Pineapple and Turkey Curry #glutenfree

Ground turkey has become our new best friend.  I have switched to using more ground turkey and less ground beef.  I do this when I don't have access to grass-fed beef in my freezer or it is not on sale at the grocery store.  It is more cost effective on my budget and a good healthy choice for my family.

Our family would eat curry daily.   We do enjoy all types of curry.  My husband makes a great japanese style curry.  I lean more toward the Indian curry combinations.  I buy a good quality yellow curry powder for basic recipes like this one.   At H Mart (they sell Indian Food too) we are able to find a good selection of curry powders and paste in our area.  I wish I could find an Indian grocery store because I would love to add a few more ingredients to my cupboards with an Indian flair. H Mart only has a small aisle.

This particular dish of Pineapple and Turkey Curry reminds me of a dish I had in Hawaii when we were on vacation a few years ago.  We visited the pineapple farm on the island of Oahu.  Fresh pineapple from the islands was something I ate every day.  We found curry to be a popular dish is some of the local eateries around the islands.

I have added a few ingredients that we like in our curry's to make it our own.  Our garden is producing a lot of zucchini and this is a dish that features it well.  The green and yellow together just feel like summer.  This dish is gluten free.  To make it paleo don't add the peanuts, peanut butter or serve it over rice.  You could substitute the rice for cauliflower rice. You could use almond butter in place of the peanut butter.  A vegetarian conversion would be to eliminate the ground turkey and use a firm tofu instead.  Just dice the tofu into small pieces.  I use tofu often in our curry dishes for our vegetarian friends. 

Summer is almost over in our part of the states.  The Farmer's Almanac is forecasting a white and wet winter for the East.  BOO HOO!

This is a great dish to add to your family's dinner to remind you of summer and the warmth that the sunshine brings.

ENJOY!

Pineapple and Turkey Curry
Makes 4 servings

1 pound of ground turkey
1/4 cup green onion, diced
1/2 cup zucchini, sliced and quartered
1/4 thinly sliced carrots
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2-3 tablespoons yellow curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 (13.5 oz) cans of coconut milk, full fat
1-2 teaspoons of honey, for sweetness (omit if using sweetened peanut butter)
1/2 (+/-) cup unsweetened peanut butter
1 cup diced pineapple (fresh or canned)
cilantro, optional garnish
whole peanuts, optional garnish

1.  In a large skillet melt coconut oil.  Add diced vegetables and cook for 4 minutes.  Add ground turkey and cook until meat is not pink.

2.  Add spices, curry powder, peanut butter and coconut milk.  Stir well and simmer for 12 minutes.

3.  Add fresh pineapple and serve immediately with rice.

NOTE:  This is a dish that you can adjust to your family's preferences.  Taste and cook as you go. My family likes our curry to be strong so I use the 3 tablespoons we also like the peanut butter so I might add more than the 1/2 cup.  Same with the honey, if you like it sweeter add a bit more.

Written by Sherron Watson

Refrigerator Dill Pickles

I go through a lot of pickles in our home. Every one of my kids enjoy sweet or dill pickles in our tuna fish, on hamburgers and on a good ham sandwich.  

I get tired of buying food that I can easily make at home and save a few hard earned dollars.  Pickles are not hard to make and they can be customized to how you and your family like them.  This recipe is a salty brine.  It has a good dill punch.  The juice is strong.  I make it with coconut palm sugar and this is why the brine is a brownish color.   I use coconut palm sugar in most of my recipes because it has a lower glycemic index than white table sugar.  If you would like to learn more about coconut sugar here is a LINK to some information.

I remember my grandmother always adding fresh pickles to her pickle jar. I was just a kid and never thought much about it until I made my own.  It worked.  I made a batch of the brine, added my pickles and let them get "dillified" and the kids started eating them down fast.  I bought about 3 more fat pickles, quartered them and added them to the brine.  The kids could tell the difference between the recently added pickle spears and the older ones.  It was easy.  I did this a few times and the brine held true each time.  The dill got a little sleepy and droopy but the flavor stayed the same.

This is a refrigerator recipe which means that this is not a processed pickle recipe.  It is not shelf stable. These pickles need to be refrigerated and will remain crisp. If processed with a hot water bath, then the pickles may become a bit softer.

I made two jars from this recipe.  I had a quart jar for the spears and I had a small pint jar for some slices.  This is just a personal juice and you can slice and dice your pickles however you wish: spears or slices.

