Gluten Free Gingerbread Pear Quick Bread #TwelveLoaves November

You can also make this quick bread in small canning jars.  I found these jars at a thrift store and they make the perfect single size portion for desserts.  Bake them at the same temperature, just not as long. They will rise above the rim and this is a good sign they are done.

Twelve Loaves is a fun group of bloggers and bakers that focus on baking breads, yeast or quick breads, from scratch.  Lora, from Cake Duchess, is the creator behind the group.   Each month a theme is decided upon and she or others host the party.

To learn more about Twelve Loaves you can visit Lora's page here.   This month's theme is apples or pears.  You can find Lora's beautiful recipe for Apple Bread Ring here.  This will also take you to the link party where all of the recipes are being hosted in one place.

When you see these recipes you will be blown away, the ladies that contribute to this group are all amazing bakers.  In fact I have been stalking the group for a few months and wondered to myself if I could fit in.

I love to make bread.  It is something I have been doing for years for my family.  Of course, that all changed a few years ago when I found out I could not eat any wheat based bread.  I missed working with wheat and flour.

I dabbled a bit here and there for family gatherings to keep myself practiced in the art of baking a fine loaf of bread, foccacia, a dozen or two rolls or my favorite, breadsticks.  I still have a few recipes on the blog that are not gluten free from my earlier days of bread baking.

Last month I decided that I needed to get back to making bread, yeasted or quick bread, and prove to myself that I could still get in the kitchen a produce a quality but gluten free loaf of deliciousness.

I instant messaged my friend, Jamie, from Life's a Feast to get the details and to see if there was an interest in a participant that could offer some gluten free choices to the bread discussion and recipe sharing group.

I was welcomed to participate and so here I am with my first recipe for Twelve Loaves.  I decided on making a quick bread.  A quick bread is a style of bread that uses baking soda as the leavening agent and not yeast.  One quick bread that everyone enjoys and loves is banana bread.

Making these quick breads gluten free is very easy.  I work mostly with almond meal and this flour will create the perfect quick bread texture and flavor.  I had an idea of the combination that I wanted to use and went in search of finding recipes that shared a similar combination of flavors.  I wanted to first see if gingerbread and pears went together.

I was happy to have found several gluten free recipes that were very close to the one I wanted to make. I used my recipe for Harvest Cake as a place to start.  I love this quick bread and it works every time.  I also found a recipe by Meg at Sweet Twist of Blogging for Pear Bread.

I have just recently posted a recipe for Gingerbread Granola that was out of this world.  The full and rich flavor of molasses shined through with the hint of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves.  I wanted this cake to also have that same exceptional flavor.

I sat on this idea for about two weeks working out the flour combinations in my mind.  Working with gluten free flour is a test in how well you listened and followed directions in your high school science classes..LOL   Mixing the flours with the starches and other ingredients can be tricky and if you over or under calculate you can end up with quite the creation.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not.

This is why I love almond meal.  It seems, for me at least, to be the one guarantee when it comes to baking gluten free that I know well and it always turns out.  This makes working in the kitchen with gluten free ingredients a joy.

I have come across very few recipes that I am not able to convert to a gluten free version.  Once you understand the combinations and ratio's, then a whole new world of baking and recipe development opens up.  You no longer have just one flour to use but many.  You no longer have white or wheat to choose from but amaranth,  sorghum, rice, millet, oat, coconut and a so many more.  Each of these flours offers something unique to the recipe, texture and flavor.

To learn more about gluten free flours and baking, I would suggest that you visit a few experts in the field.  Gluten Free Goddess was my go to site for many months while I retrained myself to work in the kitchen after first discovering I had Celiac Disease. Karina has a wealth of information on her site.

This recipe was a wonderful treat for my family to wake up to this past weekend.  It made my home smell like gingerbread and browned butter.  It was a warm breakfast on a cold morning.  It was a healthy alternative to cereal or toast.

What I loved the most about this quick bread was when I took each bite, I was able to enjoy a piece of pear.  That little hint of sweetness along with the gingerbread flavor was wonderful to my taste buds.

I have kids and sometimes they like a bit of sweetness to be added to their cakes.  I made brown butter frosting for those in my family that needed a bit of a sugar fix (recipe below).

