About Kathy

I write, I eat, and I live in greater Boston. I love it here and I share my occasional thoughts on food on my blog http://www.kathycancook.com

Maine Sourced Granola

Posted on June 24, 2012 by Kathy

This is a celebratory post. It is it my hundredth post here – I feel like it should have shown up sooner and there should be a greater fanfare, but I’ve been busy. I worked really hard and threw an epic beer fest with some absolutely fantastic people, I started a new job (more on that later), and I’ve just been sort of lazy. I know I’m not supposed to admit that here – where I show you pretty pictures of food and make you think I eat like that all the time – but I don’t. Most nights I eat pasta with butter and Parmesan on it or instant mac and cheese. I have plenty of knowledge but a low threshold for motivation. Occasionally that comes out here. This post is about the awesome though, this is a celebration of this little blog – this corner of the internet I have claimed as mine and proudly declared to be KATHY CAN COOK. I’ve covered it in 8-bit sprites, I’ve met some amazing people, and I’ve eaten SO.MUCH.GOOD.FOOD.
This is not me signing off – please don’t think that as I wax nostalgic about how great keeping this blog has been. I’m not giving up on it, at least not yet, I’m not even taking a break. I’m just sharing how loved this makes me feel – and how great it is to have made friends, actual friends, through blogging. That’s what this recipe is – new to me comfort food that is a little bit of home and a whole bunch of love. I made it with my big sister on a Monday afternoon that she’d taken off to hang out with my kid brother and I. It was a perfect leisure activity.
This granola is made with rolled oats sourced from Aurora Mills in Maine, and alone they are great and nutty oats – in granola they have just the right flavor and give while still being chewy and filling. This is not-too sweet granola either, it’s maple-y without being in your face and it holds its own against the tang of Greek yogurt.
I say this granola is home because it is. I feel a special connection to pretty much anything sourced from Maine and even now, when I don’t live in Maine anymore I still refer to myself as a “Maine kid” it gives me a sense of identity and place. I love it – so this granola is a perfect example of blogging for me – it’s new, my first homemade granola (win) paired with some old (a few Maine oats to make me feel like I’m home).

Home-Made Granola

Note: This recipe is loosely based on one from the Cooks Illustrated Cookbook in that I looked at that cookbook for ideas of what ratios to use and what temperature to cook my granola at. Please consider this a broad guideline to create your own granola recipe though, it’s totally adjustable I used the flavors and textures I really liked when I made this, as such you should adjust in your own way. It does make a lot of granola though, so be prepared to share!

3 1/2 Cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats – small batch rolled oats will be nuttier and more flavorful
2/3 cup Pepitas, hulled pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup sesame seeds. raw
1/3 cup flax seeds
2/3 cup nuts (I used pecans and they were AWESOME)
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt (I use coarse kosher, but go with your preference)
1/3 cup high heat oil (I used peanut, but you can use safflower, sunflower or whatever else too)
2/3 cup Real Maple Syrup (The corn syrup stuff will not work here)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup Honey (the honey/maple syrup ratio is really forgiving and can be modified to what you have)
1/2 cup toasted coconut
1 1/2 cup dried fruit (I used cranberries, tart cherries, and candied ginger)

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees farenheit.
In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients (oats, nuts, and seeds) and mix until evenly distributed.
In a small pan combine the oil, honey, vanilla, and syrup. Heat them over low heat until the liquids are fluid and easily mixed.
Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and mix until everything is evenly coated
Put the granola in a large pan (I use my turkey roaster) and spread it out evenly so it is an even layer (mine was about 3/4 inch thick).
Toast the granola in the oven for about an hour – stirring every 10 to 15 mins to prevent large clumping. THe granola will be golden brown and fragrant when it is done.
Allow the granola to cool completely, for at least an hour.
Mix the toasted coconut and dried fruit into the toasted granola.
Eat over your favorite yogurt or by the handful!

What I’m Loving Right Now

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Kathy

I’ve been having a lot of remarkable experiences recently – and not cooking much, so my blog fodder has been light (sorry about that!). But in the meantime let me share some stuff I’ve been loving recently:

Boston Organics – I started getting a Boston Organics box every other week back at the beginning or April, I love it the way no ordinary person should. They have the BEST customer service I’ve ever experienced and the magic of opening my box is like a present. Boston Organics also lets me create a “no-list” so I can opt out of the bitter greens and things I just don’t want in my box (like avoiding yet another pound of carrots). They also have really neat Add-Ons program – this week I have “added-on” 1 pound of strawberries, half a pound of garlic scapes, and 3 lbs of rolled oats from Maine (look for a granola recipe soon). It’s grocery love.

