Sweet Corn Cakes

I got around to making Bill Granger's sweet corn cakes yesterday. I went a bit overboard on the cilantro (didn't dry after rinsing), making the cakes a bit soft, but they still turned out yummy. I didn't even get the chance to make the avocado salsa -- just ate them as is!

Vanilla Almond Granola

It's hard to find granola at the grocery stores here. They have lots of muesli and granola bars but I was craving some of my favorite Whole Foods French Vanilla granola. It's so good. I would lessen the sugar content next time and I'd definitely add some flaxseed, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, or unsweetened coconut. I used 2 smaller sheet pans, turned the granola mixture every 10-15 min. trying to end in 4-5 sheets of granola.

4 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup golden brown sugar , packed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons sugar

4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Position rack to middle of oven and preheat to 300*.

Line pan(s) with parchment

Mix next 5 ingredients in large bowl.

combine oil, honey and sugar in small saucepan; bring to simmer over medium heat.

Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.

Pour hot liquid over oat mixture; stir well.

Using hands, toss mixture until thoroughly mixed.

Spread granola on prepared baking sheet.

Bake until golden brown, stirring occasionaly, about 30 minutes (but check after 20).

Transfer sheet to rack; cool granola completely.

(Can be made two weeks ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.) Makes about 8 cups.

Quiche with a Puff

The bakery I used to work at used puff pastry as the crust to their apple crostata. The puff pastry worked deliciously for quiche this weekend as well. Here are some fillings to try it with. I just bought puff pastry, thawed and lined the dough in a springform pan. Chilled the dough. Added filling. Draped the pan with parchment after the quiche browned, after 20 min. Its going to be hard for me to make future quiches without the puff.

Ham and Cheese filling

100-200 g ham, diced
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 T chopped parsley

olive oil

150 g grated cheese

250 g cream
4 eggs
pepper/salt

Chop onion and garlic and fry in a splash of olive oil until soft (about 3-5 mins). Chop ham, bacon and parsley. Mix with cooled onions and garlic and put on rolled out dough in baking pan. Beat eggs and mix with cream and cheese. Season to taste (I usually only use pepper, since bacon and cheese are salty enough). Pour egg/cream/cheese mix over bacon/parsley mix in baking pan. Bake in pre heated oven on 220 Celsius for approx 40 mins.

Veggie/cheese filling:

1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic
a few sprigs of thyme
1-2 (depending on size) zucchini
1/2 jar grilled bell peppers, diced

olive oil

150 g ricotta or goat cheese
250 g cream
4 eggs
pepper/salt

Saute onion garlic thyme zucchini with olive oil. Don't overcook the zucchini. Add diced peppers. Beat ricotta with cream eggs and s+p. Mix veggies with egg mixture. Bake in pre heated oven on 220 Celsius for approx 40 mins.

Freeze individual slices for future lunchbox duty. (all about the freezer!)