Please enjoy this Gluten Free Gingerbread Pear Cake.

Bobs Red Mill 24852 Almond Meal Flour Gluten Free (Google Affiliate Ad)

Recipe:  Gluten Free Gingerbread Pear Cake

2 cups of almond meal
3/4 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup flax meal
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup molasses
1 tablespoon real maple syrup
1/4 cup canola oil
2 large eggs + 2 egg whites, beat
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon vanilla
3/4 cup pear puree (about the size of one average ripe pear)
1 cup of chopped pear pieces (smaller pieces work best, 1/4 inch by 1/4 inch)
powdered sugar, optional for dusting
brown butter frosting, optional (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray your pan well with a non stick baking spray.

You will need three bowls.

First bowl:  Add almond meal, tapioca starch, flax meal, all the spices, salt and baking soda.  STIR WELL

Second bowl:  Add molasses, maple syrup, canola oil, 2 large eggs, apple cider vinegar, vanilla and pear puree.  STIR WELL

Third bowl: Beat 2 egg whites until peaks form.

Combine the first and second bowls and stir well.  Add diced pear pieces.  Stir.

Gently fold in egg whites from third bowl.

Spray a small Bundt pan and pour batter until it is 1/2 inch from top.  My Bundt pan measured 8.5 inches across the top from side to side.  If you do not have a Bundt pan you could use an 8X8 square baking pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top springs back when gently pressed.

Cool in pan for 5 minutes and remove to a cookie rack to cool completely.  Keep covered in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator for continued freshness.

Serve with powdered sugar sprinkled over each sliced piece or a small spoonful of brown butter frosting.

Recipe: Brown Butter Frosting

2 tablespoons of butter, browned
2 tablespoon of milk
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2-1 cup of powdered sugar

Using a small saucepan, add butter and cook until butter starts to turn brown and has a very nutty aroma.  Remove from heat.  Cool for 10 minutes.  Add vanilla and milk, stir well.  Slowly add powdered sugar until desired consistency is met.  The more you add the thicker it becomes.

  

Turkey Stuffing Meatball #Thanksgiving

It's a crazy idea, but I did it.  I took some of my favorites from a traditional turkey day meal and combined them into one huge meatball.

So what was my inspiration?

Willy Wonka, of course.

Do you remember the Three Course Chewing gum: tomato soup, roast beef and blueberry pie?

Don't worry you won't turn into a huge cranberry but you can taste the blended flavors of turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce.

There are several ways you can do this.

1.  Make the meatballs only with the ground turkey, seasonings and stuffing.  Shape them into smaller meatballs and bake them until done.

2.  Make the meatball and stuffing mixture and then add a warm cheesy center.  I combined mozzarella cheese (this makes it stringy cheesy), cream cheese (creamy) and cranberry sauce (flavor and color).

3.  The final option is to serve them with or without the thinned down cranberry sauce.  Personally I think it adds moisture and flavor to an already yummy meal.

The first option is the easiest and the quickest.

The second option is a bit more involved and takes some patience and time to form the meatball with the cheesy filling (I will give you some tips to help with this)

I thought of this idea because I was thinking of my friends that are empty nesters, living alone or don't have time or money to buy and prepare a huge meal.

With this meatball they get a few of the wonderful flavors of the Thanksgiving holiday and a few leftovers too.  The turkey meatballs without the cheesy filling also freeze well.

You will notice that none of the pictures include an inside shot of the cheesy inside, this is because it just would not photograph well…LOL  The cranberry makes the cheesy center a mauve color.

I hope you enjoy this twist on a quick turkey day meal.

Recipe:  Turkey Stuffing Meatball

1 pound of ground turkey, thawed
1/4 cup red onion, chopped fine
1/2 cup celery, chopped fine
2 cups of boxed cornbread stuffing (I used a gluten free brand) (see note below)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
See below to make the cheese meatballs and cranberry sauce versions

NOTE:  The way I scooped my 2 cups of stuffing from the box was to take off the top cubes of cornbread and use the bottom, this is where all of the seasonings are.  If you use homemade cornbread then you will want to add your own stuffing seasonings like: sage, celery salt, dried parsley, onion salt and chicken bullion.

