I really wanted to make Christmas cookies with Lu and she requested Gingerbread because she, “Super duper loves gingerbread cookies bery much Mama!” Said with her hands on her hips and that very knowing look in her eye. So I googled and I hit the jackpot! And then I googled again and found roll out sugar cookies. The internet is a beautiful thing.

First, I mixed some gluten free flour I’ve found when working with gluten free flours, that using my kitchen scale is the way to go:

-3 cups white rice flour (450 grams)
-2 cups potato starch (310 grams)
-1/2 cup tapioca starch (62.5 grams)

That amount of flour was exactly what I needed for these two recipes, plus some extra for rolling out.  I did use some extra rice flour when I ran out of the mixture for rolling out.

Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies (adapted from here)
-2 cups gluten free flour mix
-1/2 teaspoon ginger
-1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-1 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
-1/8 heaping teaspoon ground cloves
-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/2 cup cold butter
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/3 cup molasses (make sure it’s Gluten Free)
-1 cold egg

Combine the first 8 ingredients (flour mix-cinnamon) and mix well. Cut in the butter until the mixture is in crumbs the size of small peas.

In another bowl beat the sugar, molasses, and egg. Combine with the dry ingredients and mix until the flour is completely incorporated and the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.

Refrigerate for at least an hour (I make a ball and cover it in saran wrap and then flatten it out).

Preheat oven to 350*. Roll out on a heavily gluten free floured surface.  I put sugar in my flour when I roll the dough.  Roll to 1/4 inch thickness, cut, and place on a cookie sheet (preferable with a silpat). Bake for 12-14 minutes or until edges just start to brown. Let cool on a wire rack. Cool, then frost and decorate as desired.

Gluten Free Sugar Cookies (copied from here)

-1 cup shortening (I used Crisco Butter Flavored because I had it in my pantry)
-1 cup sugar
-2 eggs
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
-3 cups flour blend
-1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream shortening and sugar, add eggs and vanilla. When combined, add dry ingredients (I didn’t even bother using 2 bowls for this recipe). Wrap dough (like above) and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 350*. Roll out on a heavily gluten free floured surface.  I put sugar in my flour when I roll the dough.  Roll to 1/4 inch thickness, cut, and place on a cookie sheet (preferable with a silpat). Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges just start to brown. Let cool on a wire rack. Cool, then frost and decorate as desired.

Both of these recipes DO NOT taste like they are gluten free.  They are awesome.  Lucy agreed!

Boise has many things…but it does NOT have good Indian Food.  I decided a few weeks ago to just make it myself.  I did a bunch of research and created my own recipe for Butter Chicken/Tofu.  Man is it GOOD.  I made it this past weekend for Friend Dinner along with Jenna’s Chana Masala.  It was some good eats!

It’s a lot of ingredients and it takes some time but MAN is it worth it!

Ingredients:

-1 TBSP grape seed oil
-1 shallot finely chopped
-1 small onion finely chopped

-2 TBSP butter
-Juice from half of a lemon
-1 TBSP minced ginger
-1 TBSP chili garlic sauce
-1/4 tsp fenugreek whole seeds, then ground (too much and it will be bitter)
-1 tsp chili powder
-1 tsp ground cumin
-1 tsp garam masala
-pinch cayenne pepper
-1 bay leaf

-1 can chopped tomatoes, pureed (I did this with my hand blender)

-1/2 cup heavy cream
-1/2 cup plain yogurt
-salt and pepper to taste

-1 TBSP grape seed oil
-1 pound chicken thighs, cut into small pieces or a block of tofu cut into pieces, coated with 1 TBSP grape seed oil, cumin, garam masala, and chili powder and baked for 30 minutes, flipped half way through (or half of each)
-1 tsp garam masala

-1/3 cup ground cashews

Instructions:

-Sauté onions, shallots, and grape seed oil over medium high heat until translucent.

-Melt butter and add lemon, ginger, chili garlic sauce, fenugreek, chili powder, cumin, garam masala, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf. Stir until well incorporated.

-Add pureed tomatoes, stir and cook about 5 minutes.

-Add cream, yogurt, salt and pepper. Stir well, turn heat to low and simmer while you prepare chicken.

-Heat oil in a separate skillet, add chicken and garam masala, cook until browned.

-Add chicken to sauce and stir in ground cashews, stir well, and cover. Cook until chicken is no longer pink.

-Enjoy!

(Shaun LOVES this with mashed potatoes and cauliflower-2 potatoes and a head of cauliflower, boiled, mashed, and then made like normal mashed potatoes.)

