Sometimes in order to attain comfort you must move outside your comfort zone. I shy away from finicky recipes. Complicated steps and unfamiliar ingredients scare me a little bit. But I do push myself to try new techniques or try to see something in a whole new way. The rewards of putting yourself out there are always a bit risky, but the rewards are great.

These cinnamon buns are an example of a great reward. I’ve never made cinnamon buns before because they seemed a bit too fussy for my liking. But I really wanted to make the tightly swirled buns found at the market in my neighbourhood. You see, the Union Market makes 2 kinds of cinnamon buns – the large, blown-out style covered in icing, which I always pass on because they’re just too sweet and give off a bad attitude. But the other cinnamon bun is a shiny golden-hued bun laced with cinnamon and raisins. It sits meekly next to its brassier neighbour and I like this bun best, the one that doesn’t shout. It’s sweet but not overly so and with your morning coffee there’s nothing better.

I didn’t know if I could replicate them, but I wanted to give it a shot. While I’ve gotten over my aversion to using yeast, I still shy away from recipes that need rising time. I’m more of an instant gratification kind of girl and I just hate the waiting, but I went at it anyway. In the morning I mixed together butter and flour and yeast and pushed myself to wait it out and watched that lump of dough grow and rise and arch its body over my largest mixing bowl. In the evening, I rolled it flat and slathered on the butter, sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest and dried cranberries before rolling it up tight – but not too tight. I arranged the dough in pans and put it in the fridge until morning. I got up extra early to let the buns rise again, my patience once again tested. But when the buns got fat and chummy with their neighbours, into the oven they went. And the scent filling your kitchen smells as good as any bakery.

Oh, trust me, it’s worth it. The fussiness, the wait, the reward. And maybe you’ll love them so much that you’ll make them again and notice that the things that bothered you in the past have now become routine. Your nerves (what nerves?) are relaxed and you don’t need to go over your recipe with a fine-toothed comb. The sense of pride in knowing that “it’s no big thing” is a wonderful place to get to. It’s a badge of honour – you’ve climbed that mountain – you’ve made it!

I loved these buns. My husband really, really loved these buns. But I should mention that they aren’t the same as the buns I wanted to replicate. I’m okay with that. I certainly could rise to the challenge and work and try again and fiddle with the proportions and add an egg wash. But I also could walk the six blocks and pick up 2 cinnamon buns with raisins from the friendly owners and walk back the six blocks to enjoy them with our morning coffee.

cinnamon buns with dried cranberries & lemon zest
(adapted from Gourmet)
1/2 c warm water
5 t yeast (2 packets)
1/2 c sugar
5 c flour (+ additional for dusting)
1 1/2 t salt
1 c lukewarm milk
2 large eggs at room temperature
1/2 c soft butter

filling
1 c brown sugar
2 t cinnamon
1/4 – 1/2 c very soft butter
2/3 c dried cranberries or raisins
zest of 1 lemon

Dissolve yeast in warm water along with a pinch of sugar in a small bowl and set stand 10 minutes until foamy.

Add flour, salt and remaining sugar into your electric mixer and let mix with the dough hook at very low speed. Combine the milk and eggs together and then add it to the flour, along with the yeast. Beat at med-low speed until a dough begins to form. Add butter and beat at medium speed for 4 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, soft and elastic – it will be quite sticky at this point.

Rinse a large bowl in hot water and add the dough to the wet bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a warm damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, at least 1 hour or overnight.

Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon and set aside. Roll out the dough on a well-floured surface into a rectangle shape. Use an offset spatula to spread the butter over the surface. Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over top and do the same with the dried cranberries and lemon zest.

Roll up the dough firmly, but not too tight. Slice the dough into 2″ sections and arrange, cut side up, in buttered cake pans – making sure to leave about a 1″ space around each slice. At this point, you can cover in plastic wrap and place in the fridge until morning. Or put them in the freezer to eat another day.

Ready to eat? Preheat oven to 350F. Cover the buns with plastic wrap or a warm towel and let the buns rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about an hour. Bake until golden and puffed, about 30 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes and then dig in. Add a glaze if you wish, or not. I always choose not. Now pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

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Having a food blog is a completely odd thing. I’m sure my neighbours wonder why I’m taking photos of my food on the balcony on at 8pm on a Wednesday evening (hello neighbours, it’s because there’s still some good light outside, duh!). My friends are patient when we’re out to dinner and I have to take a few snaps of our meals before we dig in. And even when I’ve found the quintessential granola, the granola par excellance, I find myself whipping up another totally new kind of granola. That’s what you do when you have a freezer full of homemade applesauce and you need another post for the blog.

