Marisa McClellan's Blog, page 52

Salted Maple Walnut Granola

This salted maple walnut granola is perfect for gift giving and holiday brunch buffets. Pair it with a jar of homemade jam for your favorite people.

Every year, I try to make something to supplement the holiday gifts of jam that I give to my friends, family and neighbors. Sometimes I make shortbread cookies. Other times, I roll out cracker dough and use a wavy pie cutter to slice them into diamond shapes. Occasionally, I work up a giant batch of my dad’s pancake mix and package it in ziptop bags the way he always did when I was a kid.

This year, I made a giant batch of spiced and salted granola to pair up with the jams and fruit butters I’m sharing this year. Made with walnuts because I bought a giant bag at Costco (so many of my recipe development choices are spurred by what I happened to have in excess), it is nutty, crunchy, and perfect for topping bowls of yogurt and preserves.

PrintSalted Maple Walnut Granola

Yield: makes 12-13 cups of granola

Ingredients

9 cups old fashioned rolled oats
3 1/2 cups walnut
3/4 cup neutral oil
1 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the oats and walnuts. Measure the oil into a 2-cup measuring cup, making sure to swirl it around the walls of the cup before pouring the oil over the oats and nuts.
Using the same measuring cup, combine the maple syrup, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom. Whisk until the sugar has mostly dissolved into the syrup, and the spices are well-incorporated.
Pour the syrup slurry over the oats and nuts and stir until well-coats.
Divide the oat and nut mixture between the two prepared pans and arrange the nascent granola into an even layer. Use the back of your spatula to press the oats and nuts down a little. This will help the formation of clusters upon cooling.
Bake the trays for 40-45 minutes, taking care to switch their positions in the oven at least once.
When the granola has taken on a golden hue, it is done. Remove the pans from the oven and let the granola cool completed before touching it.
Once the trays are cool enough to handle, grasp the edges of the parchment paper to gently break the granola into fat clusters.
Store in air-tight bags, containers or jars. 3.1http://foodinjars.com/2016/12/salted-maple-walnut-granola/
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Gift Guide 2016: Things for Your Favorite Home Cook

Here we are with the third installment of my brief gift guide series. In the title of this post, I call this a guide for your favorite home cook, but really I had my sister in mind when I put this list together. She has two young boys, cooks a lot, and loves to have friends over casual dinners. If you’ve got someone like her on your list, I imagine they’d love any one of the items on this list.

1. How to Celebrate Everything – This book by Dinner: A Love Story blogger Jenny Rosenstrach is perfect for parents of young kids who are in the process of building their family rituals and traditional celebrations.

2. – A lovely board is an easy way to up your cheese board game and make it look like you’ve put more effort into your array of snacks than you did.

3. Wooden Weck Jar Lids – These pretty lids transform Weck jars into storage canisters. They come in a variety of sizes and would make a fabulous present for a jar lover.

4. Tart Cherry Jam from Three Springs Fruit Farm – A delicious preserve for someone who loves tart cherries but either can’t get them in their region, or just didn’t have time to can this summer. It’s been made with my recipe, so you know it has to be good. Use the code FoodInJars at check-out for 10% off your order.

5. Salve from Folk Potions – This time of year is rough on hands, particularly if you cook and do dishes. Treat your favorite cook to a tin of All Purpose Salve-Vation or a jar of Shea Mango Body Butter to prevent those fingertip splits and cracks.

6. Old Blue Raw Honey – Sweet, sustainable, and raised by good people, this honey is some of the best I’ve had. The limited edition Winter Honey Sampler is an especially great option, because it’s a way to taste flavor variations and is really fun to pair with cheese.

Related Posts:

Gift Guide 2016: For the Coffee Lovers
Gift Guide 2016: Things for the Canner Who Has Everything
August Sponsors: Cuppow, Fillmore Container, Mrs. Wages, Orchard Road, Punk Domestics, and Mason Jar Lifestyle

Gift Guide 2016: For the Coffee Lovers

Today’s gift guide features things that coffee lovers of all stripes would like to receive. These are things that I either use in my own kitchen on a regular basis or am actually planning on giving to a family member this year. Oh, and if you need suggestions for travel mugs and drinking jars, check out last year’s guide on that topic!

