Often during the holidays, I need to pull dinner together, but I’m crunched for time, tired and also just overwhelmed by all the holiday food. I need something fast, tasty, healthy, and something that will not contribute to my food fatigue!

I often make this simple glaze for chicken, fish, or pork:

2 tbsp apricot jam

1 tbsp tamari sauce

1 minced garlic clove

1 tsp Worchestershire

Sometimes I marinate my protein in this, other times I brush it on near the end of the cooking process.

This turns into a nice pan gravy as well once you take your protein out. Add 1 1/2 cups chicken broth and use Wondra, cornstarch or gluten free flour to thicken it over medium heat.

You can use peach jam if you’d rather as well.

Often during the holidays, I need to pull dinner together, but I’m crunched for time, tired and also just overwhelmed by all the holiday food. I need something fast, tasty, healthy, and something that will not contribute to my food fatigue! I often make this simple glaze for chicken, fish, or pork: 2 tbsp apricot … Read more →

I recently received this cookbook as a birthday gift. The authors, Jilly Lagasse and Jessie Lagasse Swanson, are Emeril Lagasse’s daughters. Definitely intriguing. One of them has celiac and the other is gluten intolerant. They grew up with their dad’s food, but then had to learn to make their own gluten-free versions.

The book is broken down into appetizers, salads, soups, sides, entrees and desserts. It begins with some explanation about gluten, gluten allergies, and food that contains gluten.

There are several things I like about this book. First of all, it’s not one of those books that just takes old favorites and changes them to gluten-free. These are recipes anyone would make, not just people with gluten issues. Many of the recipes have nothing to do with gluten (salads, veggie sides, etc.). It’s just good food that happens not to have any gluten. This makes you feel like you’re eating real food and are not so restricted in your diet.

Secondly, what I really appreciate is that the recipes rely on all-purpose gluten free flour. I am not a fan of cookbooks that have you using 5 ingredients to compose the flour part of the recipe. I want to buy one good all-purpose GF flour and be able to use it in everything.

The recipes are a nice mix of creative with traditional. Wilted Chard with Walnut Pesto and Balsamic Reduction  and Baked Halibut with Creole Tomato and Vidalia Onion Vinaigrette  are included as well as Spaghetti Bolognese, Carrot Cake, and Crab Cakes.

The book has lots of photos and each recipe has a little note from the authors describing it.

I recently made:

Stewed Butternut Squash with Apples and Smoked Bacon

4 strips bacon, diced

1 1/2 cups small diced onion

1 tbsp minced garlic

2 tbsp butter

1 apple, peeled, cored and diced

1 butternut squash (about 2 lbs), peeled, seeded, diced

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 cups chicken stock

Set a medium sized saute pan on medium heat. Add the bacon and render, stirring until crisp, about 6-8 minutes.

Add the onion and cook until slightly caramelized, 4-5 minutes.

Add garlic, butter, apple, and cook, stirring until the apple is tender, about 5 minutes.

Add squash and increase heat to medium high. Cook undisturbed, about 3-4 minutes then stir in nutmeg, thyme, salt and pepper.

Cook another 3-4 minutes and add the syrup and stock. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook until squash is tender and most of the liquid evaporates, about 15 minutes.

Remove the lid, stir gently and re-season as needed.

The authors suggest serving this as a stand alone stew. I served it with rice. It has a nice rich flavor and is a great alternative to a meat-based stew. Very hearty and perfect on a cold night.

This is a great book for someone recently diagnosed with a gluten issue, or for someone who has been cooking gluten free for a long time.

I recently received this cookbook as a birthday gift. The authors, Jilly Lagasse and Jessie Lagasse Swanson, are Emeril Lagasse’s daughters. Definitely intriguing. One of them has celiac and the other is gluten intolerant. They grew up with their dad’s food, but then had to learn to make their own gluten-free versions. The book is … Read more →

Savannah is one of my favorite cities, so when I saw there was a book called Christmas in Savannah, I had to read it. This wonderful little book has photos and a few recipes. I wrote a review of it over at A Traveler’s Library and there’s a great recipe from the book as well.

Savannah is one of my favorite cities, so when I saw there was a book called Christmas in Savannah, I had to read it. This wonderful little book has photos and a few recipes. I wrote a review of it over at A Traveler’s Library and there’s a great recipe from the book as well.

