Raspberry Thumbprints

****Hey Friends I've moved my blog!!!!  Follow the link to my new site. ABAKERSWIFE.COM!! Come and see the new site.  I'm really excited about it, and can't wait to share.  xoxo Lisa

You know when we started the bakery (Great Harvest Bread Co.) 19 years ago this June, we were just kids.  We were playing “Grown Ups”, because really, at 22 and 24, you don’t have a whole lot of life experiences under your belt.  But we had a new baby, a new bakery, a new college degree, and a new town to call home all within 15 days time.  We gained a lot of experience really quick!  But the greatest moments of owning a bakery are the employees that we’ve employed over the last 19 years. They have touched our lives in so many ways.  We have worked with a lot of cousins, nieces and nephews, and lots of college students we now think of as dear friends.  At Christmas time I get loads of Christmas Cards from these old bakers and kneaders.  They’re doing the family thing now.  Beautiful kids, and spouses, vacations, real jobs, and great lives are what we get a glimpse of each Dec.  Getting those cards each year is always a highlight of our Christmas Season.

It was a month or two ago that we met up with one of our first employees from Pocatello.  She was beautiful then, and 15 years later she’s still amazing.  We were able to catch up on 15 years without missing a beat.  Our family was on vacation in Sun Valley and that’s where this friend calls home now. (How great is that!) We met for dinner one night.  The kids ran around the restaurant and we big people talked for HOURS!  So fun!!  As we were leaving A., our old employee sent us home with a bag of her homemade cookies.  And the recipe too if I may add!!  I love it when someone just knows you’re going to be wanting to make more of something because it’s THAT delicious.  The cookies are her favorite, and I can honestly say they are now some of my favorite too!!  I wouldn’t actually put these cookies in the same category as  say a chocolate chip cookie, but maybe a perfect”Biscuit”.  Kind of how I would categorize a Biscoff Cookie  They’re fantastic.  Not too sweet at all, but the nutty taste is awesome!!!  Homemade raspberry jam on the top is the crowning moment, but any flavor of jam would work.  I’m actually going to try these cookies with some different ingredients, and turn them into granola bars.  I think they’d be so fantastic!! I’ll let you know how that turns out.

The recipe is from the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center Cookbook.  It’s a Buddhist monastery and retreat near San Francisco.  The original recipe is vegan, but I don’t particularly like Maple Syrup.   (I know!!  Blasphemy!)  I LOVE honey though, so that’s what I used.  You can actually make these cookies wheat free (that’s if you aren’t “Rootin’ for Gluten!” like I am.) by substituting more blended oats in place of the flour.  Thanks again my dear A. for sharing the night with us, as well as a favorite new recipe!  I love your guts!!


Raspberry Thumbprints
Ingredients

1 cup unbleached flour
2 cups almonds, ground (I measured 2c. whole almonds and then buzzed them to powder.)
4 cups baby rolled oats (I used Quick Instant Oats)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup maple syrup (I used Honey)
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup jam, thinned with water
Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, almonds, oats, and salt.

2. In another bowl, mix together the syrup and oil. Add to the dry ingredients using your hands to mix well. Let dough stand for 15 minutes before using.

3. Roll dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place close together on baking sheets. Make a little dent in the top of each ball and fill them with 1/2 teaspoon (or less) of the jam. Bake for 15 minutes or until slightly brown. Do not over bake. Cool on a wire rack.

Recipe made approx. 40 good sized cookies for my family. The original recipe yeilds 5 doz. I guess it's all in you dough ball size:)

Cinnamon Spiced Nuts and Berry Salad

First order of business is, I'm so sorry I've been a slacker posting anything the last few weeks.  If you could see the behind the scenes you would be AMAZED at what I've accomplished!  I have officially taken my blog over to my own personal domain.  clawsonlive.com is up and running.  All I have to do is figure out a new template, and redirect traffic, and 10,000 other things and it will be official:) So hopefully one of these next few posts you will see the new and improved Clawson Live site, and life will be back to normal. It's going to be a good day around here:)

I did make a very tasty and delicious salad the other night for my family though.  I've written about the Everything Salad lots of times, and talked about the homemade candied nut, but this version is by far my absolute favorite.  My sister in law Katie told me about it a few weeks ago.  It's fantastic!  There's also something completely wonderful about FRESH berries this time of year.  And when the price isn't too outrageous the salad is even THAT much more wonderful!  I love a good hearty meal, but I love that hearty meal when it's balanced out with a fresh yummy salad.  And you know if you have the Spring Mix in the fridge at all times, you can eat this salad with it's many reincarnations every night of the week and not get sick of it.  A good friend told me years ago, that all you need for a good salad is a fruit, a nut, and a cheese.  You can mix all three of those up, and go from there.  Apples, berries, pears, dried cranberries or blueberries, or even fresh citrus fruits this time of year are all perfect salad additions.  Pecans are my favorite nuts in salads, but we used pistachios, and almonds both in a different salad just this week around the Clawson home.  As for cheeses, Blue Cheese is my most favorite, but shredded Asiago or Parmesan are fantastic, as well as shredded Swiss or crumbled Feta.  You get the picture.  Just use what you have and create interesting combinations.  

