Gluten-free "Oatmeal" Chocolate Chip Cookies

M* makes the best taste tester

I was about to add Organic Porridge Flakes to the composting pile, when I came-up with a better ending for the flakes: faux oatmeal cookies. I found a well-reviewed oatmeal cookie recipe online, which did not require a trip to the grocery for additional ingredients. With a few recipe modifications, I created Gluten-free "Oatmeal" Chocolate Chip Cookies.

The result? Very tasty, but the flakes did not soften enough for my liking—and I'm a gal who needs crunch in her baked goods (brownies and chocolate chip cookies without nuts aren't worth the effort or calories). I'm not sure if it was the millet or the rice flakes that was the culprit or simply the brand. M* wolfed the cookies down no problem, and he preferred the extra crunch. Of course, I helped finish the batch in just a few days time (chocolate chip and nuts are hard to resist). I'd certainly make this again when I come across another brand/ combo of gluten-free flakes.

Gluten-free "Oatmeal" Chocolate Chip Cookies
(modified from joyofbaking.com's Oatmeal Cookies)

Ingredients
3/4 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening (can also use room temperature butter or margarine)
1 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup Gluten-free Brown Rice Flour Mix
1/2 teaspoon xantham gum
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups gluten-free flakes (rice, millet, soy, or combo)
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

In large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth (about 2 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, xantham gum, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. With a wooden spoon (or similar utensil), stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture until incorporated. Then stir 30 more times. Stir in the nuts, flakes, and chocolate chips.

Drop teaspoonfuls of dough onto baking sheet, leaving about an inch between cookies. Wet your fingers and flatten the cookies slightly with your fingers so they are about 1/2 inch thick. Bake the cookies for about 8-10 minutes, or until light golden brown around the edges but still soft in the centers. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheet. Transfer to wire rack until cool.

Makes about 36 cookies

Spinach, Potato and Chick Pea Curry

Another recipe inspired by what remains in our kitchen cupboards.

I found a curry recipe in "Healthy Gluten-free Eating" that called for potatoes, chick peas and spinach, but, like many recipes in this book, it was more involved than I had time for. After some Googling, I found a Spinach Chick Pea Curry recipe that was less time consuming and would use a can of creamed corn that had sat ignored on our shelf for over six months. I blended the two recipes to maximize the ingredients used and minimize the time. What I've found about many Indian recipes is that they are forgiving if you have to make substitutions.

The result? Tasty, quick, Indian meal that will help you use what veggies you have on hand. The meal would have been even quicker if I had not included potatoes, which add a step and increase cooking time. However, the increased time is mostly unmonitored, giving opportunity to clean dishes or set table.

Spinach, Potato and Chick Pea Curry

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large, 3 medium or 4 small potatoes, cut into small wedges.
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 tblsp ajwain seeds (optional)
1 onion, chopped
1 tblsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp chili powder (more if chili powder is mild)
1 tsp turmeric
1 (14.75 ounce) can creamed corn
sprinkle of paprika
1 (15 ounce) can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 can (14 oz) tomatoes, peeled and chopped in juice
1 bunch fresh spinach, stems removed or 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh or 1 teaspoon dried basil or to taste


DIRECTIONS

1. Dry roast ajwain seeds for 1 minute on high heat in small pan. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. In a large wok or skillet heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add potatoes in a single layer, placing them cut-side down. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes and flip each potato onto second cut-side. Cook for another 5 minutes. Remove potatoes from pan and set aside. Remove excess oil from pan and potatoes.

3. In same large pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add onions. After onions have sautéed for 3-4 minutes, add curry powder, cumin, garam masala, chili powder and turmeric. Sauté until onions are translucent.

4. Stir in creamed corn. Cook, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes. As you stir, add salt, pepper, ajwain seeds and paprika.

5. Stir in garbanzo beans, tomatoes and potatoes. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. You can add a little water if mixture gets too dry.