Lots of us ask that question, and often the answer ends up being no! Not this year. Check out this piece I wrote for Completely You that offers some great tips.

Lots of us ask that question, and often the answer ends up being no! Not this year. Check out this piece I wrote for Completely You that offers some great tips.

I made this for a holiday party over the weekend and it was delicious!

2 tomatoes (I used tomatoes off the vine), diced

1 jalapeno pepper, diced

1/4 large onion, diced

1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 1/2 avocadoes, diced

1/2 to 3/4 cup cooked shrimp, cut into small pieces (buy the smallest shrimp you can find and cut into small pieces, same size as your tomato and avocado dices)

1/4 light sour cream

Serve with tortilla chips (I used blue corn tortilla chips). I love the added decadence of the shrimp in this!

I made this for a holiday party over the weekend and it was delicious! 2 tomatoes (I used tomatoes off the vine), diced 1 jalapeno pepper, diced 1/4 large onion, diced 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped 1 garlic clove, chopped 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 1 1/2 avocadoes, diced 1/2 to 3/4 cup cooked shrimp, … Read more →

I don’t make meatloaf very often and when I do, I often use ground turkey instead of beef to lighten things up. Recently I was in the mood for a really hearty, wicked good meatloaf. So I jazzed it up with bacon, caramelized onions and kale. It was awesome!

Meatloaf with Bacon, Caramelized Onion, and Kale

2 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces

1/3 sweet onion, sliced thinly

pinch sugar

1 lb ground beef

1 egg

1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I used gluten-free)

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/8 cup skim milk (I used lactose-free)

1/8 cup sweet and sour sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tbsp yellow mustard

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup frozen kale (see note)

3 slices Fontina cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the bacon in a small skillet until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and add the onions with a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat until onions caramelize. Place beef in a bowl and add bacon, onions, and all other ingredients, except Fontina. Mix completely and place in a loaf pan. Bake for an hour. Top with cheese and broil until it melts.

Note: I buy fresh kale, cut the ribs out, roughly chop it and boil it until it is tender. I drain most of the water out and I freeze it in ziploc bags, like frozen chopped spinach. You could use fresh kale for this, just cut the ribs out, roughly chop and boil, then drain. 2-3 large kale leaves will be the right amount. You could also substitute pre-made frozen spinach.

I don’t make meatloaf very often and when I do, I often use ground turkey instead of beef to lighten things up. Recently I was in the mood for a really hearty, wicked good meatloaf. So I jazzed it up with bacon, caramelized onions and kale. It was awesome! Meatloaf with Bacon, Caramelized Onion, and … Read more →

Recently we picked up our winter share at the CSA: about 100 lbs of vegetables. My plan had been to store this in the garage, but unfortunately, it was in the 50s! I got some in the fridge and let the rest sit in coolers until the garage fridge opened up (post-Thanksgiving) and we got it all put away finally. Then the weather turned, so we moved some back to the garage.

So now I am beginning to work my way through the bounty. This weekend I stripped the ribs off the kale. I made kale chips for dinner, then I chopped and boiled the rest and froze it in bags and will use it like chopped spinach in casseroles and other dishes.

We have 4 heads of cabbage, so I began making one into sauerkraut. It will sit on my counter until it gets sour, then will head back to the garage fridge for storage (the recipe is simple: 1 cabbage, sliced thin, 1 tbsp salt and 1 tbsp caraway seeds. Mix it up and squeeze the cabbage to release juice. Cover with water and let it sit covered with a towel on the counter until it gets sour enough for you).

I also roasted some of the beets and will pickle them. I don’t can them, so I make them in batches that can be used up within a couple of weeks.

There’s lots left though! I’m planning to make sweet and sour cabbage one night for dinner. I will also roast some of the butternut squashes and freeze them to use in soups and a fantastic risotto I make. We will easily use the potatoes, onions, and carrots, so those aren’t weighing on my mind.

 

Recently we picked up our winter share at the CSA: about 100 lbs of vegetables. My plan had been to store this in the garage, but unfortunately, it was in the 50s! I got some in the fridge and let the rest sit in coolers until the garage fridge opened up (post-Thanksgiving) and we got … Read more →

My husband thinks I’m nuts. I signed up for a one-time winter share from our CSA. Approximately 100 lbs of veggies, they said. We picked it up yesterday and it filled the truck of my van.

