Almond, White Chocolate, Cherry Granola Bars from Amie at My Retro Kitchen

The November event for the Cleveland chapter of the Ohio Blogging Association is a blog swap.  Bloggers from all over Northeast Ohio will be trading blogs for the day.  Participating in a blog swap is a great way to discover new blogs and introduce different readers to your own.  For the full list of all OBA blog swappers, please check out Poise in Parma.

I am paired up with Amie from My Retro Kitchen.  I was first introduced to her blog back in April when she featured Alicia (aka Poise in Parma) on her Fridays, Feasting with Friends segment, but I had the pleasure of meeting Amie in person at last month's OBA event.  Amie has some really great recipes so I hope you'll check out her blog.

Hi everyone!  I am so excited to be guest on Cooker Girl today- so fun!  My name is Amie and I write the food blog My Retro Kitchen.  The concept of My Retro Kitchen grew from the idea that a home-cooked meal is something of the past.  It is a retro idea. I think it is one of the best things a person can give their family! A huge part of nurturing my family is by feeding them well.  In my book, full happy bellies = a happy husband and children.  And when you have a happy family, you also have a happy mommy!

Jackson, my 4 year old son is my number one assistant in the kitchen.  He has developed a love for cooking and has a huge appetite for yummy food.  These granola bars are one of our most favorite things to cook (and eat!) together.  They are easy-peasy and so super versatile.  So easy, that it almost makes it silly to ever buy them from a store again.  Plus when you make them at home, you know exactly what is going in them- no weird processed stuff in these babies!!  Almond, White Chocolate Cherry is the most requested flavor, but don’t be afraid to play around with your ingredients; different dried fruits, mixed cereals, nuts and seeds.  The possibilities are endless!  

With the Christmas Season approaching it is time to start thinking about gift giving.  A tin of these homemade treats wrapped with a pretty bow would make a beautiful, heartfelt gift that anyone would love!

Almond, White Chocolate, Cherry Granola Bars

recipe from My Retro Kitchen

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 cup almonds

1 cup rice crispies

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon water

1 cup dried cherries

1 cup white chocolate chips, plus more for sprinkling on top

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325. Line a square 8" baking pan with 2 crisscrossed rectangles of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang at 2 opposite ends. The overhang is what will assist you in lifting the granola out of the pan for cutting.

Combine the oats and almonds and spread them out evenly on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and toast for 15 minutes. When the oat mixture has been toasting for about 10 minutes, combine the honey, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, oil and water in a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat, whisking to dissolve the sugar.

When the oat mixture is done toasting, transfer it to a large bowl and add the honey mixture, rice crispies, white chocolate chips and fruit; stir to incorporate. Spread evenly in bottom of pan, pressing down to create a smooth, even top.

Bake the granola mixture for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. After about a half and hour, press down again super HARD to make sure everything sticks together and you can get nice, firm bars. A measuring cup works well for this. Sprinkle the rest of the white chocolate chips on top and press down lightly.

Let cool completely.  I am serious here.  I know it is insanely tempting, but if you cut them too soon they will crumble everywhere and they won't be granola bars anymore.  Just granola.  Wait at least 2-3 hours before trying to cut them apart.

Once cool, lift out of pan using paper as handles.  Cut into one-inch wide bars with a large, sharp knife. Then, cut them again in half lengthwise. Store in an airtight container.  If you aren't going to eat them all within a week, be sure to refrigerate or freeze them.  There are no preservatives in these, so they won't last forever and a lifetime in your pantry like the store bought kinds.

30 Before 30

I've been noticing a lot of personal lists online lately, and some of you know how much I love lists.  Have you seen my Culinary To Make List?  I have a little less than a year to finish out my twenties, and I thought a 30 before 30 list would be fun.  Some of these items will also help me get out of the house during the long Cleveland winter (we had our first snow last night).

