BBQ chicken

 On Sunday I made some fabulous bbq chicken. Here is what I did. 

Sauté sliced onion in saucepan with salt, pepper, and oil. When onion is golden take out of pan and put in bowl. Set aside. 

Thickly slice chicken (I used boneless and skinless). Place chicken in the same pan as you just cooked the onion. Cook until side is golden then flip to the other side. Cook until that side is also golden. 

Add onions back in the pan and drizzle with desired amount of bbq sauce. I used this one (cause no corn and it is delicious).  

Stir everything together and reduce a little bit. Then throw in the oven at 400* for a few minutes to make sure the inside is cooked all the way—(I did it till the rest of dinner was done). 

Gingerbread

 Mom loves gingerbread and requested it for her birthday 

Mix together 

1 c oil

1 c sugar 

3 eggs 

1 c molasses 

Lightly mix in

2 c sorghum

2 t cinnamon

1 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice 

1/2 t baking powder 

Time to mix in 

1 c water 

Now to the last of the dry ingredients 

1 c tapioca starch 

1 t xanthan gum

2 T grated ginger 

Last thing to add 

1 t baking soda mixed with 

1/4 c boiling water 

Bake at 350 till done 30-40 minutes 

Butternut squash soup

Yesterday I made a lovely soup. Here is it. I made it in the instant pot-but it would be totally easy
to make otherwise too.

Take the peel off the butternut squash and remove the seeds. I also roughly cut it up. Place in the instant pot with water-enough to submerge it and pressure cook for 5 minutes then quick release. Remove from instant pot and blend. I blended it with the water that I cooked it in. 

Sauté 

1 onion

2 c sliced cabbage 

2 c cauliflower 

Salt 

Pepper

Garlic 

Whatever else you want 

Add 

1 lb cut up chicken thighs (if you want it vegetarian I am sure it would work to skip the chicken)

Butternut squash for the broth 

Pressure cook for 4 minutes 

Add gnocchi (at least I did and it was wonderful...I was lazy and used the Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi)

Add pumpkin pie spice 

Season the rest of the way to taste

Enjoy

Pozole Rojo

This is a traditional Mexican soup that is eaten at Christmas time.  This one is for pozole rojo, which has a red broth.  There is also a pozole verde that uses green chilis.  It is usually pork-based and full of hominy.  You can also use chicken.  Using store bought stock can speed this up.  It is a bit of work, but the chili paste can be made whenever you have time and frozen until needed.  A crock pot makes the pork (or chicken) broth easy.  This serves 12+ people, easily adjustable for more or less.  There isn't a picture, because we ate it all before Jon requested the recipe.  Oh, well.

Ingredients:

For the broth-
2-3 pounds of pork (I've used several different cuts, pick one that is fatty.  Bone-in will add richness)
1 onion, quartered
3-4 garlic cloves
about 2 quarts water (I just fill up the crockpot)

For the chili paste- (same sauce can be used in tamales)
3-4 ounces of dried chiles, a variety is always good-like guajillo, New Mexico, ancho, etc
water to soak
1 onion, coarsely chopped
3-4 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon cumin, or more to taste
1-2 tablespoons oil
salt
pepper
sometimes I add chili powder, to taste

Putting the soup together-
3 28-ounce cans of hominy (more or less, depending on what you like)
water
salt
pepper

For the garnishes- chopped, diced, and sliced
onion
radish
green onion
cilantro
cabbage
kale
other stuff that sounds good


Directions:

1. Put the pork, onion, garlic, and water in a pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 45-60 minutes.  Alternatively, add broth ingredients to a crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours or so.  The meat should be very tender.

2. Take the meat out to cool and strain the broth into a large pot.  Throw out the solids (or put them into the chili paste when you blend it up). When the meat is cool enough, shred it and add to the broth.  This can sit in the fridge in jars for a few days, if needed.

3. Cover the chilis with hot water and let soak for maybe 30 minutes.  I usually put a bowl on top of them to keep them submerged.  Put on some gloves and remove the stems and seeds from the chilis.

