The Main Course

Kasha with Dried Cranberries and Toasted Almonds

2011-05-23T20:54:00.002-04:00

Love this...the scents when it is toasting/cooking are so amazing to me, and the flavor is even better. :)

2 ser

1 Tbsp unsalted butter + a little more for melting over cereal when served if desired
½ c kasha
1/3 c fresh cranberries or 1/4 c dried
1 c water
1/3 c toasted almonds

Melt butter in nonstick saucepan over high heat. Add kasha and cranberries, stir and lightly toast about 2 minutes. Add water; bring to boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, covered, 10 minutes till kasha is tender. Do not overcook kasha. Let sit 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle w/toasted almonds and serve immediately.

Notes: Kasha is roasted buckwheat, and is a gluten-free grain. Here is a link on amazon (Christy mentioned it being hard to find) in case you can't find any. If you like, you can try toasting the kasha in oil rather than butter, or I actually did it in a nonstick pan without any oil/butter to make it dairy-free.

Best Gluten-Free Products

2011-02-23T16:43:00.006-05:00

Several people have asked me to post the gluten-free products that we enjoy. I haven't sampled every gluten-free product in the world, but I've tried a lot--some disgusting, some delicious! Here's the best of the products we've tried, divided into different categories. As a general rule, these are products we've found that people enjoy whether or not they have to restrict themselves to a gluten-free diet. Also, as a general, we have not enjoyed any products with bean flours but far prefer rice-flour, tapioca, and potato starch products.

Best All-Purpose Flour
Better Batter (dairy-free)

This flour is truly amazing. I have only begun to experiment with it, so it may replace some of my other mixes in the future. For now, I can say that it is by far the best flour or mix for any recipe that needs to be rolled out: pie crust, cinnamon rolls, sugar cookies, etc. And it tastes absolutely delicious. I recently made yeast rolls with it using nothing more than the flour, water, yeast, and salt, and the rolls turned out crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside; the texture inside even had the stretchy bubbles of air characteristic of gluten grains! Yum! I can't wait to try it for pizza crust.

One piece of advice I would give is to use the recipes on the Better Batter website rather than trying to substitute the flour into recipes that normally contain gluten. I tried substituting it in a couple of gluten recipes with moderate results. But every recipe I've tried from their website has been fantastic.

Best Quick Rise Baking Mix
Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix (contains dairy)

This mix makes the best pancakes; Belgian waffles (absolutely delicious! Follow the recipe on the back of the bag. My husband, who can eat gluten, loves them); quick breads like banana bread, zucchini bread, pumpkin bread, and muffins; coffee cake (you MUST try this recipe from Pamela's website, only I usually cut the sugar in half); and cookies (check out my recipe for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies).

Best Sandwich Bread
With dairy: Against the Grain Rolls
Without dairy: Udi's bread (pre-made) or Pamela's Gluten-Free Bread Mix (works great in a bread maker)

Best Pasta
Tinkyda Brown Rice Pasta

Best English Muffins
Food for Life Wheat and Gluten-Free Brown Rice English Muffins

Best Oatmeal
McCann's Steel Cut Oats

Yes, oatmeal can be gluten-free. We have had trouble with all other oatmeals, even the ones that are labeled gluten-free. McCann's has been great and a wonderful addition to our breakfast choices. We like the 5-minute quick cooking oatmeal.

Best Pizza Crust
Gluten-Free Pantry French Bread and Pizza Mix

My family loves our homemade pizza. It outshines every store-bought GF pizza we've ever tried (Udi's, Against the Grain, Uno's, etc.). But I'm looking forward to trying pizza with Better Batter, which may even be better since it's such a great flour for rolling out.

Best Chocolate Cake Mix
Gluten-Free Pantry Decadent Chocolate Cake Mix

This cake mix used to have a recipe on it that included 1 cup of yogurt or buttermilk. I highly recommend adding yogurt or buttermilk to the recipe as it makes an exceptionally moist cake and enhances the flavor of the chocolate. My husband and neighbors (none of whom eat gluten-free) love this cake.

Best Vanilla/White Cake Mix
Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Vanilla Cake Mix

We love the lightness and sponginess of the texture of this cake. We've made it for many a birthday party and all the kids, gluten-free or not, gobble them up happily. The mix is an exception to many of Bob's Red Mill gluten-free products which we generally do not like because of the bean flour this brand often uses.

Best Prezels
Glutino

They taste like regular prezels!

(This is a note from Kate now; sorry for the confusion! I told Christy I would link these Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls for her. She has tried them as well, and thinks they are delicious. :) They are made from my favorite pizza crust mix; the Pamela's Gluten Free Bread Mix.)

Orange Walnut Salad

2009-11-27T11:44:00.005-05:00

I served this salad at Thanksgiving this year, and it was delicious! For a special salad, a great rule of thumb is start with a base of excellent, organic greens and serve with a fruit, nut, and cheese that compliment each other. For this salad, I used oranges, walnuts, and sharp cheddar. You might try cranberries, pecans, and chevre (or other soft goat cheese). Another favorite combination is pears, pecans, and smoked Gouda. Let your imagine run wild! Then pair it with a homemade vinaigrette that enhances the flavors you've chosen for your salad. With this salad, I used orange champagne vinegar to compliment the oranges in the salad. The basic rule of thumb for vinaigrette is Dijon mustard mixed with a 3 to 1 ration of oil to vinegar (or as much as a 5 to 1 ratio). Follow the directions below for making a vinaigrette from any kind of vinegar.

Salad
baby romaine or spring mix, pre-washed and ready-to-serve
1 bag candied walnuts (from Trader Joe's)
4 oz. Organic Valley sharp cheddar cheese, cut into chunks
2 oranges, peeled and cut into slices
Orange Champagne Vinaigrette (see recipe below).

Combine all ingredients in large salad bowl. Toss with vinaigrette.

Orange Champagne Vinaigrette
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbls Trader Joe's Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar
3 to 5 Tbls extra virgin olive oil

1. Dip tines of fork into Dijon mustard (should be about 1/2 tsp). In a small, shallow bowl, whisk vinegar and mustard together until combined.
3. Slowly pour oil into the mustard and vinegar mixture, constantly whisking the oil with the fork as you pour into order to emulsify the oil. This method makes a creamy, thickened dressing but you must take care to add the oil very slowly in a very thin stream.

A Shipe Thanksgiving

2009-11-27T11:09:00.005-05:00

I'm happy to report that Thanksgiving was a great day for the Shipe family! The food all turned out fine, even the turkey! We agreed that brining was an easy way to add lots of flavor to what can otherwise be a bland and dry bird. The creamed Swiss chard was a hit, even though most people had never even heard of chard before trying it. Also on the menu: gluten-free cornbread, cranberry-orange sauce, whipped sweet potatoes with caramelized apples, and mashed potatoes. There's no reason not to try some of these recipes for side dishes throughout the fall and winter in your home. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Recipes

2009-11-24T09:32:00.002-05:00

This year, I'm cooking a turkey for the first time. We'll see how it goes! I've decided to brine my turkey according to this recipe from Martha Stewart. It's supposed to give the turkey much more flavor and moisture. I'm also going to try this Cranberry-Orange Sauce this year. Thought you all might enjoy the links to check out the recipes for yourselves!

Also, Thanksgiving just isn't Thanksgiving without these absolutely delicious Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Carmelized Apples. A much healthier and mouth-watering alternative to sweet potatoes topped with mounds of sugar and marshmallows.

For more Thanksgiving ideas, see my suggested menus here.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Quick Sweet Potato Bread

2009-11-03T18:37:00.000-05:00

Makes two loaves

I just developed this recipe with sweet potato instead of pumpkin since I've had some allergy trouble with pumpkin in the past. These came out absolutely delicious--moist and filled with spice. It is gluten-free but not dairy-free (there is some buttermilk in the baking mix).

1 lb. can sweet potato or butternut squash puree (available at Trader Joe's)
3/4 cup dark brown sugar (or Rapadura)
1 cup olive oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cloves
3 cups Pamela's Wheat-Free Baking Mix
1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Mix together sweet potato puree, sugar, oil, eggs, and spices in a mixing bowl until well blended.
2. Add baking mix and stir gently until combined. Fold in walnuts.
3. Grease 2 bread pans, line with parchment paper, and then grease the paper inside the pan. Divide bread mixture evenly between the two pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center.

Muffins Instructions: Prepare batter as above. Grease muffin tins and fill 3/4 full with batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean in the center. Makes 17 - 20 muffins.

Coconut Chocolate Patties

2009-10-24T13:26:00.003-04:00

From Martha Stewart Living. No flour, no bake cookies to delight your gluten-free friends! They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. Makes about 20.

1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
3 drops pure almond extract
3 3/4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted*

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, and spread cocnut in a single layer on parchment. Place in oven until golden and toasted, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to color evenly. Remove from oven, let cool completely.

2. In medium bowl, combine toasted coconut, almond extract, and melted chocolate. Stir gently until combined. Press about 1 Tbls coconut mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture. Place in the refrigerator until cookies are set, about 20 minutes. Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

*You can find non-dairy semisweet chocolate at a health food store if you are looking to avoid both gluten and dairy.

Zucchini-Cilantro Dip

2009-10-24T13:22:00.002-04:00

Adapted from Martha Stewart. Absolutely delicious dip for veggies of any kind! Makes 2 1/4 cups.

1 3/4 cups organic, cultured sour cream (or Creme Fraiche)
2 Tbls olive oil
2 Tbls white wine vinegar
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 small, firm zuccini, washed, trimmed, and finely grated
1/2 bunch chopped, fresh cilantro
salt & pepper to taste

Whisk together the sour cream, oil, vinegar, and garlic until smooth. Stir in the remaining ingredients and refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours.

Gluten-Free Pizza

2009-09-30T17:49:00.000-04:00

makes about 3-4 (10-inch) thin-crust pizzas

1 pkg Gluten Free Pizza dough of choice (Christy prefers the Gluten-Free Pantry French Bread Mix, but I like Pamela's Gluten-free Bread (and Pizza) Mix, which is also dairy and egg-free)
extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Pizza sauce:
1 (24 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp thyme or fennel (or both)
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 bay leaf
1/8 to 1/4 c red wine vinegar
1/8 to 1/4 c balsamic vinegar

Toppings:
fresh basil leaves
fresh Mozzarella cheese
no nitrates pepperoni, sliced, or mild organic/no-nitrates Italian sausage, crumbled a browned in a saute pan
sliced black olives
red onion, sliced in strips
sliced green bell peppers
swiss chard

1. Prepare the crust in a bread machine on the pizza dough setting. Add the ingredients listed on the package, plus the yeast packet to the bread machine bowl. You will have to use a spatula and help it out with the mixing during the kneading time, to make sure the yeast works through the mix thoroughly.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare the sauce. Combine all ingredients for the sauce in a saucepan and cover; cook/simmer on medium-low about 10-15 minutes to blend flavors.
3. Prepare the crust. Drizzle a nonstick pizza pan with olive oil and spread it with a pastry brush. Then spread the dough in an even layer over the pan, using your hands rubbed w/olive oil, and creating a very thin crust.
4. Spoon some of the sauce over the dough. Layer right after the sauce about 6 to 8 basil leaves. Then top with grated cheese. Top off with pepperoni or sausage, black olives, red onions, and peppers.
5. Slide pizza pan onto the lowest rack of the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until crust is golden and the cheese is melted/toppings are cooked through. Sometimes I like to move the pizza to the top rack of the oven to cook the vegetables a little more in the last 5 minutes or so. Remove from oven and cool five minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes: If you use my favorite crust (the Pamela's Gluten-free Baking and Pizza Mix), you can combine the crust mix, yeast packet, olive oil, and water according to package directions in a kitchen-aid and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. The dough will be sticky. Use a spatula to dollop the dough onto a nonstick pizza pan that has been sprayed with olive oil cooking spray. Drizzle a little olive oil over the dough and then spread it in an even layer with your hands (use olive oil as necessary so the dough doesn't stick to your hands.) You can let the dough rise for one hour at this point if you like...though I usually skip that step, and go ahead with the toppings and baking.
For dairy-free, omit the cheese.
I think I am crazy to post this, but I discovered a variation of my original pizza sauce that is actually really good if you are sensitive/allergic to garlic and oregano. I used a can of whole San Marzano plum tomatoes (for a chunky sauce, which I really kind of like better), still the tomato paste to thicken and add depth to the flavor. Then I added 1 1/2 tsp dried basil, 1/4 tsp thyme leaves, 1/2 tsp fennel seed (opt. if you do the sausage for a topping), 1/8 tsp black pepper, and 1 large bay leaf. And I have also found onion to be very similar to garlic in flavor, so if you want to add that in place of the garlic, go for it.
And just as a last note, the Gluten Free Pantry French Bread and Pizza Mix is not egg-free, while the Pamela's Bread and Pizza Mix is.