I have a few different granola recipes on the blog, but the recipe from the Baked cookbook was the only one to have the revered Clump Factor. But it’s the amount of sugar & butter in this quintessential granola that creates all that wonderful clumping. I wanted to try something a bit healthier, so I used applesauce as a kind of natural binder to see what would happen. I was a bit worried, but after I let the granola cool overnight (I always bake granola before bed for some strange reason), I had reached clumping success! However, this granola isn’t for the impatient. This stuff requires some serious tending, stirring, flipping and swapping trays from the lower rack to the middle rack and then back again. It’s wet stuff and it needs time in the oven to dry out. But if you are into that kind of commitment, then it will be a win-win situation because this granola is good.

Take warning however. This granola isn’t dessert and it’s not very sweet. It does make a lovely breakfast especially when served alongside some vanilla yogurt and fresh strawberries. If you like things sweeter, then by all means add in more sweetener to the mix. The apple flavour is rather subtle but I think you could pump up that more by adding in dried apple bits instead of raisins or dried cranberries.

clumpy & crisp applesauce granola
6 c large flake oats
1/4 c flax meal
1/2 c wheat germ
1 T cinnamon
large pinch of nutmeg
1/2 t kosher salt
3 c whole almonds
1 c unsweetened shredded coconut
3 T olive oil
2 c applesauce
1/3 c honey or agave syrup (increase if you like a sweeter granola)
2 c dried cranberries or raisins or dried apple bits

Preheat oven to 300F. In a large bowl, mix together the first 8 ingredients. Add in the oil, applesauce and honey or agave syrup and mix well using your hands until everything is well coated. Spread mixture between two baking sheets lined with silpat or parchment paper and bake, turning mixture frequently and rotating pans until the mixture is dry and golden. For me, this took about 1 hour or a bit more. Add the dried fruit as soon as it comes out of the oven. Let cool and then store in a sealed container.

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So it’s kind of funny that the first recipe I tried out of this book was a cookie recipe. I know, I know, but how could I turn down oats, chocolate, raisins and nuts? On a night when I was craving cookies, this recipe was the answer to my siren song. It also made the perfect belated thank you gift and there was still enough cookies leftover to share with friends. So not only is this cookie a keeper, it also gives and gives.

Going to be in Vancouver this weekend? Be sure to come by the always fantastic Got Craft sale this Sunday May 2nd. I’ll be selling my greeting cards & birthday calendars along with brand new card designs not yet in my etsy shop! Stop by and say hi between 10am – 5pm at the Legion on Commercial Drive, I’d love to meet you!

cowboy cookies
(recipe adapted from All Cakes Considered)
3/4 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
1 c shortening
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t kosher salt (+ more for sprinkling on top if you wish)
2 c oats
1/2 c pecans, roasted & chopped
1/2 c dark chocolate chips
1/2 c raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine sugars & shortening in a large bowl and beat at medium speed until fluffy. Add in eggs and vanilla and continue to beat until combined.

2. In another bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking soda and oats. Slowly add to the creamed mixture, mixing well until combined. Add the remaining ingredients and stop when everything is mixed.

3. Drop by tablespoon about an inch and a half apart onto a prepared baking sheet (use parchment or silpat for easy clean up). Sprinkle tops with kosher salt. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.

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Look at it, this granola has clusters! Every granola I have made, while delicious & wholesome, doesn’t have the goodness that makes them clump up like the granola found at a great bakery. Look no further. This granola clumps, it’s crunchy and it’s easy to make. Sure, there’s a bit more sugar than I’m used to putting in my granola, but it’s worth the extra calories. Do it for the clumps!

