Ted Kennedy Watson
We have several amaryllis around the house that should start to bloom in the next week or so, but this little waxed bulb is beating all the others to the blooming flower finish line. Right in line with the anticipation a new year brings. Happy Flower Friday all! X
One of the parts I like best about cooking is the more you do it, the better you become. The same holds true with recipes. The more you make something, you can make little tweaks along the way that makes it better. Or different. Or both. I started making homemade granola last year and have enjoyed having it for breakfast with Oatley for an easy, quite satisfying meal. Plus I love giving it as gifts in cool jars too. My latest change to my initial recipe below is changing the cooking time from 12 to 15 minutes each of the two rounds in the oven, so it is now cooking for a full half hour. The granola becomes deeper in flavor and a bit nuttier as things brown a bit more. An easy change but quite noticeable in the flavor. Again, it is not a better, just a different. You might still like the less browned version. For the one yesterday, I used tons of sunflower seeds, pecans, French prunes & Turkish figs. The last two we often serve with cheese so we had them on hand. As I said in the recipe, use what you like most or have in your cupboard. Enjoy!
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pistachios
OK, here is the deal, you really can use whatever nuts and raisin equivalent you would like. The photo above, my last batch, included what I have in the ingredient list. I have also used walnuts and dates. The cool part is you really can make it your own.
Oven to 300 degrees with the rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl add the oil, syrup, vanilla and salt. Mix together. Then add in the oats. With a wooden spoon mix all together until the oats are thoroughly coated. I chopped half the pistachios and left the other half whole. Mix those in with the sunflower seeds and the raisins. I left the raisins whole as they were jumbo variety. Many recipes say to put in the fruit after it comes out of the oven. I like that they plump up a bit and get caramelized. Your call here.
Spread out evenly on the parchment paper. Put in oven for 12 minutes. Take out and mix around and put in for another 12 minutes. Cooking time is 24 minutes total. It will all continue to cook once you take it out and let the entire lot cool. Break up and put into jars or baggies once cooled.
The Boys In The Boat an incredible story on so many levels captured so beautifully in the book written by Daniel James Brown and most recently a movie that came out on Christmas Day. Mister Sive read this book when it first came out. He being a University of Washington alumni and rowing runs deep in our family. Actually I think almost everyone in our family has now read it. Living in Seattle, you can still feel the pride from this group of 9 young men winning the gold medal in the 1936 Olympics anytime they are spoken about in stories. We saw the movie yesterday and while it was visually beautiful, it most certainly did not match the depth of the book. But how often does a movie? I absolutely don’t want this to be a negative review of the movie, as I would recommend seeing it. But would also highly suggest reading the book too to get the full story. It is uplifting in a time when so many things in the world can feel not.
The weather has been absolutely beautiful since we arrived to the Hudson Valley. Clear and crisp and mild. We love super cold and snowy too, but for now enjoying it immensely. The last few days have gotten chiller so the big vintage zinc pots of scented geraniums we had out on the back porch have found a home in the downstairs bathroom tub for the next few months. These three pots have just thrived so we thought we would see if they make it through the winter inside. Some years out on the island they survive outside as the season won’t drop below freezing. Not the case at Hawthorne where it can get quiiiiiite cold. Will report back in spring and let you know how they have done. Wish them luck!
This day is always one where I look back and look ahead. To give immense thanks and gratitude on many, many levels for what was and what will be. To plan for meaningful and productive days in the year ahead. Giving thanks to me is a 365 days a year offering/ritual/habit. One I was so fortunate to learn growing up. But on this day I feel even more possessed to thank all those that fill our lives with a tremendous amount of goodness. If you are reading this, most likely, YOU are on that list. To our family and our family of friends aka framily, the incredible WK family that keeps everything running so beautifully, the fabulous, stylish, lovely Watson Kennedy customers around the globe, the artists, artisans and vendors that make what we do special beyond words, the daily blog and book and social media followers that cheer us on each day. To my spectacular publisher and editor as we embark on book number three this year and the group of fine folks who take such thoughtful care of our homes and make them the places we always want to be. If I missed anyone, my apologies. Owning a small family business takes a village. We are so fortunate/lucky/blessed to have one heck of a village. We send you all much, much love, gratitude and thanks. Happy almost New Year!