Refrigerator Dill Pickles 

4 medium pickling cucumbers, cut into quarters

1 1/2 cups of white vinegar
1/4 cup coconut palm sugar or table sugar
2 cups of water
1 Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon pickling spice
1 Tablespoon dill seed
3 cloves of garlic, left whole

1 cup of ice cubes
Handful of fresh dill

1.  Prepare cucumbers by slicing or cutting them into quarters.  Set aside.

2.  In a medium saucepan add white vinegar, salt, and water.  Bring to a boil and add pickling spice and dill seeds.  Remove from heat and add 1 cup of ice cubes.

3.  In quart jar add fresh dill, garlic pieces and pickles.  It will be crowded.  Once the ice cubes have melted and the brine is cool add the brine to the pickle jars.  The brine should be just covering the pickles.  They will produce some of their own water as the pickle.

4.  Store in refrigerator for 24 hours.  To be honest, we ate them after 4 hours but they are definitely better the next and the next and the next DAY.    If the brine is too salty for you, soak the pickle in water for 15 minutes and use.  We like a salty brine in our home.

5.  As mentioned above, when I get down to half a jar of pickles, I buy a few more and add them to the old brine.  It works great and saves a few pennies too.

Written by Sherron Watson

Baked Rock Fish

I have lived in Maryland for three years and in this time I have baked, grilled and poached more whole fish than ever in my life time of cooking in the kitchen.

I love the experience that a whole fish brings to the table for my family. It touches on our senses: the smells are vibrant with the scent of the ocean, the visual beauty of a whole fish is exciting for the kids to see, the ability to touch and debone the fish at the table is once again, an exciting venture for our guest to enjoy and finally the ooohs and aaaahs that escape the mouths of friends and family are music to my home chef ears.

Rock Fish is a local fish that is caught in the Chesapeake Bay.  We eat a lot of this fish in the summer time.  I find the fish to be mild in flavor.  Not too firm to the touch.  A great fish to eat, use in fish tacos, or serve as individual steaks.

For this dish I layered the flavors to create the lemony sauce that I made from the melted butter, steamed green onion, lemon, capers and of course, any juice the Rock Fish provided during the baking time.

I have a few more whole fish recipes coming in the near future. I recently bought a whole Red Snapper and grilled that on our BBQ pit.

When I buy my whole fish I try to buy it as fresh as possible. In fact, if you know anyone that goes fishing, ask if they would sell you one, give you one or barter with you.  Living by the water we have fish markets that get fresh fish daily so this is easy for my family to find the freshest fish possible.  I usually have them remove the scales and gut the fish for me.  I will trim the gills when I get home.  I find this is the easiest for me but you are always welcome to do this task at home.

The great thing about fish is that there are an array of herbs and spices to choose from when baking or grilling your whole fish.  Each time I make a whole fish I mix and match what I have in the refrigerator.  Some herbs that I have used are dill, thyme, mint and flat parsley.  I like to use citrus. Sometimes its lemons, limes or grapefruit.  I like capers a lot and of course butter or ghee always make an appearance.

This is an easy recipe and the fish and sauce have rich flavors and make a lovely dinner.

Baked Rock Fish

1-2 pound rock fish

6 whole green onions

handful of fresh dill

2 lemons, juice from one and slices from the other

2 tablespoons capers

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons cream or coconut cream (from top of coconut milk can)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  In a baking dish (oval or rectangular-large enough to hold fish) lay your fish across dish.  My head and tail hung over abut 2 inches on each side and did not cause me any problems while baking.

3. Use a sharp knife and cut 4 slashes across fish. In each slash place a sliced lemon. Around the fish add the dill and green onion. Squeeze half a lemon over the top of the fish. Add the salt, pepper and garlic salt. Sprinkle the capers. Add the tablespoons of butter. (see picture) Finally add the water.

4. Place in oven uncovered and bake until fish is firm to the touch, 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and pour broth into a small sauce pan. Reduce the liquid for 5 minutes by bringing broth to a boil and simmering.

5.  When sauce has reduced add cream or coconut cream to the sauce.  Stir and taste.  Make any adjustments based on your taste buds.  

6.  I gently removed the fish from the bones to a small plate, added a few more capers and lemon slices.  Poured the sauce over the fish and served with steamed vegetables and rice.  The sauce can always be served on the side.

Written by Sherron Watson

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole #glutenfree

This is a dish that my kids request I make on multiple occasions.  I don't cook casseroles very often anymore because of the requirement of dairy and cheese.  BUT--my kids don't have any diet restrictions and so I don't mind making this once in a blue moon; or as they say in this day and age, a Super Moon.  

