Hey Ding a Ding...It's Spring!

In the spring time, the only pretty ring time, 
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding;
Sweet lovers love the spring. William Shakespeare

No visit to the farmers market was to be had this weekend. Instead, a trip across the country and back. More to come on that.

I left when the leaves on the trees and the blossoms on the dogwood were still wound tight.

But when I returned, they had unfurled their lovely colors.

All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2011

Strawberries in a Salad and Siblings Who Skip

It snowed last year too: I made a snowman and my brother knocked it down and I knocked my brother down and then we had tea.  -Dylan Thomas, Welsh poet

"Mom, it's so embarrassing! Do you know what he does all day at school?"

"No, please tell me."

"He skips."

"Well, he's in kindergarten."

"Well, it's embarrassing. My WHOLE class was lined up to go into the gym and guess who came out of the bathroom and skipped past my WHOLE class and all the way down the hall?"

This eldest son of mine then proceeds to go through a litany of infractions committed by his younger brother. "He makes weird noises. He hums. He kicks my seat. He takes my Lego guys without asking. He follows me around at recess with his hands like binoculars. He barks at me with those stuffed dogs. And...he skips!"

I did not grow up with brothers. Brothers, plural, that is. I have a brother. My "little" brother. He had the distinct honor of providing me with a worthy subject on which to practice my mothering skills. And that was just it. I was more "Mommy Jr" to him than sibling rival. And so now, when confronted with this up-close sibling rival between brothers, I sometimes feel at a loss of what to do.

"Just stop it!! Stop it!!"

Hearing the screams and crying from the garage, I leave the kitchen (where I've been trying to make and eat a quick salad for lunch) and head out to investigate. Upon seeing me, the kindergartner cries out, pointing in the direction of his older brother, "He threw a basketball at my legs."

In defense the 5th grader shoots back, "Yeah well, I wasn't even doing anything and he did this to me." He then proceeds to put his thumbs in his ears, wiggle his fingers and stick out his tongue. Choking back a smile, I said to myself, "I thought they only did that on TV." But judging by the way the 6-year old was covering his guilty face with his arms, apparently my children do that as well.

Both boys looked at me as if to say some justice must be done. Not sure what to do, I thought back to a peace-making method my elder son's kindergarten teacher used to use and I enact my own version of it.

"Okay boys, come here. Closer. Face each other. Hold each other's hands."

"No."

"Hold each other's hands and look at each other."

The 11-year old rolls his eyes and begrudgingly grabs his brother's hands. The littler one opens his eyes wide like a zombie, grabs his brother's hands and then, proceeds to jump up and down, over and over, like a kangaroo.

"Now I want you to compliment each other. Say something kind about your brother."

This is not a new concept to them. During our family dinners on Sundays (when they actually happen) we take turns complimenting other family members. I can usually count on the 11-year old to come up with a little gem about his siblings.

"Come on guys. we're not leaving til you say something kind to each other."

"He's not holding my hand," cries out the little one.

"Stop jumping! That's so weird," the older one shoots back.

Finally, there is a moment of calm and a bit of silence. I can see the older brother gathering his thoughts and the littler one, no longer jumping but still wide-eyed, not knowing what to say.

"C'mon. Surely you can think of something," I say, looking at the older brother, hoping he'll set a good example.

"Okay, okay," says the older one as he gathers himself together. And then, looking deep into his little brother's eyes, he says with all sincerity, "Brother....your farts don't stink."

The little one's eyes grow even bigger, he starts jumping again and with a huge smile on his face, he fires back, "Yeah, well.....your poop doesn't stink!"

They both start cracking up. I try to stifle my smile, throw my hands up in defeat and head inside to finally eat my lunch, muttering, "Boys."

While I sit at the kitchen table enjoying the first of this season's strawberries, my eldest son walks through the kitchen and I say to him, "You know, you'll never be in school with him again...in your whole life. You two could grow up to be best of friends but it depends on how you treat each other now. You're going to miss having him around next year."

He continues walking past me but I can tell he's listening.

At the foot of the stairs, he says back to me, "I know I'll miss him."

And then further up the stairs, "But I won't miss the skipping!"

...


A Strawberry, Hazelnut, and Goat Cheese Salad Drizzled with a Bit of Balsamic Vinaigrette

I have been reading about pairing sweet, luscious strawberries with piquant balsamic vinegar for quite sometime now and I thought it would be fun to try them out in a salad together. Sprinkle on some tangy goat cheese and nutty hazelnuts and you've got a salad fit for a Queen....or at least fit to keep you seated long enough to ponder on the intricacies of sibling rivalry and what to do about it.