Want to make your friends, co-workers and family really happy this holiday? Just bake up a batch, throw it in a large glass jar, top it with a bow, and call it a homemade gift made with love. Better yet, bake up a double batch (I’ve done it and it works beautifully) so you have some for yourself and a friend. Guaranteed happiness.

better than from a bakery granola
(adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking)
2 c organic large-flake rolled oats
1 t cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 t salt
3 T plus 1 t canola oil
1/4 c honey
1/4 c firmly packed light brown sugar
1 t pure vanilla extract
2/3 c whole almonds
2/3 c raisins

Preheat oven to 325 F. In a large bowl, toss oats with cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, honey, brown sugar and vanilla until blended. Pour the wet mixture in with the dry and use your hands to combine the two until everything is well coated and your hands are gooey. Lick them if you must, but wash your hands right after.

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour the mixture over top. Spread it out evenly, but also keep in mind clumping is a good, good thing. Bake for 10 minutes and then use a spatula to gently flip the granola over. Sprinkle with almonds and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. Add raisins and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely in the pan. Use your hands to break up the granola…but again, don’t go overboard (remember the clumps!). Place in a tightly lidded container.

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• clumpy & crisp applesauce granola
• chocolate for breakfast: cocoa-coconut granola

OOPS! Forgot to add the temperature in the recipe, so preheat your oven to 375F and you’ll be good to go.

And while you are checking out Poppytalk, you can even see some photos that Jan snapped of us in front of our booth – while I do look like a giant in those photos, it should be mentioned that the other 2 Hob Snobs are quite short, so I’m not a total freak of nature. As for the show, not only did we sell lots of our crafty stuff, we also won first prize for best booth display! Considering that there were well over 200 other vendors, we were elated that all of our hard work was recognized.

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If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you are well aware that there is a heat wave happening. We’re wimps and we just can’t handle the heat. There’s no way that I’ll be turning on the oven, the stove or even make a pot of coffee. I tried my hand at cold-brewing coffee again (this time a different & more successful recipe) and it turned out great. So for dinner, I turned to my csa share for inspiration and decided that a gigantic bowl of salad would do nicely. It was perfectly crunchy and full of flavour. And it’s flexible….just add in what you’ve got. The dressing which I had planned as some kind of asian ranch actually turned out good, especially considering that I didn’t have any mayo to thicken the dressing at all. Consider this a runny buttermilk asian vinaigrette of sorts. It’s runny but it tastes great. But add mayo if that’s your thing.

Oh, and I’ll be heading out on holiday next month and would love if a Vancouver-ite could take over our half of the csa share while we’re gone. So if you are around throughout August and love the idea of organic and locally grown produce, please send me an email for more information. GONE!

csa farm fresh salad
1 small head cabbage, chopped
1 red pepper, diced
1/2 head of broccoli, finely diced
2 radishes, diced
2 T chopped onion, diced
2 large handfuls of walnuts, chopped
2 handfuls of raisins

dressing
1/3 c buttermilk
1 small lemon, juiced
1/2 t fresh ginger, minced
1 T olive oil
1 T soy sauce
1/4 t agave syrup
a few shakes of sriracha

Add all the vegetables into a large bowl and toss with the raisins and walnuts. In a measuring cup, blend together the dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Toss well. This dressing is runny. If you like a thicker dressing, cut out some of the buttermilk and sub in some mayo.

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This bread is a quick bread, meaning there’s no yeast to bother with. It’s a snap to put together…if you can make a biscuit or a scone, this is no different. Plus, there are no eggs, so if you sub in the required non-dairies, you’ve got a great vegan bread. Normally, Irish soda bread is made with caraway seeds, but I didn’t have any on hand and decided to try fennel seeds instead. Definitely, a great choice. Along with the cinnamon, it made the bread super flavourful and definitely not bland or boring.

It is a dense bread, but I didn’t mind that one bit, and I definitely did not find this bread too dry. It was great smeared with cold butter the same day and it was even more wonderful toasted the following day. A dab of blackberry jam and a strong cup of coffee, this bread made for a filling breakfast. I don’t think I’ll have to wait for next St. Patrick’s day to make this again.

irish soda bread with fennel & cinnamon

(adapted from Buff Chickpea)
1 c vanilla yogurt
1/3 c skim milk
1/3 c apple-cider vinegar
1 t vanilla
3 1/2 c all-purpose flour, plus more for surface and dusting
2 1/2 t kosher salt
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
4 T cold butter, cut into bits
1 c wheat bran
2 T fennel seeds, lightly crushed
2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 c raisins

1/2 c dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350F. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, milk, vanilla and apple cider and set aside to thicken. In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add cold butter into the flour and use your hands to break it up until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With a wooden spoon, stir in wheat bran, fennel, cinnamon, and dried fruit.

