Pancakes-Dairy & Gluten Free

Food is part of the workplace. People lunch together, bring homemade goodies, eat meals, talk about food, and swap recipes. I got this recipe from coworker who brought these really yummy pancakes to a recent breakfast meeting. Enjoy!

1 1/2 cups gluten free flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
3 tablespoons non-butter spread, melted
1 1/4 cups coconut milk
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Melt the butter in a small bowl, and add the coconut milk, egg, and vanilla. Mix together before adding to the dry ingredients.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown (golden brown is a beautiful color) on both sides and serve hot.

Boeuf Bourguignon-First Attempt

Boeuf bourguignon. A delectable, glossy, rich, meat-wine-vegetable creation, full of umami. All of this magic happens after a long cooking process. This is one of Julia Child's classic creations and her recipe. I consider it high brow comfort food. It was a fun foodie experience to make this dish and I enjoyed every minute of it. I also watched the movie Julie & Julia twice while making it. After you create this dish your kitchen will smell like it should when Sunday dinner is served. 

 

Here's the recipe: https://lizzycooksblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/julia-childs-classic-boeuf-bourguignon.html

When I made it I made slight modifications. I used white onion chunks instead of the small onions, regular (non-chunk) bacon, and Burgundy wine. 

Write me anytime with comments. I hope you enjoy the experience as much as I did. Bon Appetit!

Boeuf Bourguignon: A Julia Child Classic

With thoughts of Julia on her birthday...

"As is the case with most famous dishes, there are more ways than one to arrive at a good boeuf bourguignon. Carefully done, and perfectly flavored, it is certainly one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man, and can well be the main course for a buffet dinner. Fortunately you can prepare it completely ahead, even a day in advance, and it only gains in flavor when reheated".

Boiled potatoes are traditionally served with this dish but you can also serve it with buttered noodles or steamed rice. Serve with Beaujolais, Côtes du Rhône, Bordeaux-St. Émilion, or Burgundy.

                                                                                                   
9-10 inch, fireproof casserole dish, 3 inches deep

Slotted spoon

6 ounces bacon

1 Tbsp. olive oil or cooking oil

3 pounds lean stewing beef , cut into 2-inch cubes

1 sliced carrot

1 sliced onion

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 Tbsp. flour

3 cups full-bodied, young red wine , such as a Chianti

2 to 3 cups brown beef stock or canned beef bouillon

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

2 cloves mashed garlic

1/2 tsp. thyme

Crumbled bay leaf

Blanched bacon rind

18-24 small white onions , brown-braised in stock

1 pound quartered fresh mushrooms, sautéed in butter

Parsley sprigs

Remove rind from bacon, and cut bacon into lardons (sticks, 1/4 inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long). Simmer rind and bacon for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts of water. Drain and dry.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Sauté the bacon in the oil over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon. Set casserole aside. Reheat until fat is almost smoking before you sauté the beef.

Dry the stewing beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Sauté it, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the bacon.

In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the sautéing fat.

Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with the salt and pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to oven for 4 minutes more. (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust.) Remove casserole, and turn oven down to 325 degrees.

Stir in the wine, and enough stock or bouillon so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs, and bacon rind. Bring to simmer on top of the stove. Then cover the casserole and set in lower third of preheated oven. Regulate heat so liquid simmers very slowly for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms. Set them aside until needed.

When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms over the meat.

Skim fat off the sauce. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons of stock or canned bouillon. Taste carefully for seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables. Recipe may be completed in advance to this point.

For immediate serving: cover the casserole and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve in its casserole, or arrange the stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles, or rice, and decorated with parsley.

For later serving: when cold, cover and refrigerate. About 15-20 minutes before serving, bring to the simmer, cover, and simmer very slowly for 10 minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.

Copyright © 1961, 1983, 2001 by Alfred A. Knopf. Reprinted by arrangement with the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

-Oprah.com

Kick-Ass Summer Sangria

Sangria, the ultimate summer cocktail. It originated in Spain and Portugal. I love sangria but have never made it at home. The great thing about sangria is that you can add just about any type of fruit you want. A friend and fellow foodie gave me this recipe recently so I decided to try homemade sangria. This pretty liquid is refreshing, delicious, and has a kiiiiick! You can add club soda or ginger ale if you like a bit of bubbly in your sangria.

1 bottle of dry red wine, chilled
1-2 cups brandy (depending on the week you've had)
1/2 cup sugar
Ice
2 limes, sliced into rounds
2 oranges, sliced into rounds

Put the wine, brandy, and sugar into a large glass pitcher. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Slide in the ice, add the fruit, and stir again. Serve in tall glasses with non-plastic straws. Cheers!