I also show in the the photos above a clay ramekin from the talented guys & gals over at Olympic Provisions. Last weekend at the Farmer Market, they had kindly given me a ramekin of their homemade rillette to try on the baguette I was carrying around in my bag. I had never, knowingly, tried rillette. If you're curious to learn more, here's a wonderful post by the über-talented Matt Wright describing how to make and how to eat pork rillette. Once I figured out that I should bring it to room temperature and mix it all together (as opposed to just scraping the cold fat off the top), I discovered a luscious, rich meaty spread, perfect on a little piece of bread. Thank you, Olympic Provisions!

Ingredients:
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp shallot, minced (optional)
pinch o' salt
2-3 tbsp olive oil
couple handfuls of baby greens
1/2 cup or so of sliced strawberries
a sprinkling of crumbled goat cheese (feta might be good too.)
a sprinkling of roasted hazelnuts (or walnuts, almonds, whatever nuts you have on hand and I don't mean your children)
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Combine your vinegar and shallots, if you're using shallots, in a small bowl and let rest for 5-10 minutes. If not using the shallots you can skip the "resting" part.

Add your salt and whisk together. Then slowly, while whisking, drizzle in your olive oil.

Place your baby greens on a plate. Top with the strawberries, the goat cheese and the nuts. Drizzle on the balsamic vinaigrette to your liking. Add a few cracks of black pepper and...voila!

A couple slices of bread with rillette (or butter...or just plain), a glass of sparkling water and with each mouthful of your delicious salad you'll be able to feel summer drawing near. I realize that that is near impossible for those of us in Portland seeing as we haven't even had a spring but, nonetheless, I suggest giving it a try. Enjoy....

...

Organizing Project
Rien. Nada. Nichts. Nic. Niente.

...

Question for You
I get approached, from time to time, by vendors offering me products and cooking supplies to giveaway to you kind people who read my musings. Some of them are a good fit (coffee, chocolate, kitchen gadgets, etc.,) others (Ugg knock-offs) not so much. I am headed to Atlanta next week for the BlogHer Food Conference where I will undoubtedly be hit-up for these kinds of "giveaways."  Because I try to be sensitive to the amount of email that lands in your in-box, especially those of you who are so incredibly generous to subscribe to La Pomme de Portland, I have hesitated doing too many of these.

But you tell me, "Would you like to have me do more giveaways...provided they are a good fit?"

You can let me know in the comments below or in an email or ping me on Facebook.

...

A New Look
And speaking of comments, I realize my "commenter" is cr---- (rhymes with pappy)....and not that I want you to feel obligated to comment but if you felt inclined to do so, it's almost impossible.

Well right now, behind the scenes, La Pomme de Portland is getting a face-lift. Part of this face-lift will include an easier way to comment/ask questions as well as an easy way to print the recipes or subscribe by email or search for recipes. And most importantly, hopefully it will just be easier to read.

If any of you have ever thought, "I sure wish Carrie would...." or "Why doesn't this....work better on Carrie's site?" or "Has Carrie ever considered...?" or  "I would like Carrie to post more about ...."

Please, please, feel free to send me your thoughts.


Thank you so much for reading!! You kind, sweet souls, taking time to read La Pomme....it makes me weep!


All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2011

Tis the Season for Herbs

"There's a few things I've learned in life: always throw salt over your left shoulder, keep rosemary by your garden gate, plant lavender for good luck, and fall in love whenever you can." - William Shakespeare



Ever since I started having herbs in my garden it has made all the difference in my cooking. Being able to walk out the door and snip a few sprigs of oregano or a few sprigs of rosemary as opposed to getting in a car to buy a bundle makes me search for reasons to cook with fresh herbs.

What types of herbs to plant in your yard or in a pot on your back porch can take a little bit of "trial and error." Figuring out which herbs you actually use or which ones grow fairly easily in your yard can take a few seasons but it's worth the effort.

If I could only choose one herb to plant, I would choose rosemary. The deer won't touch it, it's fuss-free and it has endless uses. An herb workhorse, indeed.

The herbs that I use year-round and that usually make it through the winter in pots are: rosemary, thyme, and oregano. I also plant sage but I don't find that I use it very often.