6. Add spinach and cover. When spinach is tender, remove from heat and stir in basil.

Gluten-free Banana Banana Nut Muffins

Gluten-free Banana Banana Nut Muffins

I'd accumulated seven over-ripe bananas in the freezer, and I thought we should use them before we leave. Since I had such luck adapting a wheat flour zucchini bread recipe to a gluten-free one, I thought I'd just look up a well-reviewed glutinous banana bread recipe and substitute the Brown Rice Flour Mix and a bit of xantham gum for the wheat flour.

I went to allrecipes.com, where I found the zucchini bread recipe, and found a simple Banana Banana Bread recipe that garnered 4.5/ 5 stars and was accompanied by useful reviewer comments. Since the recipe did not call for vanilla, spices or nuts, I was happy to read that many people had added them with great results. As well, one baker had given her instructions for using muffin tins instead of a loaf pan. Perfect.

Muffins ready to go in the oven

I've listed the recipe (below) with my changes and additions. As you can see above, the recipe makes 12 good sized muffins. And yes, the taste is wonderful. Our bananas were so ripe, so sweet, so banana-y, that I think I could even have cut the sugar down to 1/2 cup. I did use a little less than the called for 3/4 cup, but reducing it further with very ripe bananas, I'm guessing, would be fine. If you are inclined to read the original recipe or other reviews, click on the link below.

Gluten-free Banana Banana Nut Muffins (based on Banana Banana Bread)

INGREDIENTS

2 cups Brown Rice Flour Mix
1 tsp xantham gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon flax seed/ linseed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon spice of your choice. I used speculaas (a Dutch spice mix of nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, mace). Other suggestions: nutmeg, cinnamon or allspice
1/2 cup non-hydrogenated butter substitute or butter (I used substitute)
1/2-3/4 cup brown sugar (depending on sweetness of bananas and personal preference)
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/3 cups (about seven) mashed overripe bananas
1 cup walnuts

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease muffin tin (or use liners). Makes 12 large muffins.

2. In a bowl, combine flour mix, xantham gum, baking soda, salt, flax, cinnamon, and additional spice. Whisk to blend. In a separate, large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Then stir in, with spatula or spoon, vanilla and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir flour mixture into banana mixture; stir just to moisten. Stir in walnuts until just blended. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. If not done at 25 minutes, increase heat to 350 degrees and bake for 5-10 more minutes. Let muffins cool in pan for 10 minutes.

Che Chuoi—Banana, Coconut and Tapioca Pudding

A month or two ago, I took M* to Cho Mee, a Chinese grocery store that also carries various Pan-Asian items, and he picked-up some large Tapioca Pearls with the idea that he would make them. I suspected that this might not be the case. With our time in Cambridge winding-down, I decided to make them before we ended-up leaving them for the next tenant.

The instructions on the back were not in the best English, and I didn't feel confident in following them. Instead, I went to Google to point me in the right direction. I didn't find many recipes calling for the large tapioca pearls, so I tried to follow the instructions on the package just to cook the pearls. While I was doing this, I came across a recipe for a Vietnamese dessert, Che Chuoi—Banana, Coconut and Tapioca pudding, which required small tapioca pearls but sounded delicious.

I ran into a little bit of trouble when, after almost an hour, the pearls had not turned completely translucent but a number of them had gel-ified (?) on the bottom of the pan. I just plunged ahead though and started following the recipe with step 2. Within minutes the desert was done, and I was able to put the pan in the sink, where it took a few days of soaking/ scrubbing to remove all the pearls from the bottom.

My husband loved the dessert, and I loved the taste but would have enjoyed it more with the small pearls. Coconut milk and bananas are already staples for us, and I can see small tapioca pearls making future appearances in my shopping basket.

