Monday, January 21, 2013
GF Coconut Chicken Fingers with Curried Sauce
Mix together:
2 lbs of chicken breast cut in strips (or buy the pre-cut chicken fingers)
1 egg
Combine inside 1 gallon-sized zipper bag:
1 c. sweetened, flaked coconut
1 c. corn meal
salt
pepper
onion powder
garlic powder
Place egg washed chicken in bag with coconut mixture, zip closed and shake until well coated. Grease cookie sheet. Place prepared chicken on cookie sheet without overlapping pieces to allow for even cooking. Bake at 425'F for 45 minutes.
Curried Sauce:
2 TBSP mayonnaise
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. lemon
1 TBSP milk (to reach desired consistency)
This sauce is so delicious and flexible, I used the leftover chicken in a salad for lunch and added a bit more milk to make it the consistency of a salad dressing. Delicious! The chicken has a beautiful combination of savory with a sweet crunch.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Snowcream
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...I used to buy ice cream only for birthdays -- 3 times each year. But, in the winter time, when enough fresh snow had fallen, I would treat our family to this little bit of magic. Enjoy!
1 medium sized mixing bowl full of fresh, clean snow
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. of vanilla
1/2 c. milk
Stir until creamy smooth -- about the texture of ice cream. This particular recipe is for vanilla, but could easily be adapted by adding your favorite jam or chocolate sauce. If creating a new flavor, hold back on the addition of milk until you are sure it is necessary to acheive the proper texture.
1 medium sized mixing bowl full of fresh, clean snow
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. of vanilla
1/2 c. milk
Stir until creamy smooth -- about the texture of ice cream. This particular recipe is for vanilla, but could easily be adapted by adding your favorite jam or chocolate sauce. If creating a new flavor, hold back on the addition of milk until you are sure it is necessary to acheive the proper texture.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Sticky Rice and Mango (A Taste of Thai)
Who knew heaven could be so simple? One of my girl's nights out brought this unexpected delight to my palate and I was lucky enough to buy some GF Coconut Fortune Cookies from A Taste of Thai (who shared this recipe with us.) Go on and try it -- just once!
INGREDIENTS:
1 c. uncooked Jasmine rice
1 13.5 oz can of Coconut milk
2/3 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 ripe mangoes
Prepare jasmine rice according to package. In a separate saucepan, combine coconut, milk, sugar and salt. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Pour hot coconut mixture into cooked rice, stir well. Lightly press plastic wrap onto mixture in saucepan to cover. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes (this is a great time to peal the mango). Spoon rice onto a plate and garnish with mango slices.
INGREDIENTS:
1 c. uncooked Jasmine rice
1 13.5 oz can of Coconut milk
2/3 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 ripe mangoes
Prepare jasmine rice according to package. In a separate saucepan, combine coconut, milk, sugar and salt. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Pour hot coconut mixture into cooked rice, stir well. Lightly press plastic wrap onto mixture in saucepan to cover. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes (this is a great time to peal the mango). Spoon rice onto a plate and garnish with mango slices.
BLT Salad
My family loves salad. Especially this new one. It's fresh and fun. Sometimes it's the little things (like leaving your lettuce in a wedge or slicing your carrots paper thin) that give familiar foods a little extra something.
INGREDIENTS:
24 oz bacon, crisp and crumbled
1 head iceberg lettuce (cut in wedges)
10 carrots, thinly sliced
6 radishes, also thin
1 container cherry tomatoes (left whole)
4 green onions (chopped to the chive)
DRESSING:
1/4 C. Olive Oil
1/4 C. red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
First, set your oven to 400'F. Lay bacon strips individually across a cookie sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Measure out ingredients for the dressing into a bottle or jar and give it a good shake. Prepare veggies and place them in separate bowls. (This step is really important to the members of the family who don't like all of the above veggies or who regularly use the phrase, "Mom! She's touching me!) Take the bacon out and place on paper towels to drain some of the grease. Crumble into a bowl.
Give that dressing one more shake! Now, pull out your pretty plates. Place a single wedge off-center and add (in this order) carrots, radishes, bacon, green onions, and tomatoes. It's pretty, eh? Drizzle with dressing and dig in!
