When Ryan and I were in Edinburgh we bought a bottle of whisky. Because, you know, that’s one of the things you do (according to the guide books) when you go to Scotland. We picked out a cute shop along the Royal Mile and browsed around. I asked a woman who worked there what she recommended for people who wanted to have some whisky but aren’t regular whisky drinkers. After giving us some helpful advice she showed us a few bottles. We chose the one that she said was light, had a nice flavor, had no burn, and wasn’t too expensive. It was exactly what I wanted. 

Since then, we’ve had some – but not much because in general we aren’t big drinkers. At least, we’re not at the level of having Scotch on the rocks to unwind after a long day at the office (à la Mad Men). So we have this beautiful bottle and I wanted you use it. Mainly, I wanted to see if I could cook with it. I looked up some recipes, found some things, but everyone said don’t cook with single malt whisky because you’re just wasting it. Ugh, fine. 

Finally I stumbled onto a Scottish recipe called cranachan, which is a dessert that uses whisky but doesn’t cook it. Ideal, right? Even better, it’s so easy to make. It’s cream, oats, raspberries, whisky and just a few other ingredients. Blended all together the whisky flavor is smooth and harmonious alongside some honey and vanilla. It was so good that from now on the only way I want to have whisky is with whipped cream and sugar.

In the photos I assembled the cranachan in these cute glass espresso cups – but I also made some in regular disposable clear plastic cups. And if you did that, I think this dessert would be perfect for a barbecue. Simply assemble the cranachan ahead of time, pop them in the fridge, and then whip them out when it’s time have dessert. A sweet boozy treat for your guests, it’s simple and cooling for eating outside, and it looks cute and fun too.

This recipe is adapted from Harper’s Bazaar. The only adaptation is this: they said whip the cream until it comes to soft peaks and I didn’t do that. I totally intended to do that, but I walked away from the mixer for a minute and when I returned it was proper thick whipped cream. I didn’t have another pot of cream, so I went with it. And actually, I’m glad I did. Because after you beat the cream you’ll need to add liquid ingredients to it, which will soften the cream up a bit anyway. If the cream had been soft already, I think adding the liquid would have made everything too drippy. Making the cream thick also means that you can be a little less careful when folding in the other ingredients. All in all, I was pretty pleased that my inattention led to such great results.

Messy level: Pleasingly quick and mess free. Very few dishes are needed, nothing is sticky, and that’s just wonderful.

Cranachan

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Serves: about 6 depending on size of cup

Ingredients

• 60g/3/4 cup of oatmeal
• 200g/about 1½ cups of raspberries, divided (can be more than this amount)
• 1 tablespoon of confectioner's sugar
• ground black pepper, to taste
• 600ml/ 2½ cups of double cream
• 4 tablespoons of clear runny honey
• 3 tablespoons of malt whisky
• ½ vanilla pod

Instructions

1. Heat a medium sized skilled over medium heat. Toast the oats for about 5 minutes, or until they start to smell toasty and are a little bit brownish.
2. Measure out 2 tablespoons of oats to use for garnish. Set all the oats to the side to cool while you prepare everything else.
3. Put the raspberries, confectioner's sugar, and a little bit of pepper together in a small bowl. Using a fork, or a potato masher, mash up the fruit until you have a fairly smooth puree. Taste and add a little more sugar or pepper depending on your preferences. Once to your liking, set aside.
4. Put the cream in a large bowl and using a mixer (or your arm!) mix over medium speed until the cream is thick, set, and looks like whipped cream.
5. Cut open the vanilla pod. [Need help? See how to do it here} Using your knife scrape out the insides and dump them into the cream. Gently fold the vanilla into the cream.
6. Add the honey and whisky and gently fold them into the cream.
7. Add the oats to the cream and gently mix them throughout.
8. Finally, add the reserved raspberry puree. Mix it into the cream so you can a gorgeous pink ripple. Don't mix it all the way otherwise the whole thing will be pink.
9. Line the bottom of a clear cup or ramekin with the whole raspberries you set aside at the beginning. Top with your cream mixture. Alternate layers of cream and raspberries until you cup is full. Make sure the top layer has at least 1 or 2 raspberries.
10. Using the 2 tablespoons of oats you set aside at the beginning, sprinkle the oats on top of your cranachan for garnish.
11. Serve and be delighted.

3.3.3077

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In December, I got in the habit of stopping by Costa Coffee before work and getting a chai tea and a granola bar. It was a lovely holiday treat (they had these adorable cups that looked like reindeers and elves), but it’s not a habit I can keep. It takes up too much time in the morning so I run the risk of being late. But more importantly, it’s expensive. And on that note why are granola bars so expensive? Even when you buy a box from the grocery store there are only like six in a box! I need more! I love granola for breakfast. I could eat granola for breakfast every day. So I decided to take matter into my own hands and see if could make my own breakfast bars.