4.  Put the chilis, garlic, onion, cumin, salt and pepper into a blender and puree.  Add some of the soaking water, as needed, to get a nice consistency.

5. Heat 1-2 tablespoons in a pot and then add the chili paste.  Cook on med-lo for 10 minutes or so, stirring frequently, until it gets a bit darker and richer.  I taste this and adjust to my taste, always remembering that it will be better after it sits for a day or so.  Put it in the fridge (or freezer) until you are ready to make the soup.

5. Some recipes want you to simmer the hominy (covered with water) for about 30 minutes before adding the other ingredients, water and everything.  I've done this, or simmered it directly in the broth with similar results.

6. Put the broth, chili paste, and hominy in a large pot.  Gently boil for about 30 minutes.  Adjust the seasonings to your taste.

7. Ladle a serving into a large bowl and then top with whatever garnishes strike your fancy.  The more, the better.

GF Bread

Here is another GF bread recipe. This one has no rice, but it does have a lot of eggs.

2 cups sorghum flour

1 cup tapioca flour

1/4 cup teff flour

1 tablespoon yeast

3 or 4 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon xanthan gum

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup water

1/4 cup oil

4 eggs

Whisk all the dry ingredients together, then add the wet ingredients. Beat in a stand mixer for 2-3 minutes. The consistency of the batter needs to be more like a cake batter and less like standard bread dough. Scoop out with wet hands into a greased bread pan and let rise until doubled (about an hour). Bake at 350 for around 45 minutes. 

Chicken Patties

I love to eat fried chicken.  Here is an easy recipe for pan fried chicken patties.

Cut up about 2 lbs of chicken breasts into small pieces (about the size of 1/4 inch squares).  Add a half cup of diced cilantro, a handful of diced green onions, 2 eggs, and a generous amount of salt.  Mix this up in a big bowl and then add enough starch (e.g., potato starch, corn starch, tapioca starch) to get the chicken to bind together.  I usually use around 1/2 cup of starch, but it really depends of how wet your chicken is and how large your eggs are. 

Heat up a cast iron pan with oil, about 1/4 inch thick of oil.  After the oil is hot spoon in a little of the chicken mixture to form a small pattie.  Let it cook on one side until golden brown.  Turn the pattie over and let it cook until golden brown.

They taste great with a spicy and sweet sauce like Mae Ploy.

Angel Food Cake

This is a lovely little cake and so easy to make gluten free. Plus it has no butter. This is adapted from Martha Stewart. 

12 egg whites

1t cream of tartar 

1 1/4 c sugar

1 c flour (I used roughly 3/4 c starch and 1/4 c sorghum)

1t xanthan gum 

2t vanilla

Whip eggs until frothy and add cream of tartar. Continue whipping and slowly add sugar. Whip until stiff peaks. Fold in flour and vanilla. 

Bake at 350 for 35-40 min

Squash and Bacon Ambrosia

According to Google, there are four definitions of Ambrosia.  The first is something that is pleasing to the taste.  The second is a fungus based food for beetles.  The third is the food that bees eat so that they can make honey.  The forth is a dessert with oranges and shredded coconut.  Luckily, this dish only fits the first definition. 

Ingredients:

1. One medium spaghetti squash
2. One medium to large sweet potato
3. 1/2 lb of good quality bacon
4. A few tablespoons of minced green onion
5. 1/2 cup of minced parsley 
6. Salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. Cut the spaghetti squash in half (the long way).  Clean out the guts and seeds.  Bake it at 350 degrees for about an hour until it is cooked.  Let the squash cool and pull out the meat, which will sort of look like stringy noodles.  Throw away the shell.
2. Cook the bacon until crispy.  Let it cool and then cut it up finely.  Save the fat. 
3. Peel and wash the sweet potato.  Cut up sweet potato up to look like matchsticks.
4. Mince up the parsley and green onion.
5. Once are finished with steps 1-4, you can start cooking the dish.  In the bacon fat, start cooking the sweet potatoes.  When the sweet potatoes are about 1/2 cooked add the green onions and parsley.  Once the onions and parsley have reduced and the sweet potatoes are soft, add the bacon and spaghetti squash.  Mix in all of the ingredients and add salt to taste.  If you let the dish sit for a few minutes before you serve it the bacon will penetrate all of the ingredients nicely. 

