Granola

I stayed with Grandma and Grandpa for awhile and came to love their granola, fast. Soon after I left, I called her for the recipe and was able to obtain everything I needed at Winco, in Orem.

Grandma’s Granola

• 4 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup wheat germ
• 1/4 cup brown sugar or honey
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups mixture of extras (seeds: sunflower, flax, pumpkin)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup [I used maple flavored syrup, its much cheaper]
• 1/3ish cup oil (put 2 TB water in a 1/2 cup, and fill it up the rest of the way with oil)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon [I used more cinnamon than this, and also a bit of nutmeg]
• coconut (optional)

Mix together ingredients (besides coconut) and bake flat on cookie sheets for 30 minutes at 275 degrees [I used Mom’s input on this and cooked it for longer, 35-40 minutes to make it crispier, and I think it’s better that way]. If desired, sprinkle coconut over the top and bake for 5 more minutes.

It is SOooooo good. Mix it with yogurt and chopped fruit and you’ll have a breakfast that always hits the spot! Plus, I love how it is so healthy - so much fiber and not too much sugar.

Non-Meat Meals

I've been doing a great deal of culinary experimentation lately. Justin and I are diligently seeking to eat meat more and more sparingly. I think Justin is going along somewhat reluctantly though. He loves his meat. I think he wants to make the change but his heart isn't in it. To illustrate, here's a story for your reading pleasure.

He called me on his way home from work one day, already informed that we were eating a delicious surprise meal that night. "Hon, guess what? We're having a vegetarian dinner!" I said, awaiting his response. Long pause. He begins slow, "I need you to do me a favor." "What's that?" I asked apprehensively. "I need you to not use the word vegetarian." "What?" "When we're eating something without meat, I want you to call it a 'non-meat dish' instead of a 'vegetarian dish.'" "Okay..." Upon further discussion, I learned that to him, the word vegetarian has a multitude of politically and religiously charged arguments, none of which he believes are sound. So, we call them non-meat dishes at our house.

With no more ado, here are my concoctions. One with picture, one without.

Non-meat Chicken Supreme Casserole (from Hutchings cookbook, by Michelle)

Follow cookbook directions, with the following exception:

Precook a little bit more potato cubes as you usually do, and instead of mixing chicken in with the potato cubes for the bottom layer, mix in chopped onions and garlic sauteed with montreal chicken seasoning, chicken bouillon and any other spices you feel like. Then mix in a can or two of diced tomatoes before spreading it in the bottom of the pan.

It is delicious and you won't regret making it this way.

I'll admit, Justin was pretty displeased with me when I made "Chicken Supreme Casserole" with no chicken. When he tasted it he got really quiet, so I asked him, "how do you like it?" and he responded "I'm not going to deny that I love it....but next time, with meat!...okay, well, sometimes with meat....maybe on my birthday?" I love him.

This next one might surprise you. I revamped the title.

Aji de Potato

Justin laughed out loud when I told him what we were having for dinner.

You know that delicious Peruvian chicken dish that I make? It's just as delicious with potatoes in place of chicken.

Follow the family cookbook's directions, with the following exception.

Instead of precooking the chicken and shredding it, precook diced potatoes and add them in at the same time you would the chicken

I served this one with Indian Naan Bread which was also delicious, and I had no complaints from Justin. Here's the recipe I used. I don't remember where I got it.

• 2 3/4 cups flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt or sour cream (I used my homemade yogurt)
• 1/2 cup milk

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl by hand), stir together the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, and yeast. In a small bowl, mix together the egg, yogurt, and milk. Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and stir for about 1 minute, until the dry ingredients are completely incorporated into the wet ingredients.

Increase machine speed to 2 (or by hand) and knead the dough until it is smooth and shiny. Remove the bowl from the mixer and cover with a towel. Leave in a warm place to rise until the dough doubles in size, about an hour.

Put a baking stone or heavy baking sheet on the lowest rack of your oven. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees for at least 30 minutes prior to baking.

Divide the dough into eight pieces and form into teardrop (mine were more like oval) shapes with your hands, about 6 to 8 inches across.

Cook two or three pieces at a time. Drop the dough onto the hot stone and shut the oven door, watching until they are just starting to turn brown in places, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove the naan and lay on a board. Butter the naan with garlic butter after it comes out of the oven.

I have a funny story about this one, too. If you'll notice, it calls for preheating the stone. I did, but what you should know is that my stone has never been seasoned. So, it goes about it's smelly smoke-producing seasoning business unbeknown to me, as I stepped out with Jaime on the front lawn. While I was out there, I met another young mother in my neighborhood and invited her in to see our home. The house was filled with smoke and smelled terribly. To ad insult to injury, I also showed her the backyard which happenwedd to have our underwear draped everywhere, line drying, due to a nonfunctional dryer outlet. I felt pretty foolish and haven't seen the woman since (but I'm determined to make her a park-going friend). By the way, the dryer outlet is now fixed thanks to Bryce.

Happy non-meat cooking to you all!