Welcome to My Kitchen

Mother’s Day is this coming Sunday. Mom might like a batch of Steel-cut Oatmeal Granola Bars for quick snacks or lunch time fare. Several weeks ago, they were a number of granola recipes in a Spokesman Review article. Most contained expensive ingredients not readily available locally, but several called for steel-cut oats. What I did learn from the article is that toasting the steel-cut oats before adding them to any recipe allows them to take on flavors and absorb liquid better, resulting in a tasty and pleasantly crunchy product.

Steel-cut Oatmeal

Granola Bars

7 cups steel-cut oats

3/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup sesame seeds

2/3 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup olive oil

3/4 cup honey

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine oats, seeds and nuts in a large roasting pan. Place in oven and toast for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Meanwhile, line a 11 x 17 inch rimmed baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.

When oats are toasted, pour into a large mixing bowl. Stir in cinnamon and dried cranberries.

In a small saucepan, combine olive oil and honey and heat over medium low heat stirring often until lukewarm. Pour over oat mixture and stir well to thoroughly combine and coat oat mixture.

Pour mixture into prepared pan. Spread evenly and smooth surface with the back of a spoon. Place in oven and bake 30 minutes. Cool and cut into bars with a very sharp knife. Store in airtight container for up to a week or wrap individually and freeze. Yield : about 20 bars.

Asparagus is showing up in farmers markets and at road side stands. Now is a good time to make pickled asparagus, as prices are usually at their lowest and the supply is fresh. Marilyn Fink gave me this recipe in 1987 and it remains my favorite.

Pickled Asparagus

14-15 pounds fresh asparagus

6 cups water

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

6 tsp non-iodized salt

1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

6 cups vinegar

1 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper

6 tsp dried dill weed

3-4 garlic cloves, peeled

Wash and trim asparagus. Pack tightly into canning jars ( wide mouth quarts work best), along with 1/2 to 1 tsp dill weed and 1/2 clove of garlic.

In a large non-reactive kettle, combine water, sugar, salt, pepper, vinegar and cayenne. Bring mixture to a boil. Pour mixture into asparagus filled jars and cap firmly tight with lids and rings. Place in boiling water bath and process 5 minutes. (modern canning methods recommend 20 minutes for quarts) Remove jars from canner and cool at room temperature. Store sealed jars in a cool dry place 2-4 weeks before using, to develop flavors. Yield: about 6 quarts.

Note: more cayenne may be added for extra heat if you like.Mint is at its peak this time of the year. The flavor is at it’s fullest, making it an ideal time for canning mint jelly. This unusual jelly is a wonderful condiment for roast meat of any kind, especially spring lamb. Mint jelly is delicious in thumbprint cookies and other jelly filled desserts. This jelly makes a colorful addition to holiday gift baskets.

Mint Jelly

1 1/2 cups firmly packed fresh mint leaves with stems

2 1/4 cups water

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Few drops green food coloring

3 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 pouch liquid pectin

Wash mint leaves and stems. Place in a large kettle or saucepan and crush leaves with a wooden spoon. Add water and bring quickly to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 10 minutes. Stain and measure 1 3/4 cups liquid.

Pour measured liquid into kettle and add lemon juice and food coloring. Thoroughly mix sugar into mint liquid. Place over high heat and bring to a boil stirring constantly. When mixture boils, immediately stir in liquid pectin.

Bring to a full rolling boil and boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim foam with a metal spoon. Ladle quickly into hot sterilized jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of rim. Wipe jar rims and cover with lids and rings. Screw bands tight and process in boiling water bath 10 minutes. Yield: about 4 half-pint jars.

Swiss Chard is a colorful spring vegetable that is fun to grow. Seeds mature quickly and plants need thinning to allow the strongest plants to produce an abundant crop of tender leaves throughout the summer and fall. It is a pretty plant that works into flowerbeds, making a dark green backdrop for petunias, calendula, marigolds or other similar height plants. Some varieties have colorful red, orange or yellow stems.

Swiss Chard may be substituted in many dishes calling for spinach or kale, and it freezes well. Sautéed Chard with Garlic is a wonderful side dish or the mixture may be frozen to use later. Make several batches at a time, using the same pan.

Sautéed

Chard With Garlic

2 pounds Swiss chard, washed well, stems re- moved, leaves coarsely chopped; leave wet

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh lemon juice (optional)

Heat large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and garlic; sauté 15 seconds. Add wet chard one handful at a time. Stir after each addition. After all chard has been added, reduce heat to low, cover and cook 5 minutes or until chard is wilted but still bright in color.

Remove lid, raise heat to high and cook until all liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with a squeeze of lemon juice. Yield: 4 servings.

Note: to freeze, cool completely and place in freezer containers. Freeze up to 3 months, thaw completely to use in recipes.

What is your favorite asparagus recipe? Looking ahead to summer, what are your favorite barbeque side dishes? Share these and any other favorite recipes by sending them to: Welcome to My Kitchen, c/o The Odessa Record, P.O. Box 458, Odessa, WA 99159, email therecord@odessaoffice.com or drop them in the Welcome to My Kitchen mail tin in The Odessa Record office. Transplant spring blooming bulbs as soon as foliage dies back.