The herbs I plant in late spring that will last until late fall are: Italian parsley, cilantro (lots of it) and lemon verbena only because I love how delicious it smells.

And then later, when it warms up a bit, a pot of basil. No herb garden should be without.

Just curious, what are your favorite herbs to plant in your yard? If you could choose only one, what would it be?



PS: I had a few friends asking me about keeping herbs in pots watered. I have yet to set up any kind of drip system and the self-watering pot inserts that I've tried haven't worked very well but I did stumble upon these "hydro-mats" last season and it made a huge difference in cutting back the amount of watering I had to do during the summer. I used it for my herbs as well as for my flower boxes.


All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2011

Tis the Season

The cherry trees in Portland right now are stunning. I've been cutting branches from the trees in my yard (and my neighbor's...with her consent, of course,) putting them in vases and scattering them around the house. They are so lovely, they definitely help make up for our cold, gray weather.


I realize that my posts have been few and far between lately. Could be the lack of sunlight or could be that there's been a beehive of activity going on behind the scenes of La Pomme. Over the next few months or so, I will be unveiling some exciting changes to La Pomme de Portland. Subtle changes but changes that will hopefully make your experience here even more enjoyable.

Too rainy to actually get outside and plant much but this one pot of spring flowers on my deck is just enough to lift the spirits.


One of the first changes is that every Monday or sometimes Tuesday (barring sick children, flat tires, and other unforeseen events) I will be posting a quick look at what's in season.

So many of you, dear friends, have had questions for me surrounding what is in season, what to do with it, what to grow in your kitchen garden and when, that I thought I'd publish a quick look at what I'm eating and growing at certain times of the year.

This post will be something for you to glance at in under a minute (except for today and I realize today isn't Monday but this is how my week is going....:))

My hope is that it will provide you with a quick burst of inspiration that you can carry around with you all week as you plan your own meals or decide what to plant in your garden.

I will still continue to publish my traditional post with my musings plus a recipe on Wednesday or Thursday but I won't include the extraneous information that I've been attaching at the bottom except for the organization bit. After all, I have to keep myself on track. I do, however, have a plan for the extraneous bits but I'll share that another day.

So without further ado...

This weekend at the Farmers Market, I found:

These huge carrots. I simply had to buy a bunch. They will be perfect paired with Trader Joe's hummus for a snack and I plan to use them in a stir-fry later this week along with the rapini I bought using this recipe.

I love these sweet French radishes. They remind me of my Poppa. He was always eating them dipped in Krazy Salt. He also liked salt in his beer. I plan to set these out at dinner with a little bowl of kosher salt.

And what would we do without the humble rhubarb brightening our days with the first bit of spring color. I have been making an easy apple/rhubarb pie with them that is delicious. I hope to have the recipe up for you tomorrow.

Cheers!


All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2011

Peas and Carrots, Carrots and Peas Spring Soup

I sit here in the shadows just out of sight like my mother did before me. There but not there. Still needed but not seen.

Watching you with your friends. Linking hands with these friends as you jump unabashedly into the water. Holding handstand competitions.

Saddling up to these friends on the chair lift. Laughing and singing and bumping each other before the ride is over and you're off down the slopes again.

Watching you from the kitchen window as you ride your bike...still with training wheels...down the street. Dragging your feet to slow you down as the pavement dips a little. Around the neighbor's driveway and then confidently back up the street.

You glance at the kitchen window hoping I'm there. I am. You give me a nod, a smile and you're off again.

Standing near you as you chop your carrots, your leeks, your potatoes. Teaching you but not watching you as you put your vegetables into the pot. Pour in the stock. Stir it around. Smelling your creation. Feeling a wave of confidence as those first tantalizing smells waft up toward you.

Laughing with you as you question my dinner-making music, "Oh no, Mom. Is this Norah Jones again?"

Sitting near you at the table as we toast you...the chef.

And I know you won't remember that I was there.

You'll remember that you swam and you skiied, you rode your bike and you cooked but you won't remember that I was sitting there off to the side...just like my mother did for me.

But someday when you're a parent you'll do the same thing.

Watching from the shadows as your children grow up.