Pour in milk/yogurt mixture and stir until the mixture starts to hold together into a ball. Dump the dough onto a floured surface and knead a few times. Pat into a dome-shaped lump and place onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or silpat. Sprinkle some flour on top and cut a cross into the loaf. Bake for about 1 hour or so, or until a cake tester inserted comes out clean. This is best eaten the same day…or toasted the next day.

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My mom isn’t doing very well health-wise and she’s currently in the hospital. I wanted to do something extra special in my holiday package to my parents. Of course I packaged off my dad’s favorite cookies along with trying to recreate her date square. Despite having only half the amount of dates needed and subbing in raisins for the balance, I think I surpassed her version. My friend who ate a square thought they were the most flavourful date bars she had ever eaten and some friends of Cornelius who lucked into a couple of squares immediately wanted the recipe. So here it is. Sweet, buttery, oaty goodness. Pure and simple. I know my mom will love them.

Oh, and please stop by the Canada’s Food Network blog to read my latest post on my brunch experience at a new local neighbourhood restaurant, 2 Chefs and a Table.

date & raisin squares
oat mixture:
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 c butter, room temperature
1 c brown sugar
1 1/2 c rolled oats

filling:
1 c dates, cut up
1 c raisins, cut up
3 T brown sugar
1 T sour cherry jam
1 T amber rum
zest from 1 lemon & 1 orange
1 c orange juice
1 t lemon juice
1 t cornstarch mixed with a little bit of cold water to create a slurry (optional)

1. Add flour, baking powder , soda, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Mix in butter, sugar and oats and combine well. Press half of the mixture into a 13 x 9 inch baking pan.

2. To make filling, combine all ingredients except for the cornstarch in a small saucepan. Cook until thick and smooth. If it’s not thick and smooth, add in the cornstarch slurry and cook for 3 more minutes until thick. Set aside and cool.

3. Pour cooled date mixture over the oats and spread evenly. Cover with remaining oat mixture and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Cut into squares while still warm and cool in pan.

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When I first tasted this bread, I though that maybe I should have increased the candied ginger instead of adding in raisins. The ginger flavour was there but not as gingery as I was hoping. The next day however, the flavours had really intensified and I’m glad I didn’t up the ginger ante. I decided to divide the batter into 2 loaf pans rather than make just one loaf. So I tightly wrapped the one destined for the freezer in plastic wrap to be enjoyed at a later date.

ginger-studded molasses bread
1 c whole wheat flour
1 c all-purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1 t ground ginger
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t ground cloves
1/2 t salt
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
2 eggs
1/3 c packed brown sugar
1 c buttermilk
1/2 c blackstrap molasses
1/4 c canola oil
1/4 c candied ginger, diced
1/4 c raisins (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350F. In a mixing bowl, combine the flours, spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda together. Set aside.

2. In another large bowl, mix the brown sugar, eggs, buttermilk, molasses and oil together. Beat in the flour mixture and then fold in the ginger and raisins.

3. Pour batter into a greased and floured bread tin and bake for 50 minutes, or until tester comes out clean.

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Make it now and thank me later. Oh, and go read about my food & wine autumn roadtrip outside of Vancouver for the Food Network blog.

spice cake
2 c flour
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t ground cardamom
1/4 c ground almonds
1 1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 c brown sugar
1/4 c molasses
1 egg
1/2 c oil
1/2 c yogurt
1/2 c milk
1/2 c toasted pecans, chopped
1/2 c raisins

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine the flour, spices, ground almonds, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, mix together the brown sugar, molasses, egg and oil until combined. In a measuring cup, mix the milk and yogurt together and set aside.

Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and gently blend. Add in the milk mixture, along with the pecans and raisins and mix until just combined. Grease and flour a bunt pan and pour in the mixture. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 45-55 minutes or so (depending on the size of your cake pan). Cool slightly on rack and then invert cake from pan and let cool completely or eat warm.

* Okay, he did not say “be still my heart”, but it sure paints a better picture than “this is good cake” (which I already mentioned anyway, so there).

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