A sampling of Marion Owen's recipes

Kodiak Alaska visitor travel guide
Cover photo by Marion Owen
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A sampling of Marion's recipes

Ever since I was a little girl I've loved to cook and create ambitious and fun new recipes. Then, in my early 20s, I discovered Red Zinger tea, how to make my own yogurt and bread and that a spoonful of honey was a great way to sweeten my coffee. Thus, my cooking has adopted certain criteria and now include recipes that are tasty, easy, quick, nice looking and healthy -- a tall order, especially when you're in a hurry! But who isn't at some point in their day...

Many guests ask me, "Are you going to do a cookbook?" Yes, I am working on i! Meanwhile, my favorite recipes exist in a well-worn, spiral notebook in my kitchen... Here are a few popular recipes I've shared over the years. [Also, if you'd like check out some sample menus, like those served on our dinner cruises, click here.]

GALLEY GOURMET GRANOLA
By Marion Owen, Kodiak Granola Co. (just kidding!)

This is my most-requested recipe, maybe because we keep a steady supply in our bed and breakfast. Many times I've heard, "This is the best granola I've ever eaten!"

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
1 cup peanut butter*
2 teaspoons vanilla

8 cups regular (not quick or instant) rolled oats
1-3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup unroasted wheat germ
5-1/2 cups wide stripped unsweetened coconut
2 cups shaved almonds
2 cups cashews
3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup ground flax seed (flax seed meal)

Mix the five wet ingredients together in a saucepan and place on medium heat. Stir occasionally. Mix the dry ingredients in a separate large bowl.
When the liquid mixture comes to a boil, pour it over the dry ingredients and toss with a spoon until well mixed. Spread onto two or three large cookie sheets or jelly roll pans and bake at 250 degrees until light brown and toasted, an hour or more. Stir occasionally for even browning. It's tempting to turn up the heat and hurry the process, but it usually results in uneven cooking.

* You can substitute peanut butter with cashew butter, tahini (sesame butter) or almond butter

PINTO BEAN-OAT WAFFLES
These just might be the best waffles you've ever eaten...

2 1/4 cups water
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup soaked pinto beans (approximately 1/2 cup dry)
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Soak beans several hours or overnight. Drain. Combine and blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until light and foamy, about 30 seconds. Let stand while waffle iron is heating. The batter thickens on standing. Grease waffle iron (we like the Waring Pro waffle iron) with a cooking spray or high-quality solid shortening. Bake in hot waffle iron for a full 8 minutes. (This is important. Some waffle irons beep when they "think" a waffle is done. Ignore this and go for the 8 minutes).
Top with fruit and yogurt, bananas and peanut butter or creamed broccoli and smoked salmon (my favorite) . Makes 3 to 4 waffles. TIPS: Soak extra beans, measure and freeze them for later.
You can substitute pinto beans with garbanzo beans or soybeans.

ROSEMARY RAISIN PECAN CRISPS
By Marion Owen

2 cups flour (1/2 whole wheat, 1/2 white works well)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk or yogurt (at room temp)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 cup raisins, or dried currants, cranberries, blueberries
1/2 finely chopped pecans or almonds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1 Tbl chopped fresh or dried rosemary

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in the buttermilk, brown sugar and honey. Add the raisins, pecans, sesame seeds, flaxseed and rosemary and stir just until blended.

Pour the batter into two 4x8-inch, oiled loaf pans and bake for about 45 minutes, until golden and springy to the touch. Remove from pans and cool thoroughly. The cooler the bread (hint: put in fridge) the easier it is to slice thin. Slice the loaves as then as you can without shredding the slices so they fall apart and place in a single layer on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for about 15 minutes, then flip them over and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until crisp and light brown. Makes about 8 dozen crackers. Serve with cream cheese balls rolled in lemon and/or orange zest.

FIG-OLIVE SPREAD
By Marion Owen

12 to 15 dried figs (any color)
2 Tbl sugar
1/4 cup kalamata olives
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup capers
2 Tbl balsamic vinegar
1 Tbl dried or fresh rosemary

Cut stems off figs. Place in small saucepan with sugar and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heart and simmer for 1 hour, or simply place figs and sugar in a casserole dish, cover with boiling water and bake in the oven while cooking something else. Remove from heat and let come to room temperature overnight. Drin, toss in food processor with remaining ingredients until smooth. Chill or serve immediately. Freezes well. Note: You can also replace some of the water with alcohol of choice.

Enjoy! Cheers and blessings,