To make the meatballs:  Combine the above ingredients.  Let the turkey meat sit in the fridge for 30 minutes.  This allows the stuffing to get softer, it will still be firm in places.

Scoop into small meatballs and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until done.

To make the Cheese Filled Meatballs: Make the meatballs above and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Add together in a small bowl:

1/4 cup of cream cheese, not too soft
1/2 cup of grated mozzarella cheese
2 Tablespoons of cranberry sauce

Mix well and put in the refrigerator until the meat is done.  The cheese is easier to handle if its cold.



Remove the meat and cheese from the fridge and start making the meatball.  I took a golf ball size of meat/stuffing mixture and flattened it on my hand, scooped a small amount of cheese into the center and wrapped the meat/stuffing mixture up around it.  I did have to reach for a bit more meat/stuffing mixture on a few.  The idea is to totally surround the cheesy inside with the meat.

I was able to get 6 large meatballs from this recipe, it all depends on how big your meatball ends up being to how many your will have.

The final step for the stuffed meatball is to seal it with egg and breadcrumbs.

I used:

2 eggs
1 cup of breadcrumbs, panko ( for the gluten free version I used brown rice flour or almond meal)

Roll each meatball in the egg and then breadcrumbs.

Add to a cooking pan and bake for 15-20 minutes or until done.  They will be firm to the touch and some of the cheese may cook out, this is why you don't want to over cook them.

To make the cranberry sauce:

I added a can to a small pan, added a touch of water to thin and whipped the two until a thin and warm sauce was ready to serve with the meatballs.

These meatballs have been rolled in a combination of almond meal and brown rice flour because I have to eat gluten free.  Use regular bread crumbs or panko crumbs if gluten is not a problem for you.

  

Gingerbread Granola

This is the fourth granola recipe that I have made this year.  I enjoy making the different flavors and my family loves eating them.

The other flavors that I have made can be found at the links below:

Honey Almond Granola

Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola

Pumpkin Spice Granola

Gingerbread is a favorite flavor at our home.  Each and every year we attempt homemade gingerbread cookies and houses.

My favorite morning breakfast is honey greek yogurt with a big scoop of granola sprinkled over the top.

I also enjoy eating the granola as a bowl of cereal.

I added this recipe to Capital Style Magazines list of neighborhood, teacher and friend gifts.  I think, in a cellophane bag with a big bow this would make a wonderful homemade treat.

Recipe: Gingerbread Granola

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
1/4 cup oil
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
4.5 cups of uncooked oatmeal
1/4 cup of shredded coconut
1/2 cup blanched almonds
3 tablespoons flax meal

Preheat oven to 275.

In a medium sauce pan, combine first 8 ingredients. Bring to a boil.

In a large bowl mix oatmeal, coconut, nuts and flax meal.

Pour boiled molasses mixture over oatmeal mixture.

Stir well. Add to a cookie sheet.

Bake for one hour total time, but checking and stirring granola every 15 minutes.

Granola will turn a rich color. Remove from oven and cool.

Store in airtight container. Good for 2 months.

  

Creamed Mushrooms

This time of year, when the weather turns to the cooler temperatures and the leaves start to turn, always has me yearning for warm and creamy dishes.

When my grandmother passed a few years ago I was handed a large box of recipes.  I go through these recipes about twice a year and I am always amazed that I seem to find a recipe that sneaks to the top of the pile.

How could I have missed this recipe for creamed mushrooms?

It was hidden with some newspaper clippings that she must have found in a very old newspaper.  The list of recipes were filed under Scandinavian Cottage Style Cooking.

My grandmother was from England and lived in the US most of her life.  She never left any doubt that her heart was still in Europe and this is a fine example of how she would collect memories from her time living outside of the US.

The picture on the front of the article had a thatched roof cottage.  I remember she once gave me a music box of a cottage with this exact style of roofing.  Looking through the recipes I could see why she clipped the article.

The titles and many of the ingredients were similar to the food and titles that she grew up on.  I actually thought that it was a list of English dishes until I flipped it over and read that the articles were about the simple living and cooking styles of cottage living from 150 years ago in Northern Europe.

