Homemade Granola

I am trying to make 2015 the year of learning basic recipes that will enrich my life forever (please note how I softened the resolve with "trying" rather than just saying this is THE year, people). Now, my idea of "stuff I should know how to make" will probably differ from yours; it's not like I want to cook my way through a famous cookbook. I don't even have a long list. Off the top of my head, it seems to be just "roast a whole chicken without batting an eye" and make-your-own granola. So, as you can see from the photo above, I'm off to a good start and the only thing I need to learn for the rest of the year is roasting a chicken. 50% of my list is complete! What an accomplishment!

As I knew it would be, making granola is super easy. It is somewhere above PB&J, but definitely below chocolate chip cookies on the difficulty scale (I feel like whenever an egg is involved, things instantly become more precarious and the outcome is a little less certain. Just me?). I used this straightforward and helpful recipe (it has a photo stills, you see). My granola turned out pretty good (I used lots of cranberries and raisins), but next time, I would throw in some slivered almonds and more honey. I was short on the honey, so I used only about 1/4 cup. Really, I wasn't expecting miracles from homemade granola; most of the satisfaction comes from knowing I made it and I can do it again. For me, learning something new, however small, makes that particular day special and gives it the tiniest bit of meaning.

Okay, so if I get serious about this list, a few sauces and some baked goods would probably end up on there. Oh, AND PANCAKES. For a fairly simple pleasure, there is so much mystery around making a good pancake. Let's see how I progress this year. Mastering the pancake might be more of a lifelong goal.

Warm Herb and Jam Goat Cheese Spread

When I saw Joy the Baker's Warm Herb and Jam Goat Cheese Spread recipe, I was immediately intrigued by the flavors. It sounded like a fresh take on the cheese spread and I didn't want to forget about it. So, I put it at the top of my mental to-do list and boy, am I glad I carried through with it. It is fantastic for two reasons: the flavor combination is superb and it can be thrown together in two shakes of a lamb's tail (how delightful to have the chance to use that phrase).

I used cherry fruit spread with rosemary and thyme and it was a very pretty, very festive home run. The genius of it is that it takes all the flavors normally seen on a (goat) cheese plate and puts them in one bite. Also, perhaps even more exciting for all the hosts and hostesses out there, it's just one dish and one spoon for serving! Thank you to Joy for this game changer!

Al Fresco #1

Over the weekend, I had my very first visit to the Hollywood Bowl, a lovely amphitheater that is a summer must-do for many LA locals. I was looking forward in particular to the Bowl's "bring your own" food and (alcoholic) drink policy; they've got plenty of refreshment options there, but the hefty prices and long lines can be disheartening to say the least. Although I did not have a gingham lined picnic basket to glide along with (this time!), I did pick up a new cooler, which bodes well for future trips to the beach.

I was very excited to make chocolate covered pretzels, a recipe I had seen on PBS's Everyday Food. The process had looked charmingly easy and I had made a mental note to try it sometime. Well, the steps are so simple and the pay-off is spectacular. I must recommend you try them for your next festive occasion. They'll be gone in mere seconds.


I also wanted to take a substantial protein of some sort. Chicken drumsticks sounded easy to handle both for the cooking and the eating. When I stumbled upon this recipe on the Everyday Food site, it was case closed. But, I did choose to use a bottled honey bbq sauce instead of making it from scratch. These little darlings (Jamie Oliver's vernacular has effectively seeped into my brain) turned out wonderfully.


Not homemade, but still part of our feast were: French bread, Havarti cheese, salami, Italian giardiniera (pickled vegetables), grapes, popcorn with Mrs. Dash seasoning (a habit I picked up a year ago from my best friend, Mary) and two 24-oz. Tecates.

I have lots of ideas for next time. Like, so many. So, stay tuned for my next al fresco experience!