"Kitchen Sink" Granola

I was talking to one of my girlfriends the other day about our favorite topic -- diet and exercise -- and the subject turned to what we liked to eat. After a while we both admitted that we just love things that crunch. When it comes to crunchy, the first thing I think about is granola. Not just any granola... It has to be slightly sweet, with some tart and chewy dried fruit thrown in, with a whole lotta nuts and a major crunch factor. Every now and then I'll make a great big batch. It's easy, and much less expensive than what you'd buy at the grocery store. The only drawback is that once I make some, I can't help grabbing a handful every time I walk past the jar.

I call this "Kitchen Sink" Granola because it has everything BUT the kitchen sink thrown in. I can't ever decide what flavor granola to make so I throw in everything I like...dried cherries, raisins, blueberries, cranberries, coconut, pecans, walnuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds...the works!

Sure, this is good enough to eat all by itself, but try it for breakfast in milk (you won't need to worry about it going soggy for quite a while), sprinkle over yogurt for a snack, or put some with some ice cream for dessert.

Kitchen Sink Granola

6 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped nuts of your choice (almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds)
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup dried fruit of your choice (cherries, blueberries, raisins, cranberries)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Combine the honey and oil in a measuring cup.

In a large mixing bowl, mix oats, nuts, cinnamon and salt. Drizzle oats with honey and oil mixture and mix well with a wooden spoon. Line a large baking or cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spread the oats onto the baking sheet into a thin, even layer. Bake for 45 minutes.

Pour the baked oats back into the large mixing bowl and add the dried fruit and coconut. Mix well. Return mixture to the baking sheet (spreading evenly) and bake for another 20-30 minutes.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container.

And the winner is...

There was so much going on at the USPCA's Annual Conference in Tucson...networking with fellow chefs and industry professionals, classes on everything from making pasta to setting the perfect table, Improv Comedy entertainment, nightly tequila tastings, and an Iron Chef Competition. The accommodations at the Marriott Starr Pass Resort, nestled amongst the cactus-studded Sonoran Mountains, were stellar, the perfect setting for a "just for fun" salsa-making contest, and guess what? Yours truly won! Believe me, the competition was stiff. I noticed fresh pineapple, watermelon, and basil among the other three contestants' ingredients. Try this salsa with your favorite tortilla chips or as an accompaniment to grilled chicken or fish.

Smoky Orange Salsa

4 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 navel oranges, segmented and chopped (skin removed)
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
2 chipotle peppers in adobo, seeded and chopped
1/2 lime, juiced
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Chill for an hour before serving.

Yield: 2 cups

A Taste of South Tucson

This past weekend I was in Tucson, Arizona for the United States Personal Chef Association's Annual Convention. On a culinary trip through Tucson's barrios, we toured a bakery and tortilla factory and one of the city''s oldest fish purveyors. We were treated to fresh baked Mexican pastries and some of Tucson's best botanas--chipotle chicken quesadillas, fish tacos, carne asada burritos, ceviche, margaritas and an amazing Sonoran hot dog. This hot dog is nestled in a slightly sweet and very soft homemade bun, wrapped in bacon, and topped with beans, tomatoes, onions, jalapeno sauce, mustard and mayo. But wait, there's more--enough additional condiments to make your head spin--several different types of hot sauce, salsa verde, cucumbers, onions, avocado/lime puree. You would think that after all that I'd be too stuffed to try anything else! But at the end of the tour, with the temperature soaring over 100 degrees, I couldn't resist the Respado from Oasis fruit cones. Overflowing with fruit infused ice, ice cream and topped with fresh strawberries and mangos, this was the perfect ending to an absolutely amazing culinary tour.

I just had to try and recreate the Sonoran hot dog as soon as I got home. Here's my attempt.


Sonoran Hot Dog

4 all beef hot dogs
4 slices bacon
4 soft homestyle hotdog buns
1 can pinto beans, warmed
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup sweet white onion, chopped
1/4 cup pickled jalapeno slices, finely chopped
mustard
mayonnaise

Wrap each hot dog with a bacon slice and brown on all sides in a hot pan. Set aside to drain. Place hot dogs in buns. Top each with two tablespoons pinto beans, two tablespoons of chopped tomatoes, one tablespoon chopped jalapenos. Drizzle with mustard and mayonnaise.

Serves 4