INGREDIENTS:
24 oz bacon, crisp and crumbled
1 head iceberg lettuce (cut in wedges)
10 carrots, thinly sliced
6 radishes, also thin
1 container cherry tomatoes (left whole)
4 green onions (chopped to the chive)
DRESSING:
1/4 C. Olive Oil
1/4 C. red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
First, set your oven to 400'F. Lay bacon strips individually across a cookie sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Measure out ingredients for the dressing into a bottle or jar and give it a good shake. Prepare veggies and place them in separate bowls. (This step is really important to the members of the family who don't like all of the above veggies or who regularly use the phrase, "Mom! She's touching me!) Take the bacon out and place on paper towels to drain some of the grease. Crumble into a bowl.
Give that dressing one more shake! Now, pull out your pretty plates. Place a single wedge off-center and add (in this order) carrots, radishes, bacon, green onions, and tomatoes. It's pretty, eh? Drizzle with dressing and dig in!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Lisa's Warm Pudding
Ever looked at the ingredients on the back of pudding purchased from the store and wondered what you could possibly eating that is good for you if it doesn't need to be refridgerated? I did. Thankfully, my sister came across this recipe (I think she was baking a pudding pie -- like banana cream -- from scratch) and shared.
Vanilla Recipe: Chocolate Recipe:
3 cups Milk 3 cups Milk
3 egg yolks 3 egg yolk
3/4 c. granulated sugar 3/4 c. granulated sugar
5 TBSP cornstarch 5 TBSP cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla 1/4 c. bittersweet chocolate chips or
2oz. of a good quality chocolate bar
Add all ingredients to a medium sized sauce pan. (Be sure to separate the egg whites into another dish! These can be refridgerated to use later -- for a meringue or an omelet made out of egg whites like the movie "Runaway Bride".) Stir with a whisk until combined. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly. This takes about 10 minutes, but doesn't have to be stirred briskly. Stir in a gentle motion to keep the ingredients from heating unevenly on the bottom of the pan. The mixture will become thick, like...pudding! Remove from heat. Add chosen flavoring.
NOTE: Flavor can be altered to banana, lemon or any other extract you can think of using the same measurements, but DON'T add these until after it is already a pudding.
TIP: If you plan to use this pudding cold, you will need to transfer it to a container and put a lid on it while it is cooling. The steam will prevent a "skin" from forming. If you leave this in the open to cool, it does develop a layer of "skin" on the top, though the bottom is still delicious.
Vanilla Recipe: Chocolate Recipe:
3 cups Milk 3 cups Milk
3 egg yolks 3 egg yolk
3/4 c. granulated sugar 3/4 c. granulated sugar
5 TBSP cornstarch 5 TBSP cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla 1/4 c. bittersweet chocolate chips or
2oz. of a good quality chocolate bar
Add all ingredients to a medium sized sauce pan. (Be sure to separate the egg whites into another dish! These can be refridgerated to use later -- for a meringue or an omelet made out of egg whites like the movie "Runaway Bride".) Stir with a whisk until combined. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly. This takes about 10 minutes, but doesn't have to be stirred briskly. Stir in a gentle motion to keep the ingredients from heating unevenly on the bottom of the pan. The mixture will become thick, like...pudding! Remove from heat. Add chosen flavoring.
NOTE: Flavor can be altered to banana, lemon or any other extract you can think of using the same measurements, but DON'T add these until after it is already a pudding.
TIP: If you plan to use this pudding cold, you will need to transfer it to a container and put a lid on it while it is cooling. The steam will prevent a "skin" from forming. If you leave this in the open to cool, it does develop a layer of "skin" on the top, though the bottom is still delicious.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Softest Sugar Cookies Ever
4 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 C. butter (softened)
1 1/2 C. granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. sour cream
Sift together four, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; set aside. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and sour cream until well blended. Stir in sifted ingredients. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refridgerate overnight.
Pre-heat oven to 375'F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4" thickness. Cut into desired shapes. Place cookies on an ungreases cookie sheet (leaving room for them to expand.) Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Bethany's side note: grated orange rind instead of nutmeg, 1/2 C. butter and 1/2 C. margarine, roll them thick, frost with sour cream frosting.
