Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

Most muffin recipes I've tried have seemed to lack 'something' - turns out it was a hint of lemon!

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

2 cups all purpose flour (or 2 cups rice flour)
1 cup whole wheat flour (or 1 cup potato starch + 1 tsp xanthan gum)
1 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 cup milk
2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
zest plus juice of 1/3 small lemon

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Add eggs, oil, milk and lemon. Mix until just moist. Fold in blueberries. Grease 18 muffin cups and fill 3/4 full with batter. Top muffins with another sprinkle of sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Blackberry Pie

Blackberry Pie

3-4 cups blackberries
3-4 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp flour (or rice flour)

Combine all ingredients. If using fresh blackberries, allow to sit in refrigerator for 1 hour. Pour into pie crust and top with lattice crust or vented crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.

Rhubarb Pie

This is one of my absolute favorite desserts. It's a little tart, which I think is just perfect.

Rhubarb Pie

3-4 cups rhubarb, sliced 1" thick
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp flour (or rice flour)

In large bowl, combine all ingredients. Let sit in fridge for 1 hour. Pour into 1 double crust pie shell and top with lattice crust or crust with vents. Bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes.

Gluten Free Vinegar Pastry Crust

This makes quite a nice pie crust - to roll out, flour a cloth or waxed paper, roll dough in flour until no longer sticky, roll out with rolling pin. Invert pie plate over center of dough, slide hand under paper, and invert, gently pressing dough into edges of plate. Repeat for top crust, cutting vents in dough before inverting. I'm usually too lazy to roll out the dough and found that it works just as well, though isn't as pretty, to press the bottom crust into the pan in chunks and then smooth, then flatten top crust dough into several circles and place evenly across top of pie.

Gluten Free Vinegar Pastry Crust

1.5 cups rice flour (Bob's Red Mill makes a good white and a good brown rice flour)
1/2 cup potato starch (I also use Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 cup corn starch
1 tbsp sugar
1/5 tsp xanthan gum
3/4 cup butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tbsp vinegar
3 tbsp cold water

Combine dry ingredients. Cut in butter until forms pea-sized crumbs. Mix egg, vingar and water. Add 2 tbsp at a time until dough is of playdough consistency.

Granola

This recipe is, unfortunately, not GF (unless you happen to be able to tolerate gluten free oats, which I cannot).

Granola

3 cups oats
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup crushed pecans
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup raisins or craisins

Combine all in large bowl and mix well. Spread onto cookie sheets. Bake at 250 for 1 hour or until golden, stirring every 15 minutes.

Strawberry Mandarin Salad

Strawberry Mandarin Salad

1 6-oz bag spinach leaves
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained
4 oz slivered almonds
4 oz crumbled feta cheese

Place spinach in bowl. Top with remaining ingredients. Serve with Poppy Seed dressing.

Tuna Salad

A fun, light lunch - good on rice cakes or bread - double if feeding more than two

Tuna Salad

2 5-oz cans of tuna
1 large stalk celery, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 generous squeeze lemon juice
liberal dash pepper

Combine all in bowl and mix well.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Chocolate Creme de Menthe Cake

A yummy way to follow corned beef and cabbage on St. Patty's Day

Chocolate Creme De Menthe Cake

4 squares baker's chocolate
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 2/3 cups flour (or 1 cup rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch, 1 tsp xanthan gum)
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp water
3/4 tsp peppermint extract
4-5 drops green food coloring

2 cups chocolate chips
6 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp peppermint extract

In small saucepan, melt chocolate with water and 1/2 cup sugar. In mixer cream butter and 1 1/2 cup sugar. Add eggs and beat until well mixed. Add flour and baking soda alternately with milk, beating throughout. Add vanilla and cooled chocolate mixture and beat well. Pour into well greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 5o minutes. When cooled, place cake in freezer for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in mixer, cream butter, powdered sugar, and water. Add peppermint extract and food coloring and mix well. Spread on frozen cake. Chill in fridge for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, melt butter and chocolate chips on low heat. Stir in peppermint extract. Spread over cake. Refrigerate until hardened.

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

I discovered that most corned beef in the stores is brined in a solution containing sodium nitrites. So here's how to brine it yourself, then cook it in the slow cooker until it's tender and falling apart. Yum!

** This needs to sit in brine for a week, so plan ahead!!**

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

1 beef brisket (about 3 lbs)
2 quarts water
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
3 bay leaves
2 tsp pepper
1 tsp mustard seed
pinch of cloves or all spice

4-5 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
2 cups broth (beef or vegetable)
1 small cabbaged, wedged

One Week Before Cooking: Place brisket in a large bowl. In large saucepan, combine water, salt, vinegar, sugar, bay leaves, pepper, mustard seed and cloves. Bring to a boil. Allow brine to cool. Pour brine over brisket and cover well. Refrigerate for 7 days.

