The DIY Pantry (8 page)

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
   
2. Whisk the maple syrup, sugar, vanilla, butter, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
   
3. Stir in the oats, nuts, and seeds and mix until everything is well coated in the liquid mixture.
   
4. Spread on a parchment paper–lined baking sheet and press down firmly to create a thin layer.
   
5. Bake for 30–35 minutes, turning the baking sheet once if necessary to bake evenly. Remove from the oven when the granola is golden and press down on the mixture lightly with a spatula once again.
   
6. Let it cool in the pan for 1 hour. Break the hardened mixture into pieces and stir in the dried fruit.
   
7. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
   

For many, cornbread is the ultimate comfort food and goes well with just about anything, including chili, chowder, and barbecue. This recipe is so easy that you’ll have it memorized in no time! You can also turn it into a mix to store for later use by just combining the first five ingredients and storing the mix in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9" × 9" pan or a deep dish pie pan with butter.
   
2. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
   
3. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and crack the eggs in. Whisk them lightly. Add in the milk and the melted butter; then stir until combined. There should be no lumps.
   
4. Pour the batter into the prepared dish and bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the top is just beginning to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
   
5. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
   

The secret to this bread is not the exact quantities of the ingredients, although they definitely determine its rise and density. The secret to a good, satisfying loaf is the pan. Any solid, thick-walled Dutch oven with a lid will work, but a cast-iron one works wonders. Make sure to do the full preheat to bring the pan to temperature. Feel free to experiment with the flours and additives, like dried fruit and chocolate chips, to add your own touch to this recipe.

1. Pour the warm water into a measuring cup and stir in the honey until it dissolves. Set aside.
   
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, and salt. Whisk once or twice to combine well. Pour the warm honeyed water over the flour and stir until blended. The dough will be very wet and shaggy.
   
3. Cover with a dish towel and set aside undisturbed at room temperature (68–72°F) for 6–18 hours. The dough will be ready to bake at any time during this period. (This is what makes it an extremely versatile bread.) When the dough is ready, the surface will be covered with little bubbles and the dough will be very soft but not liquid.
   
4. Scrape the dough onto a well-floured surface. Toss the dough back and forth lightly on the work surface with your fingertips 4–5 times. Cover it with plastic wrap, a well-floured dish towel, or an inverted mixing bowl and let the dough rest for 2 hours.
   
5. Preheat to 450°F 3-quart (or larger) Dutch oven in the oven.
   
6. Once the oven has been preheated for at least 30 minutes, remove the Dutch oven from the oven and quickly transfer the dough into it, trying to make any seam land side up. (If it doesn’t, don’t stress. It’s perfectly okay if it looks messy.)
   
7. Cover with the lid and bake for 30–35 minutes. If the top is not a golden brown, bake without the lid for another 5 minutes.
   
8. Shake the bread loose from the pan and onto a cooling rack. Serve when it has cooled completely or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
   

Biscuits are the perfect accompaniment to nearly any meal—a side to roasted chicken and corn-on-the-cob, a base for biscuits and gravy, or a snack to take to the park. If you’ve never made flaky, homemade biscuits before, you’re in for a treat!

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
   
2. Sift or whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. If you’re using honey instead of sugar, add it later by drizzling it into the dough when you add the milks.
   
3. Combine the butter with the flour mixture until it forms pea-size pieces and loosely holds together when pressed in your hand. Add the buttermilk and whole milk. Mix just to combine the ingredients—don’t overmix.
   
4. Roll the dough out to a 1" thickness; then fold in half, roll, fold in half, and repeat three or four times for a final thickness of 1". (This process of laminating the dough ensures fluffy, flaky biscuits.) Cut the dough into rounds with a biscuit cutter and place the rounds on an ungreased baking sheet.
   
5. Bake until golden brown, 10–15 minutes. Serve hot or let cool on wire racks, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.