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 C. butter (softened)
1 1/2 C. granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. sour cream
Sift together four, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; set aside. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and sour cream until well blended. Stir in sifted ingredients. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refridgerate overnight.
Pre-heat oven to 375'F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4" thickness. Cut into desired shapes. Place cookies on an ungreases cookie sheet (leaving room for them to expand.) Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Bethany's side note: grated orange rind instead of nutmeg, 1/2 C. butter and 1/2 C. margarine, roll them thick, frost with sour cream frosting.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Sesame Orange Chicken
Orange Chicken from Panda Express used to be my oldest daughter's all-time favorites for eating out food. Then, she was diagnosed with Celiac Spru. This dish is jam packed with oriental orange flavors without any fear of gluten.
INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs. Boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
Olive oil
Heat large saute pan to medium high heat. Drizzle with oil. Add chicken. Cook until lightly browned and white throughout.
SAUCE:
1 1/2 tsp. Sesame seeds
3 Tbsp. Corn Starch
1 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 Tbsp Onion Powder
3 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp White Rice Vinegar
3 Tbsp GF Soy Sauce
1 1/2 Cups Orange Juice
1/2 Cup Apple Juice
Wisk sauce ingredients together in a small bowl while the chicken is cooking. Allow to sit while waiting. When chicken is cooked thoroughly, wisk one last time and pour over the chicken. Bring to a simmer and cook for one minute (or until cornstarch cooks "clear").
If you started your white rice before cooking the chicken, dinner's ready! ENJOY.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
White Bean and Ham Soup
Most of the time, I'm not thinking of dinner a day in advance. To prepare dry beans, this is necessary because they need to soak over night before cooking, unless they are lima beans. Whether large or small, lima beans are able to cook down in only 3-4 hours when other beans require 8-10. This soup is so basic, you'll just about fall over from the flavor. The recipe here is the absolute beginning that can be dressed up as you wish.
Ingredients:
Leftover Ham Bone with some meat still attached
1 bag of small Lima Beans
6-8 Cups Water
2 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Pepper
2 tsp. Onion Powder
1 C. sliced carrots (optional)
Place all ingredients in a covered pot over medium heat (a crock pot could also be used on high). Cook for 3-4 hours until beans are tender. Remove bone. Break up pieces of ham if necessary. Serve with or without bread or crackers. Serves 8 -- sometimes with leftovers.
Ingredients:
Leftover Ham Bone with some meat still attached
1 bag of small Lima Beans
6-8 Cups Water
2 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Pepper
2 tsp. Onion Powder
1 C. sliced carrots (optional)
Place all ingredients in a covered pot over medium heat (a crock pot could also be used on high). Cook for 3-4 hours until beans are tender. Remove bone. Break up pieces of ham if necessary. Serve with or without bread or crackers. Serves 8 -- sometimes with leftovers.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Cinammon Chicken
Cinammon and Chicken?! I know. Curiosity was the reason I dug in to this dish served at the Huntsman Hotel located inside the This is the Place Heritage Park in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was so delicious, I just had to find a way to recreate it at home.
Ingredients:
4 lbs. skinless, bone-in chicken
1 Tbsp of oil (for browning chicken)
1 large can tomato sauce
water
2 tsp salt
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
3 Tbsp cinammon
Be sure to use bone-in chicken, the sauce does not reach the same depth of flavor without them. Brown the chicken first on medium heat (about ten minutes) sprinkling with half of the salt. Pour tomato sauce over the chicken and 1/3 can of water. Add spices, stirring gently around the meat. Keep heat on medium. Simmer for 45 minutes until chicken is cooked thoroughly. This dish serves 8 and would probably be phenomenal with carmelized onions and garlic pureed into the sauce.
Serve with white rice and your favorite steamed veggies.