The star of this particular salad though is the Cinnamon Spiced Nuts.  You know that smell you enjoy every time you walk into the mall at Christmas time?  The hot fresh Cinnamon Almonds?  That's what you are going to recreate and put into your salad.  Heaven on wheels!  When your 13 year old, most picky eating child, can't stop snitching these nuts as they're cooling, you know you have a winner!  I've made these nuts lots of different ways.  All take about 5-10 minutes of your UNDIVIDED attention.  Don't get distracted while you make the nuts, or they will burn on you, and you will have to clean up the worst pan on the planet.  The key to these nuts is getting your sugar to melt, and caramelize without burning.  Once you figure it out though, you will make them all the time.  I actually make a big batch quite frequently and store them in a Ziplock bag in the freezer.  Pull them out the next salad you make and they will be perfect.


Cinnamon Spiced Nuts and Berry Salad

Dressing

1/2 c. vinegar
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1 c. oil

Mix together and pour over salad.  You can add variations to this dressing.  Add some raspberry jam, or use lime juice, lemon juice or orange juice for some of the vinegar.  Improvise.

Salad

Spring salad mix (I buy the big container at Sam's.  It will feed a crowd!)
raspberries
blueberries
sliced strawberries
Blue cheese crumbled
Cinnamon Spiced Nuts

Add all ingredients to your liking.  Depending on the amount of people to serve you can vary amounts. 1lb. of Spring Mix will usually serve 20-25 people.  Sometimes I just fill a small bowl with just enough lettuce to feed my little family.  Just note that once this salad is dressed it must be consumed.  IT DOES NOT KEEP, and it's always sad to see something this wonderful go to waste:) So you can always add a little more lettuce, but you can have leftovers:(


Sugar Spice Pecans

1/3 c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1 c. whole or chopped pecans

In a dry fry pan place the sugar, cinnamon and nuts and put over a medium high heat.  Be diligent and stay right by these babies until they're done.  I've burned a few nuts in my day, and even the kitty won't eat them:(
Don't stir until you start to see the sugar melting around the edges of the pan.  Gently stir the nuts so they don't burn.  Keep stirring until all the sugar melts and turns golden brown.  This part goes fast.  It takes a while for the sugar to start to melt, but once it does watch it.  Poor the nut onto a WELL GREASED pan or plate.  Immediately sprinkle with a shot of salt.  Let cool and then break up and add to the best salad. 

Chicken Salad with Sugar Spiced Pecans

Sounds fancy smancy huh?  It's not.  Not a single thing fancy about this, but dang it tastes delish!  I love Chicken Salad Sandwiches.  Not too mayo-y, and loaded with lots of crunchy things.  On a croissant, or Honey Whole Wheat from Great Harvest, or homemade Focaccia it all makes me happy.  Last week James had to come home a little earlier than normal from work.  Something to do with taxes and gathering, sorting, categorizing and other really fun stuff like that.  But he brought home a super fresh and delicious loaf of the above mentioned Honey Whole Wheat.  In all reality James believes on most days he makes the BEST Whole Wheat Bread on the planet.  Well this was one of those days.  It was a perfect loaf of bread, and as James was driving home he called and asked if I'd make something really tasty to go on it.  Well of course I would!  Chicken Salad!  It was scrumptious!  We both made yummy sounds as we were eating, and all that tax stuff just didn't seem so bad.

So here's my opinion on Chicken Salad.  A just right amount of mayo.  Not Miracle Whip.  A little sweet, a lot of crunchy, and a really great nut involved.  I love adding these Sugar Spiced Pecans.  Just a little heat, but a toasted sweet crunch is AWESOME!  The pictured sandwich is on some homemade Focaccia (HERE"S A LINK) that I made the next day.  Yup!  It hit the spot as well.  And by the way............that was a breakfast picture.  Not lunch, but brekky:)  Enjoy!