Why I chose this dish is simple, mushrooms are my husbands favorite side dish.   We don't eat  steaks without having some sort of mushroom side dish.  Usually they have been sauteed in butter and wine.  I wanted to try something different.  Could we have a side dish of mushrooms and not eat it with something else? Could it stand on its own?

My only regret in making this recipe is that I did not buy us more mushrooms.  The flavors were so simple and yet paired together amazingly well.

The hint of paprika and lemon juice turned a simple dish into a flavorful dish that could easily be served along.  It did not need a steak, it was not a second string find.  With this being said I found it the perfect dish to also serve over something else: rice, noodles or a baked potato.

I had just bought a bag of small potatoes.  I baked up a few and this is how we enjoyed the mushrooms.  Scooped over a hot potato that had first been buttered, salt and peppered.

The mushrooms were simply delicious and yet had this gourmet flair that could not be denied.

I hope you enjoy this recipe find from my grandmothers box of treasure.

Recipe:  Creamed Mushrooms
Recipe makes enough for 2 adults as a meal or 4 small sides/toppings.

4 cups of sliced baby Portabella mushrooms
1/3 cup diced red onion
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
1 (1/2 cup) stick of butter
1/2-1 teaspoon of paprika
1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup of sour cream
pinch of salt

In a large saute pan, melt butter.  Saute onions and garlic until soft.  Add mushrooms and stir.

Cook mushrooms for 3-5 minutes until they reduce in size and start to wilt.  Add lemon zest, paprika, dried parsley, salt and sour cream. Stir until well combined.  Do not boil.

Remove from heat and serve immediately.

   

Three Favorite Side Dishes for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving for those of us in the US is quickly approaching.

We just had our election and now we are moving on to preparing our menus, ordering our turkeys, and inviting family and friends.

I have made small and large turkeys.  Had a few friends and tons of family.

Every year we have our favorites and the oldie but goodies on our tables.

Through the years our recipes have changed just a bit.

Take the mashed potatoes as an example.  For the greater part of my child and adult life they have been made with basic ingredients: potatoes, milk and butter with a lot of salt added.

My sister in law, Amy, introduced us to a new way of adding a bit more flavor to this already traditional dish.

Honestly, we never looked back. It was a hit and I can't imagine not making them this way.

Below you will find the three recipes that we enjoy this time of year.  They are not hard, in fact, very easy but the flavors are traditional for this time of year.

Recipe: Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Makes 4-6 servings

4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 stick of butter, soft
3 cubes of Chicken Bullion..to be exact you need Wylers
1 (5oz) can of Carnation Evaporated milk
Salt and Pepper to taste

Boil potatoes until done.

Drain potatoes in strainer. In the hot pot, add butter and bullion. Stir to combine until bullion is dissolved.

Add boiled potatoes and evaporated milk.

Using a potato masher or electric mixer, blend potatoes until smooth.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe: Sweet Potatoes
Makes 4-6 side dish servings

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly
5 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350.

In a glass pie plate, layer the sliced sweet potatoes.

In between each layer, grate butter (this is a quick method to use) and sprinkle with brown sugar.

On last layer, add butter, brown sugar and salt.

Bake for 30 minutes or until sweet potatoes are soft.

Add marshmallows and cook for 5 minutes until soft.

I transfer to a prettier bowl to serve.

*I like to overcook my marshmallows until they are very brown and almost melted. This adds a nice flavor to the dish.



Recipe: Brown Butter Broccoli with Mizithra Cheese
Makes 4-6 side dish servings

3-4 cups of raw broccoli, cut into medium size pieces
3 tablespoons of butter
1/4 cup of grated Mizithra cheese (can be purchased at Whole Foods)

Steam broccoli until desired tenderness. Do not boil, it will make the broccoli too watery and dilute the brown butter.

In a sauté pan, brown butter. To brown butter: cook butter over medium heat until the color slowly changes to a caramel color. Be careful to not burn. It will have a nice nutty aroma.

In a bowl, add steamed broccoli and drizzle with brown butter. Sprinkle cheese on top.

Mizithra Cheese can be purchased at most specialty grocery stores or in the cheese department.  It has a specific texture and flavor and cannot be easily replaced with something else.  It also works great over a bowl of pasta with browned butter and this cheese.

ENJOY!

