Summer Cooking

It's summer, and I'm in some kind of cooking frenzy.

I don't understand why I wait until vacation(s) to use the bread machine, it seems the perfect thing to use during the school year. Anyhow, made a hearty hazelnut loaf which was perhaps a trifle too nutty, and I think I'd have enjoyed it better if I'd toasted the nuts first. I'm on the hunt for a good sunflower-seed bread recipe, and a cinnamon-raisin loaf, too. Anyhow, today's loaf is fantastic - it tastes great and the bonus: it made use of several ingredients that had been withering in my pantry - leftover granola cereal from a houseguest, some banana chips, and the end of a small bottle of honey.

Banana Granola Bread
from the book that came with my machine

1 c. water (80 degF)
2 T. milk
2 1/2 T. honey
2 1/2 T. oil
3/4 t. banana extract
1 1/2 t. salt
3 c. bread flour
3/4 c. granola cereal
2 3/4 t. rapid-rise yeast

1/2 - 3/4 c. banana chips, crushed

Add the ingredients to the pan in the order shown, except add the banana chips to the extras dispenser, if your model allows. Bake for a 1.5-lb loaf, medium crust, rapid yeast white bread cycle. If using regular yeast, decrease amount to 2 t. and use regular white cycle.

I went to the grocery store this morning and bought 3-4 days worth of food - lots of vegetables and fruit, some whole chickens, some milk to make yogurt with a yogurt-maker I got for my birthday. Fixings for quiche, potato-cauliflower szabzi, a bacon-basted roast chicken in the oven right now (the leftovers of which will go into chicken-bean enchiladas tomorrow). Hooray!

Bonus Recipe du Jour

Made this last night, and it turned out beautifully.


Greek-Style Pork Tenderloin

1/2 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 T. salt
2 T. dried oregano

Mix all ingredients in a large plastic bag, add a 1-lb pork tenderloin to the marinade and let sit for about an hour. Grill over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes, until internal temperature is about 155 degF. Put on a plate and tent with foil, let sit until temperature increases to 160 degF.

Birthday Week!

First, to the kind and gentle reader who sent me two memory cards, the package arrived with no note - so please take this public acknowledgment of the gift until I can thank my anonymous benefactor personally.


Second, good gravy, it's been a while since I posted. But, I'm finally finished with school. No, that's so not true. I don't have to go back to school. No wait, that's not totally true, either. The school year is officially over! I still have exams to finish grading, and it escapes me why I'm not doing that and writing here instead... but anyhow, it is indeed summer. My summer to-do list is so long, I have to get cracking.

Third, I'm still recovering from birthday week. The week was capped off in a fete at the home of friends, friends good enough to (a) throw a low-food party in my honor - see also this, this and this , (b) serve meat1 in their vegetarian kitchen, and (c) eschew our typical highbrow wine for jug sangria. Kids, can we make a pact never to drink such quantities of plonk again? I'm all for integrity of theme, and I suspect the aftermath had a lot to do with my sleep deficit from the school year, but in the last 36 hours, I spent 22 of them asleep, and the better part of one trying to get back to sleep with a raging headache. We drink the J. Lohr next time with our Fritos and hummus! But, I have to say, it's fantastic to have friends willing to sacrifice good taste to make me a Poke Cake (with Cool Whip!) for my birthday. :)

1 the term "meat" used very loosely...