You can really make this dish with one pan.  I have used the same cast iron pan for all of the steps.  Save a little parsley for garnish.  

Hot Chocolate Mix

I was tired of looking for and paying for a non-dairy Hot Chocolate Mix.  As a result, I came up with this recipe for a Hot Chocolate Mix.   

Recipe.  In a blender add 1/2 cup of cocoa powder, 1 cup of sugar, and 1/2- 3/4 cups of semi-sweet chocolate (like chocolate chips).  Blend it up until the powder looks smooth and uniform.

The mix can be spooned into a cup of warm milk (like almond or flax milk) and dissolves pretty nicely.  I like to add a splash of vanilla to the cup.  I store the Hot Chocolate Mix in a mason jar.

I do have a Vitamix, so I am not sure how well it will work in another kind of blender.  I tried to double the recipe once, but it didn't work as well. 

Raspberry Sorbet

A lovely non-dairy treat.  Mmmm.

Ingredients:

12 oz bag of frozen raspberries, thawed
2 cups water
1 1/2 cup sugar
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice (How necessary is this? I don't know, but about half the recipes I looked at had it, so I put some in.  Definitely didn't hurt.)

1.  Combine the water and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil.  Boil for about 5 minutes to make a simple syrup.  Cool in fridge.

2.  Press the berries through a sieve to remove most of the seeds.

3.  Combine the syrup, lemon juice and raspberries and keep in the fridge until you are ready to freeze.

4.  Pour into ice cream maker and freeze until ready.  Put into the freezer for 1-3 hours.  Perfect.

Cranberry Almond Cookies

Egg-free and delicious.  I got this recipe from a friend and they are my new favorite cookie.  And not just because I can't eat eggs.  They have a nice texture and flavor.

Ingredients:

2 cups GF flour
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1 1/3 cup arrowroot powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1/2 cup chia mix (that is 2 tbs chia seeds mixed into 6 tbs water, let sit for about 5 minutes)
2 tablespoons almond milk
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1/2 cup (or so) chopped dried cranberries(these are optional...add nothing or whatever sounds good!)

Directions;

1.  Combine the dry ingredients.

2.  Add the wet inredients and mix well.  Add the cranberries.

3.  Refrigerate for at least an hour.

4.  Heat oven to 350*.  Line baking sheet with parchment or silpat.

5.  Form dough into balls, place on baking sheet and smash slightly.

6.  Bake for 12-14 minutes.  They should be just barely browned on the edges.  Let them cool for about a minute of the sheet, then transfer to a rack.


I'm sure you could make these with eggs, if you like. 1/2 cup chia mix equals 2 eggs.

Grain-free Banana Nut Muffins

These muffins are light and tender and not very sweet. You could add honey or maple syrup, if you like, but I like them as is.

Ingredients:

2 ripe bananas, mashed

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons melted butter or coconut oil

1/4 cup almond butter

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Mix everything together and sprinkle a few more chopped pecans on top. Bake at 375* for 20 minutes.  Makes 8 lovely muffins. 

Adapted from paleogrubs.com. 

Fruit Clafoutis

This is an easy, versitile, custardy 'rustic fruit dessert'. It is traditionally made with fresh cherries, usually sour. Any fresh fruit, especially stone fruits and berries work well. Mine is a little dark, but it was just fine. 

Ingredients

3 -6 eggs (yes, whatever...I used 6 in this one.  Most recipes call for 3 or so.)

1 1/2 cup milk/cream of choice

6 tablespoons of sugar, or sweetener of choice 

3/4 cup flour (very flexible, use what you have)

1 tablespoon vanilla (can add almond or other flavors as well)

Pinch of salt

2-3 cups fruit (cherries, peaches, apricots, berries, plums, etc)

Directions

Put eggs, milk, sweetener, vanilla and salt in a blender. Blend briefly then add flour and blend for about a minute. Pour into a buttered 9 in skillet or pie pan. Place fruit on top. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for about 30 minutes. It should puff slightly and set up. Dust with powdered sugar to serve, or serve with whipped cream. 