Nut Flour Pizza Crust

2009-09-22T00:47:00.001-04:00

This is so easy, and tastes so good! It is gluten-free as well as dairy-free.

makes about 1 10-inch pizza

1 c nut flour
1 egg
12 tsp olive oil
opt. seasonings: oregano, thyme, basil

Mix the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Press into shape. Then bake it until light brown.

Add pizza sauce and toppings, and recook until the toppings/vegetables are tender. Cut and serve.

Tomato, Basil, and White Bean Salad

2009-08-15T00:48:00.000-04:00

serves 4

2 cans cannellini or northern beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 lb small plum tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 c loosely packed basil leaves, torn into 1/2 inch pieces
1/8 c extra virgin olive oil
2 sml garlic cloves, finely minced (I also like to use shallots instead of garlic)

Combine the white beans, tomatoes, basil, and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl, and season with pepper and a little more salt if needed.
Heat olive oil in a sml skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic, stirring occasionally, until fragrant but not browned, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Pour over white bean salad, and toss gently to combine. Let stand 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.

New Potato Salad with Haricots Verts and Shallots

2009-07-16T16:31:00.002-04:00

This is gluten-free, and even dairy-free. And it is simple to make. I don't like potatoes usually, but I loved the green beans and shallots (and no eggs or raw celery) in this. (Sorry about the dish being so busy in the picture; I did not have a plain white serving bowl.)
serves 6-8

about 1 1/2 lbs smallest new/fingerling potatoes you can find (I like red and purple the best)
16 oz. tender steamed haricots verts
2 or 3 shallots, sliced and lightly sauteed until just crisp/browned on the edges
juice of one lemon
2 Tbsp olive oil or unsalted butter, or a combination
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp fresh tarragon
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Scrub the potatoes until they are thoroughly cleaned, and cut off any bruised parts. Add them to a pot of boiling water and boil for about 20-25 minutes, or until a fork inserted into the biggest one goes through easily.
Toss the remaining ingredients with the cooked potatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Let stand a few minutes before serving.

Notes: You can opt. out of the butter for dairy-free.

Brown Rice Pilaf

2009-05-15T00:52:00.000-04:00

From Christy's Martha Stewart cookbook.

1 ½ c long grain brown rice
1 c buckwheat or brown rice noodles, broken into 1-inch bits
1 bunch green onions + half of the chives, finely chopped
2 cardamon pods
1 tsp dried thyme or 1 Tbsp fresh
grated zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 c chicken stock or broth
½ tsp sea salt

1. In a heavy, saucepan, melt butter and olive oil. Open cardamom pods and add seeds to saucepan. Add green onions and thyme and sauté until soft.
2. Add the noodles rice, and stock or broth. Bring to a boil and cover tightly with a lid. Simmer 40-45 minutes until rice is softened and broth is absorbed.
3. Add salt and lemon zest, and flake with a fork. Serve.

Notes: I think Christy uses Tinkyada spaghetti pasta for the buckwheat/brown rice noodles. This goes well with Cornish Game Hens with Lemon and Herbs. And it is also a good for you-whole grain dish that is almost completely unprocessed besides the pasta.

Berry Smoothie

2009-04-23T01:12:00.006-04:00

I like smoothies; they are a favorite. They are always a great idea for breakfast, so I decided to post my original one on this blog. I think this makes about 2-4 servings.

Mix in a blender and process until smooth:
About 1 1/2 cup of frozen mixed berries (raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries)
1/2 banana
1/2 cup of tart, unsweetened Vermont applesauce
1 cup orange juice
1 4-6 ounce (cream top) blueberry or plain Brown cow yogurt

Serve immediately.

Notes: For dairy allergies, omit the yogurt. Christy likes to use Stonyfield Farm Yogurt and that is good, too.

Breakfast Oatmeal

2009-04-22T23:59:00.009-04:00

Use McCann's oats for this. They are the best/safest gluten-free brand of oats. I like the whole steel cut oats the best; they take about 30 minutes to cook though, so definitely do the five minute or 3 minute ones if you prefer. I just like to have grains as unprocessed as I can get them.

makes about 2-3 servings

1/2 c McCann's steel cut oats
about 2 c water or a little more

Add to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook about 30 minutes, or until the oats are very soft and all the liquid is absorbed.

Stir in any of the following:
raisins, blueberries, pumpkin seeds, walnuts or other nuts, maple syrup or sugar, cinnamon, organic whole milk or rice, nut, or coconut milk
Serve warm.

Notes:
McCann's oats and Lara's Gluten-Free Rolled Oats are the two gluten-free brands I like the best. For the rolled oats, it only takes about 3/4 c water to 1/2 c rolled oats, and I just cook them until the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes or so.

Christy's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-03-14T21:50:00.006-04:00

Makes 4 dozen

I had a craving for cookies the other night, and came up with these using McCann's Irish Oatmeal. They have a hearty, chewy texture unlike virtually every other gluten-free cookie I've tried. Even though two of my children and I react to gluten, we are able to tolerate McCann's Irish Oats with no trouble at all! We had tried Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Oats, and we all reacted to them. But I read about Irish oats being gluten-free, and the McCann's brand has really worked for us. I believe a small percent of celiacs also react to a protein in oats, but we do not. For some reason, American oats are not gluten-free.

1 cup Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread, room temperature*
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. gluten-free vanilla
2 1/2 cups Pamela's Baking Mix
2 cups McCann's Quick & Easy Irish Oatmeal, processed in food processor until finely ground (30 seconds to one minute)
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 bag Ghiradelli's 60% Cacao Bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnut pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cream buttery spread with sugar for 4 to 5 minutes, until very light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
2. Combine Pamela's Mix, processed oats, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Gradually to creamed mixture, stirring gently by hand until just combined.
3. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts.
4. Drop by rounded Tbls. onto greased cookie sheets (or cookie sheets lined with parchment paper, which I prefer). Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350. Remove from oven and let cool on sheets for 5 minutes before removing to rack to cool completely.
5. Enjoy!!

*Diary content: I used the Earth Balance instead of butter, but you can easily use real butter. My daughter reacts to dairy, so I cut the dairy down by using the Earth Balance. However, Pamela's Baking Mix does contain powdered buttermilk, so this recipe is not dairy-free. My daughter does okay if she only occasionally has a bit a diary.

Sugar content: Although this recipe has less sugar than most cookies, it is certainly not sugar-free! But I reduced the sugar from most recipes by 1/4 to 3/4 of a cup (depending on the recipe). Also, the bittersweet chocolate has less sugar than even semi-sweet. The oats are a healthful whole grain, and the walnuts are good for you as well. But these should still be considered an occasional treat for those watching their carbs and sugars.

Make Your Own Trail Mix

2009-03-11T13:44:00.006-04:00

Here is a great gluten-free high power snack that is even fun for kids. :) Just use a little sandwich bag or zip-lock bag, make and decorate a fun label to tape on there if you want, and toss in your favorite fruit and nuts.

The List:

blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, cranberries
cherries, raisins, currants
figs, apricots, apples, pears, prunes, peaches
pomegranates, bananas, mangoes, papaya, pineapple

dark chocolate chips/white chocolate chips/butterscotch chips
coconut meat
yogurt-raisins/cranberries
dark chocolate covered almonds or raisins/berries
Reese's Pieces, peanut m'n'm's, etc.

walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts/filberts, chestnuts, pine nuts
brazil nuts, macadamia nuts
peanuts, cashews, pistachios
sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds

(The girls and me just put theirs together and named them, so I told them I would put them on here in Kid's Favorites.)

Emma's Fun Trail Mix
blueberries, raspberries, yogurt raisins, dark chocolate chips, M&M's, Walnuts, peanuts, and sunflower seeds.

Rachel's Very Berry Dark Chocolate-Coconut-Almond Mix
blackberries
blueberries
raspberries
strawberries
almonds
macadamia nuts
dark chocolate chips
coconut

Allie's Energizer Bunny Blend
blueberries
raisins
white chocolate chips
dark chocolate chips
yogurt raisins
macadamias
peanuts
sunflower seeds

Notes: Something Christy first pointed out to me one of the first times she took me grocery shoppinng with her...Trader Joe's has probably the best prices on nuts and dried fruit. I have found sometimes you have to watch for other additives though, and I don't think they really do a good job of separating peanuts/wheat etc, so if you are extremely sensitive that is something to be careful of. (Their almonds bother me quite a bit compared to others I have found.)
If you have serious sensitivities to certain nuts but not all, Blue Mountain Organics makes sprouted nuts and is a peanut-free facility. They are expensive (I am sort of lucky cause I live in the area where the warehouse is, so I get mine at almost wholesale prices, and pick them up myself) but worth it in taste and digest-ability. I think Whole Foods finally just started carrying their products.

Red Enchilada Sauce

2009-03-11T12:55:00.001-04:00

makes 3 cups sauce

4 oz. whole dried New Mexico or Ancho chiles
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 tsp ground cumin
2 small (8 oz) cans tomato paste
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 cups beef or chicken stock
sea salt to taste

1. Clean and dry chiles by removing stem and seeds. Be sure to wear rubber gloves for this process to protect from the chiles burning your skin, and be careful not to touch any part of your face.
2. Meanwhile, in a 2-quart saucepan, saute onion in olive oil. Add the cumin and cook, stirring constantly, until well amalgamated into oil.
3. Add stock and chiles, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer. Whisk in the garlic, vinegar, and tomato paste. Simmer, covered, about 45 minutes. Pass sauce through a food mill; season to taste.

Mango Chutney

2009-03-11T10:52:00.004-04:00

:) Look, I am posting it...it's nice and easy to make too.

Makes 1 cup chutney

1 (10-12 oz) mango
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c finely chopped red onion
2 Tbsp white vinegar
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
1/8 tsp ground turmeric
1/8 tsp ground cloves

1. Peel and pit the mango, and cut into 1/2" cubes.
2. In a deep 1 1/2 or 2-quart saucepan, combine all ingredients and stir until well mixed. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, about 20-25 min.

Okay, Christy, it is your turn again. Can you post the recipe for your enchiladas sometime? I have the red sauce recipe, I will post that, but could you do the green sauce and the actual recipe?

Beef Tenderloin With Mustard and Herbs

2009-03-04T23:50:00.000-05:00

From Cooking Light.

yield: 8 to 10 servings

1 (2 1/2 lb) beef tenderloin, trimmed
2 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/3 c finely chopped fresh parsley
2 T chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 T finely chopped fresh rosemary
3 T Dijon mustard

1) Prepare the grill.
2) Lightly cook the beef with the olive oil: sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Place beef on grill rack, coated with olive oil. Reduce heat to medium. Grill 30 minutes or until thermometer registers 145 degrees or until desired degree of doneness, turning to brown on all sides. Let beef stand 10 minutes.
3) Sprinkle parsley, thyme, and rosemary in an even layer on an 18x15-inch sheet of plastic wrap. Brush mustard evenly over beef. Place beef in herb mixture, roll beef over herbs, pressing gently. Slice beef.

