Living in a Cereal World

So, in case you didn't realize, I finally caved and tried Kashi. Hey, I was running out of cereals. I went to the website, checked out the flavors I might be interested in, and this one was the first. The first thing I noticed this morning was the dark flakes. If I'm reading the ingredient list correctly, they're an oat/oat bran flake. Don't worry, they're not burnt. They're a bit curled on the ends and slightly coated with sweetness to keep them from being dry and unpalatable. I'm trying to picture a flake in my mind to compare them to but I just can't pull it out of the mental file--oh, wait, there it is. Remember Honey Almond Flax Total? That's precisely what these flakes remind me of (but with a different grain). I must confess, I couldn't stop eating them out of the bowl. There's a multigrain cluster with dried blueberries, too. You know how I love my clusters. The blueberry scent is just enough and not overwhelming. I poured a litt...

So you remember when I mentioned the name change of Multigrain Oats & Honey to just 'Oats & Honey?' Well, clearly that was to make way for the new Multigrain flavor. And yes, there is a taste difference. It's not as sweet, for one. Think of this new flavor as, well, the multigrain equivalent of Original Special K. Even so, I much prefer this wheat/rice/corn combo to plain Special K any day. I don't know how to explain it other than to say it has more "body" than a rice flake. A nice addition to the Special K family. ***** (Yes, the reviews just keep on coming. I have three more cereals in the pipeline.)

Sure, I can be chipper about it today but yesterday's pie undertaking was exhausting. There's a reason I don't like to make pie crust from scratch--when you add up all the mixing and rolling and peeling and slicing...I was just so tired by the afternoon. Oh, I should link to the pie now: Double Apple Pie with Cornmeal Crust. Last week I was looking for additional uses for apple jelly (besides the obvious) and I came across this pie recipe. Then I remembered my sister was coming home so I thought, now's a good time to make this pie. Crust included. Who ever heard of putting cornmeal in a pie crust? It was a novel idea, so I went for it. I had originally planned to make the crust the night before but that didn't work out. If you're going to attempt this pie by yourself, seriously consider doing it that way. The method in the recipe of adding a tablespoon at a time of water/cider (I didn't have any cider) really helped it come together. For once I did not ...

I only opened this one because I didn't have quite enough Peanut Butter Toast Crunch to mix with my Oatmeal Squares today. This is like the other flavored Chex in that only half the Chex (rice, in this case) have the flavor coating. This is a good thing; seriously. I felt like I was eating a vanilla cupcake with vanilla frosting. Yeah, it's a very strong vanilla flavor. Or should I say "vanilla." I should. So the combination of those three cereals was almost like eating a peanut butter milkshake for breakfast. Or ice cream cone. I think only mixing two cereals next time will turn it down a notch.

I know I mentioned wanting to review this granola, so here I am, the second time around. First off, let me say that I really enjoy eating Cascadian Farm granola right after the Honey Bunches of Oats kind because I need to switch up textures every now and then. After the big, crunchy clusters I like to have something smaller and lighter. I imagine that's how granola would turn out if I made it myself (and that's another thing I have every intention of doing--seriously, this year). Does it taste like berry cobbler? I don't know if I would go that far. It's an appealing name, though. Not to mention an appealing flavor--I'd call it "sweetly berry." There's also dried berries; according to the box they're cranberries and blueberries. I don't know that the berry flavors are that distinct but I don't have a problem with it. All in all, a great addition to the Cascadian Farm lineup.

Sometimes you just have to clean out the ol' mental file. First: what to do with leftover chicken broth? Sure, I could've gone through my many binders, but instead I found this Chicken with Honey Mustard Glaze. We just happened to have some honey (we always have honey) and Dijon mustard on hand; just add carrots and chicken...ta-da! A workable recipe. The pluses: the chicken did not get overcooked. It was done but still tender. The carrots also had just the right amount of crunch with being too much on the raw side. Or the opposite rubbery side. Negative: needs more spice. I would consider upping the amounts of honey and mustard, and maybe adding some pepper and/or paprika. As it is, though, the mildness might be good for those who need a meal that's gentle on the stomach. ******* In other news, my Target--so I'm assuming, by extension, most every Target--recently rearranged its cereal aisle. They now have a neatly arranged granola section right next to their fully...