I thought this would be an easy project since there are a bajillion recipes out there. But it wasn’t! I couldn’t find what I wanted, so I decided to make my own recipe. Let me tell you, I I had many failed attempts. Bars came out dry, crumbly, and bland. I made one version when I was in Connecticut and my brother asked me what it was, and I said, “I don’t know, nothing.”  Finally, I’ve cracked it. My perfect granola bar is full of protein and fiber, with lots of crunchy bits, is chewy, and some sweetness.

While deciding what I wanted to make, I looked at all kinds of recipes. Some of them had what I consider scary ingredients like wheatgerm or chia seeds. I’m sure they aren’t actually scary ingredients, but I didn’t want these bars to be too out there. I wanted my bars to be fairly healthy and full of stuff, but stuff that is already in my pantry. For the crunchy bits, I stuck to oats, rice cereal, and quinoa. Enough ingredients for the bar to be hearty, but not so much that the bar is dry and weird.

But, the one ingredient I knew I wanted to use above all else was peanut butter. Peanut butter is filling, which is what I need in the morning. I hate having breakfast and then being hungry by 10:00am. I need breakfast that will carry me to 1:00pm.

And then what goes better with peanut butter than jelly? So now, I had my idea: peanut butter and jelly breakfast bars. Or, since I’m in the UK, it’s peanut butter and jam breakfast bars. Jelly is gelatin here. But I digress. PB&J is just a perfect combination that is so comforting and delicious, I could eat it at any time. I eat PB&J for breakfast when there’s nothing else in the fridge. I eat PB&J for lunch when there aren’t leftovers in the fridge. I eat PB&J for a snack. And I eat PB&J for dinner if Ryan and I don’t feel like cooking.

This is a good breakfast bar because it will tick all the boxes and satisfy your breakfast cravings. You can grab a bar and run out the door. It’s chewy so you don’t break your teeth. It’s crunchy so you feel like you’re eating something substantial. It’s got lots of protein and fiber so you’ll feel healthy and pleasantly full. And it’s got jam and honey, so there’s enough sweetness to make this a treat. So for me, problem solved. I’ve got my breakfast bar, now I’ve got to figure out how to make excellent chai tea and I can cut out the coffee shop all together.

Messy level: For a recipe that has a number of sticky ingredients (peanut butter, honey, and jelly) it is surprisingly clean to make. Everything is mixed between two bowls and then pressed firmly into a tray. It’s really very straightforward and you shouldn’t have too many dishes at the end.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Breakfast Bars

 

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Cook time

30 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: Cooking is Messy

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• ½ cup peanut butter
• ½ cup honey
• 1½ cup old fashioned rolled oats
• ½ cup rice cereal
• ¼ cup quinoa
• ¼ cup roughly chopped peanuts
• ⅓-1/2 cup strawberry jelly

Instructions

1. Line an 8x8" pan with parchment paper.
2. Preheat the oven to 300°F/150°C.
3. Put the peanut butter and honey in a small microwaveable bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir until combined into a thick, pourable sauce.
4. In a large bowl, add the oats, rice cereal, quinoa, and peanuts. Mix until the ingredients are evenly mixed up.
5. Pour the peanut butter mixture over the oats. Stir until everything is coated.
6. Transfer ¾ of the oat mixture to the prepared pan. Use a silicon spatula and press the oats firmly into the pan. You want it to be as tight as possible!
7. Spread the jelly over the oat mixture. Be as even as possible, but you don't need to be a perfectionist about it.
8. Crumble the remaining ¼ of the oat mixture over the jelly. Use the silicon spatula again to press the oats into the jam. This will give you a beautiful look on the top with some jelly peaking through the granola.
9. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
10. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
11. Remove from the pan, cut into bars, and serve.

3.2.2925

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I love granola and I eat it for breakfast almost every single day. But, even though I love granola, I take issue with most store bought granola. It’s dry, and expensive, and not always very flavorful. Almost every time I go to the supermarket I end up buying something different. My current favorite, which I’ve bought twice in a row, is called The Food Doctor Cacao & Tangerine Granola (which sounds weird but is good). However, I’m still on the hunt for a great granola.

I have had my perfect granola before. It is from Bayou Bakery in Arlington, VA. I loved that granola! It was nicely flavored and simultaneously crunchy and chewy. There were nice clusters, yummy raisins, and a bit of a sweet flavor. The problem, beyond that I no longer live in Arlington, is that it was so expensive. I don’t totally remember what it costs, but I feel like it was somewhere between $8-12. That’s too much for granola. So I wanted to see if I could make it for myself.

