Yosemite

I learned the name "Ansel Adams" when I was a kid because of a photo of "Aunt Tilly" (as my dad would call her) which was hung on the wall directly behind where I practiced the piano. The photo is actually called "Woman Behind Screen Door, Independence, California." I would wonder "Is she really my aunt?" and "Is she watching me practice?" (In a Haunted Mansion kind of way.) Ansel Adams also photographed Yosemite National Park which is where my family visited this summer.

The black and white photo above? Not an Ansel Adams, my husband took it. Scroll down to see the photo in color.

Wow! Right?!? In the late afternoon we came to an outlook with a view of Bridal Veil falls. At first we could see the mist at the bottom of the falls was kind of orange. After a few moments the mist of the waterfall had blossomed into a rainbow.

We stayed at a bed and breakfast, the Alpenglo Inn, just outside of the park. Which I recommend for amazing sunsets, star gazing, constellation-spotting and Milky Way viewing (take your Off spray). Tim, who runs the inn, made us a hearty breakfast casserole, the recipe he said was traditional Americana goodness--Betty Crocker. I'm not sure if this is the recipe, but I think it's close: Do Ahead Breakfast Bake. I think I'll try baking it when the ice cream trucks have retired for the season. There's a point during summer in Utah when you just stop using the oven.

I took this photo with my phone. I didn't want to make a production by getting my camera. Taking pictures at the table? You know, etiquette and all. ;)

Hope you're having a nice summer!

Suz

Strawberry Shortcake (Recipe for Shortcakes)

This year I decided I didn't want to buy the strange little spongey, moist-yet-dry shortcakes that are sold in the produce section right next to the strawberries. I decided to apply the whole "cook it yourself" mantra to Strawberry Shortcake. The result? I was asked to not lose this recipe. It's old school--Betty Crocker. The dough makes a sweet biscuit that soaks up the magic strawberry goodness. I used the recipe for macerated strawberries (strawberries, with fresh OJ and sugar) from last April's post. I also omitted the sugar from one batch of strawberries and that worked fine too.

The Shortcakes
1/3 C butter (chilled)
2 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1/3 C sugar
1 T baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 C milk
1 egg yolk slightly beaten
1 t granulated sugar

Cut butter into flour and add the 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut butter into flour with butter knives or a pastry cutter until it resembles large crumbs. Add milk and knead until dough forms. Pat out to about 1 inch thick. Cut into rounds (I chose to make diamonds). Place on cookie sheet and brush tops of biscuits with egg yolk and sprinkle with the 1 t sugar. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Cool.

How to Turn this into Strawberry Shortcake
Prepare the strawberries as listed above at least 2-3 hours ahead so the syrup has a chance to get rolling. To serve, cut a biscuit in half then spoon the strawberries (and juice/syrup) over the biscuit letting the juice soak in. Add whipped cream and it's done.

Enjoy!

Suz

Recipe Source: BettyCrocker.com: Strawberry Shortcakes

Book Club: Summer Reading List

There's something about summer... for my dog? He loves the wind in his ears! Me? I love summer reading lists! Want to have some fun reading this summer? I've created a list that we cooking fans will hopefully enjoy! Ingredient or cooking-related mysteries, romance, recipes, biographical--definitely not a cookbook list! I hope you'll tuck one of these books in your bag, or grab the eBook and join the fun!

Cookbook Bites Summer Reading List

1. Chocolat by Joanne Harris (Nook)
   
2. Black Coffee (Hercule Poirot Mysteries) by Agatha Christy (Nook)
3. The Love Goddess' Cooking School by Melissa Senate (Nook)
4. The Fortune Cookie Chronicles by Jennifer Lee (Nook)
5. Chalice by Robin McKinnley (Nook)
6. Fatally Flaky by Diane Mott Davidson (Nook)
7. Monsoon Diary: A Memoir with Recipes by Shoba Narayan (Nook)
8. My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'Homme (Nook)
9. Cream Puff Murder by Joanne Fluke (Nook)
10. Cherries in Winter by Suzan Colon (Nook)
11. A Guide to Health by Mahatma Ghandi (Nook FREE)
12. Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris*
13. Killer Pancake by Diane Mott Davidson (Nook)
14. For All the Tea in China by Sarah Rose (Nook)

* Not available on Nook.

*Note:
I haven't read these books either (with the exception of Chalice) so I'm hoping these books will simply provide us all with some fun (and occasionally educational and inspirational) summer reading. There are enough books here to read one a week through the end of August.

I'd better get started...

Suz

Chocolate (Nutella) Granola

Cookbook Bites: Chocolate Granola

The other day my friend Jennafer was talking about make-ahead meals. She was making a pasta with prosciutto which sounded really good. I was inspired, but instead of make-ahead "meals" per-say I went with make-ahead breakfast, specifically Chocolate Granola, which I am happy to say was a success!

I kind of rolled with my own thing again, combining recipes, and some of my own ideas (like Nutella--who can resist?) The resulting granola has stayed crunchy and gives you that chocolate milk at the end of your cereal bowl like Cocoa Krispies. All in a days work, right? ;)

Chocolate Granola

1/8 C butter (melted)

3 oz honey (1/2 C very scant - like 1/4 inch from top of the measuring cup)

2 T brown sugar

1 1/2 t vanilla

3 T cocoa powder (nautral not Dutch processed)

1/4 t kosher salt 

1 1/2 T Nutella (1 generous soup spoon - I know, I'm so scientific.)

4 C oats (old fashioned)
1/2 C walnuts (chopped)

Combining the ingredients for the chocolate granola.

Melt the butter in a small pan and add the honey, brown sugar, vanilla, cocoa powder, salt, Nutella and combine over low heat. In a large bowl add the oats and pour the chocolate mixture over the oats and stir well to combine. Chop the walnuts, add to the bowl and combine. Spray a jelly-roll pan (or cookie sheet) with cooking spray and pour the mixture onto it spreading it out a bit to cover the sheet.

Bake at 300 for 30 minutes. Stir about every 5 minutes or so. It's hard to tell when the granola is done, it will be dark cocoa brown and it'll still look wet, but trust me, pull it out at 30 minutes and let it cool. I left mine on the cookie sheet for the afternoon and then put it into a storage container. As it cools it will become dry and crunchy just like magic!

Chocolate Granola is good as a snack (dry), on yogurt, in milk and especially good on Bryers vanilla ice cream. I think I'm a fan!

Go forth and conquer! You can do this! Granola is your friend (and it's way easy to make)!

Recipe Source: Suzanne Nikolaisen

Recipe Research & Inspiration:
This particular recipe is one I came up with after studying how to make granola from other recipes like Mr. Breakfast's Cocoa Granola by TinaNY, Honey Nut Granola by KarenMB, Stove Top Granola by MammaIsCookin (Thanks to my peeps at these links for teaching me how to make Granola!)

Enjoy,

Suzanne
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Food Perspective

What is it about high speed cameras that makes things look really cool? They seem to capture science and art all at once. See for yourself!

Coffee Creamer (High speed video 2,000 fps)

Video by Modernist Cuisine

Gelatin Cubes Dropped Onto Solid Surface (High speed video 6,200 fps)

Video by Modernist Cuisine

Suz