I make this gluten free with several changes to the original recipe.  I don't buy any canned cream soups. I make the "cream soup" as I go in the recipe.  It takes but a few minutes to whip it together and you have a "made from scratch" version without all of the extra preservatives.  This is one way that I can make our casseroles gluten free.  Some people are surprised that these soups have wheat listed as an ingredient.  This is why I suggest, if you are new to the gluten free style of eating, to read ALL labels. 

The cracker crumbs on top are our favorite garlic and onion gluten free crackers whizzed in the Vitamix two or three times. I also buy my sliced ham from a reliable vender that sells a gluten free product.  I buy our ham from a local farmer or Whole Foods.

I have not attempted to make this paleo for my family.  The cream soup is easy because you can use a nut milk and arrowroot.   The cheese is my kids favorite part.  If you're Lacto-Paleo or an 80/20 Paleo family then use the cheese that works best for your family.

I find a casserole version of this dish easier than the fancier breast rolled with a cheese and ham center. When I find that much time to make them again, I will, but for now I think this casserole will work, especially on busy activity nights.  In fact this could easily be made with your kids help.

Enjoy!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

5 cups of precooked chicken, cubed (use breast, left over rotisserie or thighs)
1/2 pound of deli style ham
1/4 pound cheese: provolone or swiss
4 tablespoons grass fed butter or ghee
4 tablespoons rice flour, tapioca starch or arrowroot starch
3-¼ cups whole milk (I have not made this using nut milk or coconut milk before)
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1-½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoons white pepper

Topping

6 Tablespoons Butter

2 cups of your favorite gluten free cracker, coarsely smashed (see picture)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 9 x13 inch baking dish. Set aside.

2.  This dish is layered in this order starting with the chicken, then the ham, then the cheese, the sauce goes on top and finally sprinkle with the cracker and butter crumbs.

3.  In a medium sauce pan melt butter.  Stir in flour or starch and stir.  Add milk.  Sauce should begin to thicken.  When thick remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt and white pepper. Return to heat and continue cooking at medium heat until the cream sauce is thick.

4.  Pour cream sauce over the top of the chicken, ham and cheese.  Prepare the topping by melting the butter and adding the cracker crumbs.  Sprinkle topping over the cream sauce.

5.  Bake casserole for 40-45 minutes.  The top should be bubbly and start to brown.  Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.  As the sauce cools the casserole will thicken too.

6.  Serve with rice, noodles or by itself.  This makes great leftovers and can be reheated in the microwave for school or work.

Written by Sherron Watson

Chicken Liver Pate #paleo #glutenfree

I have created a monster in introducing the girls in my family to Chicken Liver Pate. They love it. They eat it by the spoonfuls or spread thickly on sandwiches.  I am still trying to teach them to eat this is moderation.

The men?  Not so much.

My son's reaction:  "That is not even food".

Cory's reaction after the tiniest little tongue touch to the spoon: "Nope. Nasty!"

Rye and I had this to say, " AWESOME!  MORE FOR US".

I am okay with it. My feelings are not hurt because Chicken Liver Pate is not loved by my whole family or by most people for that matter.  I did encourage them to try it because homemade taste better than store bought.  Not to be snobby but I can't bring myself to eat pate that has been sitting on the shelf.  I am sure it has been properly preserved but I believe this is something that you should make from scratch and definitely eat while it is still fresh.

I have made this batch and frozen small cookie scoop sized balls for later uses.  What can you use it in besides eating it plain?  Lots of stuff.  Liver is full of micronutrients that many of us miss out on and it has been recommended to eat organ meats twice a week.  Here is a link to read more about eating organ meats.  I have learned so much from Paleo Mom and trust her comments, advice and philosophy.  I highly recommend that you do your own research and listen to your doctors and your body.  Chicken Liver Pate is a high calorie food and should not be eaten every day.

A little goes a long way is how I look at it.  I feed about a teaspoonful to Finnley twice a week.  She is almost one and eats very little meat.  This is a way that I can introduce her to a new flavor and know that she is eating something that is good for her.

I have been reading about various ways that you can use liver pate in recipes without eating it by the spoonful. This is especially good to know when dealing with a few family members that won't eat it straight "as is".  The suggestions that I am going to try are adding a small amount to hamburgers, adding some to meatloaf and soups/stews.  The flavor is masked but the benefits are still included.

