Granola bars

The weather in this city is always changing. One day it's 16 below, the next day it's 9 above, and I find myself stripping off layers of scarf and sock, which I hadn't worn on the previous day (when my toes and fingers turned purple). How must one prepare for this weather? Wouldn't it be convenient to have some sort of invisible (dark oak) closet, that simply goes where you go, following you around, but so discretely that you don't even know it's there. Suddenly, you're boiling! Those stupid, useless scarves. This stuff! "Why do I have so much STUFF?" But then you remember the closet, that beautiful, elegant closet...

Perhaps you become extremely famished, conveniently you have an invisible closet, which also contains snacks, granola bars in fact.

Granola Bars

Adapted from Ina Garten & America's Test Kitchen

2 1/2 cups oats

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup shredded coconut

3/4 cup honey

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup dried fruit (chocolate chips & nuts can also be added)

1. Preheat your oven to 350F. Butter a baking dish (9x13) and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together in a bowl. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until browned lightly. Lower the temperature to 300F.

3. While the mixture is still warm, stir in the honey, vanilla and salt, then add the dried fruit, nuts, and chocolate. Pour into baking sheet and press down firmly, until the mixture is extremely compact.

4. Bake for 30 minutes, until light brown. Cool for 2-3 hours before cutting into squares.

Caramel Corn with Salted Cashews

Caramel corn.
What a brilliant creation.

Who knew that when you mix butter, sugar, corn syrup, and a pinch of baking soda that it would, at 150 degrees, make caramel?
And who was the genius that decided this caramel concoction would taste delicious on popcorn?
Why don't we know about this genius? Are you nameless?
Why is it that we know Alexander Bell created the telephone, but we don't know who discovered caramel corn?
They too deserve recognition.

Well I thank you Genius.
I am, and always will be, eternally grateful for this thy invention.


This is a most delicious recipe, that you must try.
It involves popcorn (wow), sugar, butter, cashews (yummy) and a few other minor ingredients.

But really?

how can you resist?

Pas moi.



Caramel Corn & Cashews
Inspiration: Orangette

1/2 cup popcorn kernels
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
6 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup cashews, roughly chopped (you can use any kind of nut)

1. Preheat the oven to 250 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper

2. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt, and 2 tablespoons of water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Continue to simmer, whisking often, until the mixture reads 250°F on a candy thermometer.

3. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, and whisk in the baking soda and vanilla.

4. Quickly pour the hot caramel over the popcorn. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the caramel into the popcorn, taking care to distribute it as evenly as you can.

5. Stir in the cashews, and transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, stirring and turning the popcorn with a spatula every 20 minutes.



et voila!
wonderful, crunchy caramel corn.