30 Before 30:
(in no particular order)

1. Attend a concert at Blossom
2. Keep in touch with people better
3. Blog more regularly
4. Participate in a blog swap
5. Sing karaoke in public
6. Bake for a good cause
7. Visit my sister in Atlanta
8. Visit my brother in New Orleans
9. Volunteer more
10. Attend a Tremont Art Walk
11. Visit one of Cleveland's beaches
12. Now that the elephants are back in their new habitat, I want to visit the zoo again.
13. Visit the MetroParks outside of Solon
14. Host more parties
15. Learn how to draw
16. Spend less time on the computer
17. Visit Stan Hywet Hall
18. Try to relax
19. Make our wedding album (our 5 year anniversary is a month before I turn 30)
20. Visit the west side more often
21. Attend a Lake Erie Monsters game
22. Attend a Burning River Roller Girls match
23. Go skydiving
24. Learn how to use some of the features on our new camera
25. Go tobogganing
26. Be more positive about day to day stuff
27. Try at least 6 new restaurants
28. Drink more wine
29. Visit Cleveland's Asiatown and eat dim sum
30. Exercise more

Okay, who wants to make a date to start scratching some of these items off?

Candy Corn & Peanuts

I know it's a little late now that Halloween is over, but just in case you have some Candy Corn left, here is a simple treat.  All you do is mix together peanuts and candy corn.  If you eat both at the same time, it tastes like a Pay Day candy bar.  I was introduced to this salty sweet combo last fall, and totally forgot about it until now.  Enjoy!

2 Year Blogiversary

I've been taking some time off from blogging recently, but I didn't want to miss my two year blogiversary.  Since last year, I actually started posting regularly (well, with the exception of the past two months).  I also started meeting some other bloggers in Cleveland when I joined the Ohio Blogging Association last fall.  It's been really great getting to know this amazing group of people.

Going into my third year blogging, I've been thinking about buying a domain name and possibly switching from Blogger to Wordpress, but we'll see.

Here are a few posts from the past year, thanks for reading!

We had a Beer and Chili Party, I provided dessert in the form of Sugar Cookie Bars and Pumpkin Cupcakes:

I made a Lemon Cake with Raspberry Curd for my three year wedding anniversary:

I recreated my Grandpa's Goulash:

I scratched English Toffee off my Culinary To Make List:

I made another family favorite (this time from my Gram) Chocolate Crackles:

I created an appetizer (Goat Cheese, Grape and Candied Walnut Bruschetta) that turned out to be pretty impressive:

I started cooking more fish, Fish Tacos are a favorite:

I shared my Pi Day Pie Party menu:

For the second year in a row, I made treats for Valentine's Day to send out to family and friends.  The cake balls were a hit!

For something a little different, I made Beet Risotto:

Peanut Butter Blossom Cupcakes

I had chocolate buttercream leftover from the cake balls so I decided cupcakes were in order.  I love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter so I found a peanut butter cupcake recipe in a cookbook my sister gave me for Christmas.  I love those peanut butter blossom cookies (the ones with the Hershey Kiss on top), so I created something similar with these cupcakes.  I had some mini peanut butter cups in my baking stash so I plunked one into the batter before baking.  The cake was nice and light, but best of all it was peanut buttery.  The peanut butter cup in the middle and the chocolate frosting really pulled it all together for a fantastic combination.  The cupcakes were pretty tasty even without the chocolate frosting on top.

Just so we're clear, I think the title is a little misleading.  These treats look like cupcakes, but they are a little more dense and cookie-like than cupcakes.  They're a deliciously large version of the peanut butter blossom cookies.

Peanut Butter Blossom Cupcakes
Adapted from Cupcakes and Muffins

4 Tbsp (half stick) butter, softened
Heaping 1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter (I used creamy because that's all I had)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
Generous 1/3 cup milk

16 mini peanut butter cups, unwrapped
Chocolate Frosting (leftover from Cake Balls)

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line two 12-hole muffin tins with 16 paper liners.  Place the butter, sugar and peanut butter in a bowl and beat together for 1-2 minutes, or until well mixed.  Gradually beat in the eggs, then add the vanilla.  Sift in the flour and baking powder, then fold them into the mixture, alternating with the milk.  Spoon the batter into the paper liners.  Place a peanut butter cup into each muffin cup and push down until the top of the candy is just below the top of the batter.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until well risen and golden brown.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Once cooled, frost the cupcakes.