I had several neighbors test and taste the pate.  I wanted to make sure that the flavor profile was right. My friend Jennifer said it was smooth and she liked the subtle undertone of the addition of the cooking wine.

I am hoping to get a few more livers (rabbit from a friend) and try some new pates in the future.

The pate is easy to make: you saute the veggies, cook the meat, add your spices, blend in a high speed blender until smooth, add your butter/ghee and cream/coconut cream, taste and re-season and you're done.

It is not hard and if you enjoy pate this is something you will want to try at least once to make in your home.  I am thinking with the holidays coming up that this is a great appetizer to share with a gluten free cracker or fresh vegetables.

Let me know what you think.

Chicken Liver Pate
Makes about 1.5 cup

1 lb. of raw chicken livers (a small white container at the store is usually 1 pound)
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced small
1 teaspoon fresh parsley
1 tablespoon ghee (to saute)
3 tablespoons red cooking wine (this is optional)
3/4 cup ghee or grass fed butter, unsalted
3 tablespoons coconut fat (found at the top of the can in a can of coconut milk--don't shake)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2-1 teaspoon nutmeg (we like a lot)


1.  Melt 1 tablespoon of ghee in a cast iron pan.  Add the onion and saute for 3 minutes.  Stir in the fresh parsley.  Remove from heat and add to a high speed blender or food processor.  NOTE: I used my Vitamix and my pate is very smooth.

2.  Slice livers and saute them in the same cast iron pan that you used for the onions.  Add cooking wine and continue cooking for 3 minutes. Two ways of doing this.  Cook until the liver centers are pink OR cook until done (no pink).  You decide on how comfortable you are eating undercooked chicken livers. The first option will give you the pink color.  I cooked mine until completely done because I have kids eating it at home.

3.  Remove liver from stove and add to the high speed blender.  Add 1/2 a cup of ghee, coconut cream, salt and pepper.  Blend until smooth.

4.  This is the where you get to decide how it taste.  My recipe is just a basic blend.  If you think it needs more salt--add more salt.  More wine--add more wine.  Smoother --add more cream or butter.

5.  When your pate is JUST RIGHT for you and your family it is ready to be chilled.  Find a container with a tight lid and grease the inside.  I used ghee.  Pour pate.  Add a piece of plastic film to the top if you do not want a skin to appear.  Let chill for at least 3 hours.

6.  The shelf life is short this is why I would recommend that if you don't use it in  days, freeze it.  To freeze just put into a freezer safe container, add your date and freeze.  Good for 3 months.

Written by Sherron Watson

Crispy Orange Beef

2020 Update:  This recipe gets a lot of traffic. Most people love it and a few have not. Our family still likes the flavor of this dish with the orange sauce and the crispy chicken pieces. I hope you enjoy this too!

One thing I really miss?  Chinese food.  I love the sweet and spicy sauces combined with crispy meats.  The smokiness that comes from the vegetables stir-fried in a blazing hot wok....YUM!

I have seen versions of Crispy Orange Beef on Pinterest several times. My mouth waters with each picture. I finally decided to give it a try and see if I could use "my ingredients" to make a tasty alternative.

I think I did. The beef is fried in coconut oil. I am able to use arrowroot starch in place of cornstarch. I use coconut-aminos in place of the recommended soy sauce.

I was very happy to have this for lunch with a bowl of rice and a few stir-fried vegetables along the side.  The combination of ingredients created a nice blend of flavors. Nothing too over-powering.  Subtle flavors that allow the meat to shine and the orange to be present with each bite.

My inspiration for this dish came from two blogs: Fifteen Spatulas and Table for Two. The links will take you to the original recipe if you don't need to make food adjustments due to allergies and intolerances.

NOTE:  Before you make this recipe, read the instructions. It does say to freeze the meet with coating for 45 minutes. I personally have not tried the recipe by skipping this step. 

Crispy Orange Beef

Makes enough for 2 very hungry adults or 4 adults with rice and side dishes

2 pounds of steak: sirloin, stir fry steak or skirt steak (what you see in the pictures)

2 tablespoons coconut-aminos or soy sauce or gluten-free soy sauce

1/3 cup arrowroot starch or corn starch

1 cup of oil, for frying  (I used coconut oil)

Crispy Orange Beef Sauce, recipe below

1.  Cut meat into bite-size pieces.  I tried to have my pieces about 1inch by 1.5 inches.  Add coconut -aminos or soy sauce to the meat pieces and toss.  Add the starch and coat each piece of meat.  