Peas and Carrots, Carrots and Peas Spring Soup
I have spent the past month making pea soup in all various forms. I think you know by now that I have a soup fetish. Can't help it. Besides being "delicious and nutritious" it makes for easy clean-up...one pot...and it sits so nicely on the stove over low heat waiting for family members to come home at various times, ladle it up without any help from me and taste its glory.  Now, while my daughter and myself enjoyed all the different pea soups that I concocted (we're easy to please seeing as there's not much we don't like) and the Rooster and my littlest one at least finished their bowls,  I couldn't get a pea soup past the 11-year old. So, I employed the old "They tend to eat what they make" trick and dragged him into the kitchen with me. Here's what we came up with....which he devoured with flourish.

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
2 leeks, chopped (white and light green parts only)
2 med/large carrots, peeled and diced
couple pinches of kosher salt (1/2 tsp each)
few cracks of black pepper
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 qts chicken broth
1 tsp Herbes de Provence (Italian seasoning will work too.)
4 medium potatoes, thin or thick skinned, cubed. If thick skinned, make sure to peel them.
a bit of parmesan cheese rind (If you don't have this, not to worry, just skip it.)
2 c fresh or frozen peas

Optional toppings
5 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
Chopped chives, basil, Italian parsley or any other fresh herb you enjoy
Grated parmesan cheese


Directions
In a heavy-bottomed soup pot, heat your olive oil. Add in your chopped leeks, the pinch of salt and cracks of black pepper. Give it a stir and begin to sauté on low heat. Peel and dice up your carrots then add them to the pot. Give it another stir and sauté the whole works for about 5-8 minutes or until the leeks and carrots are beginning to soften.

Add in your garlic. Give them a whirl and sauté for another minute or so.

Pour in your chicken broth. Sprinkle in your herbs. Plop in your potatoes. Add another pinch of salt and couple of cracks of black pepper. Stir. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes (or until your potatoes are softened) with the lid askew.

If using frozen peas, add them in when the potatoes have been cooking for 10 minutes. If using fresh peas, add them in when the potatoes have been cooking for 15 minutes.

Set out the delicious toppings and let your family, your guests, yourself spoon the fragrant spring soup into bowls and sprinkle on the toppings like it's an ice cream sundae bar.

I put out a crusty loaf of bread, a ramekin full of Goat Cheese Love, some sliced up Opal apples and called it dinner.

Enjoy....

Yield: One big pot-full

PS: A little note about the peas. I know that some of you...even some of my dearest, closest friends...do not like peas. I cannot understand this as I can't get enough of them but if you are the type who does not care for the little green orbs this soup is still delicious without them. Just leave them out. You could toss in a handful of orzo pasta the last 10 minutes of cooking instead...or not.


Peas, Peas and More Peas, Please
More pea recipes here on La Pomme de Portland... Peas and Pancetta, Spring Birthday Soup
A round up of kid-friendly Pea Recipes over on Babble. Personally, I'm looking forward to trying the Spring Pea & Parmesan Risotto recipe.
And lo and behold a Spring Sweet Pea and Asparagus Pickling recipe from White On Rice Couple.


Can't get enough of....
Katie Quinn Davies food photography. Check out these beautiful spring photos the Irish lass livin' Down Under took for Martha Stewart Living.


Speaking of Peas and Carrots
Love these particular Peas and Carrots from Williams-Sonoma.


The Organizing Project
Wonder of wonders, miracles of miracles!! I have officially finished organizing the legos, the toy closet and the under-the-stairs closet. It only took me 3 months but hey, I did it!! I cannot tell you how amazing this feels. I thought I would share a few before and after photos for your viewing pleasure.

BEFORE

AFTER

Next up, the 6-year old's closet and dress-up drawer. (BTW, he's no longer the 5-year old since we celebrated his birthday over spring break. So bittersweet....)



All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2011

A Delightful Spring Birthday Soup

What is it about certain ages that stir our emotions? Emotions that are both jubilant at one end and sometimes bittersweet at the other. You know the ages I'm referring to....1, 5, 10, 13, 16, 18, 21, 40, 65, 100 (if we should be so lucky). My youngest little buddy just turned 5 and I'm feeling a bit melancholy about it. I don't know why. Maybe because he is the youngest and I know these stages don't last forever. He still brings me treasures just like his older brother used to do. Tiny daisies, crumpled dandelions, little rocks and sticks. All of which I slip into my pockets for safe keeping. I tell him that I put them in there to keep the treasures safe and anytime I'm missing him, I just pull one out. He's at that wonderful age where a flick of your entire hand lets one know how old you are. If he were with you right now he'd tell you that he's 5, he has two loose teeth and he starts Kindergarten in the fall. He couldn't be more pleased.

