Crispy Banana Granola

I'm about to move to a new Chicago flat.  You know that point in packing where you realize there are far too many bananas in your freezer? I hit that point.  Of course the first thought was to make banana bread for everyone I know.  However, I had already used my flour stash, and want to avoid buying any more bulk items until I am stocking my new kitchen.

The solution? Granola! I added in whatever ingredients were in my pantry, which turned out to make a delicious granola while taking care of dwindling bags of nuts and seeds.  

Though bananas are a main wet ingredient here, the banana flavor is very mild and hardly discernible.  Rather than a strong taste, they impart a subtle sweetness that blends nicely with the olive oil and maple syrup for a well rounded, not too sweet breakfast staple.

Let's get going... 

Put 3 cups of oats in a large mixing bowl.

Add about 1 cup of nuts of your choice, roughly chopped.  I had some sliced almonds, some whole raw almonds, and some pecans on hand.

Add some seeds! About 1/2-1 cup of seeds of your choice here.  I finished up a bag of chia seeds, which didn't quite measure up to 1/2 cup.  It's all good... granola is perfect for finishing random bags of chia seeds.

Add your wet ingredients.  You could mix the wet items together first and then add to the dry, but I was into a one-bowl situation.  I added about 3 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp maple syrup, and 1 tsp vanilla extract.  Eyeball it, it doesn't have to be perfect (plus then you don't have to wash measuring spoons...).

Add some salt to highlight the sweet flavor of the banana (trust me).  I added about 1/2 tsp.

Banana time.  You could mash the banana first then add, but I just tossed it all together.  Since my bananas were previously frozen, they were very soft and easy to mash.  Stir well so that there are no remaining clumps of banana, and so all ingredients are well combined and coated with the liquids.

Simply bake at 400F for 20 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes.  When finished baking, be sure to let the granola cool completely before putting it into a container.  This ensures it stays nice and crispy.

I've been enjoying my granola with almond milk and figs every morning this week.  Give it a try- it's absolutely magical. 

Peach Hand Pies

The simplest of all summer dessert recipe - well, except for maybe sliced peaches on ice cream.  But of picnic desserts, this is the winner.  

Yes, yes, I know - it's September!  What are we doing pretending it's still summer?  Well, it's still hot up here in Minnesota (hello, high of 96 today), and I'm still reveling in dee-lish local tomatoes, melons, and peppers from my CSA share.  And oh, the peaches.  Therefore - there will be peach pie, and we will be seasonally ambiguous for just a wee bit longer. 

Merrimint's Simple Peach Hand Pies
*Substitute any fruit that's happening at the moment.

1 pie crust (I use Trader Joe's)
4 peaches
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
Dash of cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1 whisked egg (for wash)

Cut rolled, chilled pie crust dough into 12 rectangles.  Peel & dice peaches.  Mix peaches with flour, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.  Place in the center of dough rectangles and fold the edges to meet, pinching to seal (careful - they will be delicate).  Chill for about 30 minutes (if you feel like it).  Brush tops with the egg wash.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes until golden brown. Eat without utensils outside somewhere. 

Rhubarb Maple Baked Oatmeal

As noted in the Plan-Ahead Salad post, there has been a lot of planning ahead for meals happening lately (except for those dinners that end up being cereal or spoonfuls of nutella... guilty as charged).  Mornings tend to be a rush for the door, leaving breakfast as a last thought.  I couldn't say no to the beautiful rhubarb at the farmers market last weekend, and thought it might perfectly suit a make-ahead breakfast.

This baked oatmeal comes together in a flash, and keeps all week for easy eat-and-go breakfasts.  The rhubarb blueberry layer on the bottom gets syrupy and soft, while the oat layer over top softens and crisps around the edges.  Adding sliced almonds gives the perfect crunch in each bite, and local strawberries top the oats off just right.  I have loved eating this in the morning all week, heated in the microwave and drizzled with a bit of maple syrup.  The only downside to this dish is having to turn on the oven on a hot day... but it more than pays off!

Rhubarb Maple Baked Oatmeal

Adapted from Edible Perspective

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb

1 cup frozen blueberries (feel free to use fresh!)

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp buckwheat flour (or any flour of your choosing)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 3/4 cup oats

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sliced almonds

1/4 cup ground flax seeds

2 tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups unsweetened almond milk

2 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup sliced strawberries

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 350F.  

2.  Mix together rhubarb, blueberries, 2 tbsp buckwheat flour, and brown sugar.  Layer this mixture in the bottom of a pie dish or 9x9 baking dish. 

3.  Combine the dry ingredients: remaining buckwheat flour, oats, 1/2 cup almonds, flax, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.  Once well combined, pour evenly over rhubarb mixture.