Cannellini and Turkey Meatball Soup #worlddiabetes

Today, November 14th, is World Diabetes Day.  November is Diabetes Awareness Month.

It is a day that we as a collective group of individuals, who support diabetes research and know people who are affected by the disease, to rally together and offer our support and love.

Diabetes is a world issue.  More and more people, including children, are learning that they have diabetes.  We have come a long way in understanding why some people will and do get diabetes.  In some cases we can alter our diets and this can improve the situation.  

I am grateful that I am able to participate along with 40+ other bloggers and share a healthy recipe.  Our hostess is Carolyn from All Day I Dream About Food.  She has set up a special link party so that all of our recipes can be found in one place.  On top of that she is giving away a BLUE KITCHENAID MIXER…so exciting!!!

I am not a doctor nor do I have diabetes, this is just my experience with two family members.  

Growing up,  the word diabetes was just that, a word.  I don't remember ever hearing  phrases like "we need to watch the sugar in our diets" or "we should eat less bad carbs".  I never heard the word diabetes until I became an adult.  I did not know that certain foods were prohibited and that changes needed to be made or you could get sick.

As my grandmother got older she developed issues with diabetes. I watched my grandmother continue to eat or rather sneak treats.  She would have things hidden through out her kitchen and bedroom.  She was in denial for a long time.  She eventually did not have a choice and had to listen to her physicians to make some changes.  She was prescribed medication and learned to alter the way she ate.  It did not happen over night and she fought it for a long time.    Diabetes hits closer to home for me now.  My Mom is young.  She is 65 and must make some changes in her diet and with her weight.  She has, for years, filled her meals with bad carbs, sugar, soda pop, candy and sweets.  The over loading has caught up with her and now she is faced with some decisions.  

Change is hard, especially with food.  

I took my Mom to New York this past summer.  I don't live by my Mom and so I was not fully aware of how close to a diagnosis of the disease my Mom was until we were in the financial district.  Between high rises and busy traffic streets I turn to find that she is shaking, turning white and on the verge of passing out.  Her sugar had dropped.  She has hypoglycemia.  Hypoglycemia is an indicator of a health problem.  In my sister and I 's mind we already knew what the health problem was and I am pretty sure my Mom did too.

Having dealt with similar issues myself,  I understood what we needed to do.  We found a cool place for her to sit and I went and bought several snacks that she could eat.  With in minutes she started to feel better.  It took her 30 minutes to feel well enough for us to continue our visit to the city.  I was worried. 

This scared me.  I saw first hand what she had been dealing with for a few years. When we returned to my home in Maryland we tried to understand what she needed to do next.  The writing was on the wall for us.  I bought her snacks to carry with her at all times and we learned that she needed to eat more frequently.   I was glad that I  could monitor what she was eating and together we could  help her understand the healthier diet that she would need to consume.  I had 8 more days before she left my house and I wanted her to see that, if done right, she could feel better.  We talked about her going straight home and making the call to get checked for diabetes.  

I was worried.  I was seeing her future.  I was seeing my kids without a grandmother.  I was being selfish because I wanted her to be healthy.  I wanted her to buy the kit to check her blood. To stay on top of how she was feeling.  I wanted her to talk to a nutritionist to help her with her diet.  I wanted her to stop eating crap food.

I wanted to scream…CHANGE DAMN IT!  Please, change so you will be around longer and not die.

I know enough about diabetes to understand that you can live a full life if treated properly and the right steps are taken to find balance in your diet.  My comment above is iterated with a level of frustration. I know my Mom and her situation and so I do worry.  She has struggled for years to get the weight off, she is a stress eater (usually sweets) and she enjoys sweets.  Change is needed, but will it happen?

I can't make my Mom eat the right foods if she does not want to.  She must make the change not me.  It's hard being a family member and watching someone deal with diabetes and the onset of diabetes when they are not willing to accept that they have or could have it.  She did go home and had the test done.  She was counseled that she was border line diabetic and that changes needed to be made.  A few months later she started a treatment of medicines.