Che Chuoi—Banana, Coconut and Tapioca Pudding
Makes 6 servings.
(I recommend following the link above. The web site has useful notes about types of bananas and coconut milk and a description of the dessert)

3 cups water
3 tablespoons small tapioca pearls (about 1/8"in diameter)
3 ½ tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup coconut milk
3 bananas (about 1 pound total) peeled and cut on the bias into ½-inch thick slices

1. Cook the tapioca. In a 2 quart saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Use a whisk to swirl in the tapioca pearls. This prevents them from sticking together! Let the tapioca cook in the boiling water for about 12 minutes, at which point they'll have lost about one half of their opaque-ness and the mixture will have thickened. The pearls sort of resemble fish eyes!

2. Add remaining ingredients. While the tapioca cooks, whisk the sugar, salt and coconut milk together. When the tapioca has finished its initial cooking (step 1), whisk in the sugar, salt and coconut milk. Stirring occasionally, let the mixture cook for a minute to dissolve the sugar. Add in the banana slices and continue to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes to allow the bananas to heat through and the flavors to meld. Set the pudding aside to cool. Serve at slightly warmed or at room temperature in individual bowls.

Thai Fish Cakes With Thai Dipping Sauce

I've only attempted a few recipes from "Healthy Gluten-Free Eating," as they tend to be a bit involved—lots of chopping, steps, bowls, pans, sauces. I had bought some salmon from the neighborhood fishmonger, and I was happy to find a recipe in this book that wasn't too involved. Yes, there was lots of chopping, a sauce and a sauteing step before the actually frying, but it wasn't hard. This may be because I've gotten much more familiar with the ingredients from making a Thai soup. We have the nam pla and Thai chilies, and I know where to find kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass.

Enough typing. "Fabulous recipe. Love it! No additions." That's all I originally planned to write. Recipe is below with photos of the fishcakes. Oh, they still tasted excellent the next day and the day after that. I'm sure wheat and gram flour could also be used if rice flour isn't on hand—we used brown rice flour.

(click on image to enlarge)

Thai fishcake recipe (dipping sauce recipe below)

Formed fishcakes ready to be fried

Once they're in the frying pan, dinner is almost ready!

At least the sauce is an easy one

Applesauce—Like Mom Makes

I cannot believe that it took me so long to make applesauce. I l-o-v-e it, and my mom, the queen of excellent homemade applesauce, makes it frequently—always having some on hand when I'm home for a visit. When M* and I were in Germany, M* was helping his sister make strained apples for her infant son when the familiar smell of warm apples caused a cartoon-like light bulb to appear over my head. "I too should make applesauce," I realized.

After our return to Cambridge, armed with instructions from my mom, I bought a number of large Bramley apples from the Cambridge Market Square. I thought they'd be good as I'd used them for baking, but they were quite tart. Yes, the applesauce had the right consistency and satisfied the craving, but I ended up adding more sugar and cinnamon than I liked, and then it still made me pucker a bit. M* was a fan of the tartness, but I found it too extreme. I know that, for me, the right apples, result in the addition of no or only small amounts of sugar.

Boiled Bramley apples (skin still on) being mushed through a strainer.
Bramley applesauce (Bramley apples, sugar, cinnamon)

A few days later I went back to the Market Square and eyed the apple selection from my favorite stand. My ideal choice would have been Macintosh, but I've yet to see them in the UK. I opted for a bag of Braeburns and headed home to begin batch two. The only disappointment with the Braeburns was that I wished I'd bought more. The applesauce was so friggin good, and I did not need to add any sugar.

I think I'm going to buy a lot of apples tomorrow and make an entire stockpot full of applesauce: it freezes really well.

Braeburn applesauce being reduced on the stove (Braeburn apples, cinnamon)

Mom's Applesauce

Just good apples

Cut them up into chunks, you can leave skin on for the vitamins, put enough water in bottom of pan to steam them, not to cover them up with water. Just cover pot and simmer til soft, then cool and mash through a strainer, add sweetener, some cinnamon, some nutmeg, if you have it, to taste.

My notes:
*You do have to spend a little time getting the soft apples through a strainer, but it's no more time than peeling the apples beforehand.
*Don't worry if you use too much water, if the applesauce is too thin after putting the apples and liquid through the strainer, just reduce on stove until desired consistency is reached.
*It may be strange to some, but I really like to eat cold applesauce with cottage cheese.