Mar-A-Lago Turkey Burgers

2009-03-03T18:39:00.005-05:00

This recipe was introduced to me by my wonderful mother-in-law, Kay Shipe. The burgers are juicy and highly seasoned; do reduce the seasoning accordingly if you use less than 4 lbs. of turkey. The recipe is from the Mar-A-Largo restaurant in Florida. For the full unedited recipe from Oprah.com, click here. Kate and I made some small changes to the recipe--our version listed below:

Serves 6

4 pounds ground turkey breast
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
3 Granny Smith apples , peeled and diced
1 Tbls. plus 1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. Tabasco® chipotle pepper sauce
1 lemon, juiced and grated zest
1/2 bunch parsley , finely chopped
1/4 cup Major Grey's Chutney, pureed*
olive oil, for frying

Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients (except oil). Shape into burgers. Refrigerate for 2 hours. (Or cook right away! I've done it several times.)

Place on a preheated, lightly oiled grill. Grill each side for about 5 minutes until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Serve with a side of Major Grey's Chutney.*

*Kate created a fantastic mango chutney to replace the store-bought Major Grey's Chutney. I will get her to post the recipe soon! (hint, hint, if you are reading this, Kate!)

Lasagna w/Eggplant and Marinara Sauce

2009-01-23T23:56:00.000-05:00

Here is a lasagna recipe that is gluten-free and uses red sauce with beef. Use any of these Italian cheeses: Provolone, Romano, Fontina; I just picked some classic favorites. I prefer my mom's lasagna with cottage cheese rather than ricottta (its totally a texture thing, and I know Christy will probably think I'm crazy), but you can exchange those if you like.

serves 8

about 2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 large sweet onion, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, crushed and finely minced
1 medium eggplant, diced
1 c narrow zucchini and yellow squash, cut into halves and then sliced
1 c cremini mushrooms, thoroughly washed and sliced (optional; you can do bell peppers in place of the mushrooms, also)
1 16 oz can San Marzano (or just regular if you don't want to be gourmet) plum tomatoes, partially drained
1 8 oz can tomato paste
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp oregano or parsley
1/2 tsp dried thyme
(opt.) 1/2 tsp fennel
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 lb lean ground beef or sweet Italian sausage
about 1 tsp sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (at least 1/4 tsp)
Tinkyada gluten-free lasagna nooddles, cooked to al dente
16 oz. cottage cheese + 2 beaten eggs mixed in (or just Ricotta)
Polly-o Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Parmesan or Manchego cheese, finely grated

1. In a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat, crumble the beef in 1 or 2 tsp olive oil and brown. Remove the beef and set aside.
2. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil, and saute the garlic, onion, eggplant, mushroom, and summer squash until softened. Add the seasonings including the balsamic vinegar, plum tomatoes and juices and tomato paste and cook about 3 minutes.
3. Return the meat to the pan with the sauce and veggies. Season w/salt and pepper. Cook over low heat with a lid on for about 7-10 minutes, or while you prepare the cheeses.
4. Spread 1/4 of the sauce in a 9x13" glass baking dish. Arrange 1/3 of the noodles in an even layer over the sauce. Dot noodles with cottage cheese mixture/ricotta, and spread some mozzarella over the ricotta. Repeat layers two times. Spread remaining sauce over the top. Grate some fresh Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over all.
5. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees, for 50-55 minutes, or until bubbly and heated through. Allow to cool 7-10 minutes before serving.

Gingerbread Raisin-Apple Spice Muffins

2009-01-22T00:56:00.000-05:00

These reminded me of gingerbread cookies at Christmas. :)

yield: 36 muffins

1 pkg Namaste Gluten-Free Spice Cake Mix
3 eggs
2/3 c oil
3/4 c water
1 c shredded tart apple (such as pink lady or fuji)
handful of raisins or currants

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray.
Combine the eggs, oil, and water in a large mixing bowl. Add the spice mix to the bowl and stir with a fork until well-mixed. Fold in the apple and raisins.
Fill muffin tins 3/4 of the way full with the muffin batter. Place them in the center rack of the oven and bake 18-20 minutes.

Notes: This recipe is gluten, dairy, and nut-free. I think it might be potato free as well.

Whitefish with Tarragon-Butter Sauce

2009-01-16T20:05:00.002-05:00

This is a nice dish for summer time. Use any whitefish of your choice.

serves 4-6

4 (6 oz) whitefish fillets
sea salt and black pepper to taste
cooking spray
3/4 c dry white wine
1/2 c chicken broth
1/3 c finely minced shallots
5 teaspoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 Tbsp fresh chopped chives
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon

1) Sprinkle fish with sea salt and pepper. Heat a nonstick skillet over med-high heat, and coat with cooking spray. Add fish to the pan and cook 2 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Remove from pan, cover, and keep warm.
2) Add wine, broth, and shallots to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced to about 1/2 cup (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in butter, chives, and tarragon, and season lightly with sea salt. Spoon sauce over the fish; serve immediately.

Notes: See New Potato Salad with Haricots Verts and Shallots for the side dish in this picture.

Apple and Raspberry Quick Bread

2009-01-11T20:34:00.002-05:00

This is a gluten-free recipe I put together.

Flour mixture (this should equal 1 1/2 cups when combined):
1 c white rice flour
1/3 c potato starch
a half of 1/3 c tapioca flour (whatever that is, I just used my 1/3 measuring cup and eyeballed the halfway mark)
1 to 2 Tbsp flax seed or almond meal

Bread Mix:
1 1/2 c flour mix, sifted
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c brown sugar (I used unrefined cane sugar and it worked great)
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 c oil such as grapeseed, olive, or coconut (must be melted though if you used coconut)
1/4 c Vermont unsweetened applesauce
2 large eggs
1/2 c grated pink lady or Fuji apple
1/2 c fresh or frozen raspberries
some cinnamon for sprinkling over top

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a bread pan with cooking spray or coconut oil.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, spices, and salt into a bowl. Stir with a wire whisk until well combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, apple, sauce, and eggs until frothy. Add to the dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in the grated apple until evenly distributed, and then gently fold in the raspberries.
5. Pour into bread pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a fork or toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for a few minutes before moving to a rack to cool completely.

Note: This mixture is very similar to muffin mix, and can be used as a muffin batter. To make muffins instead, grease muffin tins, and bake 15-20 minutes. You can probably use melted butter in place of the oil in this recipe, as well, if you are not allergic to dairy. Also potato starch is not the same as potato flour; make sure you get the right one.

Christmas Breakfast

2008-12-26T21:27:00.006-05:00

The Menu:
Fresh squeezed Orange Juice and Grapefruit Juice
Fried bacon
A huge batch of scrambled eggs with cheese
Roasted Red Potatoes
Fruit Salad (consisting of clementine segments, blueberries, raspberries, and red grapes)
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Gluten-Free Sour Cream Coffee Cake (which Christy will post the recipe for)

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

2008-12-13T12:24:00.003-05:00

I just found a great recipe for gluten-free gingerbread cookies on Pamela's baking site. Enjoy!

Jayme's Chili

2008-12-05T00:38:00.004-05:00

I am posting this at the request of Christy.

Serves 8 to 10

1 1/2 lbs lean organic grass-fed ground beef
1/2 small sweet onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 or 2 celery ribs, chopped
2 (15 ounce) cans dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (6-8 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 small jar salsa
1 (24 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 c organic beef broth
1 beef bouillon cube, no MSG or gluten
1 to 2 c water
(about) 1/8 c chili powder
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 Tbsp dried basil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp A1 steak sauce
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper

1. Saute the ground beef in a large soup pot until it is brown. Drain off the excess fat. Then add the chopped vegetables and cook them with the meat until they are softened, but not wilted.
2. Stir in the spices and add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Serve this with corn bread, and a fall salad as well.

Notes: Honestly, I cut back somewhat on the spices when I make it, for anyone who doesn't like things very spicy.

Thanksgiving Menu

2008-11-24T12:25:00.012-05:00

Here are recipes for all of your favorite Thanksgiving dishes. But these recipes contain no processed ingredients, are generally low in sugar, and include gluten-free and dairy-free options. Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Menu
Roasted Organic Turkey
Cornbread-Sausage Stuffing with Apples
Cranberry-Orange Relish
Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Apples
Creamed Swiss Chard
Pumpkin Cheesecake

Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Menu
Roasted Organic Turkey
Pamela's Bread Stuffing (substitute 1 Tbls oil for 1 Tbls butter)
Cranberry-Orange Relish
Carrots with Ginger and Honey
Green Bean Casserole
or Warm Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Red Onion
Carrot Spice Cake

Beef Stew

2008-11-23T17:28:00.002-05:00

Serves 6
This is a very basic recipe--nothing fancy. Great on a cold winter day.

2 lbs. stew meat
2 Tbls. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 garlic clove
1 to 2 bay leaves
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. paprika
1.4 tsp. pepper
dash ground cloves
6 carrots, peeled and sliced
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
1 lb. small onions (optional)
1 can organic peas, drained (optional)
2 Tbls. rice flour or cornstarch, mixed with 2 Tbls. cold water

1. Heat 2 Tbls. oil in large pot over medium heat. Brown stew meat in pot with chopped onion, about 5 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaf, salt, sugar, paprika, pepper, and cloves along with 2 cups of hot water to the pot. Bring to a boil. Cover the pot, lower the heat, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
2. Remove bay leaf and garlic. Add carrots, potatoes, and optional small onions to the pot. (You may have to add additional water at this point; add as much as you need to barely cover the vegetables.) Simmer for 30 - 45 minutes, covered, until vegetables are tender. Add optional peas and heat until peas are warm. Add flour (or cornstarch) and water mixture and stir constantly to thicken the sauce, about 1 minute. Serve.

Chicken Marbella

2008-11-09T21:34:00.004-05:00

From The Silver Palate
Serves 6-8

This is Rich's favorite food of all time.

5 lbs chicken leg quarters
6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 T dried oregano
sea salt and black pepper
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1/4 c olive oil
1/2 c pitted prunes
1/4 c pitted Spanish green olives
1/4 c capers with a bit of juice
3 bay leaves

1 or 2 tbls. brown sugar
1/2 c white wine
2 T fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

1. Rinse chicken pieces and pat dry. In a lrg. glass baking dish, arrange chicken pieces in a single layer. Combine garlic, oregano, sea salt and black pepper, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice, and bay leaves, and arrange over and around chicken. Cover and let marinate in refrigerator overnight (or at least 4 hours).
2. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Sprinkle the dish with brown sugar and pour in the white wine. Place baking dish in the oven and bake 50 minutes to 1 hour until thigh pieces yield clear, yellow juice.
4. Transfer chicken, prunes, olives, and capers to a serving platter. Moisten chicken with spoonfuls of juices, and sprinkle generously with parsley. Put the pan juices in a gravy boat and serve on the side. (The juices are absolutely delicious and worth pouring all over your chicken. Serve with mashed potatoes to soak up the extra juices.)

This is how Rich eats his Chicken Marbella. The girls call it "Chicken Marbella Mountain."