Fat Toad Farm Goat’s Milk Caramel – A friend recently found a Woot deal for Fat Toad Farm caramel and sent me the caramel as a gift (becasue I am super spoiled, thanks Seth!). It is some of the best caramel I’ve eaten in a long time, I want to put it on a wedge of brie with some pears. Decadence.

Hyper Local Brew Fest – This is an amazing event I’ve helped to organize and put together to benefit Sustainable Business Networks of Boston. It’s going to be on Saturday June 16th and I am so looking forward to it. I’ve met and experienced some amazing craft brewers because of it and can’t wait to meet more! Want to come? Grab a ticket here: http://tinyurl.com/hlbrew

The Bloggess – I had barely heard of her before Friday, now I can’t stop. I added her to my Google Reader, have been reading her back posts, and broke down and bought myself a BRAND NEW hardcover copy of her book, something I never do, She is witty, wonderful, and writes about Nathan Fillion (and calls him Nater-Tater, WIN). Go check her out.

Boston Area Beer Enthusiasts Society (BABES) – My friend Kristen runs this great beer group, they meet once a month at Meadhall in Kendall Sq and pair delicious brews and snacks. This month the pairings are a comparison of west coast and east coast beers paired with east/west coast cheeses. It will be FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC.
Garden Strawberries – There has been a strawberry takeover of my backyard. I love it. A quarter of the yard is covered in strawberries. I will cut them back after the fruit is gone but until then there are perfect strawberries for munching.

Craft Beer Cellar – I went in here Saturday and it is a magical wonderful space full of well curated craft brews. I wonder if they would mind if I just moved in and hunkered down?

Warm Weather and Sun Dresses – I live in sundresses in the summer, it’s how I roll. I don’t like shorts so an arsenal of good comfortable dresses is key. I’ve been loving the Lace Affair for inspiration and fun sales. I totally got a fun pin-up dress from them which I am going to wear to this little event!

So those are a few things I’m totally in love with. Hope everyone’s beginning of summer is going well and I will be back soon with a recipe, I promise!

Update: I’ve also been watching this video on repeat. It makes me ridiculously happy.

Sweet Potato and Salami Breakfast Hash

Posted on June 3, 2012 by Kathy

At the end of April I met up with Megan and Amanda for drinks and dinner downtown at JM Curley Bar. We all hadn’t seen each other in while so we grabbed a tbel ordered cocktails and talked for a long time. About everything we hadn’t gotten a chance to talk about in a while. It was awesome. Between a marathon, a wedding, and a frantic hunt for work the three of us have been going straight out just trying to keep up with our lives, so taking the time to stop, breathe and appreciate each other was wonderful. But, I digress. I am bringing up this meal because we all ordered the same thing – a Square Meal. Jm Curley’s offers a big board of specials every day and the day we were there the square meal was comfort food – and since it was Friday and we were all tired and had had stressful weeks we went for the same thing.

Our meal that night was rye toast, potato wedges, cheese, ham, and a fried egg. It was delicious. I went home thinking about it. I woke up the next Saturday morning thinking about it, and when I remembered the potatoes sitting comfortably in my storage I made it. My hash only held a slight comparison to the JM Curley one – I used sweet potatoes and made homefries instead of fries, I used a spicy sausage, similar to pepperoni, instead of ham, I used grated cheddar cheese instead of gruyere, but, overall, it was crack – also GREAT hangover food. Truth. And occassionally we all need to cure a hangover, yeah?

I have now made this hash a handful of times, and every time I eat it I fall in love with it all over again. I know, it’s indulgent but it’s so good and it just makes a Saturday or Sunday morning absolutely fantastic

Sweet Potato and Salami Breakfast Hash

Note: This makes a lot of hash – it will comfortably serve two as large main courses or four as smaller courses.