Shaun was so excited about getting Butter Chicken again (I made it a few weeks ago) that he found good Bollywood music/dance videos and had those on loop on You Tube AND he looked up how to say “Welcome” in Hindi.  He and Lu welcomed our guests.

Boise has good Indian food now!

I go through phases with salads, sometimes I love them and other times I want nothing to do with them.  Ever since I learned how to make my sister’s shallot dressing, I always want salad.  I almost have one every day.  It’s simply amazing.

Ingredients:

For a large salad for 1 or side salad for 2-3 to share. All measurements approximates

-1/4 inch cut from a shallot
-1/4 tsp high quality salt
-1.5 TBSP Olive Oil
-2 tsp Balsamic
-ground pepper to taste

Cut approximately this much shallot:

Then chop it up really small (I had already started when I remembered that I needed a picture of how the piece I cut off).

When it gets pretty finely chopped:

Add salt:

Chop until it gets all pulverized and liquid-y.

The longer this mixture sits, the mellower it gets. I try to pulverize my shallots before I make anything else for my meal.  It can sit like this on the lettuce too.

Right before you’re ready to eat, add the olive oil:

And balsamic:

*Tip-You want about a 1 part balsamic to 3 parts Olive Oil ratio.

Add pepper and toss well!

Enjoy!

This salad was only romaine, some cashews, and the dressing.  It was delish!

Thanks Lissa!

A couple of weeks ago I was at a loss for what to have for lunch and pulled gluten free pizza dough out of the fridge, then I added tomatoes, peppers, and thought to myself, “I need protein.” so I added chickpeas.  It didn’t quite feel complete so I added olive oil and curry powder.  The result? O.M.G. I’ve now made this pizza multiple times and it’s been requested for a party.  I thought I’d share with y’all.

Ingredients:

-GF pizza dough (I like Udi’s)
-1 cup stewed chopped tomatoes
-1 cup rinsed chickpeas
-1 small bell pepper, sliced, or 5 mini bell peppers, sliced
-10 kalamata olives, sliced
-1 TBSP olive oil
-2 tsp curry powder
-Salt to taste

Instructions:

-Preheat oven according to pizza package.

-In a bowl, toss together all the ingredients, except the dough

-Place mixture on the dough.

-Bake until the dough is crisp (about 10 minutes)

-Enjoy!

Next time I may add some chopped up fresh cilantro after I remove it from the oven-YOM!

Our Thanksgiving Ham was huge and I froze 4 one pound bags of meat, one destined for Mac n’ Cheese. My friend Sarah made amazing Mac n’ Cheese at Thanksgiving but it’s a secret family recipe that she holds close.  I only got a little bit of the leftovers on Thanksgiving (my fault-there was plenty) and Shaun was sad so I promised to make him some of his own.  I found the Fannie Farmer’s Classic Mac n’ Cheese online and I based this recipe on that.

Ingredients:

-1 pound macaroni-cooked
-2 sticks of butter
-1/2 cup flour
-1 tsp salt
-pepper to taste
-3 cups milk (I used whole since it’s all we have)
-1 lb medium cheddar cheese, shredded (thank goodness for a Cuisinart!)
-10 ounces muenster cheese, shredded
-6 ounces Mizithra cheese, shredded (this may be a regional thing-it’s like a hard goat cheese)
-1 pound of ham cubed (optional)

Instructions:

-Preheat the oven to 400*.

-Melt the butter over medium high heat. Once melted add the flour, salt, and pepper and stir well so that there are no clumps.

-Slowly add the milk while stirring, keep stirring and bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes (continuously stirring). Stir! Did you get that yet?  STIR!

-Reduce the heat and simmer the milk mixture for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

-Once it’s really thick (~10 minutes), add the cheese slowly and stir until melted-another 5 minutes or so.

-Add the cubed ham (optional).

-Put the cooked macaroni in a casserole dish and add the cheese sauce, mix well.

-Bake at 400* for 20-30 minutes or until browned on top.

-I actually used 1/2 cup breadcrumbs on top but I don’t think they are needed or necessary.

-Enjoy!

Shhh, even though this is FULL of things that make my tummy go HMMMMM (gurgle, gurgle, POP!), I tasted this. O.M.G. Heaven on a fork.  It should be for all those calories!  Lu and Shaun loved it.  Shaun ate 2 huge plate fulls and rated it 4.5 out of 5.

Seriously, delish.

I actually wasn’t planning on posting this recipe since it’s so bad for you but I decided that I couldn’t keep this from the world .

It’s the second edition of Shaun Can Cook!  This week’s selection? Green Curry!