Today’s recipe is my second attempt at making granola. The first time I ever made it, I over cooked it and it had a burnt flavor. Thankfully, this attempt came out great! I used a combination of almond and macadamia nuts and for fruit both raisins and dried cranberries. It was what I had in the house. And that’s what is great about making granola – you can use whatever dried fruits, nuts, and seeds that you like or already having in the cupboard.

Now, full disclosure, this granola isn’t like Bayou’s. It’s crunchy and has clusters, but doesn’t have the chewiness. What makes this recipe better is that this granola smells amazing. When baking it smells like those honey roasted peanuts you can buy from street vendors in New York City. And that is the best smell ever! New York smells gross and that roasted peanut smell wafts over it all and smells like joy, and Christmas, and sweetness in your nostrils. If you don’t know that smell, go to New York, or a Christmas market, or also one time I bought a cup here in London on Tower Bridge. Or make this granola. You need to know that smell.

Anyway, all of that is to say, this granola smells like those New York honey roasted peanuts and it tastes similar once it is finished baking. So I haven’t recreated my perfect granola, but I’ve made something so good that I’m cool with living an ocean away from Bayou. I’ve been eating this granola mixed with yogurt and also by the handful straight from the tub. It easy to double this to make more in case you scarf it down too fast. 

Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen. I made a small batch using just 2.5 cups of oats. I did that because I didn’t want a huge batch that I’d feel obligated to eat if it came out badly. Next time I’ll make a larger batch because this is a tasty snack.

Messy level: This is so quick and clean to make. Spray your measuring cup with some cooking spray before measuring the maple syrup and it will slide right out. Nothing will be sticky, then you just mix everything together, and that’s it!

Granola with Nuts and Dried Fruit

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

50 mins

 

Ingredients

• ¼ cup maple syrup
• slightly less than ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 2½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• ½ cup raw almonds, chopped coarse
• ½ cup macadamia nuts, chopped coarse
• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup dried cranberries

Instructions

1. Put an oven rack to an upper-middle level. Heat oven to 325/160°.
2. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, whisk maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Once those are mixed, then whisk in oil.
4. Fold in oats and nuts until thoroughly coated. If the oats and nuts don't seem coated enough, splash in a little more maple syrup.
5. Spoon oat mixture onto prepared baking sheet. Use a spatula or spoon to spread the mix across sheet into thin, even layer. Use your spoon or spatula to press the oats down until they are compact.
6. Bake until lightly browned, about 35-40 minutes. Rotate pan halfway through. I don't stir it during the baking process because then it allows for more clusters. You can stir it if you want, but then your granola may be darker and less clumpy.
7. Remove granola from oven and cool for about 1 hour.
8. Break the granola into pieces of various sizes. Stir in the dried fruits. You stir in the fruits now because if you bake them the fruit will get really dry and unpleasant.

3.2.2807

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I decided to start this blog a week before my thesis was due so there hasn’t been a lot of time for cooking. But I was so excited, I wanted to make something, so I decided to on this recipe for blueberry baked oatmeal. It’s so delicious and easy. It was the perfect meal for last weekend.  I went to New York  last weekend to work on my thesis and turn it in. (YAY!) This recipe fed me for two straight days, it was warm, delicious and the perfect brain food. 

In general, I really don’t like oatmeal. It’s lumpy and has a weird texture. The first time my future mother-in-law made it I was nervous because, as I said, I don’t like oatmeal. But this recipe is delicious! Baked it becomes a like a bready/cake and its filling and wonderful. Also making it feels like preparing a fancy weekend breakfast – but it’s so fast to make it could be made any time.

I love this recipe with blueberries because they get warm and gooey. My mother-in-law also recommends sweet potatoes or canned pumpkin. I think this would be good with anything that you’d put in a pie, like chocolate chips, strawberries, apples and cinnamon, or brown sugar on top to make a crunchy sweet coating.  Just have fun with it!

Messy level: One spoon. This is so flipping clean and straightforward. Mix everything in a bowl, poor into your backing dish. Boom, you’re done.

Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

35 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

Serves: 9

Ingredients

• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup sugar (use up to 1 cup if you like it sweeter)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 cups quick oats
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 pint blueberries (or other fruit you like)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.
2. Grease an 8x8 pan with butter.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, and eggs.
4. Then add the oatmeal, baking powder, salt, and milk.
5. Fold in the blueberries.
6. Stir all ingredients until well mixed.
7. Put the mixture into the pan. Use a spoon to evenly flatten and pack in the oatmeal mixture.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes until slightly browned on the edges.

3.5.3226

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