Fruit and Nut Rolls

Every night I have been reading a couple of chapters of "A Homemade Life" and it is absolutely wonderful. I first bought the book when I was planning to go to a book club. It is the "Wine and Reads" book club and the rule is that you have to bring a bottle of wine and read the book, but they don't enforce the part about reading the book. This time they asked everyone to bring a recipe from the book to share.

The night before the book club meeting I was 2 chapters into the book and googled the location of the meeting. The neighborhood was close to a sketchy one in St. Paul, but it may have been OK. At the last minute I cancelled because I:

1) Hadn't finished the book

2) Hadn't made a recipe from the book

3) Wasn't too sure of the neighborhood

4) I'm not a big fan of wine. I prefer non-fiction to wine any day of the week.

That was two months ago and until now it has been sitting untouched on my bookshelf. As soon as I started reading, though, I have been hooked. Molly tells a story about a time in her life when a certain food was special for her, then she offers the recipe. Not only is she a great writer, she is a sweet woman living an incredible life.

This is the first time I have even considered eating anything resembling fruitcake because it just seems too old. Not that there is anything wrong with that, mind you, but it felt truly odd stocking up on prunes and walnuts.

Any time chocolate is around I think of Aunt Louise. She is the chocolate professional of the family. She isn't actually professional because she doesn't sell her artwork but she makes all these fabulous looking treats that taste every bit as good as they look. If she were here my chocolates wouldn't look so pathetic. Wanna move in, Aunt Louise? I have a spare bedroom with your name on it, and I'm ready to supply you with any and all chocolate supplies you desire.

Fruit and Nut Rolls

1 C walnuts

1/2 pound pitted dried cherries

1/2 pound dried figs

1/2 pound dried apricots

1/2 pound pitted prunes

1-2 T Grand Marnier, brandy, or apple cider

1/2 C powdered sugar

10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

Put the walnuts in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse to chop finely. Transfer to a large bowl. Put 1/2 the fruit into the food processor and pulse to chop finely, but don't turn it into a gummy paste (no fruit pieces should be bigger than a pea.) Repeat with the rest of the fruit. Stir the fruit and nut mixture well. Add 1 T Grand Marnier and stir to incorporate. Pinch a small piece of the mixture and squeeze it in your palm. If it doesn't hold together in a tight ball add another T of Grand Marnier.

Put the powdered sugar in a pie plate. Use a small cookie scoop to measure and roll into a ball, then roll in the powdered sugar, shaking off any excess. Set aside at room temperature, uncovered, for 24 hours.

To finish line a second baking sheet with parchment paper or a SilPat mat. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave. Working with one ball at a time over the sink, use a spoon to dollop a bit of chocolate on top. Shake the ball lightly to coax the chocolate down its sides. The chocolate will not coat it completely - just the top half, as if it were wearing a hat. Place the ball chocolate side up on a lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining balls until you are sick of it and then put the chocolate in a baggie and pipe it over the remaining balls.

Place the baking sheet uncovered in the fridge and chill about 2 hours until the chocolate has hardened. Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 weeks.

Chocolate Kissed Grain-ola

Food Storage has worked its way into my heart. It must be a parasite, boring itself into a place where it knows I will never be rid of it. Oh, well. If it is here to stay, we might as well enjoy it. Granola is a great way to use some of the food stored under the stairs.

This recipe originally came without the cocoa, vanilla, or Raspberry enlightenment. Both versions are good. It is especially good with Mom's homemade yogurt in a parfait. This granola is low in sugar and oil, and it is just as tasty as other recipes. Next time I will try it with the rolled 6-grain rolled oatmeal that Mary gave me when I helped her organize her storage room, and you could easily triple the cocoa powder without it being too overwhelming.

Homemade yogurt and blueberries make a great pairing to soften up the granola.

Grain-ola

4 C old fashioned oats

3/4 C salted sunflower seeds

1 C walnuts or macadamia nuts, halves or in quarters

1 1/2 C unsweetened coconut

1 1/2 C dried fruit, chopped (mixed berries, ginger, tropical fruit, etc.)

zest of 2 oranges

3/4 C honey

1/4 C oil

1 t vanilla

1 t cocoa (optional)

1 t Raspberry Enlightenment from Penzeys (optional)

leftover cereal (Rice Crispies, Wheaties, Bran Flakes, etc.)

Measure the oil and honey into a microwave safe dish and heat 30-60 seconds until it is warm and runny. Add the vanilla, cocoa, orange zest, and Raspberry Enlightenment to the honey and oil. This ensures it is evenly mixed throughout the batch of granola.

In a large bowl, mix the granola, nuts, and coconut. Stir in the honey mixture to evenly coat. Put onto 2 rimmed baking dishes and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Add the dried fruit and let everything cool on the sheet. Mix in any extra cereal if desired and store in an air tight container.