Ingredients:

-Cooked rice (Use the rice cooker)
-Half an onion
-1/4 pound green beans
-2 heads of broccoli
-1 green bell pepper
-8 oz frozen peas
-8 oz-1 pound protein (I gave Shaun the choice of tofu or shrimp and he chose shrimp)
-2 TBSP honey
-1 TBSP Braggs Amino
-1 tsp green curry paste
-1 can coconut milk

Implements Needed:

-Cutting board
-Knife
-Big skillet or Wok
-Strainer to defrost shrimp
-Spoon

-Measuring spoons

-Can Opener

-Lid for the pan.

Instructions:

-Make sure your child is sufficiently occupied. She likes to sort food into different colored bowls.  Sunflower seeds being a favorite.

-Place shrimp in the colander and run cold water over them or soak them for ~5 minutes. If you are using a different type of protein, cut it up into bite sized pieces.
-Cut the onion, first in half and then into longer pieces.

-Put aside on a plate (not in the pan)
-Trim each end of the green beans.  You can do multiple at one time.

-Set aside on a plate.

-Trim broccoli so it’s just the tree part.

-Cut the bell pepper in half.

-Cut out the stem, seeds, and white membrane.

-Chop into long pieces.

-Turn the stove on to medium high heat and put 1 tsp of green curry (more if you like it spicier and are not feeding a child) and the can of coconut milk in the pan and stir it up.

-Next add 1 TBSP of Braggs and 2 TBSP of honey. Stir.

-If you’re using meat or tofu, add it now and cook for about 5 minutes.

-Add all the veggies you chopped.

-Cook for about 5 minutes, covered.

-If you’re using shrimp, add shrimp and peas.

-Cover and cook for 5-10 minutes more-until the peas are no longer frozen and the shrimp is pink.

-Serve on a bed of rice.

-Sit back and watch as your daughter eats it all up and asks for more.

Another HIT by Shaun.  He’s doing great!  See?  Cooking is easy!

As amazing as my husband is, he DOES NOT cook. When we first met, his refrigerator had ketchup, tarter sauce, and beer in it.  That’s it.  The freezer had pot pies, tater tots, and fish sticks. YUM! I did teach him how to make Mrs. T’s perogies-you know, boil water, put them in, wait for them to float, drain them, add some butter, and seasoning salt. I also taught him how to make scrambled eggs.  He was REALLY proud of himself when he made his first egg.

We’ve been together for 7 years.  If I don’t cook, we go out.  Since we’re trying really hard to save money, that means that I cook A LOT. I love to cook.

BUT.

Quite frankly-I’m exhausted.  I NEED SOME HELP!  One of the problems is that I have so many food allergies that we can’t just throw a pizza in the oven and Shaun can’t make eggs or pirogies for me.  We’ve talked about me teaching him to cook but we never do.  Well…

Last night was the night! Look at what my hubby made me!

(These are all phone pictures since I was too lazy (Yes I am THAT exhausted) to go downstairs and get my camera.)

I picked what I would teach him (and he freaked out and said it was too much too soon) and then I told him how to make it.  He did it ALL himself. 

Here’s the recipe, so that he can make it again.

Ingredients:

(He took this picture for himself-the idea for a post came when he said he’d never remember how to make this.)

-2 TBSP olive oil (a turn or so around the pan)
-1/2 onion
-5 cloves (pieces) of garlic
-1 pound frozen shrimp
-1/2 cup wine
-Juice of 1 lemon
-The greens of green onions, chopped
-1/2 tsp salt
-A few grinds of pepper from the pepper mill
-Half a box of pasta
-Quinoa, rice, or rice pasta for your wife

Instructions:

-Put the frozen shrimp in a colander and soak in cold water.

-Put water in a big pot on the stove and turn on high.  It needs to boil for the pasta. Once it boils, cook the pasta according to the package.

-Get a big skillet (the one with the big sides) and put the olive oil in it.

-Chop the onion (a Slap Chop is great for this!), put it in the pan.

-Chop the garlic, put it in the pan.

-Chop the green onions. DO NOT PUT THEM IN THE PAN.

-Cut the lemon in half. DO NOT PUT IT IN THE PAN.

-Turn the stove on to Medium High.

-Stir the onion and garlic mixture until it starts to look a little slimy-about 3 minutes.

-Add the defrosted shrimp.

-Add the wine and the lemon juice.

-Stir occasionally until the shrimp is pink-about 5 minutes.

-Once the shrimp is pink, add the green onions, salt, and pepper.

-Stir and turn off the stove.

-Serve over pasta, rice, or quinoa.  Microwave some frozen broccoli for a side.

Viola!

Lucy loved it!

It was fabulous!  Thank you honey!