1 sweet potato, cut into 1/2″ cubes
1-2 small potatoes, cut into 1/2″ cube (skin optional, I usually leave it on)
1/2 cup hard salami, cut into 1/4″cube
1 Tbs butter
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp rosemary, more if you are using fresh
salt and pepper – to taste
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (or your favorite)
eggs cooked over easy

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sweet potatoes and the regular potatoes.
Stir the potatoes around in the butter to evenly coat them and then saute them, stirring every two minutes or so until they are softened – about 7 minutes.
Add the salami and spices, stir gently to evenly distribute the spices. Increase the heat to high
Cook the salami and potatoes until both are crispy – about four minutes over high heat.
Portion the hash out over as many heat-proof plates as you are using. Spread the cheese evenly over each portion of hash and stick them in a warm (200 degree) oven while you fry your eggs.
Top the cheesy hash with the fried eggs and enjoy. Makes a great breakfast for dinner too!

On My Shelf: Mastering the Art of French Cooking Volume 1

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Kathy

Recently I’ve noticed more and more people are asking me for cookbook recommendations because I bake and cook a lot. Which is true. I always have a recommendation – so my lovely and wonderful Big Sister asked me to start posting quick reviews here. I’m starting with Julia because she is one of my personal heroes and she is the reason that I challenge myself in the kitchen.

I’m starting with Mastering the Art of French Cooking because it is THE cookbook to have in your kitchen if you are only going to have one or two. You can learn everything from how to coddle an egg to what happens when you break a hollandaise from this illuminating book. Though mostly credited to Julia Child it was also assisted along be Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle (though if you read My Life in France you can see just how much of the book Louisette actually wrote). I have been cooking from this book for a very long time (My mom owned a copy and I remember flipping through it when I thought the whole book large) and always find it useful – from key illustrations in things like trussing a chicken to well written instructions this book is a great glimpse into the world of French food. Even if you’re not a cook you should read it for gorgeous illustrations and engaging writing. It is a book that talks to you like a friend sharing their favorite recipe. Everything is presented in an unpretentious and thoughtful way that is easily digestible and logically laid-out. A must read for any food aficionado and a must have for any home cook, because is their anything more magical than boeuf bourguignon on a cold winter night? My favorite recipes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking are Boeuf Bourguignon, Mayonnaise, Hollandaise, and Crepes.

Brunching and Lunching at Common Ground in Allston

Posted on May 19, 2012 by Kathy

I am typically easy to please so if a brunch doesn’t wow me I feel like it probably won’t satisfy other people either. Now, I’m not saying I’m the super judge – I’m not at all but I do tend to like things that are really good and become sorely disappointed by those things that are not. I went to Common Ground with no expectations and no real idea of what I was getting – they were a blank slate that could swing one way or another. So I risked it.

I was disappointed, they offered a lot of standard fare set up in a brunch buffet style at a totally reasonable price point (6.99 on Saturday and 9.99 on Sunday) but I felt just sort of meh about the food they offered us there. The eggs I found dry, the home fries were lackluster, and the bloody mary woefully unoriginal (one of my biggest pet peeves is a bloody mary that isn’t distinct in some way). Please don’t think Common Ground did everything badly – their homemade meats were stellar there was perfect breakfast sausage which I could have eaten pounds of and corned beef hash that would have made BF weak in the knees. Also, ordering the bananas foster french toast off menu is a brilliant plan. You will want to put that sauce on EVERYTHING, maybe even in your coffee.

Now then, so I went to brunch and found it lackluster but decided to fortify and try again since Common Ground was kind enough to invite me back for a lunch later in the week. I went to lunch with low-ish expectations, I’d been disappointed by brunch so lunch wasn’t going to blow my mind – was it? How wrong I was. Common Ground’s savory menu is superb. I would have given them a glowing recommendation based on just the margarita chicken skewers that I ate, but overall they nailed it with lunch. There were perfectly cooked chickpea and lentil veggie burgers – I usually skip the veggie burger but this one I will be eating again. They doted on my dining companion, Jess’s Bug, bringing him cups of fruit when he wasn’t a fan of anything on the menu (which made them heroes in my eyes).

So it was that Common Ground was able to redeem themselves in my eyes. I will definitely be back soon, probably with BF, and probably for a Geeks Who Drink night for Geek Trivia (total score in my book). I will stick to the savories and skip brunch, but regardless they had fantastic service and a great atmosphere (even when full of rowdy college kids on a graduation bar crawl).

Disclaimer: I was given both of these meals free of charge but all opinions based here are my own.