A quick note: I just clicked “yes” to the pledges that came in last year. If you are one of those generous souls, thank you so very much. This publication will remain open to everyone, regardless of ability to pay, but I am accepting $$ from anyone who’d like to lend support. Here we go. Belated Happy New Year to you all. Love, KOD
The husband doesn’t cook much. This is fact, not snark.
Over the years that we’ve been together, he’s picked up a few tricks from his favorite cooker:
Stovetop pot of brown rice (Make sure the water is at a ‘Look at me’ rolling boil before you even think of adding the grains.)
Kale salad prep (Pull apart from middle rib, wash and spin dry real good, squeeze a few lemons.)
How to chiffonade that kale (Stack leaves and roll into a bundle, rocking motion with a wide-edged knife.)
But it was homemade granola, the breakfast cereal that feels heaven-sent from little elves, that Russ claimed as his own.
I started making granola early in our marriage, tinkering with oat to nut ratios, seed combinations, and sweetness. He lapped up every version.
He quickly became enamored with the idea of homemade granola as pantry staple rather than occasional offering. But with two granola lovers under one roof, I couldn’t make it fast enough.
His enthusiasm inspired the recipe that went into my 2012 cookbook, Meat Lover’s Meatless Celebrations. At last, there was a written recipe that he could use to teach himself, start to finish, and eventually commit to memory.
He discovered that making the granola is fun. He likes the toasty syrupy smell while it bakes. How like magic it forms into golden nuggets that you can break up with your hands to fit into half-gallon jars.
And – whether he realizes this or not – I suspect that he likes making a culinary contribution.
Without any prompting, Russ decided he would be the House Granola-er. It would be his job, and no, he would not slack off. This was serious business. As he has done for many years, Russ makes the granola at Casa Appetite. He keeps tabs on the ever-dwindling supply of oats, seeds and nuts, always on the hunt for bulk bargains.
I keep out of the kitchen while he works. He puts music on. Sometimes it’s Jason Isbell, sometimes it’s Steve Earl. He grinds cinnamon from bark into powder. He measures and he stirs and he chops. He preheats and he pours everything into a parchment-lined roasting pan. While he waits, he parks himself on a stool at the counter and reads. It may be as close to meditation for him as it gets.
A recipe is like a time capsule; it reflects a moment in time in the life of the writer. Its beauty and efficacy is in the eye of the beholder. It is subject to change by both writer and reader.
This is why if there are ten people in one room asked to make a PB&J, everyone will each have their own spin on the sandwich. Ten singular variations on the theme.
In the decade since my granola recipe first published, I have reduced the maple/honey amounts by half. Same with the dried fruit. On the rare occasion that I fill in on granola duty, I use a total of ¼ cup of maple syrup. I imagine that if I were no longer in the picture, Russ would ramp up the dried fruit and syrup, maybe even add coconut (which I think has no business.. never mind).
Weekday mornings, we meet in the living room. The news is on the radio. Coffee scents the air. He chomps his way through a bowl of his golden nuggets, swimming in a pool of oat milk. During the growing season, pick-your-own berries are the crowning jewel. He cannot hear you while he chomps. He is one with that bowl; it’s his sound healing.
KOD’s Granola
Makes about 10 cups
4 cups rolled oats (do not use instant)
2 cups unsalted nuts: Any combination of walnuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios, or cashews, chopped roughly or left whole)
1 cup raw/unsalted sunflower seeds
½ to 1 cup dried fruit: any combination of raisins, cherries, cranberries or blueberries (or none at all)
¼ cup untoasted buckwheat groats (aka kasha)
¼ cup untoasted sesame seeds
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup good-quality pure maple syrup
¼ cup your favorite flavor of honey, preferably local
¼ cup neutral oil (safflower, sunflower, and grapeseed are all good choices)
In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, nuts, sunflower seeds, dried fruit, groats, sesame seeds, and cinnamon. Stir everything together until mixed.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a roasting pan or a few sheet pans with parchment paper.
Pour the maple syrup, honey, and oil into a small saucepan and warm over low heat until the mixture thins, about 2 minutes. Stir to keep from burning. Do not boil the mixture.
Pour the warm mixture on top of the dry ingredients, stirring with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until well coated.
Spread the granola on the prepared pan until evenly distributed.
Bake for a total of 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to prevent burning or sticking. The granola is done when it is glistening and golden.
Let cool completely; the granola will crisp up within 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container.
Savory Granola
300 F oven. Parchment lined roasting or sheet pan.
Amounts make about 3 cups. Feel free to double or triple.
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup unsalted walnuts or hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pepitas
2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
2 tablespoons untoasted buckwheat groats
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
3 tablespoons neutral oil
2 tablespoons good-quality maple syrup
Stir together the dry ingredients. Warm the neutral oil and maple syrup for about 1 minute in a small saucepan. Pour over the dry ingredients + stir until evenly coated.
Spread onto pan. Bake, stirring every 15 minutes, until golden brown, about 45 minutes.
Excerpted from: PNW Veg: 100 Vegetable Recipes Inspired by the Local Bounty of the Pacific Northwest (https://bookshop.org/a/98229/9781632170538)
Especially in the summer when we have lots of fresh berries, I skip the dried fruit and replace with an extra cup of seeds, usually pepitas. Just FYI.