For some reason, I always thought that making granola was really difficult.  When I ate the last of my Mom’s secret recipe yummy granola this week I thought to myself, “I should try to make some granola.”

Today, I was on a roll-we got up and cleaned the entire house, I made Shaun’s lunch for the week, I had lentils stewing away on the stove, I had a chicken in the crockpot, and I thought, “I SHOULD make granola.” I searched for “granola” online and Alton Brown’s recipe came up.

Here’s my take on it.  It seriously took me 10 minutes or less to put together.

Ingredients:

-3 cups GF oats
-1/2 cup slivered almonds
-1/2 cup roughly chopped raw almonds
-1/2 cup roughly chopped pecans
-1/2 cup sunflower seeds
-1/4 cup chia seeds (optional)
-1/4 cup flax seeds
-1/4 cup sesame seeds
-3/4 cup shredded coconut
-1/3 cup palm sugar (you can use brown sugar)
-1/3 cup maple syrup
-1/4 cup coconut oil
-3/4 teaspoons salt

Instructions:

-Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

-Mix oats, nuts, seeds, shredded coconut, and palm sugar in a large bowl.

-In another  bowl heat up the coconut oil and then add the maple syrup and salt.

-Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix well.

-Spread mixture out on two large cookie sheet and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. 

-Stir mixture every 15 minutes for even baking.

-Let cool and ENJOY! YOM!

Lucy, Tessa, my sister and I all gave this a 5 out of 5 stars!  Shaun isn’t a granola kind of guy, so he hasn’t had any yet-he doesn’t know what he’s missing!

It’s the last week of the POM Summer Menu Series!  I had so much fun experimenting with POM Wonderful-I’m going to miss it! 

This week I was tasked with a main course and my sister had the brilliant idea to do fish!  I was going to do lamb but loved the fish idea.  She found a recipe in one of her middle eastern books for a baked pomegranate fish dish with onions, tomatoes, and celery-I decided to use the spices from that dish to inspire my marinade. 

Ingredients:

-2 pounds wild Snapper (or any other white fish)
-1 cup POM Wonderful
-1 TBSP Olive Oil
-1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped, ~ 1/2 cup
-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
-2 TBSP of lime juice
-1 TBSP ground All Spice
-2 tsp cumin
-1 tsp red pepper flakes
-2 tsp salt

Instructions:

-Combine all ingredients (except fish) in a zip top bag and mix well.

-Add the fish and marinate for at least 30 minutes, turning your bag halfway through.

-Over medium flame and with foil down, grill your fish, ~4 minutes each side.

-When the fish is no longer translucent, it’s done.

-Enjoy!

As you can see, I paired this with some rice, grilled asparagus, and avocado.  It was a wonderfully refreshing and light summer meal. 

I had Megan and Luke over and Luke couldn’t believe that there was pomegranate juice in the marinade.  I could tell, it gives it a special little zing that makes you go “YOM!”  It is sort of like cooking with balsamic vinegar but not as intense.  Balsamic has a tendency to overtake dishes, pomegranate does not but it still gives it that something special.

Shaun gave this high praise.  He rated it a 3.5 out of 5.  As you know, for Shaun that’s a HUGE compliment.  Megan gave it a 4 and Luke said that it was in that range as well.  I will definitely me making this again.  So easy and flavorful!

This week’s POM Summer Menu Series is early!

I was tasked with a salad this week and I’ve been meaning to share my recipe for Rice Salad and POM Wonderful was a perfect addition that added a special kick! 

This salad is both sour and sweet and a pretty complex mix of flavors.  It may not be for everyone but I really love it.  It’s my staple side when I’m going to potlucks because I’m always guaranteed that there will be something for me to eat.

Ingredients:

-3 TBSP POM Wonderful
-2 TBSP Olive Oil
-1 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar
-1 TBSP finely chopped shallot
-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
-3 cups cooked rice
-2 6.5oz jars of marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
-~25 small manzanilla olives with piminto, cut into thirds
-3 green onions, finely chopped, including green
-S+P to taste

Instructions:

-Mix the first 5 ingredients (POM Wonderful – garlic) in a small bowl and set aside. (I think this would be a FABULOUS vinaigrette on a green salad too.)

-Mix all other ingredients together (excluding S+P).

-Add vinaigrette slowly-you may not need all of it-taste it as you go.  (I ended up using all of mine.

-Mix well, add S+P, and ENJOY!

This can be eaten either warm or cold-I like it served cold the next day after the flavors have melded together.

You can check out the other awesome blogs that are participating in the POM Summer Menu Series:

Danica’s Daily
Fitness and Spice
Kitchen Confidante
The Wicked Noodle

Next and final week?  You guessed it-a main dish!!!