Olive Oil Granola With Dried Apricots and Pistachios

From the NYT July 15, 2009, by Melissa Clark

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 1/2 cups raw pistachios, hulled

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, hulled

1 cup coconut chips

3/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

3/4 cup chopped dried apricots

Fresh ricotta, for serving (optional)

Fresh berries, for serving (optional).

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine oats, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, coconut chips, maple syrup, olive oil, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and cardamom. Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown and well toasted.

2. Transfer granola to a large bowl and add apricots, tossing to combine. Serve with ricotta and fruit, if desired.

Yield: About 9 cups.

Balsamic Chicken with Roasted Tomatoes

The juices escaping from the roasting tomatoes combine with the honey and olive oil to make a syrupy glaze to coat the tomatoes and the chicken.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cooking Time: 12 minutes minutes

1 pint grape tomatoes
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
Balsamic vinaigrette salad spritzer (such as Wish-Bone)

1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; place tomato mixture on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan. Bake at 450° for 12 minutes or until tomato skins burst and begin to wrinkle, stirring once. Transfer tomatoes to a bowl, scraping juices into bowl. Stir 1/4 teaspoon salt into tomato mixture.

3. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.

4. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken; cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Place chicken on individual plates; coat each breast half with 2 to 3 sprays of balsamic spritzer. Spoon tomatoes evenly over chicken.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and about 1/4 cup tomatoes)

Calories 238 (16% from fat); Fat 4g (sat 0.8g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.8g); Iron 1.5mg; Cholesterol 99mg; Calcium 28mg; Carbohydrate 7.7g; Sodium 431mg; Protein 40g; Fiber 1g

Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast Oxmoor House, APRIL 2009

Black Bean Soup

Serves 4

Hands-on Time: 10m

Total Time: 30m

Ingredients

• 1 cup jarred fresh tomato salsa (plus extra for garnish)
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups chicken broth
• lime (optional)
• dry sherry (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the salsa in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Stir in the beans and broth, then heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.

2. Cool slightly, then spoon half the soup into a food processor or blender and puree. Return the pureed soup to the saucepan and heat through.

3. Serve with sour cream, additional salsa, and a squeeze of lime (if using). Or stir 1 to 2 tablespoons dry sherry into each serving.

Tip

Beans made from scratch have better flavor, but the cooking can take hours. Canned beans are a solid alternative, if you rinse and drain them well.

Nutritional Information

Calcium 97mg; Calories 151; Carbohydrate 28g; Cholesterol 6mg; Fat 3g; Fiber 10g; Iron 3mg; Protein 9mg; Sat Fat 2g; Sodium 830mg

Recipe from Real Simple

Cheddar Corn Bread Wedges

Pack a wedge of this cheesy corn bread in your lunch box, or serve alongside creamy tomato soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon butter, at room temperature, for
  greasing pie dish
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Before you start, be sure an adult is nearby to help.

Preheat an oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch glass pie dish with the soft butter.

In a bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir with a table fork until well blended.

In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil and egg. Mix with the fork until well blended.

Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture. Gently stir with a rubber spatula until almost blended. Add the cheese and stir just until blended.

Using the rubber spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared pie dish. Bake until the corn bread is browned on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Using oven mitts, remove the pie dish from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool.

Using a sharp knife, cut the corn bread into 12 wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 12.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma The Kid's Cookbook, by Abigail Johnson Dodge (Time-Life Books, 2000).

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

William Sonoma recipe - Because a rump roast is a tougher cut of meat, it lends itself nicely to preparation in a slow cooker. After long, slow cooking in the aromatic liquid, the roast emerges flavorful and fork-tender.

Ingredients:

• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 lb. red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch
  pieces
• 1 1/2 cups beef stock
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 beef rump roast, 3 to 4 lb.
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

Put the onion, carrots, potatoes, stock, tomato sauce, garlic, thyme and bay leaf in a slow cooker and stir to combine.

Season the roast with salt and pepper. Put the flour in a large bowl, add the roast and toss to coat evenly.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil until nearly smoking. Add the roast and brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to the slow cooker, cover and cook on high for 6 hours according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Transfer the roast to a carving board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice the meat and arrange on a warmed platter. Remove the bay leaf and serve the vegetables and sauce alongside.

Slow Cooker Chicken Stew in White Wine

William Sonoma recipe - This variation on the classic French stew coq au vin uses white wine instead of the traditional red and also includes potatoes, so it makes a great one-pot meal. After 5 hours in a slow cooker, the chicken turns out exceptionally tender and juicy.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 chicken, 3 to 4 lb., cut into 8 serving pieces
• 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 bacon slices, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 8 oz. white button mushrooms, quartered
• 1 lb. red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch
  pieces
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 4 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups white wine

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add the chicken and toss to coat evenly.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm half of the olive oil until just smoking. Add half of the chicken and brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining oil and chicken. Add the bacon, onion, mushrooms, potatoes, garlic, parsley, thyme, bay leaf and stock to the slow cooker and stir to combine.

Remove the sauté pan from the heat, pour the wine into the pan and return to medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the pan bottom. Add the wine to the slow cooker, cover and cook on high for 5 hours according to the manufacturer?s instructions. Remove the bay leaf before serving. Spoon the stew into bowls and serve immediately.