Molly Wizenberg's British FlapJacks (Granola Wedges)

Confession. Remember when I told you I attended a blogger conference at SWSW where famed Orangette blogger Molly Wizenberg was a panelist? Well, while I'm a huge fan of her blog and even own her first book, A Homemade Life, I'd never actually made one of her recipes before. Talk about a poser.

I've redeemed myself by making this delicious recipe of hers - a genius spin on granola bars. Not sure where the British or flapjack part comes in but it makes it more fun to say at least. These are dangerously easy to make and even easier to eat. I'll even go as far as to call them life saving. (When we were in Houston for the Final Four, we got back to our hotel room late to find out they didn't have room service after 10:00. Seriously. We were too tired to run out so we feasted on some of these bars I had brought along on a whim. Boom. Starvation averted!)

Another confession. I have yet to open her book that I bought over a year ago. It's on my list of things to do along with shaving my legs more often and sending thank you cards. Wish me luck with that.

British FlapJacks
Bon Appétit | March 2010
by Molly Wizenberg, additions in italics are mine and I used salted butter.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup golden syrup*
2 1/3 cups quick-cooking oats (not instant or old-fashioned)
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8 x 8 x 2-inch metal baking pan. Combine first 3 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until butter melts, sugar dissolves, and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Add oats and salt; stir until coated. Fold in cinnamon and cranberries if adding. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and spread out in even layer.

Bake until top is golden (edges will be darker), about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 5 minutes. Cut into 4 squares; cut each into 4 triangles (mixture will still be soft). Cool completely in pan before serving.
* A type of syrup popular in Great Britain; available at some supermarkets, specialty foods stores, and British import shops.

SXSW, Giada's Turkey Meatloaf, and Roasted Vidalia Onion and Carrot Salad with Dill Dressing

I am so sorry I have been MIA with my posts and comments lately. I have been busy attending SXSW - my first time ever even though I'm from here...practically.

Anyway I am so thrilled to report back to you with what I've seen, heard, and learned. I even went to a blog panel with Molly Wizenberg of the famous blog Orangette and book, A Homemade Life. But as sexy as SXSW sounds - it's exhausting and at times actually painful. Especially when you're nearing your mid thirties and your best night imaginable involves dinner at home and being asleep by 11:30. The point is - tonight was my first evening of respite from all of the festivities and I took full advantage and made dinner at home ( know - I'm crazy!)

I may be over biased based on the past few nights in a row of eating Taco Cabana at 1 am (nothing wrong with that...if you're 20) but this dinner will go down in history as one of my all time favorites on earth. It made me grateful to have taste buds. In fact I'm drooling now just thinking about it even though I only finished it two hours ago.

The meatloaf recipe was courtesy of Giada DeLaurentiis. How bizare is it that my two favorite meatloaf recipes on earth come from a woman famous for Italian cuisine (the other is her lamb meatloaf.) This meatloaf has nothing in common with the other recipe aside from sundried tomatoes (I.E it has everything in common, if you're a sundried tomato fan.)

Anyway as you make the meatloaf you will think to yourself - 1/4 cup olive oil? Really? But you will carry on with the hope that the recipe was created by a famous person and printed in a danged book for Christ's sake and therefore must be accurate. But later when you check on it in the oven you will look at the liquidy mess and say I knew it - it was a damn typo!

But then you'll finish cooking it, having no other choice at this point, let it cool, and notice that the drippy mess has somehow transformed into a beautiful 'loaf'. And then you taste it and realize - that bobble headed beauty knows her stuff! It's downright dreamy. Rich and complex with the feta and sundrieds yet light and clean at the same time. One of my favorite all time recipes...but again...did I tell you how I felt about sundried tomatoes? Or that I have been binge drinking for the past five (seven) days?

Turkey Meatloaf with Feta and Sundried Tomatoes
* Lightly adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis

Ingredients:
Vegetable cooking spray
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil and drained well
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1/4 cup olive oil
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt (you may use less if you're salt sensitive or if using plain bread crumbs)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 package lean ground turkey (usually about 1.1 pounds)

Directions:
Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Spray a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, eggs, olive oil, lemon zest feta, salt, and pepper. Add the turkey and gently stir to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat.

Carefully pack the meat mixture into the prepared pan and bake until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer and/or it looks 'set' and no longer a liquid-y mess, about 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and slice. Put on a serving platter and serve with or over roasted carrot and vidalia salad with dill dressing, below.

Mustard Dill Dressing for Roasted Carrot and Vidalia salad:

Dressing:
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
pinch fresh cracked pepper

Combine all ingredients into a glass jar or other and shake until emulsified.

Salad Components/Instructions:
2 Vidalia onions and 4 carrots, sliced into thick slices, tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted at 375 for 45 minutes, turning over halfway.
2 cups Romaine lettuce or other type lettuce, for salad

* Toss lettuce leaves with salt, pepper and dill dressing. Top with roasted carrots and onions.