On Day of Cooking: Drain and rinse brisket. In slow cooker, layer carrots, potatoes, meat and onions in that order. Pour broth over all. Cook on high for 6 hours. Add cabbage on top and continue cooking on high for another 3 hours.

4 Cheese and Caramelized Onion Macaroni

The recipe I adapted this from also included pulled pork. I think you are better able to appreciate the flavors of the cheese without it, but if you want a heartier dish, that may be something to consider.

4 Cheese and Caramelized Onion Macaroni

16 oz spiral pasta (Deboles makes a great rice and flax version)
2 tbsp butter
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 cup flour (or rice flour)
2.5 cups low fat milk
8 oz plain greek yogurt
1.5 cups white wine
2 tbsp fresh sage (or a generous sprinkle dry sage)
liberal dash pepper
4 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded
4 oz Fontina cheese, shredded
4 oz Emmentaler (or regular Swiss) cheese, shredded
1 cup unsweetened cornflakes, crushed (Erewhon makes a good version)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Boil noodles until al dente. Meanwhile, melt butter in pan and sauté onions until clear. Reduce heat to simmer and cook another 20 minutes until golden. Meanwhile, whip milk with yogurt until well blended. When onions are golden, add flour and mix well. Add milk mixture, stirring continually, and cook over medium low heat until bubbly and slightly thickened. Add wine, sage and pepper and bring to simmer, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add Gruyere, Fontina, and Emmentaler cheeses, stirring until combined and melty. Pour pasta into large skillet coated with olive oil. Pour cheese mixture over pasta and stir well. In a small bowl, mix cornflakes, olive oil and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Sprinkle over the pasta. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes.

Salmon with Lemon Pepper Sauce

Warning: this dish is rather tart. If you prefer a milder sauce, decrease amount of lemon and pepper.

Salmon with Lemon Pepper Sauce

1 lb salmon fillets, thawed
1 tbsp butter
3 green onions, chopped
1 tbsp soy sauce (I prefer Bragg's Liquid Aminos for their milder flavor - also gluten free)
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tsp pepper

Bake salmon at 375 for 12 minutes or until fish flakes when poked with a fork. Meanwhile in small saucepan, melt butter and sautee onions for 2-3 minutes. Add soy sauce, lemon juice and pepper and heat through. Serve sauce over salmon.

Schaum Torte With Berries and Cream

When I was a little girl I was always thrilled when Grandma made made this dessert.

Schaum Torte With Berries and Cream

6 egg whites
2 cups sugar
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups raspberries or strawberries
1.5 cups whipping cream
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Beat egg whites until stiff. Add the sugar and beat several minutes more. Mix in the vinegar and baking powder. Pour into an ungreased pie pan, or form into 8 small mounds on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour at 275 degrees. Meanwhile, place berries in a bowl and crush gently with a spoon. Set aside. Pour cream into blender and whip at high speed, gradually adding sugar and vanilla, until peaks form but are not stiff. When torte has cooled, top with berry syrup and whipped cream.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Orange Cranberry Pancakes

Orange Cranberry Pancakes

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
.5 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp sugar
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegar)
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup Craisins
1 tsp orange zest
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tsp sugar

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar. Add egg, milk, oil and orange zest and mix until just moist. Fold in Craisins. In blender or food processor, blend cranberries, orange juice and sugar until smooth. Coat small frying pan or griddle with oil. Pour on batter 1/3 cup at a time. When pancake begins to set, flip pancake and cook till browned on both sides. Top pancakes with sauce and serve.

Pina Colada Pancakes

Pina Colada Pancakes

1 cup flour (or 1/3 cup potato starch, 2/3 cup rice flour)
1 tsp baking powder
.5 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp sugar
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegar)
scant 1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup flaked coconut
1 can crushed pineapple, drained

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and coconut. Add egg, milk, and oil. Mix till just moist. Coat a small frying pan with oil. Pour in batter 1/3 cup at a time. When pancake begins to set, flip it over. When all pancakes are cooked, top with crushed pineapple and serve.

Veggie Omelette

Veggie Omelette

4 eggs, beaten
dash salt and pepper
1/2 cup cheese
1/4 cup onion
1/4 cup green pepper
(or sub any veggies you like)

Coat small frying pan with oil. Sauté onion and pepper until tender. Set aside. Mix egg with salt and pepper. Pour into pan and cook over medium low heat. As bottom of egg sets, gently lift edge with spatula and tilt pan to allow more egg to flow underneath. When egg is almost entirely set, flip over and cook on bottom. Spread egg with cheese and veggies. Fold egg in half and cook another minute or two until cheese is melted.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Cranberry-raspberry Scones

Cranberry-Raspberry Scones

3 cups all purpose flour (or 1 cup potato starch, 2 cups rice flour, 2 tsp xanthan gum)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup fresh cranberries, chopped
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
2 tsp grated orange peel
1 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp sugar

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt. Cut in butter. Mix in cranberries, raspberries, walnuts and orange peel. Add buttermilk and mix just until moist. Lightly flour pastry cloth or counter. Roll out dough into 3/4" thick circle. Cut circle into 8 wedges. Place on baked cookie sheet then brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until toothpick tests done.