Fish in a Bag

Not a recipe really—just a comment that I love the ease of cooking fish, vegetables, herbs, seasonings, and what have you in an aluminum foil "bag." It's almost impossible to dry out the fish, as the close-enough-to-airtight environment covering the top and bottom of the ingredients with foil and sealing the edges provides keeps the juices from evaporating and makes the fish self basting. We usually heat the oven to 450º and give the fish about 30 minutes (longer if a thick fillet). The result is always a crowd pleaser.

Salmon fillet, purchased from the Newnham fishmonger, covered with basil, tomatoes, garlic, pepper and lemons.

Poaching Fish

I've realized that M* and I eat very little meat (besides a weekly chicken) or fish at home—and we don't eat out very often. This is a result of frugality, but lately my body is in revolt. I had M* pick-up some sea bass from the local fishmonger last weekend, and I was ready to prepare it on Monday. I decided that the organic asparagus and potatoes from our weekly delivery needed to be eaten and so they were selected as the sides (I am contemplating cancelling our weekly vegetable delivery as we never eat all the potatoes).

The potatoes and asparagus were easy: peel the potatoes, toss them with some olive oil, salt, pepper, seasonings and bake at 350 for an hour (then toss with garlic sauteed in olive oil if you have the time) and toss the asparagus with olive, a little bit of sea salt and bake at 400° for 8-15 minutes depending on size and personal taste.

I was going to bake the fish with olive oil, tomatoes, basil and onion in sealed aluminum foil, but I had no aluminum foil. After looking online I decided on poaching: cooking in a pan on the stove in a little bit of liquid. I got some ideas from "Shallow Poached Sea Bass" although the only ingredients that I had were the sea bass and stock—but it was vegetable not chicken. Instead of Old Bay, coriander, etc., I used 1 tbsp of butter, garlic, mushrooms, onion and tarragon.

Poached sea bass, potatoes and asparagus

As for the methodology—that was a rough copy as well. I used a non-stick frying pan with no lid. I took the lid from a smaller pan and had to stick a wooden spoon under the lid to keep it from smushing the fish. I also didn't have the correct thermometer for reading fish, so I guessed the timing (about eight minutes per side). Regardless of the changes, M* and I were thrilled with the result: moist, flavorful fish. I think it's now our preferred method of preparing fish.

Salsa

It surprised me that I cannot remember making a tomato based salsa from scratch. I certainly remember make tomatillo salsa, but perhaps the availability of tasty, fresh salsas in Los Angeles precluded a need for me to make my own.

As we were having friends over last week for a game and meal of Mexican black beans, rice and tacos, making homemade salsa was a necessity. There are so many recipes online, and I focused on finding a simple one. The one I decided upon was from Mexicoconnect.com, and only required the six ingredients that I envisioned one would need: tomatoes, cilantro, onion, green chilies, lemon juice and salt.

The author stresses that one should manually chop the vegetables, and that was my plan. But it was nearing the time our guests were arriving, and I still had to shower. So, the ingredients went into the blender (we don't have a food processor). The result was a little thinner/ soupier than I was going for, but it was very tasty and had the appearance and consistency of many salsas that I have eaten. I've since chatted with my cousin's wife about the experience, and she gave me a tip for future salsa making: leave the onions out of the food processor/ blender as they tend to liquefy quickly and add after.
We and our guests were pleased with the salsa—although it was quite a bit hotter than I was expecting. I really have to be better at testing the heat of a pepper before using it in a recipe.

SALSA MEXICANA from Mexicoconnect.com

Please cut the ingredients by hand, never using electric help.

3 ripe tomatoes, chopped;
1/2 cup chopped onion;
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped;
4 to 6 chiles verdes (chile serrano), finely chopped;
2 teaspoons salt;
2 teaspoons lemon juice.