In writing this I understand that the only person I can influence and change 100% is me.  It starts with each of us.  We must listen to our bodies.  We need to stop pretending that fast food restaurants, processed food and that exercising is not vital to our health.  I believe it is.  We must become aware and do something.  I made the change.  I stopped eating wheat, I don't eat processed food on a regular basis, I exercise so I don't allow myself to get over weight.  I have experienced several episodes where my sugar dropped and that was all it took.  I felt awful during those times.  I knew immediately when I started feeling this way what my future would look like, I had watched my Mom and Grandma go through similar episodes and I refused to take that road. If my genes dictate it, I still could get diabetes, but I am trying to do everything I can with my diet to prevent this from happening.

It took three generations in my family for someone to finally say enough was enough.  I will not stop suggesting ways that my Mom can improve her diet.  To encourage her to fight through the urges of eating junk food in place of whole foods. To exercise even if it is only 10-15 minutes a day.  Changes can be made with help and support.

The efforts of such organizations as the International Diabetes Federation and American Diabetes Association help bring education, research and support groups to all of those suffering and learning to live with diabetes or those issued with caution to change before a more serious action is required.

The opinions expressed here in this post are mine, a daughter who is frustrated.  I love my Mom with all my heart and I just want the best for her.  My research into this disease has just begun.  I hope to learn more through the other post that are being shared today.  Awareness is a wonderful thing.

If you have symptoms of diabetes  or suspect that you might, go talk to your healthcare physicians. Try to stay on top of it or in front of the disease before it's too late.  I believe early detection and monitoring is one of the keys to success.

If you have been advised to cut back on sugar and carbs, then seek out a support group, do the research and make it a priority to get better and feel good again. 

I will say it again, change is hard. I know.  Keep fighting and surround yourself and your family members with support, love and hope.

 

This is an easy recipe with healthy ingredients.

Recipe:  Cannellini and Turkey Meatball Soup
Servings: 4

Meatballs:
Makes 32 small meatballs
1 pound ground turkey
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon of salt
pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme
2 tablespoons finely diced onion
1 egg
1/3 cup of almond meal (optional)

Soup:

1 box of low sodium chicken broth (32 ounces)
1 can of canellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 of a red onion, sliced thinly
1 carrot, sliced into small thin rounds
1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano
meatballs (see recipe below)
2 cups of bok choy, spinach leaves or chard, rinsed and cut into 1 inch wide strips
shredded Romano Cheese for topping soup (optional)

To make meatballs:  Preheat oven to 375.  Combine all of the meatball ingredients.  Using a cookie scoop, scoop meatballs onto cookie sheet.  Bake for 12-15 minutes for small bite size meatballs.  If you chose to make them larger you will need a longer bake time.

To make soup:  In a large pot add chicken broth, beans, onion, carrots and oregano. Bring to a boil.  Let simmer for 6-8 minutes until carrots are soft.  Add meatballs and your choice of greenery (bok choy, chard or spinach leaves).  Cook for 5 minutes until greenery is wilted.

Serve soup garnished with Romano cheese.

   

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

Garlic.  CHECK

Potatoes.  CHECK

Parmesan.  CHECK

Oh how I love a good roasted potato especially in the cool months ahead.

As a kid we ate potatoes by the bag full.  My grandmother made the smoothest, creamiest mashed potatoes I have ever had.

In the mornings she would make fried potatoes with onions for our breakfast.

She added potatoes to her soups, her roast dinners and served little red boiled potatoes.

I think it may be our English/Irish heritage by we love any potato: red, yellow, gold, brown.

As an adult I try to limit how often we have potatoes in my little family.  For this reason, I am always trying to make the BEST style of potatoes.  We still love mashed but this new version is our favorite.

It is crispy on the outside and warm and soft on the inside.  DELICIOUS!

Recipe: Parmesan Roasted Potatoes


8-10 gold and red potatoes, quartered
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup of finely grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of salt
Pepper to taste
2 large onions, sliced

Preheat oven to 400.

In a bowl toss potatoes, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.

In a large cookie sheet melt the stick of butter.

Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over melted butter.

Add potatoes to cookie sheet. Sprinkle sliced onions in between potatoes so that the whole cookie sheet is covered with either potatoes or onions.

Bake for 30 minutes, then turn potatoes and onions. Bake for another 30 minutes until they are golden brown.

Serve immediately.