Ingredients:
4 lbs. skinless, bone-in chicken
1 Tbsp of oil (for browning chicken)
1 large can tomato sauce
water
2 tsp salt
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
3 Tbsp cinammon
Be sure to use bone-in chicken, the sauce does not reach the same depth of flavor without them. Brown the chicken first on medium heat (about ten minutes) sprinkling with half of the salt. Pour tomato sauce over the chicken and 1/3 can of water. Add spices, stirring gently around the meat. Keep heat on medium. Simmer for 45 minutes until chicken is cooked thoroughly. This dish serves 8 and would probably be phenomenal with carmelized onions and garlic pureed into the sauce.
Serve with white rice and your favorite steamed veggies.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Rebecca's Potato Salad
This recipe is an adaptation from my mom's potato salad. She always used hard boiled eggs and, well, it's a little embarrassing to say the reasons why I can't eat them, but the substitution of bacon definately made up for it. She also used a Ranch Salad Dressing seasoning packet to season hers. However, this is not an option for our gluten-free family. This recipe is a favorite all around!
The Basics
5lbs of potatoes
1/2 C. minced dill pickles
24 oz. bacon
The Dressing
1/4 C. Parmesian Cheese
1 C. heavy cream
1/4 C. spicy brown mustard
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. powdered garlic
1 TBSP. dehydrated onion (ground)
2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
Before I get started on instructions, I should warn you that I have always "eyeballed" the seasonings this recipe and seasoned by taste after that. Frustrating to recreate, I know, but not impossible. My mom made hers with large, wooden spoon dollops of miracle whip instead of cream (the cream supports the flavors better in my book). So, don't be afraid to use your tongue and adjust what's missing for you!
First, boil potatoes (skin on) until fork tender...stick a fork in it! (Some of my family like this salad "mashed potato" style...this means over-boiling the potatoes a bit.) While potatoes are cooking, prepare the bacon. This can be done 6 minutes at a time by laying strips across a long plate and setting in the microwave or in a frying pan -- either way, keep the bacon strips seperated from each other for better crispness. Allow them to cool, then chop into "crumbs." If you are using whole pickles, chop these while at it. You can also mix all of the dressing ingrediants in a bowl so the flavors have some time to infuse into the cream. After the potatoes are ready, cool them in a cold water bath, peel, and cut into bite sized pieces. Place in a large mixing bowl and stir in the cream. (You may have to use clean hands for this.) Serve warm or keep refridgerated until ready.
The Basics
5lbs of potatoes
1/2 C. minced dill pickles
24 oz. bacon
The Dressing
1/4 C. Parmesian Cheese
1 C. heavy cream
1/4 C. spicy brown mustard
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. powdered garlic
1 TBSP. dehydrated onion (ground)
2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
Before I get started on instructions, I should warn you that I have always "eyeballed" the seasonings this recipe and seasoned by taste after that. Frustrating to recreate, I know, but not impossible. My mom made hers with large, wooden spoon dollops of miracle whip instead of cream (the cream supports the flavors better in my book). So, don't be afraid to use your tongue and adjust what's missing for you!
First, boil potatoes (skin on) until fork tender...stick a fork in it! (Some of my family like this salad "mashed potato" style...this means over-boiling the potatoes a bit.) While potatoes are cooking, prepare the bacon. This can be done 6 minutes at a time by laying strips across a long plate and setting in the microwave or in a frying pan -- either way, keep the bacon strips seperated from each other for better crispness. Allow them to cool, then chop into "crumbs." If you are using whole pickles, chop these while at it. You can also mix all of the dressing ingrediants in a bowl so the flavors have some time to infuse into the cream. After the potatoes are ready, cool them in a cold water bath, peel, and cut into bite sized pieces. Place in a large mixing bowl and stir in the cream. (You may have to use clean hands for this.) Serve warm or keep refridgerated until ready.
Friday, June 24, 2011
James' Triple Chocolate Birthday Cake
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
6 Tbsp. Butter (do not substitute with Margarine or you will regret it)
4 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
Soften butter to room temperature. Blend together until smooth.
Double Chocolate Cake from Scratch
2 Tbsp. (rounded) shortening
2 eggs
2 C. sugar
2 C. hot water
2 tsp. baking soda
1 C. cocoa powder
2 C. flour
1 C. chocolate chips, coarsely chopped
Add all ingredients to a bowl, mix well. Bake at 350'F for 35 minutes (or until cake tests done).