One of my dearest, closest friends recently called. She had been looking at a photograph of the two of us with our eldest daughters. She said to me a little wistfully, "I look at that picture and they just look so much older than I realized. I can't believe it. Gads." Our daughters have grown up together since they were babies and I have loved watching them do just that but looking at the photograph myself, I have to admit...they are closer to the women they will become than the little girls they once were. My daughter will be 13 in a month. She's thrilled. I remember my 13th Birthday well. Who was there. What I was wearing (purple velour.) I loved it. I received a tube of multi-flavored lip smackers and my very own flute. How interesting...how surreal to have your children be an age you remember so well. And if one of my children is that age...what does that make me?

I must have these thoughts in the forefront of my mind. These thoughts about my children growing older. About me growing older. I was in the kitchen with my 10-year old son and I happened to notice the size of his feet. They are enormous. And, out of nowhere, I started singing, "Where is the little boy I carried...." (My own version of the lyrics.) He, of course, was mortified and left the room. Then this weekend, I happened to be at the lovely and sweet wedding of my brother and his beautiful new wife. My son had slipped those big feet out of his normal basketball shoes and into some dapper black loafers. He wore a suit and a tie and had a look of pure confidence on his face. Of utter satisfaction. As he stood at the edge of the aisle, waiting to perform his "ushering" duties, I felt my throat thicken because for the first time, I saw glimpses of the grown-up man he's headed for. He's always been "just boy" for me. And, while he still is a young boy, I could see bits of the future in the way he stood.

My parents, my sister, my nephews, and the whole of us were all together last night. Together to celebrate my 5-year old's Birthday. The grown-ups around the dining room table. The boys at the kitchen table. (My daughter had fled to dance.) While we chatted, enjoyed each delicious spoonful of our spring soup and sipped on glasses of Pinot Gris, the boys tried their best to stay seated and eat but more often than not they were up. Banging out their compositions on the piano. Screeching by in their cars. Asking for more applesauce, more bread, more cold water. We tried out best to ignore the chaos and continue on but it was proving difficult. I had almost reached my limit and was about to pull out the old, "Enough!" but then, I saw the look on my 5-year old's face. A look of pure joy. Of excitement. That all was as it should be. That the noise and the chaos were part of the celebration. And the fact that his cousins, his Aunt, his Nana and Papa were all in town just for him was reason enough to scream from the top of one's lungs. How could I put an end to the jubilation? And, how could I not be excited as well? I remember once asking my beautiful mother if she had cried at my wedding and I remember her saying to me, "Why would I have cried? That was such a happy celebration." Perhaps that's how I need to think about my children growing older. I need to put aside my melancholy thoughts and allow myself to be swept up in their excitement. Perhaps....or perhaps my mother is just a much stronger woman than I.

A Delightful Spring Birthday Soup

Every year at this time I see recipes for "Potato Leek Soup" spring up by the dozen and every year I'm intrigued to make it; however, I'm not one to want to eat a pot full of warm milk which is essentially how most of those soups are made. So, taking a cue from what was available at our local farmer's market, I came up with this lighter version of potato leek soup. I prefer the delicate balance of all of the spring flavors in here just as it is but if you'd like to give it a bit more heartiness you could add a cup or so of diced chicken...maybe from a leftover rotisserie chicken. I would also have salt and pepper on the table so each person can give their soup a quick little zing right before eating and believe it or not this soup is delicious with soft-(or hard-) boiled eggs and a little toast on the side. Now, I do have to admit to you that while I made this soup and served it for my little guy's family Birthday dinner, it was definitely more of a hit with "the chicks," if you catch my drift.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 leeks, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

6 small yukon gold potatoes or other thin-skinned spring potatoes, sliced

1/2 c white wine

1 qt water (or 1/2  water and 1/2 chicken broth)

1 cup fresh or frozen petite peas

1 tsp kosher salt

optional: top with minced, fresh chives or minced parsley

Directions:

Heat heavy bottomed soup pot on stove. Chop up your leeks. Then, add the olive oil to the pot to heat. Once heated add your leeks and salt and saute over med-low heat for about 5 minutes. The leeks should be softened. Add your garlic and saute another minute or so. Add your potatoes and saute them about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, stir in your wine and let the alcohol evaporate from the pot. About 2-3 minutes or so. I can always tell by smelling the rising steam. Once the pungent alcohol smell turns sweet, you know it's finished. Now, add a quart of water or enough to cover the potatoes, bring to a boil and then, simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes. Add your peas and simmer another 5 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and the peas are just cooked. Spoon into shallow bowls and enjoy.