Traditional Roast Beef

A few months ago I had a request for a roast recipe.  I had to be honest with the person and tell them I was a bit of a failure when it came to making a normal roast in the oven,  I know prime rib is a roast and I do enjoy cooking these; in fact I having been making one a year for 20+ years.  They turn out excellent and my family looks forward to this special dinner every December.  I don't know if the bone in the roast helps this particular type of roast turn out each time or not.  

I always associate the success of the prime rib because of the cut of meat that I am purchasing.  The price is quite high and I assume that it will be perfect every time ( that might be wishful thinking..LOL).  My family likes their roast rare or medium rare and so I don't worry about over cooking it.  I think in my early days I overcooked the roast.  I grew up with meat having to be "dead"or  "brown" which meant no pink.

I also have cooked all kinds of roast in my slow cooker.  I use this meat for french dips.  It is so simple with large crowds to add the meat in the morning, go and spend the day with family and come home to a roast that is tender and ready to be added to sandwiches.

Now a plain, simple roast cooked in the oven was for me a bit daunting.  In my early days of being a new bride I would, on occasion, buy a roast and try my best to prepare it in the oven.  Every time it would come out like shoe leather.  Cory was so sweet and still ate every bite…LOL

I soon realized this was not my cup of tea and stuck with my once a year Prime Rib and occasional French Dip roast prepared in a slow cooker.  

Fred The Obsessive Chef Cutting Board (Google Affiliate Ad)

This recent request came as a challenge to me and so I wanted to try once again to see if I could make a regular roast in the oven.

I love, that with age, comes experience. My roast turned out really good this time.  I did not over cook it so it was not tough.  I seasoned it with salt and pepper.  I let it rest for 20 minutes under a foil tent. 

I was patient with my roast and allowed it to be prepared the right way and not just slam it into a hot oven, take it out and serve it.  I believe these were the mistakes of my youth.  

The kids were thrilled to see the roast on the table.  I found that the next day when I warmed up the meat it was even more tender and delicious. 

I love my roast with a dab of horseradish and sourcream with every bite.  

This is a great resource for the types of roast and their various names:  HERE

Please share your recipes of success for Roast Beef. What do you do different?  How do you season your roast?  I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

Recipe:  Traditional Roast Beef

any size Top Loin Roast

olive oil

salt and pepper

garlic salt

Preheat oven to 425.

Unwrap the meat and coat with a thin layer of oil, I use olive oil.  Add your seasonings to the roast.

In a skillet or cast iron pan that is hot, sear roast on all sides.  

To bake the roast in, I use a shallow baking dish with a rim (the roast does drip during cooking). Lay roast in pan.

Put roast in oven and cook for 20 minutes at the 425 temperature.  

Reduce heat to 325 and cook until the desired temperature has been met.

I strongly recommend using a meat thermometer so the roast is not over cooked or taken out too early.

It will cook, depending on size of roast for 2-4 hours at the lower temperature.

Remember that the meat will continue to cook for a bit after it is removed from the oven. Cover with foil and finish side dishes.

Cut meat and serve.

To reheat the next day, cut slices and microwave until warm.  If you over cook it in the microwave it will get tough. You can also warm the meat up in a sauce pan for a few minutes on each side.

  

Shepherd's Pie (lamb) or Cottage Pie (beef)

Hello my pretty (see picture above)!

Yes, another all-in-one dish to end our week of yummy casserole style dishes.

I must interject a quick snippet of information here.  I grew up eating this version under the guise that THIS was Shepherds Pie, what I was actually eating was Cottage Pie.  So what is the difference?  That would be the meat.  A traditional Shepherd's Pie is made with ground lamb and a Cottage Pie is made with ground beef (the picture above).

I grew up eating this shepherds pie and to say it was my least favorite dish is an understatement.  As a kid I did not like my stuff touching each other and the thought of eating a cooked carrot was enough to make me gag, and gag and then gag some more.

I am sure my parents thought I was pretending, but I was not.  Carrots that had been cooked in my mind was like cryptonite to superman, they zapped my powers.

Fortunately my taste buds and sensitivity to cooked carrots changed as I became an adult.  Maybe I cook them different or the fact that I use fresh carrots and not frozen or canned helps too.