2.  Using a wire rack inside a cookie tray, spread the meat pieces out in a single layer.  Freeze for 45 minutes.  This helps to dry the meat out and make it crispy when fried.

3.  10 minutes before the meat is done in the freezer, add oil to a large cast-iron pan or dutch oven.  Bring oil to 375 degrees F.

4.  Line a bowl with a paper towel and start frying meat.  Fry until golden brown on each side (about 3 minutes)  You can add more oil if you want to coat the pieces and "fry".  I did more of a pan fry on mine and it worked out great.  Remove pieces to a paper towel and continue frying until all the meat is prepared.

5.  To prepare sauce-see below.  Toss sauce with crispy beef pieces, add garnish and serve with rice.

Crispy Orange Beef Sauce

2 tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch

1/3 cup fresh orange juice

3 tablespoons molasses

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

1/4 cup of orange rind, sliced very thin

1/4 cup green onion, chopped for garnish

To serve sauce on the side:  Combine sauce ingredients in a small saucepan, whisk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened (about 3 minutes). 

To serve sauce over beef: Add ingredients to a small bowl and whisk.  When all of the meat has been fried, remove oil and toss sauce into the frying pan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat for 3 minutes. Add beef pieces and stir to coat each piece with sauce.

Written by Sherron Watson

Cheese-Filled Ravioli #gluten free

These have been fried in a little bit of olive oil.  The boiled picture is at the very end.  

When I started making homemade gluten free pasta for my family the options were wide open and they started requesting specific things.  Mainly, stuffed pasta.  They missed the little pillows filled with cheese and sprinkled with more cheese.  I wonder if they just did not miss the cheese?

I make two types of stuffed pasta: tortellini and raviolis.  The gluten free tortellini recipe will be out soon. Here is the recipe for my raviolis.

We are split in our home between having them boiled or boiled and then lightly fried.  Me personally?  I love them fried in a hot pan for just a few seconds on each side and then drizzled with brown butter and topped with grated parmesan cheese.    My mouth is watering as I type this and I just made them again yesterday.

You can use this filling in a regular batch of homemade stuffed pasta too. The filling is the same it is just the pasta that is different.  My homemade GLUTEN FREE pasta dough recipe can be found here.  I have included lots of pictures and specific instructions to help you be successful with gluten free pasta making.

Ravioli, of the two stuffed pastas that I make, are by far the easiest.  This is a great stuffed pasta to start with.  It just requires a Ravioli Maker with Rolling Pin . Click on the links or see the pictures below to see which tools I have in my own kitchen.

The only thing I would have you keep in mind when preparing the ravioli' is the cook time.  This pasta needs to be cooked all the way through.  It will be tempting to toss them in your boiling water and wait a minute and take them out.  You might be disappointed.  Have patience and let them cook until tender.  I would recommend testing a pasta pillow after about 3 minutes.  Find your perfect "bite" to this pasta and not this on the printed recipe.

I hope that you enjoy this recipe.  Please leave me a comment or ask any questions and I will get back with you as soon as I can.

Enjoy!

Cheese-Filled Ravioli  #gluten free

I will estimate that this makes about 75 raviolis in a tray

1 batch of gluten free pasta dough

Filling:

1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons of green onion, minced

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated fine

1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

pinch of salt

dash of pepper

5 fresh basil leaves, diced small (optional)

or

1/4 cup fresh spinach, diced small (optional)

1.  Bring a large stock pot, filled with water, to a boil.  Add 1 tablespoon of salt to every 8 cups of water.

2.  Combine filling ingredients in a medium bowl.  Set aside until pasta dough is rolled and ready to be filled.

3. Roll out pasta dough in to long sheets.  See this post if you need instructions on how to do this.  You will notice that I usually am able to roll the pasta wide enough for 2 full rows.  This is because the gluten free pasta does not go through the pasta machine past 4 or 5.

 4.  I use potato starch to sprinkle over the ravioli tray.  Use a generous amount so the pasta will not stick to the inside of the pan.  Fill each ravioli with a small amount of filling. Do not over fill the pouches.  I use maybe 1/2 a teaspoon in each ravioli.  It depends on the size of tray you use.

5.  Lay a second sheet of pasta across the top and with the rolling pin, roll the pasta.  By pressing down and rolling across the tray you will create the ravioli.  Gently pull any left over pasta dough away and wrap in plastic wrap for later.   Dump the pasta ravioli out.  

