it may be early in the season, but spring in california is in full bloom. the heavy (and rare) rain we had this winter created a "super bloom." which in my little secret garden means my marjoram has grown out of control. and i have the perfect solution for extra herbs. 

whether you can't possibly use all you are growing in your own garden, or you just purchased an overpriced pack of thyme at the market and you only used three sprigs for your recipe, drying herbs is simple. 

start by trimming and washing your herbs well. if you are cutting the herbs fresh from your garden, it is best to do it in the morning before the bright sun has a chance to wilt them. 

after washing the herbs well, pat them dry. 

remove as many of the leaves as you can from the stems. this could be a quick process for herbs like basil or parsley that are larger. for smaller herbs like thyme, oregano and marjoram it may take you a bit longer. if you have kids, this is a great task for little hands to help with. while you are removing the leaves from the stems, preheat your oven to 200 degrees f. 

once all your leaves are removed from the stems, once again pat them dry. 

place your leaves on a parchment or silicone mat lined baking sheet. 

place your baking sheet in the oven and use a rolled up dish towel an oven mitt to tent the oven (keeping it slightly ajar so air circulates). dry the herbs for 1 hour (might take a bit longer for larger herbs like basil). 

when the herbs have dried, allow them to cool. remove any remaining large stems. 

using your hands, a food processor or spice grinder, grind the herbs up into almost a powder. 

pour your freshly dried herbs into an airtight container. label and keep on hand for up to six months. 

xo, a

over the weekend, i had a bit of a pinch me moment. sunday, wes and i did a thirty minute cooking demo at an athletic apparel store at a major mall. we drew a small crowd of people, and it was an athletic apparel store, but it was still AWESOME. 

seriously pinch me. is this my life now? 

we had two awesome volunteers come up and work with us, we gave out a ton of tasty brunch samples (it was a how to step up your brunch game demo) and chatted with a bunch of people about possible future business. including a possible second cooking demo. let's just say two full days later i'm still feeling the emotional high. 

one of the recipes we demonstrated was the signature granola i've been working on for our future restaurant. yes, you read that right... i'm just giving the recipe up. but the best part about this granola, is that it is a pretty simple base that you can easily adjust to your taste, what you have on hand or what is seasonal. you know... customize it! 

orange blossom granola
serves: 4 cups
prep time: 5 minutes
bake time: 30 minutes
cool time: 10 minutes
total time: 45 minutes
ingredients: 3 cups rolled oats. 1 cup slivered almonds (you could sub whatever nuts you prefer here). 3 tbs butter, melted. .33 cup honey. .25 cup orange juice. 1 tbs orange zest (you could sub other citrus). beans from .5 vanilla bean. 1 tsp salt. 

start by preheating your oven to 300 degrees f. 

in a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, and the orange zest. 

mix well and set aside. 

then in another medium bowl combine the butter, honey, orange juice salt and vanilla bean together. 

whisk until completely combined. 

drizzle your liquids over the oat mixture. 

dig in and use your hands to combine well. 

spread your granola over a parchment lined baking sheet in an even layer. bake, stirring the granola about halfway through, until lightly golden brown. 

pull the granola out of the oven and allow it to cool. 

you can cool it till it's cool enough to eat and enjoy it warm, or you can store it in an airtight container for a week or two. 

xo, a

range blossom granola
serves: 4 cups
prep time: 5 minutes
bake time: 30 minutes
cool time: 10 minutes
total time: 45 minutes
ingredients: 3 cups rolled oats. 1 cup slivered almonds (you could sub whatever nuts you prefer here). 3 tbs butter, melted. .33 cup honey. .25 cup orange juice. 1 tbs orange zest (you could sub other citrus). beans from .5 vanilla bean. 1 tsp salt.
start by preheating your oven to 300 degrees f. in a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, and the orange zest. mix well and set aside. then in another medium bowl combine the butter, honey, orange juice salt and vanilla bean together. whisk well to combine. drizzle your liquids over the oat mixture. dig in and use your hands to combine well. spread your granola over a parchment lined baking sheet in an even layer. bake, stirring the granola about halfway through, until lightly golden brown. pull the granola out of the oven and allow it to cool. you can cool it till it's cool enough to eat and enjoy it warm, or you can store it in an airtight container for a week or two.