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Saucy Chicken from Karen's Cafe
This isn't the first recipe I've "copied" by using my tongue and I'm sure it won't be the last. James and I went to a Christmas Eve Cocktail party nearly starving and found ourselves walking up 25th Street from Union Station in search of good food. Our favorite place is closed on Monday nights, so we ducked into the first place that didn't have "coffee" in the title. Karen's Cafe is a delicious little spot featuring country music, good ole home cookin', and the coolest iron sculptured cowboys salt and pepper holders. (Wish I'd carried my camera.)
Ingredients
Karen's Sauce
Vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed and diced
1 Walla Walla onion, sliced in rings
1 Green Bell pepper, chopped in chunks
1/2 pint sliced mushrooms
1 can Stewed, Diced tomatoes
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
Heat to medium a large frying pan, drizzle some oil and add garlic and onions. Cook until onions are clear. Add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer to allow flavors to blend. Then begin the chicken.
2 lbs. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
Salt
Olive oil
Spray cast iron skillet with oil. (Use the grooved side to sear lines into meat.) Heat on medium high until skillet is fully heated, lay breasts on skillet. Cook 5-7 minutes on both sides (or until cooked through). Serve chicken with a heaping ladel full of sauce. Enjoy!
When I was recreating this recipe, I missed out on the ketchup and the flavor wasn't quite there. I've never added ketchup to ANYTHING, but it's amazing what it does to both thicken the sauce and clinch the distinctive flavor on your tongue.
p.s...leftovers make for an AWESOME Saucy Chicken Pizza
Ingredients
Karen's Sauce
Vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed and diced
1 Walla Walla onion, sliced in rings
1 Green Bell pepper, chopped in chunks
1/2 pint sliced mushrooms
1 can Stewed, Diced tomatoes
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
Heat to medium a large frying pan, drizzle some oil and add garlic and onions. Cook until onions are clear. Add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer to allow flavors to blend. Then begin the chicken.
2 lbs. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
Salt
Olive oil
Spray cast iron skillet with oil. (Use the grooved side to sear lines into meat.) Heat on medium high until skillet is fully heated, lay breasts on skillet. Cook 5-7 minutes on both sides (or until cooked through). Serve chicken with a heaping ladel full of sauce. Enjoy!
When I was recreating this recipe, I missed out on the ketchup and the flavor wasn't quite there. I've never added ketchup to ANYTHING, but it's amazing what it does to both thicken the sauce and clinch the distinctive flavor on your tongue.
p.s...leftovers make for an AWESOME Saucy Chicken Pizza
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Gluten free flour for baking
When I bake, I do it in double batches. One gluten-free, the other regular. It's expensive to feed a family of seven on pasta or baked goods that are gluten-free. You can save money by grinding your own brown rice flour using an electric flour mill, by mixing your own baking flour, and baking your own goodies. Here is my recipe and a few things I've learned using it.
GF Flour Ingredients:
(all available through Blue Chip Group)
1 lb. brown rice flour
1 lb. potato starch
4 TBSP. xanthum gum
1) GF flour LOVES fruit acid. The baked good that turn out with the best texture are those that include some fruit and/or their juices. Although I haven't checked it out under a microscope, I believe the rice grain is softened more completely by the fruit acid than anything else. Even rice flour milled to the finest texture has some tell-tale grit to it unless fruit is added.
2) Xanthum gum needs to be just right. (That's 1 TBSP per 1 Cup of flour.) Too much xanthum gum makes batter too thick and gummy textured. Too little, and your batter will not hold together.
3) If at first you don't succeed... it's okay. Even though it feels like an expensive mistake or a terrible waste. GF baking will not have the same feel as what you're used to, but getting it right so you can enjoy a blueberry muffin in the morning or cupcakes on your birthday is worth it.
4) Waxed paper is your friend. Anything that needs to be formed first (from pie crust to scones) can be shaped using waxed paper. A lite coating of canola oil helps.
5) GF flour should be stored in an air-tight container and kept in a cool dry place. It does NOT have the shelf life of wheat flours. So, investing in a 50 lb. bucket is a bad idea unless you open a GF bakery. (The three pound mix above lasts a full month during the busy holiday baking season.)