Coconut Cake

Whenever we have dinner with my in-laws, I usually get to be in charge of dessert.  Easter was with them last year, and I was just coming off four weeks of the Wilton cake decorating classes.  Since I had made and decorated so many cakes recently, I didn't want to make another one for Easter.  However, I had buttercream leftover from my decorating classes that were springy colors.  I didn't want to waste the frosting so I off I went to bake another cake.

I decided on Baking Illustrated's Coconut Cake.  They recommend using cream of coconut instead of coconut milk because the fat content in coconut milk varies so much between brands.  This was the first time I had set out to look for cream of coconut, and had a heck of time finding it.  So here's a tip for you:  Look in the ethnic food section and the drink mixer section in your grocery store.

Between the cake batter and the frosting, the recipe uses the contents from one can.  UNLESS, you screw up and forget to add the sugar and don't remember until the cake's been in the oven for 15 minutes!  Then you'll end up using a second can to make up for your mistake.  Oops!

This cake was moist and coconutty and I would definitely make it again.  I wasn't a big fan of the coconut frosting on it's own, but when you eat it with the cake it was good.

Coconut Cake

From Baking Illustrated

For the cake:

1 egg

5 egg whites

3/4 cup cream of coconut

1/4 cup water

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp coconut extract

2 1/4 cups cake flour, sifted

1 cup sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

12 Tbsp (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces, softened, but still cool

2 cups packed sweetened shredded coconut

Green food coloring, optional

For the frosting:

4 large egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar

pinch of salt

1 pound unsalted butter (4 sticks) cut into 6 pieces, softened, but still cool

1/4 cup cream of coconut

1 tsp coconut extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

For the cake: adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter and dust with flour, tapping out the excess. 

Beat egg whites and whole egg in large measuring cup with a fork to combine. Add cream of coconut, water, vanilla, and coconut extract and beat with fork until thoroughly combined.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on lowest speed to combine, about 30 seconds. With mixer still running on lowest speed, add butter 1 piece at a time, then beat until mixture resembles coarse meal, with butter bits no larger than small peas, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.

With the mixer still running, add 1 cup of egg mixture. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 45 seconds. With mixer still running, add remaining 1 cup egg mixture in steady stream (this should take about 15 seconds). Stop mixer and scrape down bowl with rubber spatula, then beat at medium-high speed to combine, about 15 seconds. (Batter will be thick.)

Divide batter between cake pans and level with offset or rubber spatula. Bake until deep golden brown. Cakes pull away from sides of pans, and toothpick inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes (rotate cakes after 20 minutes). Do not turn off the oven if you are going to toast your coconut.

Cool the cakes on wire racks for about 10 minutes then loosen the cakes from the sides of the pan with a paring knife, invert the cakes onto racks, then reinvert them so the top sides face up; cool to room temperature.

Coloring the Coconut (optional):  If you want to make the coconut look like grass, you can put the shredded coconut into a large bowl with a few drops of green food coloring.  Mix until all the coconut is even and the desired color, add more food coloring if needed.  If you go with this option, do not toast coconut.

Toasting the Coconut (optional): While cakes are cooling, spread shredded coconut on rimmed baking sheet.  Toast in oven until coconut is a mix of golden brown and white, about 15-20 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times. Cool to room temperature.

For the Buttercream: Combine the egg whites, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan containing 1 1/2 inches of barely simmering water. Whisk constantly until mixture is opaque and warm to the touch and registers 120 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes.  (Note that this temperature is not hot enough to eliminate the unlikely presence of salmonella bacteria in the eggs.)  Remove from the heat.

Transfer bowl to the mixer and beat whites on high speed with whisk attachment until barely warm (about 80 degrees) and whites are glossy and sticking, about 7 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-high and beat in butter 1 piece at a time. Beat in cream of coconut and coconut and vanilla extracts. Stop mixer and scrape bottom and sides of bowl. Continue beating at medium-high speed until well combined, about 1 minute.