Mix well all ingredients in a serving dish, or salsera. Add a little bit of water if needed. Salt to taste. You can, of course, make your salsa as hot as you want, by adjusting the amount of chile serrano you use.

Cauliflower with Onion and Tomato—Indian Style

Last week we had a very large head of cauliflower delivered as part of our weekly organic vegetable order. I didn't want to spend a long time preparing a dish and was in the mood for Indian but not in the mood for pakora. I Googled 'Indian cauliflower tomato onion', onion and tomato being the other organic vegetables I wanted to use, and decided on the following recipe.

Cauliflower With Onion and Tomato Recipe
Ingredients

1 medium cauliflower, broken into - florets
1 medium onion, chopped
1 2 piece ginger, grated
7 tablespoon water
5 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
2 small tomatoes, peeled & chopped
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1 fresh green chili, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garam masala

Directions

Soak cauliflower florets in water for 30 minutes & drain. Blend ginger & onion along with 4 tbsp water until smooth. Set aside. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat until hot. Stir-fry garlic until it turns medium brown. Put in the cauliflower florets & stir-fry for 2 minutes. Remove the cauliflower with a slotted spoon & put in a pot. Fry the paste from the blender for 1 minute. Add cumin, coriander & tomatoes. Stir-fry until it changes colour, reducing heat if necessary to prevent burning. Add turmeric, cayenne, green chili, lemon juice & salt. Sprinkle with water if necessary to prevent sticking. Turn heat to low. Return cauliflower to skillet with whatever liquid may have collected as it drained. Mix gently. Add 3 tbsp water & bring to a simmer. Cover & cook over gentle heat for 5 to 10 minutes. The cauliflower should be just done. Remove lid, sprinkle garam masala over the top. Stir to mix.

I was very happy with the results—tasted like dishes that I've gotten in Indian restaurants. The nice thing about this recipe is that it is forgiving. I substituted ground for fresh ginger, didn't puree the onion (I hate cleaning the blender) and threw in, by mistake, the garam masala with the turmeric and cayenne instead of at the end, and all was fine. It also keeps and reheats well.

Gluten-Free Gnocchi

Companies are continually improving the taste and texture of gluten-free pastas: I use my husband as a gauge, as I haven't had wheat pasta in a few years. However, there are a few pastas that have yet to be available to the masses in a gluten-free form: ravioli, of which I especially miss pumpkin; tortellini, crave the spinach and ricotta variety; and gnocchi. Gnocchi has a sentimental value for me, as my stepgrandmother, born in Italy, would always have a pot on the stove when we went for a visit. She taught me and my sister how to make gnocchi when I was still in elementary school.

Gnocchi's main ingredient is potatoes—which are gluten-free. It's only the flour that needs to be substituted out. I've made gluten-free gnocchi before (recipe from Celiac.com), and I thought it turned out pretty well. However, I decided to try a recipe in a cookbook that I bought this year: "Healthy Gluten-free Eating".

This recipe used only potato starch as a substitute for the wheat flour—the Celiac.com recipe called for potato starch, corn starch and white rice flour. Making gnocchi is actually simple, (ingredients are mixed together at one time) although a bit time consuming (the cooking of the potatoes, rolling out of the dough and cutting and dimpling of each gnocchi). The first time I made the "Healthy Gluten-free Eating" version, the dough wouldn't hold together when we attempted to roll it out. My husband ended up shaping the dough in the correct dimensions, so that I could cut and dimple them. The end result—I thought not as good as the Celiac.com recipe, but my husband and our guest thought they were quite good. I thought the homemade tomato sauce and parmesan masked the gnocchis negative qualities.

Gluten-free gnocchi and tomato sauce with sausage, onion and mushrooms

Since we get potatoes delivered weekly and never use them all, I decided to make gnocchi a week later. This time I forgot that we needed eggs. As I'd already baked the potatoes, I did some online research and discovered the gnocchi were originally made with only potatoes and flour—no eggs or butter. So, I forged ahead without eggs, and the result was pretty much the same. I'm still not loving this recipe, but one of the problems could be the potatoes we are using—and the potatoes are the most important ingredient. We are using whatever type gets delivered, while every recipe that I've seen calls for a specific type of potato.

