Granola

So my friend Bethany gave me a granola recipe and here's my take on it... Thanks Bethany!

I'm a purist when it comes to granola.  No nuts, no fruit.

You can add those things if you like.

My granola just has oats, coconut, wheat germ...and butter and honey, of course.

Oh, and I like a chewy - rather than super-crunchy - granola.

Just being up front with you.




So dump some coconut into a really huge bowl

and then add a whole bunch of old-fashioned oats into a really huge bowl.

Add some wheat germ.

Aren't you feeling healthy?

Don't worry.

That feeling won't last long.

Melt some butter with some honey

and then add some extracts.

Almond extract totally makes this granola.

Okay!  Now add some brown sugar to the oats bowl

and pour the honey and butter on top.

Good luck stirring it up.

Spread it on a sheet pan and bake it for an hour in a 200 degree oven.  Toss it every 15 minutes while it's baking.

You can store it in an airtight container if you want, but don't count on it lasting very long.  Just sayin'.

And I have to tell you...this is stuff is beyond description mixed with fruit and Greek yogurt.

Granola
Adapted from Bethany Farrar

8 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt

Melt together:
2 sticks butter
1 cup honey
2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a very large bowl, stir together the oats, coconut, wheat germ and brown sugar.  In a medium saucepan, melt together the butter and honey.  Remove from the heat and stir in the extracts.  Pour the honey/butter over the oats and stir well.  Spread on a half sheet pan (12x18) and bake in a 200 degree oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes while baking.  Cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container.

Cheeseburger Soup

I'm in the middle of my daily bar exam prep.

What's that?

You don't care and you don't really need to know what I'm doing?

Right.  Sorry.

Maybe I should have actually stirred the pasta while it cooked.

So here's (another) soup.

Go make this and I'll get back to studying.

Bye.

Cheeseburger Soup

1 pound ground beef
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley

1 T Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

15 oz. petite diced tomatoes, undrained

1/4 cup flour

4 cups (1 quart) chicken stock 

2 cups whole milk

3 cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup sour cream

8 oz. (2 cups uncooked) ditalini (or any short-cut pasta), cooked according to package directions

In a large pot, add the beef, carrots, celery and onion.  Stir until the beef is browned and crumbled and the veggies are soft.  Drain any excess grease.  

Return the pot to the stove and add the seasonings and tomatoes.  The juice from the tomatoes will deglaze the bottom of the pot.  Stir to incorporate and cook for a minute.  Add the flour and stir until combined.  Stir in the chicken stock and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.  Add the whole milk and cheese, stirring until combined.  Add the sour cream and ditalini and stir over medium heat until heated through.