Barley

I started out to make my regular goulash recipe and it was not until I had the beef in the frying pan that I realised I was out of whole wheat pasta for this recipe, so I quickly decided to improvise by using brown rice. It worked fantastically and both of the boys love it! I started out as I always do by taking the ground beef out of the freezer and plopping it straight into the pan - I started with a 5L dutch oven because I knew I'd fill it all. I turned the burner on about 3, put the lid on, and started into my onions. When it comes to onions in things like this I usually puree them these days just because the boys will balk if they see onions in something. They actually like the taste of onions, they just have this odd idea in their head that they do not.

Here is everything in the recipe :

• 2 things of beef ( about 1 lb each, total 2 lbs )
• 4 medium / large onions, pureed
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1.5 tbsp thyme
• 1.5 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp savory
• 3 cups organic brown rice
• 500ml tomatillo
• 750ml tomato and basil from 2005
• 125ml home made ketchup
• about 5 cups boiling water
• 1/2 cup pot barley

I wanted to make Granola, but as I usually do with something new, I don't like to just get a recipe and try it out, I like to read a bunch of recipes to come to understand the basic essence of the thing I want to make. Then I make up my own recipe. I've been making granola bars for a couple of decades now, and truth be told I even tried my hand at granola in there once or twice during that time - but in the past I'd always just followed a recipe. In reading up on granola, it became clear that it is very similar to granola bars - go figure. Basically use a bit less moisture, a bit more grains, and bake longer at lower heat, without pressing the mixture into the pan. Instead, you distribute it loosely, and mix it about every half hour while baking.

Here is my first crack at it, which is still in the oven. Based on the taste test going into the oven as well as comments on the terrific smell from my wife and youngest son after it had been in the oven a while, I think this will prove to be a pretty good first kick at the can!