food_for_tycho

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cup raw nuts and/or seeds (walnuts, pecans, pepitas, macadamias, etc.)
1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt (if you’re using standard table salt, scale back to 3/4
teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup dried fruit, chopped if large (cranberries, cherries, raisins, etc.)
Totally optional additional mix-ins: 1/2 cup chocolate chips or coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, nuts and/or seeds, salt and cinnamon. Stir to blend.
Pour in the oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Mix well, until every oat and nut is lightly
coated. Pour the granola onto your prepared pan and use a large spoon to spread it in an even layer.
Bake until lightly golden, about 21 to 24 minutes, stirring halfway (for extra-clumpy granola, press the
stirred granola down with your spatula to create a more even layer). The granola will further crisp up as
it cools.
Let the granola cool completely, undisturbed (at least 45 minutes). Top with the dried fruit (and
optional chocolate chips, if using). Break the granola into pieces with your hands if you want to retain
big chunks, or stir it around with a spoon if you don’t want extra-clumpy granola.
Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks, or in a sealed freezer
bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. The dried fruit can freeze solid, so let it warm to room
temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

3 cups (450g) flour, bread flour preferable but AP will work well enough
2 tsp instant or rapid rise yeast
2 tsp kosher salt (not table salt)
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) very warm tap water (130°F)

Instructions
Mix flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add water, then use the handle of a wooden spoon [what the fuuuuck, a plastic spatula is fine.] to mix until all the flour is incorporated. Dough will be wet and sloppy – not kneadable, but not runny like cake batter. Adjust with more water or flour if needed for right consistency

Cover with cling wrap or plate, leave on counter for 2 – 3 hours until it doubles in volume, it’s wobbly like jelly and the top is bubbly. If after 1 hour it doesn’t seem to be rising, move it somewhere warmer.

Optional – refrigerate for flavor development- at this stage, you can either bake immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Take chill out of refrigerated dough – if you refrigerated dough per above, leave the bowl on the counter for 45 – 60 minutes while the oven is preheating. Cold dough does not rise as well.

Preheat oven – Put dutch oven in oven with lid on (10" or larger). Preheat to 450°F 30 minutes prior to baking.

Sprinkle work surface with 1 Tbsp flour, scrape dough out of bowl. Sprinkle top with 1/2 Tbsp flour.
Using a dough scraper or anything of similar shape (cake server, large knife, spatula), fold the sides inwards (about 6 folds) to roughly form a roundish shape. Don’t be too meticulous here – you’re about to deform it, it’s more about deflating the bubbles in the dough and forming a shape you can move. Slide a large piece of parchment/baking paper (not wax paper) next to the dough, then flip the dough upside down onto the paper (seam side down, smooth side up). Slide/push it towards the middle, then reshape it into a round(-ish) shape. Don't get too hung up about shape. In fact, lopsided = more ridges = more crunchy bits!

Remove piping hot dutch oven from oven. Use paper to place dough into pot, place lid on.

Bake 30 minutes covered, then 12 minutes (at least- this tends to take closer to 20 for me) uncovered or until deep golden and crispy.

Cool on rack for 10 minutes before slicing.

Balls:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/230225/bisquick-sausage-balls/

Ingredients
6 cups baking mix (such as Bisquick (R))
2 pounds shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1 pound sage-flavored pork sausage (such as Neese's(R) Extra Sage Sausage), at room temperature
1 pound hot pork sausage (such as Neese's(R) Hot Sausage), at room temperature

Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
Mix baking mix, Cheddar cheese, sage-flavored pork sausage, and hot pork sausage together in a bowl. Roll mixture into golf ball-sized balls; arrange balls on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven until meatballs are no longer pink in the middle and browned on the outside, 25 to 30 minutes.


Cranberry Relish:

http://www.npr.org/2006/11/23/4176014/mama-stambergs-cranberry-relish-recipe

Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish

2 cups whole raw cranberries, washed
1 small onion
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons horseradish from a jar ("red is a bit milder than white")

Grind the raw berries and onion together. ("I use an old-fashioned meat grinder," says Stamberg. "I'm sure there's a setting on the food processor that will give you a chunky grind — not a puree.")
Add everything else and mix.
Put in a plastic container and freeze.
Early Thanksgiving morning, move it from freezer to refrigerator compartment to thaw. ("It should still have some little icy slivers left.")
The relish will be thick, creamy, and shocking pink. ("OK, Pepto Bismol pink. It has a tangy taste that cuts through and perks up the turkey and gravy. Its also good on next-day turkey sandwiches, and with roast beef.")

Makes 1 1/2 pints.

Science! has shown it to be excellent when you first feel yourself getting sick, so places like Whole Foods are selling bottles of elderberry syrup (usually under names like 'Sambucol') for $15-20 a pop. Dried elderberries are a lot cheaper and this recipe for the syrup is easy.

4 oz. dried elderberries (1/2 cup) (or one cup fresh or frozen)
cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 cups water
1 cup honey

Bring everything but the honey to a boil. The simmer 'til the volume reduces by half (20-30 minutes). Strain into a jar (mash on the stuff with a spoon to get all the goody out), add the honey. It will keep in your fridge for a couple of weeks (which is why you don't want to make a huge batch). Eat a tablespoon a day for preventative measures, or as much as a tablespoon an hour if you're already feeling sick. It's tasty too.

Thanks to Amanda Ray for the recipe and the dried elderberries!