6.  Toss in the boiling water and cook for 3-5 minutes.  Test the pasta starting at 3 minutes.

7.  Serve with your favorite sauce and cheese. To fry your raviolis, add a small amount of oil to a frying pan and add a single layer of raviolis.  Fry for 1-2 minutes on each side and remove.  Add your favorite topping or eat them with a bit of salt.  

Written by Sherron Watson

Gluten Free Basil Parmesan Popovers #TwelveLoaves

August is my favorite month so far for Twelve Loaves because we are working with herbs.  I love them all. I find great joy in preparing a dish and walking to my herb plant boxes in my front yard and snipping a few leaves or bunches of fresh herbs to add to my meals for the day.  I guess it makes me feel nostalgic.

My daughter cringes if I use the word vintage.  It is a joke now with us and she points out all things vintage to me.  It is true. I do feel connected to a simpler time.  I enjoy old things.  I find myself happiest when I have worked hard all day and then sit down to a meal that I made from scratch using ingredients that I grew.

Popovers are a vintage dish to me.  They use basic ingredients that we have had in our kitchens for centuries.  They are an American version of the Yorkshire Pudding from England.  I usually make them "as-is" but last week I decided to have some fun with them. I wanted to incorporate a fresh herb into the batter and add a bit of cheese to see if they would still be loved by my family with the extra ingredients.

Isabella asked for seconds and thought they were the "bees knees".  I guess they were too.

Making anything gluten free from a regular recipe is challenging.  I am working with some of the same ingredients but then adding new flours and starches to the mix.  Sometimes it works and every once in a while it does not.  This time it worked.   The outside was crispy, the inside hollow and the top "popped" over the top of the pan, hence we have a great Gluten Free POPOVER!  YAY.

I get excited about this stuff because those that have to eat with food restrictions give up a lot of their favorite foods.  It makes me happy when I can share a recipe that brings an item they miss back into their diets.

I hope that you will experiment with your own popover version mixing up the herb of choice.  Try thyme, rosemary or parsley--or get crazy--and combine all three.

Scroll to the bottom of this post to see my friends recipes too!  We have a great selection for Twelve Loaves this month.  The highlighted links will redirect you to their pages.  If you need help converting a recipe to gluten free, let me know.  Most recipes  can use a basic all purpose gluten free flour to exchange 1:1 for the wheat based flours.

NOTE:  To guarantee the success of this recipe I encourage you to use the volume measurements.  I have tried to get the cup measurement as close as possible but using the grams will guarantee the recipe turns out the same each time.  The batter is thicker than crepe batter yet thinner than pancake batter.  If the batter seems too thick, add a bit more milk.  If the batter is too loose then add more rice flour.  

Gluten Free Basil Parmesan Popovers 

Makes 12

4 large eggs

215g (just under 1 cup) milk

85g (1 cup) tapioca flour

110g (1 cup)white rice flour, fine

1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum or guar gum

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons lard or butter, melted (used in bottom of popover pans)

1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced fine

2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan (divided between the 12 popovers)

lard, for popover pan

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2.  In a medium bowl combine eggs and milk.  In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients and whisk well.  Add the two together.  Whisk until the batter is smooth.

3.  Mince the basil and combine with egg batter.

4.  Let batter sit for 15 minutes.  While batter is sitting, put a small dab of lard or butter into each popover. If you use butter, adjust time, because it may burn.  My pan has 12 popovers.  Put pan in oven long enough to heat pan and melt lard, about 5 minutes.

5.  Take pan out of oven and ladle the batter into each popover. They should be about 3/4's of the way full.  Sprinkle the batter with a dusting of parmesan cheese.

6.  Return to a very hot oven and let cook18-20 minutes.  Do not open the oven to keep checking on them.  This may cause them to not rise or POP.

7.  Remove from oven and serve immediately or let cool and refrigerate leftovers.  My kids reheat them in the microwave with butter, lemon and powdered sugar.  

• Thyme for Beer Bread by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
• Pesto Quick Bread by Rhubarb and Honey
• Basil Buns by  Rise of The Sourdough Preacher
• Herbed Skillet Cornbread by Magnolia Days
• Rosemary Grissini by  Cake Duchess
• Rosemary Parmesan Flatbread Crisps by A Shaggy Dough Story
• Herbed Buttermilk Biscuits by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Keema Naan by Food Lust People Love
• Gluten Free Basil Parmesan Popovers by Simply Gourmet
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• Pesto Bread by Karen's Kitchen Stories
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 #TwelveLoaves August: Herbs If you’d like to add your bread to the collection with the Linky Tool this month, here’s what you need to do!

