Cascadian Farm Organic Goodness

As winter wears on, I tire of the root cellar vegetables like potatoes and squash and yearn for sprouts of green in the soil. The seeds are purchased, the garden sketched. Plans are in place to have a prolific summer.

Alas, it will be a few months before I can reap the goodness of my humble potager. Yet buried under all that snow, a few plants have made it through the winter. If I dig around my white-covered kitchen garden, I can find my rosemary plant, weathering the cold in style. It is here that the first fresh herbs will appear this spring.

A blue cheese and rosemary compound butter is easy to execute with a large flavor payoff in the end. It turns an everyday steak into something grand and dresses up even the root vegetables of winter, turning them into a feast. A bit of butter to top off the last spaghetti squash, to grace a pile of roasted baby reds or even the first spring asparagus will have you looking towards spring's sunshine in no time.

Blue Cheese and Rosemary Butter

½ cup butter, softened

¼ cup blue cheese crumbles

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

Mix together butter, blue cheese and rosemary until incorporated. Pack into a small, airtight container and store covered in the refrigerator until ready to use. Serve on vegetables, grilled meat and fish or over cooked grains for an added boost of flavor.

Makes ¾ cup compound butter.

Photo by Shaina Olmanson

Maple-Baked Fruit Parfaits

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 vanilla bean or 1 cinnamon stick

Pinch of salt

2 apples, pears, quince, peaches or other similar fruit

1/4 cup nuts

1 cup Greek yogurt or gelato/custard

Preheat the oven to 400º F.

In a small casserole pan or baking dish, add the butter. Place the dish into the oven for the butter to melt as the oven preheats. Slice your fruit in half. If using a stone fruit like peaches, remove the pit. Seeded fruits can have the seeds removed now or after baking.

If using a vanilla bean, slice the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds, adding them to the melted butter. If using a cinnamon stick, break in half and add that to the pan. Stir in maple syrup. Place fruit halves cut side down in the pan and return the pan to the oven.

Bake the fruit at 400º until soft, about 25-30 minutes for pears and apples and slightly less time for peaches. Remove from oven and immediately remove the fruit, placing on serving dishes. Tilt the pan up to combine maple syrup with fruit juices that were baked out. Add nuts to the mixture and stir to coat. Scoop yogurt or ice cream into the fruit halves and then add the nut mixture to the top while still warm. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 fruit halves.

Photos by Shaina Olmanson

Chocolate O's S'mores Bars

3 tablespoons butter

3 cups organic marshmallows**

4 ½ cups Cascadian Farm Chocolate O's cereal

1/3 cup dark or semisweet chocolate chunks

Grease an 8"-square pan. In a large saucepan melt the butter together with the marshmallow. When it is completely melted and hot, stir in the Chocolate O's with a greased spatula. Stir in chocolate chunks and pour out into the prepared pan. Press down with greased hands or waxed paper.

Allow to set. Cut into bars and serve.

Makes 25 bars when cut 5x5.

**Organic marshmallow crème (7 ounces) can also be used in this recipe in place of marshmallows. Since they differ a bit from brand to brand, try a small test batch first to ensure butter to crème ratio.

Photo by Shaina Olmanson

A couple weeks ago we released some new “kid-approved” products and we couldn’t be more excited! One thing’s for sure; we love to make products that both kids and their parents can agree on. They not only have to taste good, but they have to be good for you. Here are our two new products that do just that: Chocolate O’s Cereal and Oatmeal Raisin Granola Bars.

Made with whole grains, and packed with fiber, they are both a great way for your kids to kick start their morning. Or, for after school activities, pack an Oatmeal Raisin Granola Bar for a quick snack to keep them going.

Look for these two new products at your local grocery store, along with our other tasty “kid-approved” products: Cinnamon Crunch, Fruitful O's, and Peanut Chocolate Chip Bars.

If you've already tried any of these products, we'd love to hear what you think. Leave your comments in the box below.

One of my favorite breakfasts is nothing more than yogurt, berries and almonds. I generally just plop all of it down in a cup and never think twice. However, I still remember the breakfast parfait I ordered one morning at a small whole foods place in Chicago, served in a tall parfait glass.

It's funny how things like the glass it's served in can leave such a lasting effect on the memory. The amazing granola and fresh berries didn't hurt much either.