1. Driftaway Coffee Subscription – A Driftaway subscription is just the thing to give to someone who is starting to explore the wider world of coffee. Every subscription starts with four 2-ounce packets of freshly roasted, single origin coffees, so that your gift recipient can hone in one their favorite flavors and origins. As they drink through their sampler packs, they use the Driftaway app to input tasting notes and rate the coffees the beans they tried. The folks at Driftaway use those notes and rating to determine what coffee they send next. It’s a delicious and interactive way to get your morning brew!

2. The Little Dripper from Constellation Supply Co. – This lovely ceramic coffee dripper is just the thing for someone who is looking to start a pour over routine, or who is currently using a beat-up plastic dripper and needs an upgrade. It’s sturdy, beautifully made, and comes in three different colors. If that one is out of stock, a classic white Bee House dripper is a nice option as well.

3. Hario Pouring Kettle – These spouted kettles were pricy and hip when they first hit the US market several years ago. Now that the hype has died down, their price has come down and they’ve become more accessible for the average coffee brewer. If you’ve got the patience for the slow pour over technique, it’s great for controlling water flow for the perfect cup.

4. A Beautiful, Handmade Mug – As any coffee drinker knows, while a beautiful mug isn’t required, it sure does improve the experience of your first (or fourth!) cup. Over the years, I’ve amassed a wide collection of lovely, handmade ones that bring me great pleasure. The one pictured here is made by Melissa Bridgman of Bridgman Pottery and is a favorite. If you’re feeling really flush, Melissa offers a three-month subscription wherein the recipient gets a new cup or mug every month.

5. Dansk Milk Warmer – Pots for warming milk come in many different shapes and sizes. The one I use is a vintage Dansk version that I got at an antique mall in Portland last year. The handle was coming off so it was dirt cheap (my dad fixed it for me before I left town). If you can’t hold out for vintage, you’re in luck. This is one of the pieces that Dansk has reissued and you can get it in turquoise, navy, red, or yellow.

Disclosure: The folks from Driftaway sent me some beans to feature in this post. Everything else are items that I use, love, and bought. 

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Gift Guide 2016: Things for the Canner Who Has Everything
Holiday Giving: Kitchen Tools for Canners
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Gift Guide 2016: Things for the Canner Who Has Everything

This week, I’m running a handful of short gift guides featuring some things you might like to give or get this holiday season. I’m kicking off the series with a couple things that you could give to your favorite canner who already has every other canning tool and gadget imaginable.

You might look at this guide and think it’s really short. And it is. You see, I’ve recommended a lot of gear over the years and you just don’t need me to suggest the same things over again (I’ve linked to those prior gift guides below, if you do need more ideas). But these are two things that a canner who has everything he or she needs might just enjoy having.

Wusthof Epicure 2-Piece Prep Set – This lovely knife set is a gorgeous and useful upgrade for anyone who spends lots of time in the kitchen. I’ve had these knives in my tool kit since the spring and I reach for them all the time. The wooden handles are comfortable to hold and just get more gorgeous over time.
GIR Ladle – I’ve used a lot of ladles in my life and this is the best one I’ve encountered. The bowl is made of flexible silicone. That means that you can scrap every last drop of jam out of the pot. It also holds a full cup, which is just enough to fill a half pint jar.

For more gift giving inspiration, check out some of my gift guides for years past. You’ll find favorite tools, good gear for cooking and canning, and my favorite mason jar drink lids.

And finally, because it’s Monday and the folks at Wusthof are kind and generous, I have one of the knife sets you see above to give away. Let’s do it the old fashioned way this week.

Leave a comment on this post and tell me share something you’re looking forward to giving this holiday season.
Comments will close at 11:59 pm eastern time on Saturday, December 10, 2016. Winners will be chosen at random and will be posted to the blog on Sunday, December 11, 2016.
Giveaway open to United States residents only.
One comment per person, please. Entries must be left via the comment form on the blog at the bottom of this post.