Pot Roast with Vegetables and Red Wine

2008-11-09T13:00:00.000-05:00

From the Family Circle Cookbook
Serves 16

Marinade:
4 cups dry red wine
2 cups sliced onions
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tsp. leaf thyme, crumbled
1 tsp. leaf rosemary, crumbled
1 tsp. black pepper
4 cloves
1 bay leaf
3 strips orange rind

1 rump roast of beef (5 lbs)
1/4 slab bacon, cut into 1/2 inch slices
4 cups beef broth (Pacific or Imagine makes good broth)
1 can (16 oz.) tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 pounds carrots, pared, halved lengthwise and quartered crosswise
3 pounds small white onions, peeled
2 tablespoons dry Madeira
2 tablespoons cornstarch

1. Prepare Marinade: Combine wine, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, thyme, rosemary, pepper, cloves, bay leaf and orange rind in large bowl. Add meat. Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally (or, put marinade and meat in a gallon-sized zipper bag to marinate; carefully squeeze out all of the air before closing the bag and then there's no need to turn it occasionally).
2. To cook, preheat the oven to moderate (350).
3. Drain meat and vegetables, reserving liquid, meat and vegetables separately. Pat meat dry with paper toweling.
4. Place bacon in Dutch oven large enough to hold rump roast. Saute over moderate heat until crisp. Transfer bacon with slotted spoon to a plate. Add meat to pot; brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove meat. Add vegetables from marinade; cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Return meat to pot. Add marinade, broth, tomatoes, and tomato paste. Bring to boiling over high heat. Cover pot.
5. Bake pot in preheated moderate oven (350), covered, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until meat is tender.
6. Remove meat from pot. Strain cooking liquid and discard solids; skim off fat. Return meat and strained liquid to pot. Add 2 pounds carrots, small onions, and reserved bacon pieces, if you wish. Simmer, covered, 20 to 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
7. Transfer meat and vegetables to large platter. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and keep warm. Boil cooking liquid to reduce to 4 cups, if necessary.
8. Combine Madeira, cornstarch and cream, if using, in small bowl. Bring liquid in casserole to boiling. Stir cornstarch mixture into pot liquid; cook until lightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Lower heat; simmer sauce 5 minutes.
9. To serve: Slice meat and arrange on platter. Strain sauce into sauceboat. Spoon some of sauce over meat and vegetables. Pass remaining sauce.

Baked Ziti with Vegetables

2008-11-08T17:00:00.006-05:00

Although I call this "baked ziti", Tinkyada (which makes the yummiest gluten-free brown rice pasta) has not yet come out with ziti. So I use their macaroni or penne pasta in this recipe. Still tastes great.

Serves 6-8
1 eggplant, peeled (if desired), diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 zucchini, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
1 lb. Tinkyada brown rice pasta (penne or macaroni)
1 lb. ground beef
1 25.5 oz jar of organic pasta sauce
8 oz. whole milk ricotta*
1 tsp. salt & 1/4 pepper or more to taste
1/2 bunch fresh basil, chopped (optional)
8 oz. whole milk mozzarella, shredded*

1. Heat a large pot of water until boiling. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Meanwhile, saute eggplant, zucchini, onion, and garlic in olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Remove vegetables from the pan to a plate when done.
4. Brown ground beef in same pan used for vegetables.
5. Combine pasta, sauted vegetables, browned beef, pasta sauce, riccotta, salt, pepper, and optional fresh basil in a 9x13 casserole dish. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella over the top.
6. Cook at 350 until bubbling, about 30 - 45 minutes. (Tip: Heat pasta sauce in a small sauce pan while you are cooking the other ingredients so that it is already hot when you combine all the ingredients. It will speed up the final cooking time.)

*A word about ingredients: Dairy products are best consumed raw. However, occasionally the super-sensitive Shipe household makes an exception and actually cooks some cheese and enjoys its ooey, gooey, melty deliciousness.

Roasted Yam Halves

2008-11-08T14:42:00.000-05:00

From Martha Stewart Living
Prep Time: 5 min. Total Time: 55 min.
Serves 4

This is a quick and delicious way to prepare yams or sweet potatoes.*

2 yams or sweet potatoes (about 1 pound each)
2 Tbls extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbls finely chopped fresh thume
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Halve yams and place, cut side up, in a shallow baking dish just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown and very tender, 35 to 45 minutes.

*A word about ingredients: Yams and sweet potatoes both have a much lower glycemic index than regular potatoes. Translation: they do not cause your blood sugar to spike as much as regular potatoes. Glycemic index of potatoes. Yams - 37; Sweet Potatoes - 59; white mashed potatoes - 70; baked potatoes - 85; french fries - 75. For comparison, sucrose is 64. So yes, America, potatoes have a higher glycemic index than table sugar!!

Salmon Cucumber Bites

2008-11-08T13:07:00.003-05:00

This is a great gluten-free lunch as the cucumbers serve as a tasty alternative to bread. My kids love this.

1 can wild Alaskan salmon*
mayonnaise
dill relish
1 cucumber
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes

1. Drain canned salmon and mix with mayonnaise and dill relish. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
2. Slice cucumber into rounds. Top each round with about 1 Tbls of tuna salad.
3. Wash tomatoes, slice in half, and place one half on top of each salmon cucumber bite.

*A word about ingredients: Wild Alaskan or Wild Pacific salmon is a much safer alternative to tuna or to Atlantic or farm-raised salmon. Unfortunately, tuna and Atlantic salmon have been contaminated by mercury. Farm-raised (often called "Atlantic") salmon is often so poor in quality that the farmers must use food coloring to give the salmon its pink color found in nature.

Blackberry Shortbread

2008-11-08T12:42:00.005-05:00

From Martha Stewart Living
Prep Time: 15 min. Total Time: 60 min.
Makes 1 dozen

I'm a terrible food photographer! These are much more delicious than the picture looks. If you make the gluten-free version, be forewarned that the shortbread can get a little soggy and ricey after a day or two. But they are delicious fresh! We enjoy making these with the blackberries we pick at Great Country Farms!

10 Tbls (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, or Pamela's All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Mix
1/2 cup whole roasted almonds (2 ounces)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbls confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
1/4 tsp pure almond extract
1 pound blackberries (about 4 cups)
Freshly grated zest of 1 orange

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9x13 baking pan. Line with parchment; butter lining. Dust with flour; tap out excess. Grind almonds in food processor until fine.
2. Whisk together flour, nuts, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; set aside. Put 3/4 cup plus 1 Tbls sugar and the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in almond extract. Add flour mixture in 2 batches; mix until a crumbly dough forms.
3. Press all by 1 cup dough onto bottom of pan. Toss berries with zest; scatter over dough. Sprinkle with remaining Tbls sugar; crumble reserved dough on top. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool on wire rack. Cut into 12 squares; dust with sugar.

Summer BBQ Menu

2008-11-08T12:34:00.004-05:00

Sit outside and enjoy the fresh produce of summer!

BBQ Chicken with Basic BBQ Sauce
Collard Greens
Homemade Coleslaw
Black-eyed Pea Jalapeno Salad
Fresh Tomato and Avocado slices

Corn & Zucchini Fritters

2008-11-08T11:36:00.004-05:00

From Martha Stewart Living
Makes about 1 dozen fritters
I wait all year for the corn, zucchini, and tomatoes to come in at the farm just so I can make this recipe! This is the taste of summer!

1 1/2 cups flour*
2 tsp baking powder*
coarse salt* and freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp melted butter
2 large eggs
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp milk
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini (about 8 oz)
2 cups fresh corn kernels (from 3 or 4 ears)

Garnish:
peeled and sliced avocado
fresh tomato slices
slices of raw cheddar cheese
bacon, cooked until crisp

1. To remove fresh corn kernels from the ear, first peel the corn and carefully remove the silk. Then cut one end of the ear of corn so that it is flat. Placing the flat end of the corn on your cutting board (or even better, a shallow bowl or pie dish to catch the kernels as they come off), slice the kernels off of the ear, several rows at a time until all the kernels are removed.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, 2 tsp salt* and 1/4 tsp pepper in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the butter, eggs, and milk; add to the flour mixture. Stir until just combined. Add zucchini and corn, stir until well blended.
3. Lightly grease a griddle with oil or butter, like you would prepare it for making pancakes. Drop about 2 tbsp of batter into the skillet for each fritter, pressing gently with a spatula to flatten (should be the size of pancakes). Cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer onto paper towels to drain. Season with salt and pepper while still hot.
4. Serve fritters as a side dish on their own or as a sandwich, with avacado, bacon, tomato, and cheese in-between two slices.

*A word about ingredients: You can make this recipe Gluten-Free by substituting Pamela's All-Purpose Baking Mix for the flour, baking soda, and salt. I've served the gluten-free version to everyone I know, and they cannot tell the difference.

Tarragon Potato Salad with Sugar Snap Peas

2008-11-08T11:07:00.003-05:00

Serves 4-6

This is my absolute favorite potato salad, and I am a huge fan of potato salad! I discovered this salad because I am allergic to eggs and cannot eat mayonnaise. This potato salad has no eggs. (But it does have dairy.)

Dressing:
2 tsp. dijon mustard*
1 tsp. salt (or more to taste)
1/4 tsp. white or black pepper
2 Tbls. tarragon vinegar*
1/4 cup olive oil*
1/4 cup sour cream*
2 Tbls. fresh tarragon, chopped (or more to taste)

Salad ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. red potatoes
1 package sugar snap peas, strings removed
1 small red onion, cut into thin slices

1. Cut potatoes into bite-sized chunks and boil until just fork tender. Do not overcook! Remove immediate from heat, drain, and rinse in cold water. Let cool in fridge or by placing bowl of potatoes in a bowl of ice water.
2. Bring a small pot of water to boil for the peas. When water boils, blanch peas in the water until they all turn bright green, 1 to 3 minutes. Do not overcook! Remove from heat, rinse in cold water, and place in ice water bath until cool. Drain peas and pat try with paper toweling.
3. Meanwhile, prepare dressing by whisking together mustard, salt, pepper, and vinegar in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil with a wire whisk or a fork until the oil is emulsified into the other ingredients (the mixture should be thickened). Whisk in sour cream and tarragon.
4. When all ingredients are cool, place in a large bowl and pour dressing over top. Gently combine all ingredients. You may need more salt; I find potatoes usually need generous amounts of salt. Chill for 2 to 24 hours before serving.

Chicken Salad Variation: This recipe makes a fantastic tarragon chicken salad. Simply replace 1 1/2 lbs. cooked potatoes with 1 1/2 lbs. cooked chicken. Absolutely delicious!

*A word about ingredients: Use a high-quality dijon mustard made with white wine. Makes a huge difference! I like Grey Poupon. You must use tarragon vinegar; it really adds that tarragon flavor to this dish. It's pretty easy to find. Use a high-quality, extra-virgin, first-cold-pressed, unfiltered, organic olive oil if you can find it. I buy Trader Joe's First Lady Reserve. It isn't organic, but it has all the other qualities for a great price. Unfiltered olive oil has lauric acid, a natural anti-viral. For the sour cream, use an organic, whole milk sour cream with live active cultures. I like Horizon Organic. None of this low-fat dairy stuff! Whole-fat dairy WILL NOT make you fat. Low-fat dairy usually contains dry milk, which is full of chemicals. Enjoy the fat!!

Stuffed Dates with Clementines

2008-10-09T14:20:00.000-04:00

From Martha Stewart Living
Serves 4-6

This is a great dessert for Christmas or New Years, or anytime in the winter when dates come to your supermarket. It is a relatively healthy dessert since it is mostly fruit and nuts. Only 1 Tbls of sugar in the whole recipe!

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese (about 4 ounces)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbls sugar (you could also use 1 Tbls honey or maple syrup)
8 Medjool dates
1/2 cup whole roasted almonds
6 clementines or tangerines, peeled and separated into segments

1. Stir together mascarpone, cinnamon, and sugar in a small bowl. Cut a slit lengthwise in each date, and remove pit. Fill each date with 1 Tbls cheese mixture. Refridgerate dates until ready to serve, up to 2 hours.
2. Arrange almonds, stuffed dates, and clementine segments on a serving platter.

