Brittany's PantryHow To: DIY Sugared Almonds
Brittany wrote this on 5 December 2014
almonds, gluten-free
I once asked a foodie friend of mine what her favorite part of a salad was. Her response? “The candy.” I busted out laughing.
Of course, what she really meant was the toasted, sugar coated walnuts, almonds, or pecans that seem to crown so many restaurant salads. While I am a fan of sugar (and nuts, for that matter) I never really liked them on my salad. They were a hunk of sweetness when what I wanted to eat was supposed to be light, fresh, and wholesome. Salad=guilt-free health food. Yes? Yes.
Enter the Savannah Chopped Salad at McAlister’s Deli. I luuuuuuuurve it. I have yet to tire of eating it and just writing about it now is making my mouth water. I have been completely converted to a ‘nuts on my salad’ person. My favorite part? When I am almost done with it and the last bites are of cranberries, cheese, and the honey roasted almonds. It is tangy and tart, creamy and sweet, and crunchy and chewy. The best combo of textures and flavors from three little ingredients. When I was at a food conference in Virginia a few weeks ago (Read: Mixed Conference. Best time ever!), I had a salad with those exact same elements to it and thought to myself, “Self? Why have you not made this before?” So I did! I started making it myself. The salad I will post later, but the sugared almonds above are my nut of choice when it comes to topping my greens. Sliced, to be exact, as they look pretty and add texture and crunch without sticking a whole nut in your mouth.
So how do you make these delectable slivers of deliciousness? Ha! Say that three times fast… It is ridiculously easy. And fast. And did I mention easy? Wait, what? I meant the recipe was easy, not repeating that three times fast. Was that clear? I’m so tired…
Sugared Almonds
The possibilities with these babies are endless. Top a salad (duh) or ice cream (be still my heart) or a no-bake pie (MOMMY!) for a little crunch. Or you could just eat them. Add them to yogurt, pudding parfaits, trail mix, or garnish a smoothie! Or just eat them. Sprinkle these beauties over a bowl of fresh fruit to give it a bit of texture or crumble them over a dessert pizza just before serving. Oh! And you know what?! You could just eat them…
1 c sliced almonds
1/3 c granulated sugar
pinch of salt
Place all ingredients in a small sauté pan and place over medium-medium high heat.
Let warm and melt while stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. The sugar will start to melt and stick to the nuts. If some of it never melts, that is ok.
Keep going for another 5 minutes or so, or until the nuts are coated and toasted. Spread out in a single layer on a wax paper or parchment lined baking sheet to cool.
Once cool, crumble into smaller pieces of needed. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Be ready to make more than one batch due to snacking. 🙂
Blogger Interview: Cassie Johnston of Back To Her Roots
Brittany wrote this on 3 December 2014
All righty everyone. I am doing something a bit different today because…well…because I can. 🙂 I like to share that which I enjoy with my readers, hence, today’s post.
Cassie Johnston, the chief cook and bottle washer (and recipe developer/writer/photog etc.) behind the successful food and lifestyle blog, Back To Her Roots, is an author I have been wanting to interview for awhile. Hers is one of the first blogs I ever started following and one of the few I still keep up with after years in the blogging world. Her voice is confident and true without being boring and I can always count on her content-be it food related, fitness based, or new Mom focused-to leave me inspired and smiling. If you ever ask me what other blogs I read and recommend, I generally start with Cassie.
She has written two cookbooks and does freelance graphic design work when she isn’t blogging. I am just now realizing that I should have included the question “How do you get it all done?” in my interview! Regardless, I love learning about professionals I admire and respect! I loved hearing her answers and I hope you do too!
Please be sure to check out the social media links at the end of the post to see her in action for yourself! Have a comment or question for Cassie?! Post it in the comment section and she will see them! Enjoy!
SO, Cassie….
Where were you born and where do you call home?
I like to say I was born and raised in Indiana, but the truth is, I was born in a hospital on the other side of the Ohio River in Louisville, Kentucky. I’m a life-long Hoosier, though, and currently live on a small hobby farm in rural Southern Indiana.
What is the main theme of your blog and how did you chose it?
I like to write about healthy eating—but with a good dose of balance. I fully believe you can eat healthfully and still enjoy dessert! I started writing my blog because I was absolutely in awe of how good I felt after eating a balanced diet. I just wanted to share it with as many folks as possible.
How did you get into blogging in the first place?
I actually started blogging way back early in the online journal days using LiveJournal (that’s actually how I met my husband). I started public blogging because folks kept asking for my healthy recipes, and I figured, hey, I might try this whole thing out! And that was four years ago. 🙂
Do you have a favorite blog post?
Hmmmm, that’s really hard. I’ve been working a lot on my photography skills lately, so there are quite a few of my most recent posts that I am absolutely in love with the photos in (like my Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches). As far as writing and content goes, I love any of the posts where I talk about family traditions—you’ll see lots of those coming up for the holidays.
What is the one thing you wish you had known before you became a blogger?
Only one? I wish I would have educated myself more about monetization. I knew I wanted to monetize from early on, and I wasted years (literally, years) making sub-par income when I could have been making a nice bit of change if I just would have known what I was doing.
Do you ever blog in your PJs?