4.  Combine the wet ingredients: almond milk, maple syrup, olive oil, and vanilla.  Pour over the oat layer evenly, gently moving around (not quite mixing) the layers to ensure the liquid gets to the bottom. You don't want to mix the layers here!

5.  Top with remaining 2 tbsp of almonds and sliced strawberries.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes if serving immediately, or cool completely and refrigerate if using later.

6.  Relish in how amazing your mornings just became.

Plan-Ahead Summer Salad

L and I have been busy.  Crazy busy.  Wishing we had 6 more hours in the day busy.  There has barely been enough time to sleep, let alone plan, prep, and cook a meal.  This weekend I carved out some time to make some meals ahead for the week.  Working a bit ahead helped to make sure a healthy meal was accessible at my fingertips.

With so much gorgeous produce available lately, the market was teaming with inspiration.  I picked up handfuls of spring greens, strawberries, a few root vegetables, asparagus, and peas with hopes of a veg-heavy spring make-ahead meal.  This salad is the perfect early summer dish- fresh, a bit spicy, colorful, and so delicious.  To make sure it lasted through the week, I used two varieties of kale as the base greens.  Kale is a great salad addition- it can hold up to salad dressing, keeping the crunch and not getting soggy  in the fridge for a few days.

Plan-Ahead Summer Salad
(Serves 4, or dinner for one person for 4 dinners!)

Ingredients
1/2 lb waxy Potatoes (such as red potatoes or fingerlings)
1/4 lb Asparagus
2 slices Bacon
1/2 bunch (about 1 cup) Red Kale
1/2 bunch (about 1 cup) Tuscan Kale
1 small handful Sorrel
1/2 cup Shelled Spring Peas
1 small handful Breakfast Radishes
1/4 tablespoons chopped Chives
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
Juice from 1/2 Lemon
2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt, Pepper

Directions
1.  Start by roasting the potatoes.  Preheat the oven to 375F.  Cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces, toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast for 15 minutes or until crispy.
2.  Cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces.  Heat a skillet over medium heat.  Sauté asparagus with a bit of water (a tablespoon or two, enough to create some steam) until tender.  Run under cold water or put in an ice bath after cooking.
3.  Cut bacon into strips.  Saute in a dry skillet over high heat until crispy.  Drain on a paper towel, and reserve.
4.  Wash and tear kale and sorrel into bite-sized pieces.  Shell peas, thinly slice radishes, and chop chives.  Combine in a large bowl.  Add potatoes, asparagus, and bacon, mixing to combine.
5.  Make dijon vinaigrette: whisk together dijon, lemon juice, vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Pour olive oil in a steady stream while whisking.  When well combined, pour over vegetable mixture.
6.  Toss well and enjoy! Immediately, or as needed.
7.  Relish in the deliciousness of in season produce :)

Mac & Cheese Duel

Mac and cheese.  Such an important benefit of life.  There are many versions out there - but the Merrimint sisters set out to see who could do it better.  Lauren always makes Pioneer Woman's fancy macaroni for Christmas, but that's a very special one.

Here's each of our takes on the classic - sister macaroni duel!  Whose version would you recreate?


Lauren: I opted for a classic, Martha's Macaroni and Cheese as found on Smitten Kitchen.  It celebrated sharp white cheddar and gruyere, and was finished with a delicious crispy top.  Served with steamed veggies & side greens, it's as classic as it gets.

Martha's Macaroni and Cheese

(I halved this recipe)
Click here for recipe


Stephanie:  This weekend, P and I went to a fabulous new (to us anyway) spice shop in Old Town, a lovely and quaint neighborhood of Chicago.  We found an amazing dried porcini-infused sea salt.  In dire want to test out our new loot, we decided to build a mac and cheese dish off of it.

Our final product- a gorgonzola and cheddar béchamel, wrapped around al dente penne topped with porcini sea salt and white truffle oil.  A tad rich? yes.  Luxurious? definitely.  Amazing? there aren't even words.  We opened a light and crisp bottle of white and made the most of this Monday.

Gorgonzola, Porcini, and Truffle Macaroni and Cheese
(Serves 6)

Ingredients
1/2 lb pasta- I used penne because that is what was in the pantry, but feel free to use your favorite
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cups whole milk
a pinch of nutmeg
4 oz mild or medium cheddar, shredded
2 oz gorgonzola, broken into small pieces
1/2 cup panko
1 teaspoon porcini sea salt- an alternative would be to grind dried mushrooms into a powder and mix it in equal parts with sea salt
1 tablespoon white truffle oil
Salt/Pepper

Directions
1.  Preheat oven to 400F.  Boil pasta 2 minutes less than package instructions direct.  Drain and rinse with cold water.
2.  While pasta is boiling, make your roux.  Heat your milk over low heat to warm it up.  Melt the butter in a medium saucepan.  Once melted, add the flour all at once, whisking vigorously to ensure smoothness.  Cook about 3 minutes, ensuring you don't cook so long that it starts to darken.
3.  Add the milk, whisking to create a smooth sauce.  Once well incorporated, add the cheeses and continue to whisk to combine thoroughly.
4.  Season the mixture with nutmeg, a touch of salt, and a decent amount of black pepper.
5.  Mix the cooked pasta into the mixture, stirring gently until completely combined.
6.  Top with panko.  Bake at 400F for 30 minutes, or until the top begins to brown.  Broil for another couple of minutes to get a nice golden color on top.
7.  Remove from oven, and top with porcini sea salt and truffle oil.  Serve and enjoy.