Sweet and Spicy Saute

Another one of the hubby's inventions. He's so creative.

Sweet and Spicy Sauté

1 chicken breast
2 pink lady apples
1/2 red pepper
1 green pepper
1/3 cup walnuts
4 Serrano peppers (adjust spiciness here)
3 green onions

sauté above in olive oil

3 tablespoons Agave nectar (adjust sweetness here)
4 teaspoons cilantro
4 teaspoons ginger
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons corn starch

mix sauce, pour on sautéed mixture, stir. Serve over brown rice.

Hashbrown Casserole

A yummy warm side dish. To make it a main dish, consider adding ham or sausage.

Hashbrown Casserole

4 cups thawed hashbrown potatoes
2 cups greek yogurt
6-7 green onions, chopped
2 cups cheddar, shredded
dash salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Transfer to 2 qt casserole dish. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes till cheese is melted and heated through.

Tortilla Casserole

Sorry I've fallen behind, it's been a busy couple weeks. Time to play catch-up now so here will be a few posts today.

Tortilla Casserole

1 bag tortilla chips
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can red beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans diced tomatoes or Rotell
1 can corn, drained (or 1 cup frozen corn, thawed)
1 4-oz can green chilis
1/2 cup black olives, chopped
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cilantro
1/2 tsp cumin
1 cup cheddar, shredded
1 cup pepperjack, shredded

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, combine beans, tomatoes, corn, chilis, olives, chili powder, cilantro, and cumin. Layer the bottom of a lasagna pan with 1/2 the chips, slightly crushed. Top with 1/2 bean mixture, 1/2 cup cheddar and 1/2 cup pepperjack. Repeat once. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes. Serve with sour cream and guacamole if desired.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Easy Veggie Soup

Quick, yummy, and healthy

Easy Veggie Soup

4 cups vegetable broth*
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 small onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice

In large pot combine all ingredients except rice. Bring to a boil, then simmer 15 minutes. Add rice and cook another 5 minutes.

*If you are using broth from a box or can instead of this recipe, also add a dash of thyme, parsley, and pepper to the pot.

White Trash German Breakfast

Another one of my husband's inventions.

White Trash German Breakfast

2 tbsp olive oil
1 roll German sausage
1/2 cup onions, diced
1 green pepper, diced
4 cups frozen hashbrowns
1/4 olives, diced
1/3 cheddar cheese, shredded
1 14-oz can sauerkraut
1 egg, scrambled
dash pepper

Heat oil in large saucepan. Brown sausage. Add onion and pepper and sautee until tender. Add hashbrowns and cook 5 minutes. Add olives, cheese, pepper, egg and sauerkraut, mix well, and cook till heated (approximately 10 more minutes).

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Tuna Noodle Casserole

1 8oz box of noodles
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can tuna
1 tbsp olive or canola oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 jar pimientos
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp pepper

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain well. Meanwhile, in hot oil, sautee onion and celery. In 2 quart casserole, combine noodles, onion, celery and pimiento. Add mushroom soup, tuna, mustard and pepper and mix well. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or till bubbly and heated through.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Vegetable Broth

Vegetable Broth

3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
1 clove garlic, diced
1 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp thyme
2 tbsp parsley
1/4 tsp pepper
8 cups water

Combine all in slow cooker and cook 8 hours on low. Strain and refrigerate or freeze till needed.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Breakfast Dessert

This is a fun 'treat' for morning or evening alike.

Breakfast Dessert

4 cups vanilla ice cream
2 cups Frosted Flakes or Special K*
4 cups strawberries, chopped
chocolate syrup (optional)

Divide ice cream into 4 bowls. Top each with 1/2 cup Frosted Flakes and 1 cup strawberries. Garnish with chocolate syrup if desired.

* Nature's Path makes a good GF Frosted Flakes version

Wild Caught Salmon with White Wine Pesto Sauce


Usually, I can't stand fish. But this is a really yummy combination. It's a true Omega-3 feast!

Wild Caught Salmon with White Wine Pesto Sauce

4 small wild-caught salmon fillets
3 cloves garlic
2 cups fresh basil
3 tbsp walnuts
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp parmesan, shredded
1/2 cup white wine

Cook salmon in 375 degree oven for 8-12 minutes, or until it flakes with a fork (20-25 minutes if frozen). Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a sauce pan and heat over medium low until just bubbly. Drizzle sauce over fish before serving.