Yield: Enough to serve a family of 4 and one bird eater. This recipe doubles beautifully.

All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2010

A Humble Yet Decadent Homemade Granola

The older kids are off to school and the house holds just the 4-year old and myself. I look at my To-Do list...at least 143 items long. Where do I even begin? I hadn't taken the time on Monday to organize the list into more manageable bits and now here it is mid-week..."sigh." My mind wanders to a recipe, darling Shannalee recently posted on her poignant blog, Food Loves Writing. Olive Oil Granola. Ever since my daughter made homemade granola last summer, I have been intrigued with making my own "cereal"...so to speak. Hers was so delicious and easy to make, it now seems silly to buy it. When I saw Shannalee's recipe, I knew I had to try it out as well.

When I feel overwhelmed by the tasks of life, I simply check out from them. I procrastinate. And, usually when I'm procrastinating, you'll find me cooking. So, instead of checking anything off my list, I hauled out the humble ingredients for the granola. I mixed them together and popped it all in the oven. Then, I called over to my littlest one who was quietly drawing at the kitchen table. "Let's go outside and check out the birds." Ever since my daughter studied birds in 6th grade and we hung some feeders to attract the winged-critters for her observation, I have become a bird watcher. I get a thrill out of watching the flocks of chickadees land in our branches. The red-crested woodpecker poke-poke-poking his beak into the suet. What exactly does that say about me...my bird watching that is...and should I be admitting it?"

So, there we sat, side-by-side, on the front porch gazing across the way at the birds. Enjoying the cherry blossoms and the wave of daffodils the deer have fortunately left alone. (Yes, the daffodils resulting from my crazy bulb planting last fall.) He in his Star Wars jammies and me in my jammies exercise clothes. The rich smells of cinnamon and cardamom wafting out through the door left ajar. I glance at his profile. No longer the toddler he once was. Those plump round cheeks are giving way to a more defined look. He says to me, "Do I get to go to school today?" "No, sweetie, not today." "I like school." "I know." We can feel it. The time is coming. Time for him to start elementary school. And, after 13 straight year of having a little buddy by my side, it's time for me to move onto the next stage. But, it's okay to want to hold onto this one a little longer, isn't it? I kiss the top of his head and go in to stir the granola. He follows behind me.

A wise friend of mind once said that life is but a series of stages. She always seems so at peace with the passing of each stage and the introduction into each new one. I know that it's time. Time for what life brings me next but when you've been in one stage for so long it can be a bit daunting...wondering what's next. We carry little bowls of the sinfully delicious granola back outside. Fragrant and chewy but with a hint of crunch from the nuts. We sit down on the front steps just in time to see a squirrel making away with an entire suet block almost twice his size. "So, that's who's been clipping the rope to the feeder and making away with the food." And, I thought it had been the crows. We continue to sit there. Side-by-side. He and I. My littlest one and me. Watching the squirrel's progress. And, I try to be in the moment. Enjoying my procrastination, my little buddy...and every bit of my homemade granola.

Olive Oil Granola

Inspired by Shannalee and originally published in the New York Times

I love this granola. So, did all of my kids....well, except for the one allergic to nuts for obvious reasons. We mixed it with plain yogurt, drizzled with honey and topped with sliced bananas. I used the yogurt/granola mix as a dip for sliced apples for snack one day. We ate it straight out of hand. But probably the best way that my daughter and I enjoyed this granola was sprinkled over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The bits of salt and spice mixed with the smooth, creamy vanilla...unbelievable. I think you need to go make this right now. Go ahead. Get going. And, let me know if you agree...about the granola and ice cream that is.

Ingredients:

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup chopped, slivered almonds

1 cup coconut flakes

3/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

3/4 cup chopped, dried apricots (I would use raisins next time. Just my personal preference.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except apricots. (If using raisins, I would add them to the bowl at this point.) Mix to combine. Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer. You can spread the mixture on top of parchment paper or a Silpat to make clean-up easier. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes of so, until golden brown and well toasted.

Transfer granola to a large bowl and add apricots, tossing to combine. Enjoy.

Yield: About 9 cups.

All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2010