It's been so cold these last few mornings that I've had to take up drinking tea to keep me warm. On the one hand, it's nice to get a preview of September but on the other hand, all week ? I look forward to the natural progression of seasons as much as anyone but this is just a little too soon. And tea is one thing, but I'm going to have to draw the line at hot cereal. I'm just not mentally there yet. Okay, no more entries until I have something substantial to post. Probably Tuesday. Still chipping away at the list.

Okay, so maybe this doesn't merit a full entry but you remember the variations on Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, right? I'd actually forgotten about it but came across it while searching for a peanut butter-chocolate chip cookie recipe. There just happened to be an uneaten Granny Smith apple in the house so I figured, looks like I'm doing the apple variation, then. I also threw in some white chocolate chips just because. It totally works. I'll just save the peanut butter cookies for the next time I see my brother. ***** Next cereal review is projecting out to next week sometime. It's a new one I can't wait to try, is all I'll say.

Technically, the bun is optional but I just have to recommend these Spice-Rubbed Chicken Breasts.  I thought it sounded like a different kind of chicken sandwich for me and I'd never made a rub before. I have plenty of recipes but none which triggered an immediate response of, "I must try this." Also, I'd never purchased cumin before. It smells like the primary ingredient in a packet of taco seasoning, so you can see why it would need to be balanced out with brown sugar. Actually, all of the spices work well together, even the little tang of thyme. I think I'll be trying it on salmon next.

Don't let the name fool you--it's just a repackaged version of Just Bunches. Not that I'm complaining. I missed those crunchy clusters. And no crawly bugs! Fool me once...no, that's it. Only once. And yet I decided to give Honey Bunches of Oats another chance. It has been a year. There's a berry flavor, too, which I will be trying eventually. I really don't have any complaints here, except maybe a bigger bag would've been nice.

I thought the focus today would be on almond-coconut milk but I don't think I have enough to say about it. You know how I feel about almond milk already. I've been thinking about trying coconut milk for a while now but was concerned about how much coconut flavor was involved. I wouldn't want it to overwhelm the cereal, you know? So what I do spot in Wal-Mart a few weeks ago? Almond-coconut milk! Problem solved. I finally tried some this morning and it tasted exactly how I expected: a bit almond-y, a bit coconut-ish. I went with the plain but there's also a vanilla-sweetened one. I think I may rotate this one in every now and then. **** Now for my unrelated quick thought of the day: roasted parmesan asparagus. I've actually shared this before, but this time I followed the instructions correctly, tossing the asparagus in the oil-herb combo. I don't think enough seasoning actually stuck to the stalks; I may have to go back to sprinkling individually like I do...

I know, I know, it's about time I joined the 21st century. Or at least this decade. This morning I had Greek yogurt for the first time ever . I'd been hesitant to try it--mainly out of fear of stomach discomfort--but then my preferred brand figured out Greek yogurt, and only recently started selling singles. So I thought this would be a good time to try it. I peeled back the lid and started stirring. It felt like stirring regular (not light) sour cream, or maybe Noxzema. I tasted a little bit. The texture inside my mouth felt like eating some yogurt/pudding/mousse hybrid. Or like eating a tub of Betty Crocker Whipped frosting. The flavor--toasted coconut vanilla--tasted the same as the regular yogurt. I wanted something with a subtle flavor so I could get a good, solid opinion this first time. Overall the experience was sort of...weird. It felt like I was eating dessert for breakfast, and of all the meals you could mix up, this is the only one that feels... wrong to me. Th...