1. When you post your Twelve Loaves bread on your blog, make sure that you mention the Twelve Loaves challenge in your blog post; this helps us to get more members as well as share everyone's posts. Please make sure that your bread is inspired by the theme!

2. Please link your post to the linky tool at the bottom of my blog. It must be a bread baked to the Twelve Loaves theme.

3. Have your Twelve Loaves bread that you baked this August 2014, and posted on your blog by August 30, 2014.

#TwelveLoaves is a monthly bread baking party created by Lora from Cake Duchess. #TwelveLoaves runs smoothly with the help of our friends.

Thank you to Sherron from Simply Gourmet for hosting this month’s event!

Written by Sherron Watson

Crispy Onion Straws #gluten free

I grew up with green bean casserole served at every holiday meal.  It is a family favorite and the kids don't leave any evidence that green beans ever existed in the dish.  They lick the casserole dish clean.

That's them and this is me:  Give me the crispy onion topping!  I love them.

 When I went gluten free I had to give them up.  It has taken me a while to find the time to make them using a gluten free coating.I have tried several combinations but this is my go to coating when I need to deep fry something. The combination of corn and white rice flour works well together to create a crispy exterior with great flavor.

I used my Spiralizer to cut the onion.  Yep, that is one onion.  It makes a ton but my family could have easily eaten two or three onions.   It took me about 20 seconds to spiral the onion.  I didn't cry once.

I have included a picture of my green bean casserole that will be coming out soon, but I want you to know that these Crispy Onion Straws work well topped over macaroni and cheese, added to your favorite burger or eaten straight out of the bowl.

If you get a chance, share with the rest of us in the comment section, just how you would use them in your families favorite recipe.

ENJOY!

Crispy Onion Straws #gluten free
Makes one onion, about 3 cups of crispy onions

1 onion, sliced thinly or spiralized
100 g (1/2 cup) white rice flour
64 g (1/2 cup) tapioca starch
42 g (1/4 cup) corn meal, fine
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
 pepper, to taste
Oil, to fry

1.  In a medium size pot, heat 2 inches of oil to 350 degrees.   Make sure the pot has enough room for the straws to "fry". It will swell when the onions cook.

2.  Cut onion thinly with a sharp knife or by using the Spiralizer.

3.  Mix dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.  I used a mesh strainer to shake the onions a bit before I added them to the hot oil. (see picture above).  I did not use a milk mixture to coat the onion slices because the onion was already "wet".

4.  Add the coated onions to the hot oil and fry until golden brown.  Remove to a bowl that has been lined with a paper towel.  Sprinkle with salt.

5.  For the best quality product, use them right away.  To store them use an air tight container to retain freshness.  Some of the crispy exterior will be lost after they have sat for a while.

Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole, recipe coming soon!

WRITTEN BY SHERRON WATSON

This recipe has been in the making for two years.  I have tried so many different versions of gluten free pasta made from scratch that I was about to get discouraged and quit.  In fact, there were a few months that I shed a tear out of frustration because of the ingredients I wasted.

I can say that this recipe is tested.  I have made it so many times fearing that each time something would go wrong. It hasn't yet.  It comes together in my Kitchenaid just like my pasta doughs made with wheat flour.  It rest for 30 minutes, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, just like my wheat based pasta doughs.  It works in my pasta machine. 

Simply put--it works.

Taste great.

Kids love it.

I won't go on and on about the pasta other than to say it is the closest "gluten free" pasta to the real thing, that I have had and is freshly made. I have my favorite store brands that I will continue to buy. I don't always have the time or energy to make pasta from scratch. That is not the point. The point is now I have one that I trust will work for my family and our taste buds. I can check one more thing off of my list of can't haves.

 

I love to make pasta from scratch and I missed the process.  Really, Really missed the process.  In our family it is a family affair.  The kids are involved in rolling, making and cooking their dishes.  Now I feel I have brought a family tradition back into our home.

Gluten free anything is going to be a bit different from the original.  Please keep this in mind and don't get frustrated if it doesn't turn out the first time.  Mine didn't.   There are variables that play into any recipe: ingredients, humidity, equipment used and our own experience with cooking.  

I will gladly answer any questions that you may have for this recipe.  Leave a comment below.