To Assemble the Cake: Cut the cakes in half horizontally using a long serrated knife so each cake forms 2 layers. Put a dab of icing on a cardboard round cut just larger than the cake. Center one cake layer on the round. Place a large blob of icing in the center of the layer and spread it in to the edges with an icing spatula. Hold the spatula at a a 45 degree angle to the cake and drag it across the surface to level the icing. Repeat with remaining cake layers. To ice the sides of the cake, scoop up a large dab of icing with the tip of the spatula and spread it on the sides with short side-to-side strokes. Sprinkle the top of the cake with coconut. Then press the coconut into the sides, letting the excess fall back onto a baking sheet.

Bolognese Sauce

Before making this, I'd never eaten bolognese sauce.  I refuse to make spaghetti and tomato sauce because I'm not a fan.  Maybe I've only had blah-zay sauces, but in any case, I refuse to make it.  I'd heard really good things about bolognese sauce in general so I thought I would see what the fuss was all about.  Let me tell you, this sauce was fabulous!  The flavor is so complex that I don't even know how to describe it, but it's really good.

Bolognese sauce does take some time to make, but it's mostly inactive time on your part.  I definitely recommend you spend an afternoon with bolognese on the stove because this was so worth it!  This recipe makes a ton so there is plenty to freeze.  I used some of the leftovers to make Bolognese Lasagna which turned out really well too.  And since the bolognese is already made, it may be one of the quickest lasagna's you'll ever make.

Bolognese Sauce

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Don’t drain the pasta of its cooking water too meticulously when using this sauce; a little water left clinging to the noodles will help distribute the very thick sauce evenly into the noodles, as will adding an extra 2 tablespoons of butter along with the sauce. Top each serving with a little grated Parmesan and pass extra grated cheese at the table. 

6 Tbsp unsalted butter (I used 4 Tbsp butter & 2 Tbsp bacon grease)

1/2 small onion, finely minced

1 small/medium carrot, finely minced

1 celery stalk, finely minced

3 Tbsp tomato paste
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lb ground beef, or combo of 3/4 lb ground beef and 3/4 lb ground pork 

1 tsp salt  

2 cups whole milk  

2 cups dry white wine (such as sauvignon blanc, an oaked chardonnay is not recommended)

2 cups chicken stock

1 parmesan cheese rind (removed from the wedge, cheese grated for serving)

2-28 oz cans crushed tomatoes or whole tomatoes and crush by hand (avoid the ones packed in puree)

1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped fine

Heat butter in large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat; add onion, carrot, and celery and saute until softened but not browned, about 10 minutes. Make a bare spot in the pan and add the tomato paste. Let it caramelize for about 2 minutes, then stir together with the vegetables until thickened and red. Add half the garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground meat and 1 teaspoon salt; Stir the meat until the garlic and vegetables are incorporated. Do not brown them. Crumble meat with edge of wooden spoon to break apart into tiny pieces. Cook, continuing to crumble meat, just until it loses its raw color but has not yet browned, about 4-6 minutes. The meat should be very fine without large or medium chunks.

Add milk and bring to simmer; continue to simmer until milk evaporates and only clear fat remains, 30 minutes. Add wine and bring to simmer; continue to simmer until wine evaporates, 30 minutes longer.  Add chicken stock and bring to simmer; continue to simmer until stock evaporates, 30 minutes longer.

Add the rest of the garlic, the crushed tomatoes with juice, and stir well, then bring to simmer; Add the parmesan cheese rind and push it just below the surface (this will add flavor so use salt sparingly to taste until the end.)

Reduce heat to very low so that sauce continues to simmer just barely, with an occasional bubble or two at the surface, until liquid has evaporated, about 4 hours. When the sauce is done, carefully discard the cheese rind. Finish with the parsley. If desired, finish with a splash of olive oil, or butter. Adjust seasonings with extra salt to taste. Drain pasta from water, and return pasta to its own pot. Then add sauce to mix together with the pasta. Reserve some sauce to pass at the table.

Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for several days or frozen for several months. Warm over low heat before serving.