Disclosure: Wusthof provided the knife set you see pictured above, and is providing the giveaway unit, both at no cost to me. GIR also provided the ladle as a review unit. However, my opinion remains entirely my own. I both am sent and buy a lot of kitchen gear every year, and these are stand-outs! 

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Links: Pear Jam, Sweet Potato Cakes, and a Winner
Giveaway: Wüsthof Clip Point Paring Knife
Giveaway: Set of Three GIR Silicone Spatulas

Links: Cranberries, Marmalade Pie, and a Winner

It has been ages since I’ve managed to do one of these link round-up posts. I used to write them quite religiously, but then missed several. Once the habit was broken, it felt nearly impossible to find my way back to them on a regular basis. But I’m here again and have weeks of saved up links from my fellow bloggers and writers. May I find my way back to the practice of sharing more often.

Slow cooker cinnamon pear butter.
Cranberry honey mustard.
Cranberry relish.
Mixed citrus marmalade.
Tomato pepper sauce.
Red chili carrot hot sauce.
Pickled hot cherry peppers.
Marinated mushrooms.
Preserved lemons.
Single ingredient whole grain crackers.
Marmalade pie.
Cranberry breakfast bread.
Cranberry coconut lemon squares.
Jam thumbprints.
Whole grain and seed bread.
Dark fruitcake.
A fun preserving personalities quiz.
Good detail about pectin.
And finally, news from Atlanta’s Learning Kitchen.

Giant thanks to everyone who took the time to enter the Art of Aperitivo giveaway last week! The winner is displayed in the widget below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway



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December Sponsors: Cuppow, Fillmore Container, EcoJarz, iLids, MightyNest, Mrs. Wages, Hobby Hill Farm, & Mason Jar Lifestyle

I can’t quite believe it, but December is here and that means that it’s time to thank the people and businesses that help keep this site afloat. Tell them you appreciate their support of my work with a purchase or a social follow!

In the top spot are our friends at Cuppow. They are the creators of the original mason jar travel mug topper and the BNTO, a small plastic cup that transforms a canning jar into a snack or lunch box. Parents and kids love their EIO set, with its grippy silicone sleeve and a lid that makes for easy sipping. And make sure to check out their Cup Club, to see if using a mason jar and cuppow can earn you free coffee at a shop near you!

Lancaster, PA-based and family-owned Fillmore Container are next! They sell all manner of canning jars, lids, and other preservation gear. As always, their blog is an amazing resource for all things jar-related. If you’re in need of inspiration for jar-based giving, look no further than their helpful gift guides! Oh, and if you’re a parent looking for a new baby bottle or sippy cup option, check out their line of Mason Bottles!

Our friends over at EcoJarz are back again this month. They make an array of products designed to fit on top of mason jars, and they just released a kit for fermenters to their stock. It contains a wide-mouth stainless steel ring, a wide-mouth stainless steel lid with a silicone gasket and grommet, an airlock, and a fermenting guide. This month, use the code FOODINJARS2016 to get 20% your order.

iLids is a Seattle-based small business that makes both storage and drink lids in both regular and wide mouth sizes for mason jars. Their storage lids are water tight and the drink lids can accommodate a straw. Best of all, their lids come in a whole bunch of different colors, so there’s something for everyone! Check back next week, when I’ll be giving away some of their fabulous gear.

MightyNest is an amazing resource for non-toxic, natural, and organic products for homes and families. I’m a big fan of the MightyFix, their monthly product subscription program. Right now, you can give the gift of a year’s subscription to the MightyFix for just $99 (it regularly costs $10 a month, so that’s a great deal).

Our friends at Mrs. Wages are on the roster again this month. They make pectin, vinegar, and more canning mixes than I can count. Their website is an incredible preserving resource and I can’t say enough good things about their salsa mix. If you need a little help getting your produce into jars, remember to seek out their products!