Something about Cascadian farm's new Chocolate O's cereal made me instantly want to eat it with yogurt. No, it's not granola, but it has this distinct flavor and crunch that can stand up to a mix of berries and yogurt, and besides, it's chocolate for breakfast.

Chocolate Breakfast Parfait

½ cup Cascadian Farm Chocolate O's cereal

½ cup plain Greek yogurt

½ cup Cascadian Farm Frozen Berries

1 tablespoon honey (optional)

In your favorite glass (because presentation is everything) layer ¼ cup Chocolate O's, ¼ cup yogurt and ¼ cup berries. Repeat. Drizzle with honey, if desired. Serve immediately.

Makes 1 chocolate breakfast parfait.

Photo by Shaina Olmanson

In our house, dinner is a family affair. We gather to cook. We gather to eat. Still, kids are kids, and being kids, their likes and dislikes can change on a minute-by-minute basis. Foods that may interest them in one setting may be found repulsive in the next. It's a constant guessing game.

To keep them motivated to continue exploring their world and developing a healthy relationship with food, we get them involved at every corner and try to incorporate the ability to make their own choices into meals where appropriate as well. While they may not be able to choose everything about a given meal throughout the week, giving them control over certain aspects of what they eat has been very beneficial in staving off food struggles during family dinner.

One such example is to have a family pizza night. Pizza night has long been a favorite of mine. Pizza acts as a catchall for any leftover scraps from the week before, emptying the fridge for a big trip to the farmers' market, co-op and grocery store on the weekend. Leek and potato on a pizza? Why not? Bacon, scallions and Gruyere? Of course.

Put out bowls of all the leftover bits and pieces, fry up a bit of bacon and set out leftover ham and chicken and pizza night goes from ordinary pepperoni to works of art that help get the kids involved in the process of feeding themselves.

No Fail Pizza Crust

Don't have the time to let the pizza dough rise? No bother. This one works great even without the rise time . You'll get a chewier crust with a crisp bottom, more akin to a New York thin crust, which may be what you prefer anyway.

1 cup water at 110 degrees F

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons dried herbs (optional)

3 cups all-purpose flour (I use an unbleached white wheat blend)

In a medium bowl place warm water and sprinkle with yeast. Allow to rest for 5 minutes until the yeast is frothy and then stir it in along with the olive oil, salt and herbs. Star adding in the flour, a ½ cup at a time, mixing in with a fork thoroughly after each addition. When all the flour has been added, turn the dough out onto a flat surface and knead for 3-4 minutes until smooth.

Place the dough back into the bowl and cover, allowing it to rise in a warm place for about an hour. (See note above. You can skip this part when low on time or if you're looking for a different style crust.)

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. When the dough has risen, punch it down and split it into 8 equal balls (you can also roll out 2 larger pizzas). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into ¼"-thick disks.

Sprinkle baking sheets with cornmeal and place the rolled dough on top. Have everyone top their circle with their favorite sauce and toppings. Bake at 475º F for 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

Makes (8) 6-7" pizzas or (2) 14-16" pizzas.

Repeat after me: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It's been drilled into your head for years, right? I need no more convincing. I love breakfast. Oatmeal. Granola. Smoothies. Pancakes. Muffins. Eggs. Whether they're baked into a frittata or scrambled, fried or rolled.

Sure, you could roll your eggs into a fluffy omelet, but here in our house we're all about fuss free rolling. They come together quickly and easily, making them perfect for our large family. Excuse the running of the eggs. Our griddle is broken and slants.

Rolled Omelet

olive oil

6 large eggs

1-2 tablespoons half and half or milk

½ teaspoon salt

Your favorite fillings: cheese, vegetables, meat, herbs, salsa

Crack eggs into a large bowl. Add in half and half and salt. Beat well with fork until all whites are completely broken up and mixed in.

Heat griddle or large skilled with rounded sides to medium heat. Add enough olive oil to cover the bottom. Pour out about 2/3-cup worth of the egg mix onto the griddle. Immediately sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of filling just off center. Using an offset spatula, flip the closest side of the egg over the filling. Continue rolling until you reach the end of the egg. Flip onto plate and serve immediately.

Makes 3 rolled eggs.

Photo and video by Shaina Olmanson

Hello friends! A couple weeks ago we asked you to send us your favorite recipes that incorporate granola. We were overwhelmed at the response we got! So many wonderful recipes were posted, many of them were extremely creative, too. Looks like we can learn a thing or two about cooking from some of you.