6) Have fun! Changing the food you eat can feel devastating at first. So many people will ask you -- Can you eat anything?! The answer is YES, YOU CAN. It will take some getting used to, but having your body running at full steam ahead and healthy is totally worth all of the labels you will read and careful preparations you will make.
GF Flour Ingredients:
(all available through Blue Chip Group)
1 lb. brown rice flour
1 lb. potato starch
4 TBSP. xanthum gum
1) GF flour LOVES fruit acid. The baked good that turn out with the best texture are those that include some fruit and/or their juices. Although I haven't checked it out under a microscope, I believe the rice grain is softened more completely by the fruit acid than anything else. Even rice flour milled to the finest texture has some tell-tale grit to it unless fruit is added.
2) Xanthum gum needs to be just right. (That's 1 TBSP per 1 Cup of flour.) Too much xanthum gum makes batter too thick and gummy textured. Too little, and your batter will not hold together.
3) If at first you don't succeed... it's okay. Even though it feels like an expensive mistake or a terrible waste. GF baking will not have the same feel as what you're used to, but getting it right so you can enjoy a blueberry muffin in the morning or cupcakes on your birthday is worth it.
4) Waxed paper is your friend. Anything that needs to be formed first (from pie crust to scones) can be shaped using waxed paper. A lite coating of canola oil helps.
5) GF flour should be stored in an air-tight container and kept in a cool dry place. It does NOT have the shelf life of wheat flours. So, investing in a 50 lb. bucket is a bad idea unless you open a GF bakery. (The three pound mix above lasts a full month during the busy holiday baking season.)
6) Have fun! Changing the food you eat can feel devastating at first. So many people will ask you -- Can you eat anything?! The answer is YES, YOU CAN. It will take some getting used to, but having your body running at full steam ahead and healthy is totally worth all of the labels you will read and careful preparations you will make.
Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies
This cookie has become a holiday favorite. Oh, let's be serious! It's a year-round yummy! I stock up on canned pumpkin just because our family loves it so much. The version I'm posting is gluten-free. For a "normal" cookie, just use regular baking flour in exchange.
GF Flour Ingredients:
(all available through Blue Chip Group)
1 lb. brown rice flour
1 lb. tapioca starch
1 lb. potato starch
6 TBSP. xanthum gum
Cookie Ingredients:
1/2 C. shortening
1½ C. sugar
1 C. prepared pumkin (canned or cooked/mashed)
1 egg
1½ tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. ginger
2½ C. GF baking flour
1 tsp. Rumford baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 Bag White Chocolate Chips
Cream shortening, sugar, egg, and pumpkin. Add dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Add Chips. Drop by teaspoonsful on cookie sheet. Bake at 375'F for 10 minutes.
½ tsp. ginger
2½ C. GF baking flour
1 tsp. Rumford baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 Bag White Chocolate Chips
Cream shortening, sugar, egg, and pumpkin. Add dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Add Chips. Drop by teaspoonsful on cookie sheet. Bake at 375'F for 10 minutes.
Corn Chowder
For our family last night, you could say this was a recipe of "desperation." Not that anyone was actually desperate on Christmas night, but a tummy flu was finishing up its final rounds and we needed something lighter than Christmas ham. This simple soup is very gratifying.
Ingredients:
7 potatoes (one for each person to be served)
1 can of corn
1 cup of cream (or milk)
1/2 cup of dehydrated onion
1 tsp. Better Than Bullion chicken flavored
water
salt, pepper (to taste)
1½ tsp. paprika
Peel and chop potatoes (bite-sized pieces) and place in pot. Fill pot with enough water to cover potatoes. Bring to boil. Add corn, onion, spices, and bullion. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat. Taste the broth for seasoning. Lower heat to low and add cream. Heat through and serve.