I do, but not nearly as much as I used to. When I first started working from home, I thought it’d be so cool to work from home in pajamas, but it ended up making me feel super unproductive. So every work day, I get up, brush my hair and teeth, and put on at least jeans and t-shirt. It also helps me draw the line for when work is “over” because that’s when I change into my jammies and close my laptop.
How often do you blog?
4-5 days per week, on average (three of those being recipes, one being a craft/garden post, and one being a personal/round-up post. During the holiday season, I try to up it to 6-7 posts, since it’s such a great time to generate new content!
What are the 5 items you never leave home without?
A full water bottle, snacks, my iPhone, hair ties, and my baby girl! She’s currently nursing, so I don’t go anywhere with my little nugget of adorableness.
What is your most favorite electronic gadget?
It’s probably pretty cliche to say my iPhone (I’m a total Apple snob). So my second choice would be my Bluetooth speaker. It is the BEST. I can take it into the kitchen, or outside, or on a picnic. Love it!
Favorite food?
Pizza. Without a doubt.
Least favorite food?
Chinese food! I can’t stand the stuff.
You have just been handed $10,000! What do you do with it?
I’d be boring and save it. I’m self-employed, and you never know when income will dry up, so I’m always looking for ways to pad my savings account.
What is a movie or TV show that you watched recently and really enjoy?
I barely have time to watch TV, but my husband and I make it a point to sit down every evening and catch up on the previous’ nights The Daily Show.
What scares you?
Tornadoes (I’ve been through two). Stuck elevators. Bridges. And pretty much everything that has to do with raising a tiny human.
Where can we stalk you?
http://www.facebook.com/backtoherroots
http://plus.google.com/u/0/b/117375184363026265972/
http://www.twitter.com/backtoherroots
http://www.instagram.com/backtoherroots <— This is the best place to get a glimpse into my day-to-day life!
http://www.pinterest.com/backtoherroots
Thank you so much Cassie!
Caramel Apple Ginger Loaf Cake
Brittany wrote this on 1 December 2014 apples, ginger, sour cream
Originally this recipe was classified as a quick bread. I think that is hysterical and here are the reasons why:
1.) It is covered with a glaze that is thick and sweet and can only be described as pourable caramel frosting. F-R-O-S-T-I-N-G. Not a quick bread type of feature.
2.) I don’t call a baked good with a moist crumb as delicate as this a bread. Definitely a cake.
3.) Its special. You can tell by looking at it!
And finally…
4.) Because of the gooey caramel frosting type ‘glaze’, it is easiest to eat on a plate with a fork. Do you eat bread with a fork? Me neither.
See? Cake. LOAF cake, for obvious reasons.
Yes this is a good as it looks and yes, you too can make it at home. 🙂 This is studded with diced apples (yeah baby!) and minced crystalized ginger (say what?) so there is a nice, full flavor with this recipe. It is definitely the kind of thing you bake as an extra special treat. Not because it is necessarily so bad for you, but because the extra effort in making it results in a particularly indulgent loaf. This is the perfect thing to make for a beloved friend or neighbor around the holidays. Wrapped up in wax paper and topped with a bow, it makes an incredibly appealing picture. Besides gifting it to friend and family, this would be stellar sliced and put out on a breakfast buffet. It tastes even better the next day so bake it up and glaze it an hour or so before you serve it so the topping has a chance to set. Sliced on a plate with a hot cup of tea on the side makes the perfect, small serving, after dinner treat this time of year. A piece of cake that is just right.
Of course, sneaking a bite or two as a midnight snack is ‘just right’ as well. I did say this recipe was special, right?
Caramel Apple Ginger Loaf Cake
Recipe adapted from CCA
I have to say that even thought I really really love the caramel topping on this, it is just as good without it. If you like, skip the final glazing step and just enjoy the apple-ginger bread as a snack. Delightful. Crystalized ginger is fresh ginger root that has been boiled in sugar. It is chewy in texture and covered with the crystalized sugar. You can usually find it in the baking isle, or anywhere with dried fruit.
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c canola or grape seed oil
1/2 c sour cream
2 eggs
1 3/4 c flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
2 medium/large apples, such as granny smith, macintosh, or other firm, baking apple, peeled, cored, and diced small
1/3 c finely chopped crystalized ginger
Glaze:
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c butter
1/4 c heavy cream
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp corn syrup
Preheat the oven to 350 and thoroughly spray a large 8X4 loaf pan. Whisk together the first four ingredients in a large bowl until thoroughly blended. Add the dry ingredients and stir gently to combine. Carefully fold in the apples and crystalized ginger. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with only a crumb or two attached. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then turn out onto a rack to cool further.
While cake is cooling, add all the glaze ingredients to a small saucepan and bring them to a bubble over medium hight heat. Let boil 1 minute, the turn off heat and let set until it cools to a thick, but pourable consistency. Drizzle generously over loaf cake and let glaze set. Enjoy within 2 days or freeze, unglazed for several months. Defrost and glaze as directed when ready to serve.
Love a Good Recipe?
Then you’ve come to the right place! I’m Brittany, and I share tested, trusted recipes you’ll love. I prepare & photograph food, obsess over the perfect recipe, and enjoy grins of delight when I serve up something awesome. Enjoy!