Here’s what we came home with:

5 stalks of Brussels sprouts

4 cabbages

a plastic grocery bag of white potatoes

a plastic grocery bag of sweet potatoes

a paper lunch bag of onions

2 heads of garlic

1 bunch of small leeks

a plastic grocery bag of kale

a plastic grocery bag of beets and carrots

a plastic grocery bag of celeriac and parsnips

a plastic grocery bag of broccoli, radishes, and turnips

about 8 butternut squash

I’m sure I’m forgetting something, but that’s a pretty good list. We were told we would get acorn squash and pie pumpkins but those didn’t materialize and I was disappointed. I’ve been holding onto several acorn squash recipes I wanted to try! I thought there would be more potatoes and carrots than we got. Really, this isn’t nearly enough for an entire winter, but I’m happy to have locally grown, organic produce to use for as long as it lasts me.

The next problem is what to do with it all! When I signed up for the share, I thought, “Oh it’s in late November, it will be cool enough to keep it in the garage!” Silly me. The optimal storage temp is between 32 and 40 degrees. Our garage has been at about 50 since it’s been rather warm out. Our main basement is heated. There is a basement crawl space that is at 54 degrees. I have a second fridge in the garage, but it is completely full right now with Thanksgiving stuff (turkeys, cream, pie crust)!  So, for now, we’ve filled a cooler and a box in the garage and we will move most of it to the garage fridge after the holiday. And it should get cooler so that we can leave some of it out in a box in the garage.

I’m planning to pickle the beets. I will boil and freeze the kale (which I often add to dishes like you would chopped spinach – no one notices!). I am planning to make sauerkraut with some of the cabbage. I will cook and freeze some of the butternut squash. The potatoes, onions, and carrots will be used up quickly around here (Thanksgiving). The Brussels sprouts are a problem since I’m really the only one who likes them. I’m not too fond of celeriac, so I need to figure something out with that.  Any celeriac suggestions?

My husband thinks I’m nuts. I signed up for a one-time winter share from our CSA. Approximately 100 lbs of veggies, they said. We picked it up yesterday and it filled the truck of my van. Here’s what we came home with: 5 stalks of Brussels sprouts 4 cabbages a plastic grocery bag of white … Read more →

I love potato skins. I used to get them as a kid at TGI Friday’s. When we were first married, I learned to make them myself at home, reusing/recycling the skins from baked potatoes, and also cutting down the fat. It’s one of my favorite ways to use leftovers I would otherwise toss. I decided to give potato skins an even bigger makeover with this result:

Updated Potato Skins

skins from 3 baked potatoes (6 halves)

2 tbsp olive oil

4 slices prosciutto baked on a baking sheet at 400 for about 5 minutes until crisp, broken into pieces

3 slices fontina cheese

1/2 tsp rosemary

1 scallion, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Creme Fraiche

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush the insides of the skins with the olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes until they begin to brown and get crispy. Remove from the oven and break off pieces of cheese and place on the skins. Do the same thing with the prosciutto, breaking off pieces, and laying on top. Sprinkle with rosemary, scallion and salt and pepper. Bake for another 2-3 minutes until the cheese melts. Serve with creme fraiche or sour cream.

These were fantastic. I really love baked prosciutto; it’s like a leaner bacon that is just as salty and crisp. These skins have great flavor and are perfect as an appetizer, game food, or even as your main course if you serve with a salad.

 

I love potato skins. I used to get them as a kid at TGI Friday’s. When we were first married, I learned to make them myself at home, reusing/recycling the skins from baked potatoes, and also cutting down the fat. It’s one of my favorite ways to use leftovers I would otherwise toss. I decided … Read more →

I stumbled upon these in the grocery store. They look like mini kiwis, minus the fuzz. They’re about the size of a big grape. They taste just like a kiwi, without the big seeds. They are very grape-like in texture. They are easier to eat than a kiwi. No peeling. Just pop them in your mouth. My daughter loves these!

I stumbled upon these in the grocery store. They look like mini kiwis, minus the fuzz. They’re about the size of a big grape. They taste just like a kiwi, without the big seeds. They are very grape-like in texture. They are easier to eat than a kiwi. No peeling. Just pop them in your … Read more →