Honey Mustard Wings

Katie is on a wings kick. Here is the latest. Pretty mild, but good.

 

Ingredients 

4 pounds cut up chicken thighs, or wings seasoned with salt and pepper

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup spicy brown or Dijon mustard

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

Place the chicken on a greased baking sheet and bake at 425° for about 15 minutes...longer if using chicken with bones. 

Mix rest of ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour over the partially cooked chicken and return to the oven.  Bake for another 15 minutes. I scoop the juices and pour over the chicken once or twice while it is baking. Check and make sure it is done...

Sprinkle with green onions. Katie said these were imperative. 

Lemon Bars, Butter Free

These were really yummy.  I adapted the paleo version of lemon bars to make them totally butter free.  This is a pretty flexible recipe.  I actually did not measure anything so this is my best guess as to what was used.

Lemon Curd

Make this and set aside to cool.

Crust:
1 1/2 c almond flour
1/4 c starch (arrowroot works really well)
1/2 t baking powder (optional)
2-3 T sugar
pinch salt
2-3 T grapeseed oil (probably any oil would work)
water to get to desired consistency (2t to 2T)

Bake crust at 350 for 10ish minutes.  Let cool.  Spread curd on the top and cook at 350 for 10ish min.  It is best chilled.

Lemon Curd, Butter Free

So apparently there is a lemon curd kick going on. Here is a lovely variation. 

1 c lemon juice

1 1/6 c sugar

9 egg yolks

Pinch salt

Mix the yolks, sugar, and salt together. Set aside. 

Boil the lemon juice. Slowly add yolk mixture. Cook until thick.

It is rather yummy. 

Fruit Cake

This is a great summer treat. It is also really easy to accommodate loved ones with allergies!

Use cookie cutters for the shapes. Toothpicks to hold things on. I used watermelon, strawberries, golden honeydew (pineapple would be easier) and blueberries.

This works great for the 4th of July too!

Meatballs Extraordinaire

These low FODMAPS meatballs are pretty good.  They are better if you serve them with a tahini sauce and cucumbers.

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs of hamburger
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 cup of gluten-free bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp sea salt

Instructions:

Mix all of the ingredients.  Roll them out into balls, about the size of a walnut.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 mins.  I suggest you bake them on parchment paper or spray the pan with some kind of oil. 

Honey Mustard Salad Dressing

I like salad dressing, but most store bought ones have been irking me lately...flavor isn't right, ingredients are lousy, always something.  So I have been making a few myself.  I like this one quite a bit.


1/2 cup Dijon or brown mustard

3 tablespoons honey (or so, taste and adjust)

1/4 cup oil of choice

1 or 2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Whisk together and use! Add more oil and/or lemon juice if you want it a bit thinner for pouring. I like storing it in an old dressing bottle as shown. Good for a marinade, like most dressings.  

 

Potato Salad

I am vain about a few things that I make.  One of them is potato salad.  I make the most delicious potato salad in the world.  I love to eat it right after it is made instead of eating it cold.  

Ingredients:

5 medium potatoes (preferably white or red skinned)
5 eggs
1 cup of mayonnaise
1/3 - 1/2 cup of sweet relish
3 tbs of green onions, sliced
1 tsp yellow mustard
sea salt

Instructions:

1.  Peel the potatoes, cut them into cubes, and boil in salted water until soft.  While the potatoes are cooking hard boil the eggs.  If my eggs are clean I will cook the eggs and potatoes in the same pot.  

2. Drain the potatoes.  Peel the eggs and cut them into cubes. 

3.  Put the potatoes and eggs into a large bowl.  Add the mayonnaise, relish, green onions and mustard.  Stir it aggressively so that about half of the potatoes become mashed.  Salt to taste.  If I am in the mood I will add celery and olives to the salad too.

Enjoy!