Spaghetti!

2008-08-15T00:05:00.000-04:00

Just a basic spaghetti. You can also add a smidgen of dried thyme or fennel to make the sauce a little sweeter.

Serves 4 to 6

1 lb lean ground beef, lamb, or Italian sausage
1-2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 jar of gourmet or homemade marinara pasta sauce
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/8 c good red wine (Cabernet is good with red sauce)
about 1/8 to 1/4 c balsamic vinegar
1 small eggplant, peeled and diced
1 small zucchini or yellow squash or a combination, chopped
opt: a portabello mushroom, chopped
opt: sweet baby red bell peppers, seeded and diced
gluten free (Tinkyada) spaghetti, fettucini, or spinach spaghetti cooked according to package directions
opt: a brick of hard Italian cheese, such as Parmesan, Romano, or Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Cook the spaghetti/pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a large, deep, nonstick saute pan, cook the ground beef or sausage in a little olive oil until browned (the oil is mostly for flavoring, since even lean beef tends to have enough fat to cook itself in). Pour off the excess fat.
2. Add the vegetables + a little more olive oil or water if needed, and cook until vegetables are softened. Add the spices and cook another minute or two. Add the pasta sauce, wine, and vinegar.
3. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer over med-low heat about 30 to 35 minutes to let the flavors blend. (The longer you cook this sauce, the better it is.)
4. To serve, portion out spaghetti to separate plates, top with some sauce, and grate fresh hard Italian cheese over top. Accompany with a tossed salad.

Mahogany Chicken

2008-07-15T00:20:00.001-04:00

From Williams-Sonoma: Essentials of Grilling. This was a hit with my family when I made it.

For the mahogany glaze:
1/4 c molasses
1/4 c cider vinegar
1 Tbsp light olive oil
1 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce
1 Tbsp whole grain Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tsp grated orange zest
Freshly ground black or white pepper

2 1/2 lbs chicken thighs
2 handfuls wood chips, preferably mesquite, but hickory is good as well

1. Make the mahogany glaze. In a small saucepan, combine the molasses, vinegar, oil, wors. sauce, mustard, orange juice, and zest, plus 1/2 tsp pepper. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Simmer for 2 minnutes to blend flavors, stirring often. The glaze will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
2. (I used my dad's gas grill, so I will give the diretions according to that, but feel free to leave a comment and ask for further details for a charcoal grill if you like.) Prepare a gas grill for indirect grilling over medium heat. Add the wood chips in a perferated foil packet, unless you already have a smoker box attached to your grill. Wait a while for the stronger smoke to die down before adding the chicken.
3. Grill chicken skin side down away from the heat elements for 10 minutes. Turn the chicken, brush with more glaze, and grill 10 minutes. Continue to grill, turning and brushing chicken with glaze 2 more times, until the juices run clear when a thigh is pierced with a knife tip. (About 20 minutes longer. Approximately 40 minutes total cooking time.) Serve warm.

Layered Mozzarella and Tomato Salad

2008-07-14T23:35:00.001-04:00

I found this in The Silver Palate. It is kind of an appetizer Mozzarella, Tomato, and Basil Salad, glorified.

yield: 6 servings
4 lrg. ripe Roma tomatoes, cut into 4-inch slices
2 lbs fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/4 c chopped fresh basil
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
1/2 c black Nicoise olives
1/2 c vinaigrette
freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. On a large serving platter, alternate overlapping slices of tomato and moz. cheese. Sprinkle basil, parsley, and black olives over all.
2. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and grind black pepper on generously. Serve at room temperature.

Creamy Herbed Pork Chops

2008-07-09T18:34:00.000-04:00

Prep Time: 1/2 hour
Serves 4

Delicious with Green Rice to soak up extra sauce!

4 pork chops, cut 3/4-inch thick
1 Tbls butter (or olive oil, for a dairy-free recipe)
1/3 cup finely chopped carrot
1 Tbls snipped fresh parsley
2 Tbls rice flour
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp vegan bouillon
2/3 cup milk (or chicken broth, for a dairy-free recipe)

1. Trim fat from meat. If desired, sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, cook chops in butter (or oil) over medium heat for 5 minutes. Turn chops and add carrot. Cook until no pink remains (another 5 minutes if right thickness). Remove chops reserving drippings and carrot in the pan.
2. For sauce, stir parsley, flour, thyme, bouillon, and 1/4 tsp pepper into drippings and carrot. Add milk (or broth) all at once. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Thin with a could Tbls of water if necessary. Return chops to skillet and heat through. Serve chops on a platter and sauce in a bowl or gravy boat.

A word about ingredients: Pork is not the healthiest meat or the easiest to digest. If you have digestive trouble, you may want to avoid it. You can try this recipe with chicken cutlets instead of pork chops.

Zucchini Crust Pizza

2008-07-09T18:20:00.000-04:00

Makes one pizza

A delicious way to use that fresh summer produce!

3 cups shredded zucchini
2 eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (or Pamela's All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Mix)
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups shredded mozzarella
2 small tomatoes, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup green pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
3 Tbls Parmesan

1. In a bowl, combine zucchini and egg; mix well. Add flour and salt; stir well. Spread onto bottom of greased 12-inch pizza pan.
2. Bake at 450 for 8 minutes or longer until set. Reduce heat to 350. Top with remaining ingredients. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until onion is tender and cheese is melted.

Beef & Vegetable Kabobs

2008-07-02T23:50:00.003-04:00

Serves 4-6

2 lbs steak, cut into cubes
3 bell peppers in a variety of colors, cut into chunks
1 large red onion
2 tlbs seasoned rice vinegar
2 tbls olive oil
2 tbls soy sauce*
Green Rice**

1. Assemble kabobs on skewers by alternating cubes of steak with peppers and onions.
2. Combine vinegar, oil, and soy sauce in a separate bowl. Brush over kabobs.
3. Cook on a hot grill for 5 - 8 minutes until the beef is cooked to medium. Serve with Green Rice.

*San-J has a Wheat-Free soy sauce
**Click on the "Potatoes Rice and Grains" label for the Green Rice recipe.

Strawberry, Blueberry. and Almond Tart

2008-07-02T11:30:00.000-04:00

Serves 10

For the almond crust:
2 cups almond meal
6 tbls melter butter or coconut butter
2 tbls sugar
pinch of salt

For the filling:
8 oz. marscapone cheese
2 tbls. pure maple syrup or honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
1 pint blueberries, washed and dried
1 pint strawberries, washed, hulled and dried
8 oz. currant jelly (optional)

1. Combine crust ingredients in a medium bowl. Press into tart pan. Chill in the refrigerator until set (about 1 hour).
2. Combine marscapone cheese, syrup or honey, and vanilla or almond extract in a small bowl. Spread evenly on top of almond crust.
3. Top with berries.
4. (Optional) Melt currant jelly in small saucepan over medium heat. Brush as a glaze on top of berries. May serve immediately or keep in the refrigerator overnight.

Thai Beef Salad with Cucumber Dressing

2008-07-01T14:54:00.001-04:00

From The Treasury of Creative Cooking
Serves 4

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 red pepper, cut in thin strips
2 green onions, diagonally cut into 1-inch pieces
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce*
salt & freshly ground pepper
lettuce leaves
6 ounces rice pasta(vermicelli or linguini), cooked according to package directions**
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
Cucumber Dressing (recipe follows)

1. Prepare cucumber dressing; set aside.
2. Brown ground beef in medium skillet. Drain. Add red peppers, onions, and garlic; cook until tender. Stir in vinegar and soy sauce; season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Arrange lettuce leaves on four plates. Top with cold noodles and ground beef mixture. Garnish with cherry tomatoes. Serve with dressing.

Cucumber Dressing
1 medium cucumber, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon diced jalapeno or green chili pepper
Pinch of salt

Place cucumbers, onions, cilantro, garlic, peppers, and salt in food processor container; process 1 minute. Spoon mixture into small bowl and serve.

*San-J has wheat-free soy sauce
**I use Thai Kitchen noodles; they are gluten-free

Green Rice

2008-06-25T13:40:00.003-04:00

Serves 6

1 cup long-grain brown rice
2 cups organic or homemade chicken broth*
2 tbls chopped parsley
1 thinly sliced green onion
2 tbls butter
salt to taste

1. Put rice and broth into small pot. Heat on high until boiling; lower heat to the lowest setting and gently simmer for 1 hour or until rice has absorbed all the liquid and is tender.
2. Put cooked, hot rice into a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and gently combine.

Mediterranian Salad

2008-06-25T13:29:00.001-04:00

Serves 4

1 head of romaine lettuce
4 soft-boiled eggs, cut into quarters
8 oz. uncured ham or turkey ham, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, cut into slices
1 cucumber, cut into slices
1 jar of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 small can sliced black olives
8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and serve with Giant's Simply Enjoy Ripe Olive and Feta Vinaigrette.

Black-Eyed Pea and Jalapeno Salad

2008-06-13T22:07:00.003-04:00

From Martha Stewart Living
Serves 4
The mild flavor of the peas is perfectly enhanced by the crunch and spiciness of the onions, peppers, and vinegar. A great side-dish for BBQ or any summer picnic. One of Rich's favorite salads.

2 cans (15 ounces each) black-eyed peas, drained, rinsed, and excess water shaken out
2 fresh jalapeno chiles, seeds and ribs discarded, flesh cut until 1/4-inch dice*
1 small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
3/4 cup broccoli sprouts (or other sprouts such as alfalfa)**
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbls red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Put black-eyed peas, jalapenos, onion, and sprouts in a large bowl. Add oil and vinegar, and toss well. Season with salt and pepper.

*You may want to wear rubber gloves to seed and chop the chiles.
**Broccoli sprouts are a super food absolutely packed with antioxidants. It is one of the best veggies you can eat.

Basic Barbecue Sauce

2008-06-13T21:44:00.003-04:00

From The Barbeque Bible
Makes 2 1/2 to 3 cups

Time for the summer recipes! This tastes absolutely fantastic on grilled chicken. If you have extra sauce, keep it covered in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

3 tbls olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 green bell pepper, stemmed seeded and minced
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 cup water
3 tbls cider vinegar
3 tbls Worcestershire sauce
2 tbls fresh lemon juice
1 tsp of your favorite hot sauce or hot red pepper flakes*
1/2 tsp liquid smoke or 2 tbls meat drippings
2 tbls molasses
3 tbls firmly packed brown sugar
2 tbls prepared mustard of choice (I like Grey Poupon)
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
salt, to taste

1. Heat oil in a large nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and saute until slightly softened but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute one more minute.
2. Stir in the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 15 minutes, stirring often to prevent scorching. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little water. Remove from the heat and taste for seasoning, adding salt and vinegar, hot sauce, and sugar as necessary; the sauce should be highly seasoned.
3. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm or at room temperature. The sauce will keep, tightly covered in the refrigerator, for several weeks.
*This will make a mild to medium spicy sauce.

Grilled Flank Steak With Tomato, Avocado, and Cucumber Salad

2008-06-12T23:39:00.000-04:00

Sort of from Cooking Light Magazine...I think I changed the type of greens and also added my own dressing.

Serves 6 to 8

Steak:
1 (2 1/2lb) flank steak
2 T fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
(a little olive oil to mix for dressing if you like)
olive oil cooking spray

Salad:
1 cucumber, partially peeled, halved, and cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 c ripe grape or fresh diced Roma tomatoes
2 c torn green and red leaf lettuce
sea salt and black pepper to taste
1 1/2 c peeled, pitted and sliced avocado
1/3 c vertically sliced red onion
A Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing* or Lime Vinaigrette (see step 2)

1. Marinate the steak for about 6 hours in the lime juice, black pepper, and salt.
2. Grill the steak to medium-well. Allow it to cool slightly, and slice into strips. If you like, you can make more of the marinade to use for dressing rather than balsamic vinaigrette like I call for.
3. Toss the remaining ingredients in a glass or wooden salad serving bowl and top with the steak strips and a little dressing just to coat. Serve.