Hobby Hill Farm is back with us as well. Based in Powhatan, Virginia, they sell locally made jams and preserves, homemade pretzels, candies, and cheese making kits (including the mozzarella kit I demoed here). Sharon teaches a ton of preserving, cheese making, baking, and pasta making classes, so if you’re in her neck of the woods, make sure to check out her class schedule!

Mason Jar Lifestyle is a one-stop shopping site for all the jar lovers out there. They sell all manner of mason jar accessories and adaptors. If you’re in the market for lids, straws, and cozies to transform your mason jars into travel mugs, make sure to check them out!

If your company or small business is interested in becoming a sponsor, you can find more details here. I offer discounts for multiple month purchases and am always happy to work with your budget. Leave a comment on this post or drop me a note to learn more!

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November Sponsors: Cuppow, Fillmore Container, EcoJarz, Luigi Bormioli, iLids, Mrs. Wages, Hobby Hill Farm, & Mason Jar Lifestyle
October Sponsors: Cuppow, Fillmore Container, EcoJarz, and More!
June Sponsors: Cuppow, EcoJarz, Fillmore Container, Mrs. Wages, Mason Jar Lifestyle

Kabocha Squash Quick Bread

The weekend before Thanksgiving, I went a little crazy buying squash. After two trips to farmers market and a dash through Reading Terminal Market, there were three small butternuts, two acorns, and a kabocha squash on my dining room table.

My sister is a master of squash-centric quick breads in my family and the kabocha squash seemed to cry out for that destiny. Rather than cast about the internet for a recipe, I used the bones of Raina’s regular approach to build my version. I made a few tweaks, including changing up the flours and sweetened my bread with coconut sugar (since writing Naturally Sweet, it’s a regular player in my kitchen).

I also didn’t have quite enough squash to fill out the two cup measure and so topped it off with a few tablespoons of honey sweetened pear vanilla jam. It worked gorgeously and I highly recommend that approach any time you need just a bit more squash or applesauce for a baked good.

The other change I made was to use avocado oil. I confess, this bottle of CalPure was recently sent to me for review, and while I don’t plan on offering a full-on review here, I will say that it’s a gorgeous oil. Thick, deeply green, and very rich, it went beautifully with the squash and made for an incredibly moist loaf.

I divided the batter between four small vintage Pyrex loaf pans. I love these for quick breads because they give me one loaf to keep and three to share with friends and neighbors. Particularly this time of year, I like to have something around for spur of the moment gifting.

A couple days ago, I mentioned that I’d started a FB group for this site. Lots of you have come over to join up and the conversations and connections that are happening are totally delightful. Please do check it out!

PrintKabocha Squash Quick Bread

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup oat flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 3/4 cups coconut or brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups squash puree
1 cup avocado oil
4 eggs
3/4 cup water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degree. Grease two regular bread pans or four miniature bread pans.
Whisk together the flours, sugar, spices, salt, and baking soda.
Make a well in dry ingredients and add the squash puree, oil, eggs, and water. Stir to combine.
Divide the batter between the prepared loaf pans and bake for 50 to 65 minutes. They're done when a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. 3.1http://foodinjars.com/2016/12/kabocha-squash-quick-bread/

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Upcoming Events, Food Swaps, and the new Food in Jars FB Community

Upcoming classes, pickling demos, food swaps, and news about an online Food in Jars community! A tasty assortment for a gloomy Tuesday afternoon!

I always feel a little bit of a let down in the days after Thanksgiving. There’s so much excitement and anticipation in advance (particularly when you work in the world of food writing) and then it’s over and all you’ve got left is a pot of soup (if you’re lucky).

In order to bring a little pep back into my step, I thought it would be nice to share a few fun things with you all.

Next Thursday, December 8, I’ll be teaching my final class of the year at the Easton Public Market. We’ll make Maple Sweetened Cranberry Apple Jam and everyone will go home with a small jar of the preserves made in class. 6 to 8 pm. $30. Sign up here.