Winter Squash Sweet Bread

             

It's a great feeling to be able to use up some of my frozen winter squash in a good sweet bread recipe. That I picked and baked the squash feels even better. I used Cinderella squash in this recipe, which makes two loaves of bread and uses two types of flour. The squash bread is moist and hearty and is really delicious along with a cold glass of milk. 

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground allspice 
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups frozen cooked winter squash, thawed

In a large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, baking soda, allspice, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, oil, and vanilla, then stir in the squash. Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients just until moistened.

Pour into two greased 8”x4” loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. You can freeze any leftover bread.

                                           

Allspice Substitute

What is allspice you ask?  Today, it was an ingredient I needed, but didn't have, in my quite awesome spice collection.  So, I headed to the Google machine to find a substitute.  Could I have gone to the grocery store to buy some allspice?  Yes.  Did I feel like going to the grocery store on a Sunday afternoon?  No.

Contained in this short blog post is what I found:

Equal parts cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves.  Yep, that's it.

Unless of course you favor one of these 3 spices over the other...then just play with the amounts to suit yourself.  There you go!

Zesty Marinade for Meat & Vegetables

This marinade is jam packed with zesty flavor. In the photo is grilled flank steak & sliced red bell pepper strips that were marinated for 24 hours and charcoal grilled. Give the marinade a try on pork, chicken, or other veggies as well. What are you waiting for--fire up your grill!

Ingredients:

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup lime juice

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons onion, chopped

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ cup oil

¼ cup soy sauce

½ cup worcheshire sauce

Whisk together all ingredients and pour over meat or veggies you'd like to marinate. Cover the dish and marinate for 12-24 hours.

Dad's Pho (Vietnamese Soup)

I'm hooked on this stuff! It warms the soul and will cure what ails you! It just makes you feel soooo good. I found a Pho restaurant in town and wanted to make it myself. Pho has the magical qualities of homemade chicken soup with a Vietnamese twist.  Fortunately for me, my dad had his own recipe and this is what I am sharing with you today.

1 onion, peeled and quartered

8 garlic cloves, halved

1” piece of fresh ginger, sliced

2 3” cinnamon sticks

2 star anise pods

4 whole cloves

8 cups chicken or vegetable stock

3 tablespoons soy sauce

½ lb (8oz) rice noodles

6 green onions, sliced (green and white parts)

Condiments:

1 lime, cut into wedges

fresh cilantro

fresh basil

shredded cabbage

fresh bean sprouts

srirachi chili paste

In a large stock pot, heat the first six ingredients over medium-low heat until the onion is softened.  Add the broth and soy sauce.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cover for 25 minutes.  Strain the liquid to remove the first 6 ingredients.

Prepare the noodles as directed.  Divide the noodles and green onions into two large, or four medium, bowls.  Bring the broth to a boil.  Pour the hot broth over the noodles.

Serve the soup with the condiments on a separate platter.  Add your favorite condiments to the soup.  You'll need a fork and a spoon, unless you are at home, in which case you can just drink the soup out of the bowl.  (:

Thin slices of beef or chicken, or shrimp, can be added to Pho.  If you do add these ingredients try some hoisin sauce to dip the meat into or to add to the soup.

Instant Chocolate Cake in a Mug

It worked! I found this recipe in a magazine and I just had to see how it turned out. Not the best photo but it was delicious, just like regular cake.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup flour
5 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
dash vanilla extract
dash salt

Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl. Pour mixture into a large, microwave safe mug and cook for a few minutes in the microwave until it puffs up (it will then go back down). Wait until for 2 minutes. Voila! You have a mini chocolate cake in a mug. Grab the frosting and a candle.

Dad's Tiramisu (A Short Cut Version)

My dad and I made this version of tiramisu together a couple of Thanksgivings ago. Tiramisu is a wickedly delicious Italian dessert. Have a salad for dinner but THIS for dessert!

½ cup strong coffee, cooled
6 tablespoons Kahlua (coffee liqueur)
8 oz mascarpone cheese (softened)
8 oz cream cheese (softened)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
24 ladyfingers (the Alessi brand, which are more firm than the cake type)
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa

Combine coffee and 3 tablespoons Kahlua in an 8 x 8 baking dish.

In a large bowl, beat with a mixer the 2 cheeses until smooth. Add 3 (additional) tablespoons Kahlua and the sugars to the cheese mixture. Mix until blended.

