Apricot Mostarda & Spiralized Hotdogs

June 12, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

While we’re talking about grilling, I have a confession to make: even with all the backlash against processed food I still love a hot dog once in a while. There. I said it. For me they’re still a salty, ketchup & mustard-slathered taste of summer in the backyard, and while I wouldn’t eat one every day – everything in moderation – there are times when a hotdog really hits the spot.

Especially, I might add, when you’ve dressed them up and transformed them into something borderline grown-up with a unique preparation and a delicious sauce like this Apricot Mostarda. The June issue of Food & Wine magazine is my source, and it probably reveals something when the simplest, most down-home recipe in a magazine full of lush, gorgeous, elegant options is the one I immediately gravitated to.

It might have something to do with the accessibility of the ingredients – I literally had every, single item for the sauce in my pantry already, which meant all I had to do was pick up a package of hotdogs and hunt down some Martin’s potato rolls. I will also admit that the idea of “spiralizing” a hotdog when everyone else is preparing cascades of luminously green zucchini pasta appeals to my sense of humor (video demo here.) So, thanks for that Food & Wine!

Apricot Mostarda (yield: 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 cup (6 ounces) diced dried apricots
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons (1 medium) finely minced shallot
1 1/2 teaspoons (1 clove) finely minced garlic
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt

Instructions:
In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, apricots, sugar, shallot and garlic and bring to a boil.

Simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the apricots are soft and coated in a light syrup, about 7 to 10 minutes. The liquid will reduce and the consistency should be flowing, but thick - think somewhere between honey and salsa.

Stir in both mustards and season with salt to taste. Let cool completely. Stir in tablespoons of water before serving if the mostarda is too thick.

Slightly rewritten from Food & Wine magazine’s Dried Apricot Mostarda by Justin Chapple.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Oh, yes! I used a small sauce pan, medium cutting board, chef’s knife, liquid measuring cup, measuring spoons and a rubber spatula. A clean jam jar makes a great storage vessel. For the hotdogs I also needed a long bamboo skewer, 8” cast iron pan, and since I wanted to toast the potato rolls, a butter knife and a baking sheet.

The Verdict:
In all seriousness, the Apricot Mostarda is delicious - lightly sweet, zippy with vinegar, and just a little spicy - trust me when I say that I am already plotting other foods to pair it with as alternate to chutney. The apricot pieces and whole grain mustard add beautiful texture, and in this case it’s perfect with the savory hotdog and fluffy potato rolls. I also am converted to spiralizing my hotdogs (or sausages, as the spirit moves you) they cook more quickly and all those little notches capture toppings perfectly.

Apricot Peach Oatmeal

April 17, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

It’s practically May and while the afternoons have been beautifully warm and sunny perfect for people watching in the park it’s still pretty chilly on my morning walks with Maddie-pup. Not that I really need an excuse to continue my morning oatmeal ritual well into spring, especially now that I’ve begun to mix it up with some alternate summery fruits.

It’s still early for any stone fruits to be in season, but I’ve found that jarred peaches in 100% fruit juice work well in a pinch and let me pretend that it’s July without any of that pesky peeling to do.

Side Note: elementary-aged me thought that since raisins = dried grapes and prunes = dried plums, that logically apricots must be dried peaches. It took me years to discover that they were a related, but totally different fruit. I can’t be the only one, right? More info on stone fruit here compliments of Food52.

In any case, I like the contrast in textures of the dried apricots and crunchy almonds against the warm oatmeal and sweet peaches. I’ll be back to apples and cranberries in the fall, but for now this bowl of golden colors is my go-to breakfast and it could be yours too!

Apricot Peach Steel-cut Oatmeal (yield: 4 servings)

Ingredients:
2 cups 100% apple juice
1 cup water
1 cup McCann's Quick & Easy Steel Cut Irish oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground all spice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup diced dried apricots
1 cup (1 medium) diced fresh or jarred peaches

Instructions:
Heat the apple juice and water in a medium sauce pan over high heat and bring to a simmer. Add the ground cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and kosher salt to the hot apple juice mixture.

Next, sprinkle the Irish steel cut oats into the spiced apple juice and swirl the pan to gently stir. Reduce the heat to low.