Tomatillo and Sweet Corn Salsa

2008-06-09T18:26:00.001-04:00

Makes about 1 cup of salsa.

Absolutely delicious!

1/2 cup tomatillos, husked and diced
2 Tbls chopped onion
1 ear of corn
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbls lime juice
2 Tbls chopped cilantro
2 Tbls diced banana pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground cumin

1. Cut raw kernels from the ear of corn and combine with other ingredients.
2. Refrigerate for at least an hour to let the flavors blend. Best if refrigerated overnight.

Tomato, Basil, and White-Bean Salad

2008-06-09T18:14:00.000-04:00

From Martha Stewart Living
Prep Time: 10 min. Total Time: 35 min.
Serves 4

Great as a side to BBQ chicken or burgers and hot dogs!

2 cans (19 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 pound small roma (plum) tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tsp coarse salt
freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 small garlic cloves, minced

1. Combine beans, tomatoes, basil, and salt in a bowl, and season with pepper.
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Pour over bean mixture, and gently toss. Let stand 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Salad can be covered and kept at room temperature up to 4 hours.

Cornish Hens with Lemon and Herbs

2008-06-09T14:29:00.001-04:00

From Martha Stewart Living
Prep Time: 10 min. Total Time: 65 minutes
Serves 4

This recipe is also delicious with a chicken roaster. I like to roast my chicken at 450 for about 10-15 minutes to sear in the juices a bit then turn it down to 375 or 350 and cook for about 1 1/2 hours for a 4 lb. bird. Check for doneness as described in the recipe with a meat thermometer. I serve this with Lemon Thyme Rice Pilaf.

2 Cornish hens (about 1 3/4 pounds each), room temperature, rinsed well and patted dry
1 bunch fresh thyme (about 1/2 ounce), plus more for garnish
2 lemons, halved, plus wedges for serving
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 Tbls unsalted butter (or olive oil for a dairy-free recipe)
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat over to 450. Place hens in a roasting pan, breast sides up. Place 2 thyme sprigs and 1 lemon half in cavity of each hen (or 4 thyme sprigs and 2 lemon halves in the cavity of one chicken). Loosen skin from breast and place remaining thyme and the parsley underneath. Squeeze remaining lemon halves over hens. Rub butter (or oil) all over hens. Season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Roast hens, rotating pan halfway through, until skin tuns golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees, 45 to 50 minutes. Let stand 10 minuets. Cut hens in half lengthwise. Garnish with thyme sprigs, and serve with lemon wedges.

Chick-Peas with Vegetables and Feta Cheese

2008-06-08T20:43:00.000-04:00

From The Family Circle Cookbook
Serves 4

This is a very healthy recipe; serve over plain brown rice or Green Rice (recipe under "Potatoes Rice and Grains" label) to form a complete protein with the beans. A great way to use your summer garden veggies.

2 16-oz cans chick-peas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
3/4 cup finely crumbled feta cheese
2 to 3 tsp Dijon mustard
4 medium-size tomatoes
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbls olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 large sweet red or yellow pepper, cored, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 1/4 tsp leaf marjoram, crumbled
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large yellow squash, cut into chunks
1 large zucchini, cut into chunks

1. Preheat oven to moderate (375).
2. Lightly grease shallow 2-quart baking dish, 8x8x2 inches. Add beans, feta, and mustard. Chop 2 of the tomatoes; stir into beans with salt and pepper.
3. Heat 1 tbls oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, sweet pepper and marjoram; saute 5 minutes or until onion is softened. Add garlic; saute 2 minutes. Stir into bean mixture.
4. Heat remaining tbls oil in same skillet. Add yellow squash and zucchini; saute 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, seed and shop remaining 2 tomatoes; stir into squash mixture. Spoon over bean mixture. Cover dish with aluminum foil.
6. Bake in preheated moderate oven (375) for 45 minutes.

Chili Con Carne

2008-04-04T10:39:00.000-04:00

Serves 4

This is a classic recipe from my mom. I think it might have come from the old Betty Crocker cookbook.

1 lb. ground beef
1 cup onion, chopped
3/4 cup green pepper, chopped
16 oz. can diced tomatoes
16 oz. can dark red kidney beans
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. chili powder
1 bay leaf

In heavy skillet or pot, cook meat, onion, and green pepper until meat is lightly browned and vegetables are tender. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Remove bay leaf.

White Chicken Chili

2008-04-04T10:24:00.000-04:00

Serves 4

From my sister, Jayme Metzgar.

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 med. onion, chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 tbls. olive oil
2 15-oz. cans great northern beans
14.5 oz. chicken broth
2 (4 oz.) cans chopped green chilis
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 cup sour cream

Cut the chicken into bite-size chunks. Heat oil over medium heat in large pot. Saute chicken, onion, and garlic until chicken is cooked, about 5 minutes. Add all of the other ingredients to the pot except cream. Simmer 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream if desired, or serve cream on the side.

Beef and Vegetable Fajitas

2008-02-20T16:40:00.004-05:00

Christy's recipe...she gave it to me a while back and said it was the best ever homemade fajita marinade. I actually never got around to trying it...but here is her version for that the best that I know it...

1 flank steak, cut into strips
1 sliced onion
1 red pepper, sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Marinade:
1/4 c lime juice
1 Tbsp balsamic or red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp fresh parsley
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp salt

1. Whisk together the ingredients for the marinade. Slice and chop the steak and vegetables and add them to a marinade dish or zip-lock bag. Pour marinade over and let sit for an hour before cooking.
(I think Christy does this on the grill...maybe sautes the vegetables?)

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2008-02-20T14:38:00.005-05:00

This would be great for Thanksgiving! From the Family Circle Cookbook.

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 20 single-square crackers)*
2 Tbls. granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Filling:
3 packages (8 ounces each) Neufchatel cream cheese, softened (or regular cream cheese)
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar*
1/2 cup granulated sugar*
5 eggs
1 can (16 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin puree (not pie filling, just pumpkin)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
confectioners' sugar (optional)

1. Prepare Crust: Butter 9-inch spring-form pan. Combine crumbs, sugar, butter and cinnamon in small bowl. Press mixture over bottom and halfway up sides of pan. Chill at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to slow (325)
3. Prepare Filling: Beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth. Beat in brown and granulated sugars until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Pout mixture into prepared pan.
4. Bake in preheated slow oven (325) for 1 1/4 hours or until just set in center. Tent with foil if overbrowning.
5. Gently run thin knife around edge of pan. Cool cake in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.
6. To serve, remove side of pan. Sprinkle with sifted confectioners' sugar, if you wish.

* Guten-Free version: I have found gluten-free graham crackers in several health food stores. Or, you could use any kind of gluten-free cookies crumbled up. Ginger cookies might be good.

*Okay, so this recipe is not really low in sugar, but I did cut the sugar down a bit from the original recipe. Thanksgiving only comes once a year. Everyone needs a little dessert.

White Bean & Kale Soup

2008-02-11T13:23:00.001-05:00

Adapted from The Family Circle Cookbook
Serves 8

My kids insisted that I put this in "Kid's Favorites." May God bless you with children that will eat kale. They really do love this soup, though. I've tried kale in other recipes, and for some reason, it just tastes especially good with the combination of flavors in this soup.

2 15-oz. cans navy beans (or other white beans), drained and rinsed
3 stalks celery, diced
2 medium-sized carrots, pared and sliced
1 medium-sized onion, diced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 ounces bacon, diced
46 ounces chicken broth (Imagine Organics is the best--see links)
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 bunch fresh kale, washed, stems removed, and coarsely chopped*
1/2 cup small shell pasta*
Grated Parmesan cheese*

1. Heat bacon in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook until fat begins to render. Add celery, carrot, onion, and garlic and cook stirring frequently, 5 minutes. Add all but 1 cup of beans, chicken broth, and pepper.
2. Mash the reserved cup of beans and add it to the soup. Add kale. Bring to boiling over high heat. Lower heat; simmer 10 minutes or until all ingredients are heated through and kale is tender.
3. Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions; drain. Stir pasta into soup. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

*Notes on these ingredients:
1) Buy organic kale if possible. All dark, leafy greens soak up nitrates from the soil. Organic soil will have far less nitrates than soil that has been treated with chemical fertilizers. Nitrates attack the intenstinal system; the FDA warns pregnant or nursing women and infants to avoid nitrates.
2) You may use rice pasta for those who are gluten intolerant. Tinkyada makes small shell rice pasta.
3) Those with dairy allergies can simply eliminate sprinkling the Parmesan on their soup.

Warm Brussles Sprouts with Apples and Red Onion

2008-02-11T12:54:00.000-05:00

Serves 6-8
Adapted from a recipe my sister Katie Dunn gave me. We loved it as a side-dish at Christmas. Great anytime for a fall or winter side-dish. Try with roasted meats or as a side to Apple Chicken Spiced Sausage available at Giant under the Nature's Promise brand.

2 slices applewood smoked bacon (no nitrates, available at Giant or Whole Foods)
2 cups diced and peeled Granny Smith apples
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbls cider vinegar
3 cups Brussels Sprouts, cut into quarters
1 tsp stone-ground mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

1. Cook bacon in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Add apple, onion, and garlic to drippings in pan; saute for 5 min or until lightly browned. Add 1 tablespoon water and vinegar to the pan, scraping to loosen browned bits.
2. Meanwhile, steam Brussels sprouts in a separate pan with a few tablespoons of water until almost fork tender.
3. Add Brussels sprouts to pan with apples and cook, stirring frequently, until tender (1-2 minutes). Stir in mustard, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with bacon.

Herbed Corn

2008-02-11T12:46:00.000-05:00

Serves 10-12
According to my mother-in-law, Kay Shipe, this is the best corn side-dish on earth. The recipe is from my sister, Jayme Metzgar. (I imagine this would also be delicious with fresh corn, cut off the cob and blanched quickly in boiling water.)

12 cups frozen corn
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

In a large saucepan, combine corn and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 4-6 minutes or until corn is tender. Drain; stir in the remaining ingredients.

Chicken Dijonnaise

2008-02-11T03:41:00.001-05:00

Another Silver Palate recipe.

2 to 4 servings

2 1/2 lbs boneless (not skinless) chicken thighs
1/3 c dijon-style mustard
black pepper to taste
1/3 c vermouth or dry white wine
1/2 c heavy or whipping cream
sea salt to taste

1. Coat chicken with mustard and set in a bowl, covered, to marinate at room temperature for 2 hours.
2. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange chicken in a glass baking dish. Scrape remaining mustard from bowl and spread evenly over chicken. Season with pepper and pour wine around the chicken.
3. Set dish in the center rack in the oven; bake, basting occasionally, 30 to 40 minutes or until chicken is done (juices run clear).
4. Scrape mustard off chicken into a small saucepan. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and cover to keep warm. Pour baking juices into the saucepan as well.
5. Bring the saucepan to a boil; whisk in heavy cream and lower heat. Simmer the sauce 5 to 10 minutes until reduced by 1/3. Season lightly with sea salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over chicken. Serve.

Hot Dog Casserole

2008-01-31T16:24:00.001-05:00

Serves 4-6

1 package "uncured" hotdogs (no nitrates)
6 potatoes
1 16-oz. package of Imagine Organic Creamy Potato Leek Soup
salt & pepper to taste
(grated cheese-optional)

1. Peel potatoes and cut into chunks. Boil until you can prick it through with a fork.
2. Slice hotdogs into bite-sized rounds.
3. Mix all ingredients together in a 9x13 casserole.
4. Bake at 350 until bubbly, 20 - 30 minutes.