On Sunday, December 11, I’ll be at the Hazon Food Festival. I’ll be there to moderate the opening panel (10:45 to 11:30 am), sign books in the marketplace (12:45 to 1:15 pm), and teach a pickling workshop (2:30 to 3:15 pm). The event runs from 10 am to 6:30 and the full day registration costs $25 for adults, $15 for students, and $10 for kids (they also have family packages on offer). Click for more information and registration details.

This Sunday, December 4 I’ll be at the 5th anniversary party for the Philly Food Swap group out the Weavers Way Garage in Mt. Airy. It’s both a food swap and potluck and goes from 3-6 pm (we’ll swap first and then dig into the potluck spread). It’s a free event and everyone is welcome, whether you’re a regular food swapper or this is your very first time. Details and sign-up for here.

Recently, I started a Facebook group for readers of this site. Simply called the Food in Jars Community, I’m hoping that it will become a place where you all can go to have conversations with one another about canning, preserving, and home cooking. Years ago, we had a lot of good give and take on the main Food in Jars FB page, but they’ve changed the functionality of those pages so that they’re no longer useful as a place for discourse.

Currently the group is listed as closed, but I will happily approve any requests for membership. I’ll be keeping a careful eye on the conversations and will jump in on a daily basis to answer questions and join in the discussion. Please consider joining!

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Giveaway: The Art of Aperitivo Set from reCAP Mason Jars

Celebrate the goodness of cocktails, ferments, and life with The Art of Aperitivo Gift Set from reCAP Mason Jars!

I first discovered reCAP Mason Jars back in late 2011, when they were running the Kickstarter for their original easy open, spouted lid. In the years since they introduced that original reCAP lid, they’ve continually expanded their line of lids and adaptors so that jars of all shapes and sizes can become even more useful in and around your home. I’m always excited to see what they’ll do next!

The latest item in their line of jar-centric goodies is The Art of Aperitivo: Italian Happy Hour Gift Set. This highly giftable box comes filled with jars, lids, a waterless airlock, and other goodies to help you treat your friends and family to homemade cocktails and fermented nibbles. It’s the perfect way to lift spirits and brighten the dark nights of winter.

The three jars that come with the set are from Italian glass maker Bormioli Rocco Quattro Stagioni line. You’ll get a wide mouth 51 ounce jar, a regular mouth 17 ounce jar, and a regular mouth 10 ounce jar. They come with two original reCAP lids and the newer reCAP FLIP lid so that you can easily access whatever you choose to stash in the jars.

You’l also find a waterless airlock that fits perfectly into the open spout of the reCAP lid. This allows you to transform any jar into a fermentation crock. Use it to make a batch of Jar-diniera, a recipe that’s featured into the handy booklet that comes with the kit.

The Art of Aperitivo set would make a great gift for anyone who likes to make cocktails, serve up fermented foods, and have their friends over to enjoy them both! I have one of these handy sets to give away this week. Use the widget below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway





Disclosure: reCAP Mason Jar provided the unit you see above at no cost to me and are also providing the giveaway unit. No other payment was provided and all opinions expressed here are entirely mine.

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Jams from Three Springs Fruit Farm

Right around this time last year, I told you guys about a collaboration I was doing with Ben Wenk from Three Springs Fruit Farm. We were combining his fruit with my recipes in order to create a line of jams and fruit butters that were a little different from the others you find at the farmers market.

We’ve continued to expand our collaboration over the last year and we’re currently up to six different products. They are:

Ginger Apple Butter
Peach Jam
Pear Vanilla Jam
Salted Brown Sugar Peach Jam
Tart Cherry
Tomato Jam

Today only, you can get 15% off your order from Three Springs Fruit Farm by using the code CANVOLUTION. And if you don’t see this until November 29, take heart! You can still get a discount. Use the code FoodInJars now through December 31, 2016 to get 10% off your order.

PS – In other discount news, our friends at Orchard Road are offering 50% off your online order through Tuesday, November 29. Use the code JARS50 for the deal.

 

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Three Springs Fruit Farm + Food in Jars
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