I decided to make this dish for my family when school started.  I desperately needed a few things in the fridge that the kids could grab and warmup in the microwave.  The problem is that when I made it they ate the whole thing…LOL

There were no leftovers.  The combination of mashed potatoes and ground beef kept them coming back for more.

This recipe is a general style of what you will find if you google the dish, but I like to add a bit of ranch to my mashed potatoes and I leave out the peas.  I know some recipes call for corn and next time I plan on trying that.

You can make this in a 9X13 casserole dish or use a stoneware bowl to cook the shepherds pie in.  I think this recipe would also make great individualized cups if you have the ramekins on hand.

Rachael Ray Stoneware 9x13 lasagna baker -white (Google Affiliate Ad)

Share with me your thoughts on how you prepare shepherds pie, I know there are a lot of variations to the recipe.

ENJOY!

Recipe:  Shepherd's Pie

2 tablespoons of butter
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
2 pounds of ground beef OR ground lamb
4 tablespoons flour (I use brown rice flour for a gluten free version)
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
2 cups of chicken broth
1/4 cup of heavy cream
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce
2 cups of shredded fresh carrots

Topping

2 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of cream cheese
1/4 cup of parmesan ranch dressing (recipe below) or plain ranch


In a large stock pot, add salt and diced potatoes.  Cook until tender.

While potatoes are boiling, make meat sauce.

Melt butter, add onion and garlic. Cook 3 minutes.  Add meat and brown.  Add flour and tomato paste and cook 2 minutes.  Sauce should be dark in color.

Add broth, cream, worcestershire sauce and simmer over medium heat.  Simmer until ground beef mixture starts to thicken (6-8 minutes).  Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 425.

When potatoes are done boiling, drain and add butter, cream cheese and ranch.  Using a potato masher, mash until potatoes are smooth.  Small pieces are okay, my family likes it this way better.

NOTE:  I do not cook my shredded carrots, they turn out just fine by adding them raw to the dish and having them bake.  You can also use drained canned or frozen carrots.

In a 9X13 dish, add meat mixture, a layer of carrots and finally the mashed potato topping.

Cover with foil.

Bake for 35-40 minutes.  If you would like the topping to be dark brown, remove foil and broil for a few minutes.

Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.


Recipe:  Parmesan Ranch Dressing

1/4 cup of sour cream
1/4 cup of mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 cup of finely grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons of finely chopped green onion
1/4-1/2 teaspoon of salt
dash of pepper

Combine all of the ingredients together in a small bowl.  Serve immediately or refrigerate.

NOTE:  If you wish to make this thinner, add a small amount of milk or buttermilk.  Shake or stir really well.

I have not tried substituting yogurt for the sourcream or mayonnaise, but this is an option if you are trying to reduce fat.



  

229. Avocado Pesto Hummus Dip

I have tried to make hummus for my family off and on for years.  They have resisted on and on for years…LOL

They don't like it.  I can't imagine why.  I love it!

One thing they do love is guacamole and pesto.

I have seen other combinations of this dip that combine avocado's and hummus and decided to attempt
my hand at a version that my family would be happy with.

I sent small samples to the school for the teachers to test first.  I wanted to see if it would pass the "stranger" test, and it did.

All three teachers reported back that the flavor was rich in avocado smoothness and had a hint of pesto and chickpeas to make for the perfect dip.

I served this to my family under the guise of "guacamole"…I know, it was so bad!  LOL

Not one family member complained or snubbed the dip.  They loved the dip and found it to be a burst of creamy textures and combined flavors that paired well with a corn tortilla chip.

I was happy to finally find a purpose for the cans and cans of chickpeas I have collected in my cupboard.

Do you have that one item that you seem to buy every time you go to the store because you think you might be out?  Chickpeas seems to be mine.

Recipe:  Avocado Pesto Hummus

1 (15oz) can of garbanzo beans or chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup of tahini
1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
2-3 teaspoons of pesto
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4-1/2 cup of water
1 cup avocado (2 small avocado's)
1/4 -1/2 cup light olive oil

In a blender or food processor add the first 9 ingredients. Blend.

Mixture will be thick, add olive oil to reach your desired consistency.

Serve with tortilla chips. Refrigerate all leftovers.


ENJOY!