Southwestern Corn Chowder

2008-01-30T21:55:00.000-05:00

A great summer soup.

4 ounces bacon (5 or 6 slices), cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 fresh small poblano chile, seeded and cut into 1/4 inch dice
coarse sea salt
1/2 t ground cumin
freshly ground black pepper
pinch of red chile pepper flakes
1 c dry white wine
1 lb yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
5 c chicken stock
3 c fresh corn kernels, about 6 ears
1 c heavy cream
note from Christy: it also calls for 1/4 c fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish, but it can be done without it

1. In a lrg pot or soup pan, add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 5 minutes.
2. Cook onions until softened, 4 min. Add carrot, celery, and chile pepper and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 t salt, the cumin, 1/4 t black pepper, and the red pepper flakes. Raise heat to high; add wine. Cook until most liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Add potatoes and stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Stir in corn and cream; cook until corn is tender (do not let cream boil), about 5 minutes more. (If you want to add the cilantro, add it here.) Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with reserved bacon pieces.

Peasant Vegetable Soup

2008-01-30T21:54:00.010-05:00

From The Silver Palate. Sorry the picture does not have the cabbage-it was taken when the cabbage wasn't available!
Serves 6 to 8

1 1/2 c dried Cannellini beans (or great northern, navy, or other white bean)
4 T salted butter (or olive oil)
1 c finely chopped sweet or yellow onion
4 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed, and finely chopped
3 leeks, white part only, thoroughly cleaned and thinly sliced
2 celery ribs, washed and coarsely chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
8 to 10 cups organic chicken broth
3 parsnips, peeled and chopped
2 or 3 ham (or I like turkey-ham) steaks, cut into cubes
1/2 of a small white cabbage, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/2 c chopped fresh Italian parsley
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Sort through the beans and discard pebbles. Soak beans overnight in water that covers them by about 3 inches.
2. Drain the beans. In a large soup or stock pan, warm the butter or oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, onions, leaks, celery, and carrots, and cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender and lightly colored. (I add the parsnips in this step sometimes, too.)
3. Stir in the thyme, bay leaf, and chicken broth. Then add parsnips, ham, and beans, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 40 minutes or until the beans are tender.
4. Add the cabbage and parsley; simmer another 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and correct seasoning (I add about 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper to start with). Serve.

Chard with Peppers and Onions

2008-01-30T21:53:00.001-05:00

Serves 6

For those who want to get those dark green leafies in the diet, this is a great recipe.

2 bunches chard, stemmed and coarsly chopped
1 red onion, cut into thin strips
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
3 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper to taste

Steam chard in a vegetable steamer or a colander over boiling water until soft (about 5 minutes). Meanwhile, heat up 2 T olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions and peppers until soft, about 5 minutes. Add steamed chard to the skillet. Saute another 1 or 2 minutes. Add another T olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Season to taste.

Rosemary Lentils

2008-01-30T21:51:00.004-05:00

This is good for a light lunch or supper.

1 c dried lentils
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 t salt
1 t red wine vinegar
2 t olive oil
black pepper to taste

1. Put lentils, garlic, rosemary, and bay leaf in med. saucepan; cover with cold water by 2 inches (about 5 c water). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to med. low and partially cover and simmer, stirring occassionally until lentils are tender. About 20 minutes.
2. Drain. Discard garlic, rosemary stem, and bay leaf. Return lentil mix to pan. Stir in salt, vinegar, and oil. Season with pepper. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

Green Beans with Lemon Butter

2008-01-30T21:51:00.002-05:00

approx. 1 T sea salt
1 lb fresh or frozen green beans
2 T unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 T finely grated lemon zest
freshly ground black pepper

1. Steam green beans until just tender, and still a bright green. Drain.
2. Add butter and zest; toss and season with salt and pepper.

Lentil Salad with Spinach, Sausage, and Goat Cheese

2008-01-30T21:49:00.002-05:00

3/4 c green lentils
3 T olive oil
1/2 onion, sliced in thin rings
1 carrot, diced to pieces
1 celery stalk, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 t chopped parsley
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 c chopped fresh spinach
sea salt and black pepper
turkey kielbasa sausage, cut up (optional)
4 oz fresh goat cheese (optional)

1. Bring medium saucepan of water to a boil; add lentils and simmer, stirring occasionally til tender. (15 min.)

2. Meanwhile heat 2 T oil in lrg. skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add carrot, celery, and bell pepper; continue to cook, storring occasionally, until begetables are tender, about 5 minutes more. Stir in parsley, vinegar, and remaining T oil. Transfer to large bowl.

3. Drain lentils and add to bowl with veggies. Stir in spinach and season with salt and pepper. Cook sausage pieces in same skillet. Stir into lentil mixture. Crumble goat cheese into bowl, and toss gently to combine.

Shepherd's Pie with Butternut Squash and Potato Topping

2008-01-30T21:41:00.000-05:00

Serves 6-8

Squash and Potato Topping:
1 med. butternut squash, halved lengthwise, seeded, pared, and cut into 1 inch cubes
3 lrg. red potatoes, pared and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 T unsalted butter
½ c whipping cream
¼ c chicken broth (or ½ c and ¼ c cream)
1 ½ t salt
¼ t black pepper
¼ t ground nutmeg
1/8 t ground red pepper
1 egg
paprika

Filling:
2 T olive oil
1 lrg. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 ½ lbs ground beef
1 T dried basil
1 T dried oregano
1 t ground cumin
1 t salt
½ t leaf thyme
¼ t pepper
1 lb frozen green beans, steamed 3 minutes
1 can (28 ounces) Italian style plum tomatoes, diced

1. Prepare topping. Drop squash and potatoes into a lrg. pot with enough salted water to cover them by 1 inch. Cover and bring to a boil. Boil 15 minutes or until tender.
2. Drain squash and potatoes, dump in mixer bowl. Add other ingredients for topping except egg and paprika. Mash until fuffy. Cool slightly.
3. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare filling: Heat oil in lrg. skillet over med. heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until softened. Remove to plate.
4. Crumble beef into skillet and cook over med. heat until browned. Stir in spices and onion mixture. Add tomatoes and green beans. Cook 10 minutes. Spoon into 13x9x2 inch glass baking dish.
5. Beat egg into squash mixture. Spread evenly over filling. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake until bubbly (about 40 min.) and top is golden brown. Cool on rack 20 minutes before serving.

Cornbread-Sausage Stuffing with Apples

2008-01-30T21:40:00.003-05:00

From The Silver Palate
Serves 12

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) sweet butter
2 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onions
3 tart apples, cored and chunked; do not peel
1 pound lightly seasoned bulk sausage (breakfast sausage with sage is best)
9 cups gluten-free cornbread cut into small cubes and dried on the counter overnight (regular cornbread works, too)
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
1 1/2 cup shelled pecan halves

1. Melt half of the butter in a skillet. Add chopped onions and cook over medium heat, partially covered, until tender and lightly colored, about 25 minutes. Transfer onions and butter to a large mixing bowl.
2. Melt remaining butter in the same skillet. Add apple chunks and cook over high heat until lightly colored but not mushy. Transfer apples and butter to the mixing bowl.
3. Crumble the sausage into the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring, until lightly browned. With a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to the mixing bowl and reserve the rendered fat.
4. Add remaining ingredients to the ingredients in the mixing bowl and combine gently. Cool completely before stuffing the bird; refrigerate if not used promptly.
5. If you do not wish actually to stuff the bird, spoon it into a casserole. Cover casserole and set into a large pan. Pour hot water around the casserole to come halfway up the sides. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes at 325 F, basting occasionally with cooking juices from the bird or with the reserved sausage fat if necessary.

Chicken Monterey

2008-01-30T21:37:00.000-05:00

From The Silver Palate
Serves 6-8

I like the orange juice in this one. :)

5 T olive oil
1 chicken 2 ½ to 3 lbs, quartered
salt and black pepper to taste
1 c finely chopped yellow onion
2 carrots, chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 c chicken stock
½ c fresh orange juice
½ c crushed tomatoes
1 T dried rosemary
1 med. red bell pepper, cut julienne
½ zucchini and ½ yellow squash, sliced diagonally
1/3 c Italian parsley
grated zest of 1 orange

1. Heat 3 T oil in large skillet. Rinse and pat chicken pieces dry; season with salt and pepper, and cook in oil 5 minutes. Turn chicken, season; cook another 5 minutes. Do not brown; it should be pale gold. Remove chicken and reserve.
2. Add onions, carrots, and garlic to oil and cook, covered, over low heat until veggies are tender. (25 minutes.)
3. Uncover skillet and add stock, oj, tomatoes, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper to taste and simmer mixture uncovered, 15 minutes.
4. Return chicken pieces to pan and simmer 20-25 minutes or until chicken is nearly done. Baste pieces with sauce and turn once at 15 minutes. You can refrigerate chicken in sauce and reheat gently before serving in you want to complete recipe here.
5. Heat remaining 2 T olive oil in another skillet and sauté pepper 5 minutes. Add sliced zucchini and yellow squash and season with salt and pepper. Raise heat and toss vegetables until tender, but still firm. 5 minutes or so.

Apricot-Dijon Chicken

2008-01-30T21:36:00.001-05:00

From Martha Stewart Living
Serves 4

8 chicken thighs
salt and black pepper
1 12 ounce jar of apricot jam
2 T honey
2 T dijon mustard

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse chicken and transfer to baking dish. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Bring apricot jam, honey, and mustard to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer until thickened and reduced by half. (15 min.) Spoon apricot mix over the chicken; spread evenly with a spoon.
Bake chicken, basting with sauce from bottom of the dish every 10 minutes until juices run clear when chicken is pricked. (About 30 minutes.)

Pizza Hamburgers

2008-01-30T21:26:00.000-05:00

Serves 4

1 lb. ground beef
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. oregano
fresh grated mozzarella cheese
fresh grated mild or medium cheddar cheese

Pre-heat oven 425. Mix all ingredients except sauce. Add half the tomato sauce to the meat mixture. Make hamburgers and form little craters (like a dish to hold the sauce), and put the rest of the sauce into the craters of the hamburgers. Cook hamburgers 20 minutes, add cheese on top of each burger and cook another 5 min.
(Serve with baby green beans.)

Variations:
1. Red Wine Vinegar - Lessen tomato sauce to 6 oz. and add 1/8 cup of red wine vinegar to the meat when mixing in the sauce. Add 1/2 tsp. basil and pepper to taste.
2. Gluten-Free - Replace 1/2 c. bread crumbs with 1/4 c. corn meal.
3. Dairy-Free - Do not melt cheese on the burger.

Grilled Potatoes with Garlic

2008-01-30T21:21:00.000-05:00

From The Family Circle Cookbook
Serves 4

These are by far the tastiest potatoes to serve with steak or hamburgers! Yum, yum! And no dairy in the recipe.

1 1/2 lbs. small red new potatoes, scrubbed (or regular red potatoes)
4 large cloves garlic, unpeeled
4 tbls. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 tbls. white wine vinegar
2 tsp. dijon-style mustard
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 green onions, thinly sliced

1. Heat coals in grill. Make tray from heavy-duty aluminum foil by folding foil over for double strength and folding up sides; oil tray (I prefer to use a cast iron skillet).
2. Cut potatoes into pieces no larger than 1 1/2 inches. Combine potatoes, garlic cloves, 1 tbls. oil and 1/4 tsp. salt in medium-size bowl; toss until potatoes are well coated. Spoon potato mixture into foil tray, keeping potatoes in a single layer. Top with rosemary sprigs.
3. Grill potatoes 5 inches above medium-hot coals, covered with dome, turning occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes or until tender and crisply browned.
4. Meanwhile, whisk together vinegar, mustard, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper in medium-size bowl. Gradually whisk in remaining 3 tbls. oil. Discard woody rosemany stems from grilling tray. Squeeze grilled garlic cloves from skins into dressing in bowl. Mash slightly into dressing.
5. Add potatoes and green onions to dressing; toss gently to coat. Serve warm.