Standout Brunch: Beer and Pie

This weekend, Half Acre Brewery and the Bang Bang Pie Shop teamed up for the most fantastic brunch in Chicago.

They featured some new and exclusive beers on tap, while highlighting the best pie crust in town.  We drank a few small 5 oz pours to be able to try several beers, and nibbled on a spring vegetable tart (ramps are finally in season!), country ham filled mustard biscuit, and rhubarb crumble pie.

The perfect way to start Sunday, if you ask me.  I wish Mondays could be this good...

Eggplant Rollatini

This simple eggplant dish makes for a great weeknight dinner or lovely appetizer to share with friends.  It's simple too! With a few key reminders, it's foolproof and sure to be amazing.

First, salt and drain the eggplant to get out the bitter water.  Once it has drained for at least 30 minutes, cook the slices in a bit of olive oil in a skillet.

Roll each slice around mozzarella.  Feel free to add in a slice of prosciutto, or maybe some grated parmigiano too! 

Secure with a toothpick, and bake along with tomato sauce.  Serve along with a ceasar salad, or perhaps some simple pasta tossed with olive oil, parmigiano, and black pepper.

Eggplant Rollatini
Ingredients
1 Eggplant, sliced lengthwise
Salt
2 tbsp Olive Oil
4 oz Mozzarella, sliced into thick matchsticks
Your favorite tomato sauce*

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Sprinkle eggplant generously with salt, and let drain in a colander for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet.  Rinse eggplant, pat dry, and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until it begins to soften.
3. Roll each eggplant slice around a piece of mozzarella, secure with a toothpick.
4. Coat the bottom of a cast iron skillet or baking dish with tomato sauce.  Layer in eggplant rolls, and cover with more tomato sauce.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, or until hot and bubbling.

no words. just muffins.

Apple and Oat Muffins
Adapted from La Tartine Gourmande: Recipes for an Inspired Life by Beatrice Peltre

Ingredients
2 large eggs
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rolled oats, plus more for topping
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 large apple, peeled and grated

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Line muffin pan with 10 muffin liners.
2. Beat eggs with sugar until creamy and airy.  Add tahini, melted butter and mix.
3. Whisk together flours, oats, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.  Add to batter, stir to mix just until combined.  Gently stir in apple.
4. Divide into muffin liners, top with a sprinkle of oats, and bake for about 25 minutes until golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.

Best served warm with tea, friends, and a small smear of butter.

Chicago Restaurant Week

To my fellow Chicagoans- did you know it's Restaurant Week!?

For those of you who don't know, Restaurant Week is a citywide celebration of the culinary expertise and artistic vision of restaurants throughout Chicago.  Over 240 restaurants participate, choosing a prix fixe menu priced at a fixed $22 for lunch of $33/$44 (depending on the restaurant) for dinner.

Last night I was lucky enough to try out Boka, a one michelin star restaurant in Lincoln Park with a fresh perspective on modern cuisine.  The dishes were amazing, atmosphere flawless, and service a totally pleasure.  They even brought us complementary cocktails, since we expressed interest in their bar program!

Take a look at the Boka Restaurant Week Menu...



You had better believe we got that mac and cheese.  There are no words.

If you are in the area, look out for restaurant week specials all over the city! It's an amazing opportunity to try out restaurants while they are in their best form.





*All photos from the Boka website

Cheese Tasting

Cheese is one of the greatest foods ever.  Its perfect for anything, but I especially love it as an appetizer.  Surdyk's, my local cheese & wine shop in Minneapolis, helped me pick out great tasting cheeses for beginner, intermediate, and advanced cheese lovers. 

Beginner: The cheesemonger at Surdyk's recommended something soft, like a buttery goat cheese or a French triple cream brie.  

Intermediate: A Spanish Manchego was up for the intermediate food taster - made from raw sheep's milk, it had a distinct salty flavor that would pair well with every kind of fruit spread imaginable as well as a garnish on main dishes. 

Advanced: Surkyk's recommended something with a complex flavor, like this Swiss Gruyere.  The cheesemonger liked serving something with a mushroom-y flavor to the advanced cheese taster.  It was smooth, strong, and memorable. 

Would you host a wine and cheese tasting party?  What type of cheese do you typically go for?