 8, Prep time: 30 min., Bake time: 40 min., Difficulty: Easy)

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foodforscot Ratings:  

Shanon (taste):  7/10

Scot (taste):  9/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  2/5

Soaked Oatmeal

First, I'd like to give a shout out for all of you who have voted for my Whole Foods Foodie Fantasy Video.  LYLAS.  Second, please vote again!  Day two has begun (you might have to wait 24 hours from the last time you voted).  If you aren't friends with me on Facebook, please let me know you voted so that I can enter you into my contest to win a cookie gift basket delivered right to your door.  Voting is so much fun that you will wish you could do it more than once per day.  Trust me.  Yeah...I'll just keep reminding you...

Oatmeal.  I was first introduced to the idea of soaked oatmeal only a few months ago by some friends.  We ate it before a race and I have been hooked ever since.  It is totally delicious!  Soaked Oatmeal >>Not Soaked Oatmeal.  

I have learned a lot about it since, but I have to say that all of the research I have done is post-loving-soaked-oatmeal.  So, let me tell you why I loved it the first time I had it.  First, the texture is way better.  The oats expand while they are soaking and it gives the oatmeal a porridge-like texture.  Not that I have ever had porridge.  Who eats porridge these days?  Second, it digests like a charm.  When you are eating breakfast the morning before a workout or a race or an important event, it is especially important to eat something that is easy to digest.  However, that is something you would really want everyday, right?  Hmm...but bacon is so good on that special occasion.  

Now, I promise I knew none of the science behind soaking oats before falling in love with them and deciding on those two benefits.  Per my research (how office-memo-y of me), these are exactly the reasons why people do it!  In fact, from what I have read, this was traditionally how all grains and oats used to be prepared back in the day (ref).  Not sure how far back it goes, but apparently it used to be included in any recipes that called for oats or grains.  Anyways, let's talk about the digestion.  Whole grains contain phytic acid in the bran of the grain.  The phytic acid combines with key minerals (like calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, etc.) and prevents their absorption in the intestinal tract.  This makes digestion more difficult.  By soaking the grain, it will neutralize the phytic acid and release those nutrients for absorption (ref).  Because I my experience, I am a believer (also a belieber).  However, this isn't fact and many believe that soaking the oats isn't necessary to break down the phytic acid and that cooking them will break it down enough (ref).  

Regardless of the phytic acid thing, there are two non-negotiable benefits:

1.  It is way faster.  After soaking, the oats just need to be warmed and breakfast is ready!

2.  Superior texture.  

This recipe is for a maple/brown sugar oatmeal with sliced bananas and walnuts.  After reading In Defense of Food, I am now deathly afraid of the one processed food we do eat regularly: cereal.  So oatmeal is helping me through my breakfast dilemma.  

Soaked Oatmeal

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick or instant)

2 cups water for soaking

brown sugar

100% pure maple syrup

bananas, sliced

walnuts

whole milk

In a medium saucepan, add the equal parts oats and water. Cover and let oats soak for 12-24 hours (overnight is fine, but the longer the better) at room temperature.

The next morning put saucepan with the oats over medium to medium-high heat until they are hot! I usually add another 1/2 cup of water, but it is really your preference as to how wet or dry you like your oatmeal. Once it has reached the right consistency and is warm, add brown sugar and maple syrup, to taste. You can also do this at the table for each serving separately. Top with sliced bananas and walnuts, and pour whole milk over the top.

(Servings: 2-4, Prep time: 5 minutes, Cook time: 5 minutes, Difficulty: Easy)

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foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  9/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  1/5

Dishwashing Effort:  1/5