Chicken Salad with Sugar Spiced Pecans

Chopped chicken  (I used canned chicken and it was wonderful.  Leftover chicken of any sort works, as well as fresh boiled, grilled, or baked chicken.)
Mayo (To your liking.  If you like it a little creamier then go for it!)
1/2 T. Spicy Mustard (dried mustard, or regular yellow mustard works too.)
1/4 c. sugar
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
1 Apple chopped
2-3 Ribs of Celery chopped
2-3 T. Fresh Chopped Parsley

1 c. chopped Sugar Spiced Pecans (Recipe Follows)


Sugar Spice Pecans

1/3 c. sugar
1 c. whole or chopped pecans

In a dry fry pan place the sugar and nuts and put over a medium high heat.  Be diligent and stay right by these babies until they're done.  I've burned a few nuts in my day, and even the kitty won't eat them:(
Don't stir until you start to see the sugar melting.  Gently stir the nuts so they don't burn.  Keep stirring until all the sugar has fully melted and turns golden brown.  This part goes fast.  It takes a while for the sugar to start to melt, but once it does watch it.  Pour the nuts onto a WELL GREASED pan or plate.  Immediately sprinkle with a shot of salt and chili pepper.  Let cool and then break up and add to the best salad or Chicken Salad.


Mix all ingredients together and serve on bread of choice.  It's even better the second day:)

Sugar Spice Pecans

I love these nuts!  I think I love all nuts these days.  They've become my candy.  The stuff I could snack on all day long.  Wasabi Soy Almonds, Raw Almonds, Cashews, Smoked Almonds, my neighbor Colette's Spicy Bar Nuts (I will post that recipe one day), my mom's Cinnamon Pecans, and these Sugar Spice Pecans!  They're all delightful, and good for you..........in moderation.   I don't think eating the whole pan is good for you, but in a salad all I can say is YUM!

My mom started this salad years ago, and it only gets better as the years pass.  We call it the Everything Salad.  My sister has a unique talent of upping the ante with this salad every time we visit.  All you need is baby greens, a fruit, a cheese, and a nut.  You can always add more, but the possibilities are endless.  The one thing though that I've found that really makes this salad amazing are the sugared nuts.  They're super easy to make, and tasty in anything.  They make chicken salad the best you've ever tasted.  You'll have people beating down your door for these.

I have to thank my niece Ashlee for the spiciness of these nuts.  I was making them one day while she was visiting and as I took them off the stove and gave them a little sprinkling of salt she suggested a little chili powder.  Love on wheels is how I'd describe the addition.  I can't make them without the heat now.  It's not real subtle, just perfect.  Enjoy these in your next EVERYTHING SALAD as we lovingly call it around these parts, or for a snack, or in your next chicken salad sandwich while skiing.  There really is nothing yummier!

Sugar Spice Pecans

1/3 c. sugar

1 c. whole or chopped pecans

In a dry fry pan place the sugar and nuts and put over a medium high heat.  Be diligent and stay right by these babies until they're done.  I've burned a few nuts in my day, and even the kitty won't eat them:(

Don't stir until you start to see the sugar melting.  Gently stir the nuts so they don't burn.  Keep stirring until all the sugar melts and turns golden brown.  This part goes fast.  It takes a while for the sugar to start to melt, but once it does watch it.  Poor the nut onto a WELL GREASED pan.  Immediately sprinkle with a shot of salt and chili pepper.  Let cool and then break up and add to the best salad.  Here's the original salad recipe, but I'm afraid I have numerous variations.  Last nights was blue cheese, pomegranate seeds, and sugar spice nuts.  Hollie makes a great one with grapefruit, and avocado.  I also love pears and blue cheese, or even fresh blackberries.  Experiment!

Everything Salad

1 lb. field greens (Sam's Club is the cheapest place to buy if you didn't grow your own.)

1 green apple chopped

1 red apple chopped

1 c. craisins

1/2 lb bacon crumbled

1 c. Parmesan cheese

1 c. sliced almond

Toss everything together in a large bowl.  If you have one of the Tupperware "That's a bowl's" use it.  Make the dressing in advanced so it has time to cool.  

Dressing

1/2 c. vinegar

1/2 c. sugar

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

Bring these ingredients to a boil and let bubble for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and add:

2 T. balsamic vinegar

3/4 c. oil

Mix together quickly with a wire whisk.  It should emulsify and thicken up.  Don't place in a container while hot and shake to mix.  I've done this and the lid explodes of the container and you will be covered in dressing from head to toe.  Not a good idea.