This would be delicious with your favorite cheese or bacon.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Apricot Glazed Chicken
Bone-in Chicken (thighs, legs, or breasts)
Apricot Jam
salt and pepper to taste
Oil spray
Coat broiler pan lightly with the oil spray. Place chicken on a broiler pan and place in a 400'F oven for 60 minutes. Ta-dah! NOTE: Time may be shorter for chicken that is fully thawed before placed in the oven. I'm usually pulling the meat out a half-hour before dinner prep needs to get serious, and, well, it's not always enough time for the microwave to do its magic.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Hamburger Gravy
I first married at nearly 20 and hadn't paid much attention to the food my mother made using the palms of her hands as measurements. I found myself on the phone asking her for this recipe. I was desperate for a taste of home and needed to know how to make something my young ones could eat. This has been a family favorite for years. It can be served over toast, white rice, or mashed potatoes. Last night, with the help of leftovers, I served up all three!
1 pound hamburger
salt
pepper
garlic
onion
(all to taste)
3 tsp Better Than Bullion Mushroom
3.5 TBSP Corn starch
3 Cups water
In our family, I used the powdered form of onion and garlic because I have two that hate the texture. This dinner is one I make on those busy, long days when we need it simple and without complaints at night. Why push the onions? Better Than Bullion is one of the rare gluten-free bullions...don't use the Aus Juis flavor, though! (Always check the label.)
Brown the beef in a skillet over medium heat. Add seasonings to taste. Sprinkle corn starch over browned meat. Stir until coated. Add water. Let simmer until the corn starch turns from opaque to "clear" and of gravy thickness. TIP: If you like your gravy thicker, stir another tablespoon of corn starch into a quarter cup of cold water and then add it to the hot mixture. This prevents LUMPS. (And no one likes lumpy gravy.)
We served this up with canned green beans and grated mozarella for those who wanted the cheese.
1 pound hamburger
salt
pepper
garlic
onion
(all to taste)
3 tsp Better Than Bullion Mushroom
3.5 TBSP Corn starch
3 Cups water
In our family, I used the powdered form of onion and garlic because I have two that hate the texture. This dinner is one I make on those busy, long days when we need it simple and without complaints at night. Why push the onions? Better Than Bullion is one of the rare gluten-free bullions...don't use the Aus Juis flavor, though! (Always check the label.)
Brown the beef in a skillet over medium heat. Add seasonings to taste. Sprinkle corn starch over browned meat. Stir until coated. Add water. Let simmer until the corn starch turns from opaque to "clear" and of gravy thickness. TIP: If you like your gravy thicker, stir another tablespoon of corn starch into a quarter cup of cold water and then add it to the hot mixture. This prevents LUMPS. (And no one likes lumpy gravy.)
We served this up with canned green beans and grated mozarella for those who wanted the cheese.
Friday, November 19, 2010
A Sweet Tooth
by Rebecca Samford
Cookies aren’t made from scratch now,
scratching the surface of our sugar
Need. Love feeds you from the inside
out—by hand. Betty Crocker was a man
with a metal hand – a conveyer belt
to goodness, if you can call it that. William
needed a “cheery, All-American name.”
Look at the ingredient list, find flavor
enhancers and preservatives. How do I
preserve this feeling to hold you forever
and for every moment a bold swell
in my chest, that tastes like courage,
or righteous indignation? We will
make the world a better place. (Or,
at least the 1800 square feet around us.)
We will make a choice. We will stir the batter
In our own bowl with a simple wooden
spoon until the egg in you and the flour
in me combine smooth as churned butter.
Unsalted because it cannot last
beyond this one lick of the spoon.
Swallow and all is forgotten.
Spit and nothing is forgiven.
Sing and I will hear you halfway around
the world until my heart aches
like the bread we forgot to kneed.
Bubbling over hopeful on the counter,
ready until there was nothing to rise
against and it fell flatter than it had
been in the beginning. Why do chocolate
chips come from child labor? Slaves who
will never eat the sweetness of the fruit
born on their own dreams and hurts
down to the kidneys. Swollen with
broken promises from your two lips.
Cookie dough wrapped air tight – this
means it cannot breathe – and pinched
on the ends – because love has its limits.
Cut it open. Spoonfuls on the same metal
sheet you’ve used for a decade. Bake.
Cool. Feel the warm, gooey goodness
in your mouth and the never-ending
aching empty in your core until you suck
the sugar straight from the cane.