UPDATE: 7-23-2014 I wanted to let everyone know that last night I wrapped my left over pasta dough and refrigerated it until today.  I took it out an hour before I wanted to use it and brought it to room temperature.  It was perfect!  I actually used my large rolling pin and pizza cutter to create some fun noodles for the Littles--Isabella and Finnley.  

I have tried my best to provide a lot of pictures for you to visually see each step.  This recipe is pretty sturdy compared to some I tested but you still need to treat it gently.  Don't push the pasta too far. What I mean by that is don't over cook it, don't try one more roll through the pasta machine.  I did all of that and absorbed the disappointments so that you won't have to do it. 

Two things to note.  Depending on what you decide to make with the pasta dough, it needs to be fully cooked.  Unlike our wheat pasta cousins that take a dip in boiling water and jump right back out this is not like that.  You will get a bite, but it won't taste good.  The pasta noodles need to boil for 3-4 minutes.  Test, test, test to see where you palate likes the noodle to be.  I liked mine to be fully cooked.

Secondly, you can reuse the pasta dough but it needs to rest for a few minutes.  I am mostly referring to the use of the dough to make stuffed pastas.  Often I will have scraps from my ravioli tray.  In this situation, I ball them up and wrap them in plastic wrap and set them off to the side.  It needs time to rest or the dough will be dry.  Working the dough may help but I found that patients was my friend for the second round of using the leftover dough pieces.  This won't apply if making spaghetti  or any other noodle because you will use all of the dough the first time.

If you don't need a gluten free version, I have two other recipes that my family enjoyed the years before I went gluten free.

Regular recipes are: Spinach Pasta Dough and Pasta Dough

Check back because I will be sharing our gluten free stuffed pasta recipes soon. 

Homemade Pasta #glutenfree

Makes one large ball of pasta--feeds my family of 6 or makes 75 raviolis using a tray

All pictures are following the recipe.  I did this to keep it simple for those that don't need the step by step pictures.  I have used a variety of substitutions with this recipe and THIS is the one that works.  I cannot guarantee it will turn out if you start substituting something else.  You need a scale for this to turn out perfect each time.  I use this Food Scale at home.  The estimated cup measurements are just that, estimated.  

166 g (1 cup) white rice flour, fine

70 g (1/2 cup) millet flour

50 g (1/3 cup) potato starch

50 g (1/3 cup) tapioca starch

3 teaspoons Guar Gum 

pinch of salt

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1-2 tablespoons water, as needed

1.  In a kitchen stand mixer, add all dry ingredients.  Use the whisk attachment and turn mixer to low. Mix dry ingredients well.

2.  Stop mixer  and change to the bread hook. Add eggs and oil. Continue to mix on low speed.  The dough will be dry.  Add one tablespoon of water at a time until the dough starts to pull together and form a ball.  If dough gets too wet, don't panic, add a sprinkle of rice flour to bring it back to ball form.

3.  Turn mixer to medium high and work dough for 2 minutes.  Remove dough and tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Let set for 30 minutes on the counter.

4.  Start a pot of water with salt on stove top.  Bring to a rapid boil.

5.  After dough has rested.  Open plastic wrap and cut into 4 pieces.  Take one piece and rewrap the remaining three.  Dust your area with potato starch and flatten the piece to about 1/4 inch.

AT THIS POINT YOU NEED A LARGE ROLLING PIN TO ROLL DOUGH OUT OR A Pasta Maker .  I have shared the link to the brand I use.  I also have the spaghetti attachment.

6.  Lightly dust your dough with potato starch. Too much and it will not go through the machine.  Start your machine at 0 and work you way up to 4 or 5.  The thinner you go the better but again, don't push it.  The dough will tell you how much it can take. If it starts to stick or tear--then you have rolled it too thin.

7.  Place long pieces of thin dough to dry on counter for 2 minutes.  Change the handle and roll your dough through the desired pasta attachment: spaghetti, fettucini, etc... 

8.  Gently pick up pasta pieces and add to boiling water. Stir them once.  Cook for 2-4 minutes depending on size of noodle.  Thicker noodles require more time.

9.  Remove with slotted spoon and serve with your favorite sauce.  My personal favorite: brown butter and parmesan cheese.

PICTURES BELOW

Written by Sherron

NOTE:  There are links to my Amazon store to show you specifically which products I use at home.  There is no obligation to purchase these items through me.  I do make a small percentage off of each sale that helps pay for ingredients used on the blog.   Thank you!