There were so many great recipes, but we only have room to highlight a few. Thanks again for sharing your recipes with us. They sound delicious!

CHEWY GRANOLA COOKIES

Yield: 5 dozen

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 1/2 cups granola cereal

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F

In large bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Stir in remaining ingredients except granola; mix until smooth. Stir in 3 cups granola. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls, roll into a ball & roll in the remaining 1/2 cup granola. Place two inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

BANANA BREAKFAST

Take 1/2 banana and top with:

2 tbsp almond/peanut butter

1 tbsp honey

1/3 cup dark chocolate almond granola

OATS and HONEY YOGURT

Peach Yogurt

Oats & Honey Granola

Pecans

Peaches

Blueberries

Combine Oats and Honey Granola with Peach Yogurt. Top it off with some pecans, sliced peaches and blueberries. Yum! If you have a granola recipe you make at home and would like to share it, post it to the comments section below.

SWEET JERK CHICKEN

Oats & Honey Granola

Nuts

Flax seed

Cornstarch

Salt

Pepper

Cayenne

Cumin

Curry

Combine Oats & Honey Granola with nuts and flax seed and chop it into a crumble. Mix with cornstarch, salt , pepper, cayenne, cumin and curry for a sweet and spicy crunch coating!

If you have any more granola recipes to share with us, feel free to leave them in the comments below or on our Facebook page!

Photo by Average Jane

I have a bit of a potato leek soup obsession. My own brand happens to create its own broth and then get blended together into smooth, creamy perfection. Then I went to San Francisco this fall where I was served a bowl of potato leek soup just lightly drizzled with truffle oil. No pulsing blender. No cream. Again, perfection.

Whether it's the leeks or the potatoes that call to me in this soup, it's one that I find myself going back to again and again. This heartier version (read: unblended) incorporates a healthy dose of spinach for an extra nutritional boost, which is always needed and welcome in the midst of the winter.

Potato Leek and Spinach Soup

3 leeks

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, diced

1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes

2 quarts of water

1/2 cup white wine

bunch of fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

3 cups baby spinach leaves

1 teaspoon white pepper

salt to taste

Truffle oil, optional

Cut off the root end and the very top of the dark green end of the leeks. Slice the white and light green portion of the leeks thinly. The dark green portion can be left longer for easier removal from the stock. In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in leeks and sauté for 10 minutes until soft. Add garlic and stir once. Pour in water and the reserved green tops from the leeks. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes.

Wash and dice the potatoes, leaving skins in place. Remove the long dark green tops from the pot. Add in the potatoes, white wine, bay leaves and thyme. Simmer for 45 minutes until potatoes are tender and starting to fall apart at the edges. Stir in spinach 5 minutes prior to serving and stir to wilt. Serve warm and drizzled with truffle oil if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

I don't bake very often because we don't eat many sweets at home, so when I do, I try to make it worthwhile. I tend to go all out and over the top, like apple pie cheesecake. Plain cheesecake just won't do, and apple pie alone is only apple pie, after all. It should be no surprise, then, that when making peanut butter cookies, I didn't just make peanut butter cookies.

My kids have been going through peanut butter and jelly deprivation since they attend a peanut- and tree-nut-free school. It seemed only right to deliver their peanut butter and jelly fix in whole wheat cookie form. For these cookies I used a whole wheat pastry flour and sucanat as my sugar of choice. You can substitute whole cane sugar or maple sugar as well.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Cookies

1 cup peanut butter

¼ cup unsalted butter

¾ cup whole cane sugar or sucanat

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

For the filling:

½ cup Cascadian Farm Fruit Spread

Beat together peanut butter, butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and sea salt. Stir the flour mixture into the peanut butter mixture, scraping the bowl halfway through. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350º F. Roll dough into 1/2"-3/4" balls and place on lined baking sheets and press down lightly. Bake at 350º F for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Heat the fruit spread in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the jam is melted, turn the burner off and allow it to cool slightly. Line up half of the peanut butter cookies with the bottom side facing up. Place a drop of jam, about a teaspoon's worth, in the center of each. Top with a second peanut butter cookie.

Makes about 25 sandwich cookies.

Photo by Shaina Olmanson