Your mouth wrapped around the straw
of it and you learn that earth and truth
and living from the beginning to the end
cannot be saved up for later, cannot
be dehydrated and re-watered as fresh
as the seed and you give yourself
to love like the grain of wheat ground
between granite, and rising still.
Cookies aren’t made from scratch now,
scratching the surface of our sugar
Need. Love feeds you from the inside
out—by hand. Betty Crocker was a man
with a metal hand – a conveyer belt
to goodness, if you can call it that. William
needed a “cheery, All-American name.”
Look at the ingredient list, find flavor
enhancers and preservatives. How do I
preserve this feeling to hold you forever
and for every moment a bold swell
in my chest, that tastes like courage,
or righteous indignation? We will
make the world a better place. (Or,
at least the 1800 square feet around us.)
We will make a choice. We will stir the batter
In our own bowl with a simple wooden
spoon until the egg in you and the flour
in me combine smooth as churned butter.
Unsalted because it cannot last
beyond this one lick of the spoon.
Swallow and all is forgotten.
Spit and nothing is forgiven.
Sing and I will hear you halfway around
the world until my heart aches
like the bread we forgot to kneed.
Bubbling over hopeful on the counter,
ready until there was nothing to rise
against and it fell flatter than it had
been in the beginning. Why do chocolate
chips come from child labor? Slaves who
will never eat the sweetness of the fruit
born on their own dreams and hurts
down to the kidneys. Swollen with
broken promises from your two lips.
Cookie dough wrapped air tight – this
means it cannot breathe – and pinched
on the ends – because love has its limits.
Cut it open. Spoonfuls on the same metal
sheet you’ve used for a decade. Bake.
Cool. Feel the warm, gooey goodness
in your mouth and the never-ending
aching empty in your core until you suck
the sugar straight from the cane.
Your mouth wrapped around the straw
of it and you learn that earth and truth
and living from the beginning to the end
cannot be saved up for later, cannot
be dehydrated and re-watered as fresh
as the seed and you give yourself
to love like the grain of wheat ground
between granite, and rising still.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Simple Introductions
Welcome to the kitchen!
You'll notice that there aren't many gadgets here... a toaster, a blender, an electric beater (our most frivilous space filler is the electric knife to cut a roast with)... and a collection of wooden spoons.
I have this thing for a wooden spoon. I like the way it fits in my hand. I like that the batter stays were I stir it (or fling it, if I am so inclined.) I prefer to keep food simple. Unlike many cooks that strive for "simplicity" by using as many pre-made sauces and mixes as they can stash in a cupboard, I keep things as close to the ground as possible without eating them off the floor!
I am the mother of five, each with their own taste buds and dietary needs. My grandmother prides herself on never fixing more than one dinner at a time, but I often find myself making one thing for the Celiacs, another for the onion lovers, another for the toddler pallet, and something entirely different for my dear hubby -- a self-proclaimed "noodle man in a rice family."
This blog is dedicated to those recipes that turn out to be a sweet success for everyone. I want families converting to a gluten-free diet to know that it isn't the end of the world -- food can still be fun for the whole family, even the Chef!
You'll notice that there aren't many gadgets here... a toaster, a blender, an electric beater (our most frivilous space filler is the electric knife to cut a roast with)... and a collection of wooden spoons.
I have this thing for a wooden spoon. I like the way it fits in my hand. I like that the batter stays were I stir it (or fling it, if I am so inclined.) I prefer to keep food simple. Unlike many cooks that strive for "simplicity" by using as many pre-made sauces and mixes as they can stash in a cupboard, I keep things as close to the ground as possible without eating them off the floor!
I am the mother of five, each with their own taste buds and dietary needs. My grandmother prides herself on never fixing more than one dinner at a time, but I often find myself making one thing for the Celiacs, another for the onion lovers, another for the toddler pallet, and something entirely different for my dear hubby -- a self-proclaimed "noodle man in a rice family."
This blog is dedicated to those recipes that turn out to be a sweet success for everyone. I want families converting to a gluten-free diet to know that it isn't the end of the world -- food can still be fun for the whole family, even the Chef!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)