KIRBY'S CAKES w/ JESS'S DIPPING SAUCE

Ingredients for 6 cakes;
-3 cans of well drained tuna
-2.5 pieces of toast (I used whole wheat)
-1/4 cup bread crumbs approx.
-2 eggs

Add the following ingredients to your liking!
-chopped celery
-chopped onion
-mayo
-worcestershire
-balsamic
-dill
-pepper


Optional;
-Old Bay

-Drain tuna and break toast into small/med chunks
-Mix all ingredients together (you can mix bread crumbs in or dip cakes in bread crumbs after forming cakes)
-Form into a crab cake size ball of your liking
-Sautee over low-med heat in olive oil until golden brown on each side (I also broiled them on each side before serving)

Jess's Dipping Sauce;
-Dijon/Brown Mustard (or both)
-Balsamic
-Dill

-Mix all together

These cakes are good on their own or dipped in cocktail, tartar, etc. Very easy and a great alternative for a boring can of tuna!

Granola & Shallot FYI

I'm back...the two recipes I just posted can be found at the links below. jinny introduced me to this website.

granola: http://orangette.blogspot.com/2008/02/consider-it.html

shallot salad: http://orangette.blogspot.com/2005/02/simple-and-unsexy.html

vinegar roasted shallots: http://orangette.blogspot.com/2007/06/handy-to-have-around.html
(pookie--you might like these for salads. i added them to spinach and goat cheese and it was muy bueno. p.s. i also used balsamic vinegar.)

Rachel's Good For You Granola (well, good for me!)

**original recipe in Nigella Lawson's Feast**

Dry Ingredients:

5 c rolled oats (not the instant kind!)
2 c sliced almonds
1 c hulled sunflower seeds (not salted/roasted!)
3/4 c flax seeds
3/4 c lite brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients:

3/4 c unsweetened apple sauce
1/3 c brown rice syrup (may be hard to find--see if you have a whole foods near you)
1/4 honey
2 Tbsp veggie oil

Method:

1. In a very large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
2. In a medium sized bowl, combine the wet ingredients.
3. Add wet ingredients to the dry and stir.
4. Preheat oven to 300 (this should've been step one but i'm too lazy to redo the numbering) and set the oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven.
5. Spread mixture on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake for 35-40 mins and stir every 10 mins so granola cooks evenly.
6. Remove from oven, stir it very well to prevent clumping, and let cool. Yields 10 cups, which can be stored in a plastic bag in your refrigerator for a very, very long time!

Warm Chickpea Salad w/ Shallots & Red Wine Vinaigrette

**original recipe from The Splendid Table Weeknight Kitchen**

Ingredients:

1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
3 Tbsp red wine vini
1/4 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
2 15 oz. cans of chickpeas, drained
1 large carrot, coarsely grated
1/2 c flat leaf (italian) parsely leaves, chopped
1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
ground pepper

Method:

1. Combine shallot, garlic, red wine, and salt in a bowl. Let stand for 10 mins.
2. Bring 2 quarts water to a boil, add the chickpeas and blanch (cook 2-3 mins)
3. Drain chickpeas and then add, along with the parsely, carrots, and olive oil to the shallot mixture.
4. Serve immediately once all ingredients have been combined. Add S&P to taste.