Dip the lady fingers into the coffee/Kahlua mixture and transfer quickly into the 8 x 8 baking dish.

Spread ½ of the cheese mixture on top of the ladyfingers. Sprinkle with ½ the unsweetened cocoa. Repeat with another layer of dipped ladyfingers. Add the remaining cheese mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining unsweetened cocoa.

Cover and chill at least two hours.

Pico de Gallo

This salsa tastes so fresh and is packed with flavor. You can mix pico de gallo with mashed avocados to make guacamole, spoon it over fish or chicken before baking, or use it as a salsa for tortilla chips. Isn't it beautiful? 

3 large roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 white onion, chopped
1/2 large (5") jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/8 cup lime juice
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon (maybe more) Kosher salt

Mix everything in a medium bowl and refrigerate to chill if using as salsa.

Make Your Own Mojo: Garlic-Citrus Marinade

Until a friend of mine who lives in the South introduced me to mojo, I'd never heard of it. You may have seen it in your grocery store where it's bottled and marketed as a marinade. In Cuban cooking, mojo is a sauce made with olive oil, large amounts of garlic, and a citrus juice and in Puerto Rican cooking, cilantro is often added. Sour orange, lemon, or lime juice, or some combination thereof, can be used in mojo. Use equal amounts of fresh orange & fresh lime juice to make a substitute for sour orange juice. I use this homemade fresh lime juice version to marinate pork tenderloin. Mojo adds massive flavor and can also be used to marinate chicken, beef, or fish. 

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
16 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 1/3 cups freshly squeezed lime juice
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, minced

Heat a sauce pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until it's a light golden color. Be careful, it cooks fast. Add the lime juice and stir, slowly bringing it to a boil. Remove pan from heat and add the salt, pepper, and cilantro. 

Put your meat of choice in a 13" x 9" baking dish lined with parchment paper. Let the mojo cool, then pour it over the meat to be cooked. Put the covered baking dish in the fridge overnight. 

Goat Cheese & Prosciutto Stuffed Sweet Peppers

This recipe makes pretty, red appetizers that you can pick up and eat in one or two bites. These sweet cherry peppers are found in the grocery store. This appetizer has a great crunch with a nice blend of flavors and textures, and goat cheese and prosciutto make a great combo on just about anything.

Ingredients:
2 slices prosciutto
4 oz. goat cheese
1 rib celery, cut into 1/2" pieces
8 sweet cherry peppers, tops removed, seeded, rinsed, and dried

Spread each slice of prosciutto with a thin layer of goat cheese. This is easier to do if the goat cheese is a bit soft. Cut each slice of prosciutto into four pieces, then wrap a piece of celery inside each piece. Stuff a prosciutto slice into each sweet cherry pepper.  Appetizer, anyone?

Cheesy Stuffed Mushrooms

This dish makes a great appetizer and everyone loves it.

Ingredients:

24 medium mushrooms, about 1 pound
6 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (3-ounce) package low-fat cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, or 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1 cup dry bread crumbs 

Remove stems from mushrooms. Chop enough stems to make 1 cup. 

Melt 2 tablespoons margarine in a medium saucepan. Brush mushroom cap tops with margarine and put them top side down in a shallow baking pan. Brush undersides of caps with margarine. Heat the remaining margarine in same saucepan. Add the chopped mushroom stems, onion, and garlic, and cook until tender. Stir in cream cheese. Add Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, and bread crumbs. Mix thoroughly. 

Spoon about 1 tablespoon stuffing mixture into each mushroom cap. Bake at 425 until heated through.

Tip: To make ahead, prepare, but don't bake. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Then bake as directed.

Easy Irish Soda Bread

EASY means there is NO kneading required. That's my kind of bread. The buttermilk give this slightly sweet bread that nice little tang, with the added olfactory benefit of your house smelling wonderful.

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup raisins

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Blend the egg and buttermilk together and add it to the flour mixture. Mix just until moistened. Stir in butter and raisins. Pour into a greased 9x5 loaf pan. Bake at 325 for 65-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the bread comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack and wrap in foil for several hours or overnight. The bread tastes even better after it sits for a few hours. 

Vegan Peanut Butter Smoothie

My favorite smoothie of all time is fresh peach but this vegan peanut butter smoothie could be a tie for first! Just toss all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor and enjoy.

Ingredients:
1 cup ice
1 cup soy milk (or rice, almond, chocolate soy)
3-4 tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp raw sugar