Green Chile Chicken Nachos

2008-01-30T15:39:00.000-05:00

Adapted from 365 More Ways to Cook Chicken
Serves 6-8

A Shipe family favorite! Make a lot so you can have left-overs.

4 tbls. olive oil
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
4 tbls. yellow cornmeal
4 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 cup chopped scallions
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 cups drained canned tomatillos
2 (2-ounce) cans chopped green chiles
salt to taste
1 bunch chopped cilantro
tortilla chips
4 cups shredded lettuce
sour cream

1. In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken chunks and cook, stirring, until golden, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle cornmeal, chili powder, and cumin over chicken and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add salt to taste. Stir in broth, tomatillos, and chiles. Simmer, stirring often and mashing tomatillos, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and green onions and simmer 30 seconds.
2. Serve green chili chicken onto individual plates on top of tortilla chips. Top with shredded lettuce and sour cream.

Chicken Scampi with Spinach

2008-01-30T15:24:00.001-05:00

Adapted from 365 More Ways to Cook Chicken
Serves 4 - 6

Rachel and I cannot get enough of this recipe. She is allergic to dairy, but if you are not, I highly recommend generously topping your plate of pasta with grated Parmesan or Romano.

1 lb. fettuccini
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
salt & pepper to taste
4 tbls. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine
3 tbls. chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried
1 tbls. shopped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. crushed hot red pepper flakes
2 tbls. corn starch or flour
1 7-ounce package fresh spinach, washed
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until tender but still firm according to package directions. Drain in colander.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbls. olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken, season with salt & pepper, and cook, stirring frequently until no pink remains. Remove from heat.
3. In a large sauce pan, heat 2 tbls. olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions. Cook, stirring often, until onions are soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and basil and cook for 1 minute. Add broth, wine, and hot pepper. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced by about one-fourth, 5 to 7 minutes. Mix the cornstarch or flour with a bit of cold water; add to the pot and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Add spinach to pot, cover, and let spinach wilt (about 3 minutes).
4. Add cooked chicken and pasta to the sauce pan and heat thoroughly. Toss with parsley; serve with Parmesan cheese.

Greens with Cucumber, Red Onion, and Balsamic Vinaigrette

2008-01-22T01:03:00.000-05:00

4-6 servings

4 c green leaf lettuce
2 c baby spinach leaves
1 c cucumber, peeled and sliced
1/3 c red onion, sliced
1 c either a red bell pepper, sliced, or fresh Roma tomatoes, sliced (or a combination of yellow bell pepper and the tomatoes)

Dressing: (makes about 3/4 c)
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 T balsamic vinegar
6-10 T extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. In a large glass or wooden salad bowl, toss the greens and vegetables. Set aside.
2. Prepare the dressing. Whisk ingredients together with a wire whisk in a small bowl until thickened and creamy. Pour a little over the salad just to lightly coat it, and toss the salad once more. Put remaining dressing in a serving dish to serve with the salad.
3. Serve the salad alongside a main dish meal, or red sauce pasta.

Brown Rice Cream with Raisins, Walnuts, and Unsweetened Applesauce

2008-01-02T23:08:00.004-05:00

Christy taught me how to make this when I first baby-sat her kids when they were little. (Actually, I should be honest and say Emma taught me, haha.) Thought it might be a good breakfast for little kids with wheat allergies.

yields about 2-3 servings

1/4 c uncooked brown rice cream cereal (seriously, Erewhon is the best; I hate all the other brands of the stuff. Whole Foods carries it, or you can order it from Amazon if you are that hardcore about brown rice cream cereal.)
1 c water
unsweetened applesauce
raisins
walnut pieces
opt: pinch of ground cinnamon

Cook the brown rice cream cereal according to package directions and to desired consistency. Then stir in the applesauce, raisins, and walnuts, and sprinkle with cinnamon if desired. Serve warm.

Notes: You can change the dried fruit and nuts for ones of your choice.

Cornbread

2007-11-24T12:52:00.002-05:00

Serves 6
Double recipe if making cornbread for Cornbread-Sausage Stuffing with Apples.

1-1/4 cup Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix
1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup sugar or honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten (for fluffier muffins use two eggs)
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted butter

Muffins: Mix all ingredients together and fill greased muffin tin 3/4 full. Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes.

Corn bread: Follow directions above, using two eggs. Pour into a greased 8-inch square pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Green Bean Casserole

2007-11-24T12:15:00.004-05:00

Serves 6
I created this recipe to replace the traditional green bean casserole with organic, gluten-free, dairy-free, chemical-free ingredients. A delicious organic potato leek soup adds creaminess, and almonds add a delightful crunch on top. Just as easy to make as the original!

1 1/2 lbs frozen green beans*
16 oz. Imagine Organics Potato Leek soup
1 onion, sliced
butter or olive oil
salt & pepper
6 oz. sliced almonds

1. Steam green beans or heat in a shallow pan of water until beans are bright green and heated through (you only need to bring the beans to a boil for about 1 minute and then remove from the heat). Drain beans and place in casserole dish.
2. Meanwhile, saute onions in 2 Tbls butter or olive oil until soft and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add to casserole with green beans.
3. Pour Potato Leek soup into casserole over beans and onions. Stir in salt & pepper to taste. Cook in a 350 oven until hot and bubbly (about 1/2 hour). Top with sliced almonds and return to oven for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

* A word about ingedients: I absolutely love Trader Joe's frozen green beans. They are thin and delicious. Yum!

Creamed Swiss Chard

2007-11-24T12:02:00.003-05:00

Serves 12
From Martha Stewart Living

6 Tbls unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
3 to 4 large bunches Swiss chard, stems cut into 1/4-inch pieces (2 cups), and leaves cut into 3/4-inch strips, then halved (18 cups)
6 Tbls all-purpose or rice flour
2 3/4 cups whole organic milk (NOT ultra-pasteurized)*
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 3/4 tsp coarse salt
freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream*

1. Melt 2 Tbls butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add chard stems; cook, stirring occasionally, until stems begin to soften, about 7 minutes. Stir in half of the chard leaves and 2 Tbls water; cook, stirring occasionally until very tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; cover. Add remaining chard leaves and 2 Tbls water to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until very tender, about 15 minutes. Stir into bowl.
2. Melt remaining 4 Tbls butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour, stirring to avoid forming lumps. Gradually whisk in milk and nutmeg; season with salt and pepper. Raise heat to medium; bring to just below a boil, stirring occasionally; cook 2 minutes more, whisking constantly. Whisk in cream. Pour into chard mixture; stir to combine. Serve immediately.

*A word about ingredients: This recipe requires you to heat milk, which is not the ideal way to consume dairy ingredients. Dairy is best consumed raw. However, the occasional indulgence of cooked dairy isn't going to kill you! Also, the fact that this dish includes a dark, leafy green (chard), which is packed with tons of nutrients, offsets the damaged dairy in my mind. You might want to take some probiotics after consuming cooked dairy to help your system digest it.

Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Apples

2007-11-24T11:45:00.003-05:00

Serves 6
From Martha Stewart Living

4 large sweet potatoes, pierced with the times of a fork
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbls heavy cream
1/2 cup organic, unsweetened applesauce*
2 tsp grated fresh peeled ginger
1 tsp coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 granny smith apples (1 pound), peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 Tbls sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375. Arrange potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake until tender, 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand until cool enough to handle.
2. Cut each potato lengthwise. Scoop flesh into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted wit the paddle attachment; discard skins. Add 2 Tbls butter and the cream; mix on medium speed until smooth. Mix in applesauce and ginger; season with salt and pepper.
3. Transfer potato mixture to an ovenproof dish. Bake until heated through, about 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, toss apples with sugar in a bowl. Melt remaining 2 Tbls butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add apple mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, until apples are golden and caramelized, about 10 minutes.
5. Remove potato mixture from oven; top with caramelized apples, and serve.

Cranberry-Orange Relish

2007-11-24T11:41:00.003-05:00

Makes about 2 1/2 cups
From Martha Stewart Living

2 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 large fresh jalapena chile, seeded and finely chopped
2 blood or navel oranges, peel and pith removed, flesh separated into segments, juice reserved
2 Tbls fresh lime juice
2 tsp grated fresh peeled ginger
1/2 cup sugar*
2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4 dice
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

Pulse cranberries in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in onion, jalapeno, orange sections and juice, lime juice, ginger, sugar, and celery. Refrigerate 1 hour (up to 2 days). Before serving, stir in mint and pecans.

*Another not-really-low-in-sugar recipe, but the cranberries do need some sweetening! The fresh ingredients in this recipe will outshine that canned cranberry stuff any day.

Carrots with Ginger and Honey

2007-11-24T11:30:00.001-05:00

Serves 8 to 10
From Martha Stewart Living

Coarse salt
6 bunches baby carrots or halved thin regular carrots (about 2 pounds), peeled and trimmed
2 Tbls unsalted butter
2 pieces (2 inches) peeled fresh ginger, cut into thin matchsticks
3 Tbls honey

1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add carrots. Reduce heat, and simmer until almost tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain. Carrots can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 day.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add carrots, honey, and 1/2 tsp. salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are glazed, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Braised Lamb Shanks with Vegetables

2007-07-08T20:30:00.000-04:00

From The Family Circle Cookbook
Serves 4
The taste of the sauce and the vegetables is worth making this dish.

1 tbls olive oil
2 lbs meaty lamb shanks, cut into 1 1/2-inch thick pieces (ask your butcher to cut this for you if necessary)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (or white rice flour, for gluten-free cooking)
1 large onion, chopped
7 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tsp chopped pared fresh ginger
1 lb all-purpose potatoes, pared and cut into 1/4-inch chunks
12 oz white turnips, pared and cut in 1/2-inch chunks
6 oz carrots (2 to 3), pared and cut diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 tsp leaf rosemary, crumbled
3/4 tsp grated lemon rind
1/8 tsp pepper

1. Preheat oven to moderate (350)
2. Heat oil in ovenproof Dutch oven or pot over moderately high heat. Dredge lamb in flour. Working in batches, add lamb to oil; saute until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Remove lamb to plate as it browns. Lower heat.
3. Add onion, garlic and ginger to pot; cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
4. Add potatoes, turnips, carrots, broth, white wine, rosemary, lemon rind, pepper and lamb. Bring to boiling. Cover.
5. Bake in preheated moderate oven (350) for 1 hour or until meat is tender. Transfer meat and vegetables to serving platter. Skim fat from sauce. Pour sauce over meat and vegetables. Serve.

Red Beans & Rice with Kielbasa

2007-06-25T13:54:00.000-04:00

1 T olive oil
12 oz. Turkey Kielbasa sausage, cut into slices
6 green onions (1/2 c)
1 small red pepper, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans kidney beans
2 cups water
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t oregano
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 t black pepper
1 bay leaf
Green Rice

Saute olive oil and sausage in a large skillet. Remove, and then in the same pan saute vegetables (except kidney beans) until tender. Add spices and 1 and a half cans of kidney beans. Add 2 c water and cook about 10 to 15 minutes. Crush the remaining half can of kidney beans and mix in with vegetables; add cooked sausage back into pan. Cook a couple more minutes til flavors are combined. Serve with Green Rice (recipe is in Rice Grains and Beans label).

Ingredients Information

2007-01-31T16:31:00.000-05:00