Meanwhile, drain the extra juice from the peach slices and dice into 1/4 inch pieces. Chop the dried apricots and after the oats have cooked for 1 minute, add them to the pan.

Simmer the oats and apricots for another 3-4 minutes until the oats are al dente, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula to prevent the oatmeal from sticking to the bottom of the pan. In the last minute of cooking add the diced peaches and stir into the cooked oats.

Serve immediately and top with the slivered almonds and an additional sprinkle of cloves.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
This is super simple and definitely small kitchen friendly. I used a small sauce pan, a small cutting board, chef’s knife, dry and liquid measuring cups and measuring spoons. A rubber spatula will also be your best friend when it’s time to stir and serve!

The Verdict:
Mike isn’t fond of oatmeal, so this is something I cook purely for myself and to my own taste every morning. I personally like the depth of spice that comes from layering cinnamon, allspice and cloves - and what’s a little spice without the accompanying sweet (but not too sweet) fruit and apple juice? Thanks to my own handiwork over the stove I’m now one of those people who looks forward to eating my oatmeal. You’ve been warned: there’s rarely a day when I’m not wishing for “seconds.”

Cranberry Apricot Almond Granola Bars

March 02, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

When I’m on my way out the door and need a quick, easy snack – preferably a snack that’s healthy and delicious – I often reach for a granola bar. I’ve been buying them for years and it seems silly now, but it never really occurred to me that I could make them myself, until I came across a recipe for homemade breakfast bars in the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. Lightbulb moment ensued.

I’m pretty particular and I often have something very specific in mind, so the concept of having exactly what I wanted was pretty appealing. (If you've ever had the "pleasure" of perusing my Christmas list this comes as no surprise.) I started experimenting with flavor and ingredient combinations and came up with Cranberry Apricot Almond Granola Bars. My version mixes the traditional whole grains, dried fruit, and nuts with almond butter and whey powder to amp up the protein. The best part: they’re crazy delicious, like I could seriously eat a whole pan by myself, which probably defeats the purpose.

Definitely mix up a batch – it will take all of 15 minutes – and you'll see what I mean about these sweet, salty, fruity bars.

Cranberry Apricot Almond Granola Bars (yield: 8 bars)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup dried cranberries aka Craisins
1/2 cup thinly sliced almonds
1 1/4 cups Quaker Old-fashioned Oats
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/4 cup vanilla whey protein powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 teaspoon ginger
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon almond butter
1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon honey
1/3 teaspoon vanilla extract
Non-stick spray

Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray the interior of an 8x8x2 inch pan or 9 inch pie plate with non-stick spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Chop the dried apricots to 1/4 inch pieces and stir together with the cranberries, almonds, rolled oats, whole wheat flour, whey protein powder, kosher salt, and ginger in a medium bowl.

In a separate smaller mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, almond butter, honey, and vanilla extract until evenly combined. Note: measuring olive oil first will make it easier to remove the almond butter and honey from the cup.

Pour the almond butter mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until all the fruit, nuts, and oats are evenly coated. The granola mixture will be stiff, but should stick together. Add a touch more honey if the granola is too crumbly.

Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan and use a rubber spatula press the mixture into the pan in an even layer, don’t neglect the corners!

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes until the edges begin to brown and the top turns lightly golden. Cool the bars completely in the pan before turning out onto a cutting board. Slice the baked bars into squares.

Wrap the bars individually in plastic, or store in an airtight container with a piece of parchment paper or waxed paper between the layers.

Adapted and rewritten from Smitten Kitchen Cookbook Almond Date Breakfast Bars (similar here and reprinted here).

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, indeed! I used a 9” pie plate, one medium mixing bowl, one small mixing bowl, a small cutting board, a rubber spatula, chef’s knife, and measuring cup and spoons. Parchment paper will also be very helpful.

The Verdict:
I tested an early version on some friends before I had the texture quite right, and even with a slightly unruly crumble to contend with the flavors came through as a winner. The mildly bitter almond acidity is balanced against the tang of the almonds and cranberries, and mellowed by the honey. The slightly salty finish adds just the right note and keeps these from being too sweet.