I'll certainly be giving gnocchi another go—and I'm thinking of varying the flour from only potato starch. I think that's what makes the gnocchi extra bland.

Gnocchi from Celiac.com
1 kg (2 lb) cooked mashed potatoes
1 cup white rice flour
¾ cup potato starch
¼ cup corn starch
1 tablespoon margarine
1 tablespoon grated parmesan (optional)
2 eggs
salt Mix all ingredients with hands. Knead lightly. Shape small portions of the dough into long "snakes". On a floured surface, cut snakes into small pieces. Place a few gnocchi in salted boiling water. As the gnocchi rise to the top of the pot, remove them with a slotted spoon. Repeat until all are cooked. Cover with hot tomato sauce and serve. You can he re-heat them using a microwave oven.

Gnocchi from "Healthy Gluten-free Eating"
1 kg ( 2 1/4 lbs) unpeeled potatoes, preferably Golden Wonder or Kett's Pink
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
50 g (2 oz) butter
275 g (10 oz) potato starch
Parmesan, freshly grated

The recipe calls for boiling then steaming the potatoes, but Cooks Illustrated recommends baking them, and that's how we do it. Peel potatoes immediately once boiled/ steamed/ baked.

Push peeled potatoes through potato ricer. Add egg yolks, butter, generous pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well to combine and then, slowly stir in half of the potato flour. Knead lightly, ensuring all the flour is evenly distributed. Add more of the potato flour in this manner until dough is firm.

Boil a large pot of water (with a pinch of salt). Form a small piece of dough into a gnocchi size ball. Reduce heat to simmering and cook dough. When it floats to the surface, leave in water for another minute before removing. If the dough is too dry, the gnocchi will be heavy and stodgy. If it is too wet, it will fall apart during cooking. Adjust potato flour and egg balance in remaining dough as needed. Taste gnocchi and adjust seasonings.

Divide potato dough into four equal sections. Lightly potato-flour the work surface and roll out each section to form a log 3/4 in thick. Cut each log into 1 inch sections. Refrigerate pieces for 15-20 minutes to make dough easier to handle. Remove from fridge and gently press the back of the prongs of a fork against each piece. Then curve each piece with your fingers (we always use our thumb).

Place about 15 gnocchi in boiling water. Reduce temperature so water is simmering, and cook as mentioned previously. Remove from pan with slotted spoon and leave to drain thoroughly in a colander (if necessary). cover and keep warm while you cook the remainder.

Veggie Chili

We've been making chili quite a bit lately: ever since my sister forwarded me her recipe, which I used for an "international cooking day." As long as you have the basics—kidney beans, canned tomatoes, onion and spices—you can throw in whatever vegetables or meats or meat substitutes that you have on hand. As my sister wrote in her email which accompanied the recipe, "This is definitely an ad hoc recipe but it's pretty hard to f/u."

Maybe not the most appetizing photo, but you get the point.

My sister's recipe is below, and here are my notes:
*We always include black beans, because we love them.
*I've found that I need at least two 29 oz cans of tomatoes. This may be because we throw-in more of all the ingredients.
*We add cumin.
*Use double the amount of garlic.
*Jalapenos are hard to find in Cambridge, so we use what chilies we have. I've made the mistake of not first testing the heat of the chilies before adding a few too many of them. Always test the heat first.
*The 2 tbsps of chili powder she recommends should be adjusted if, like ours, your chili powder is smoking hot.
*We've never used the peanuts: either turkey meat or more beans.

Carolyn's Veggie Chili

Here's my spin on a veggie chili but you can also not add peanuts and
do ground beef or turkey.

2 green peppers
1-2 onions depending on size
2 garlic cloves minced
1-2 jalapenos depending on how you like them
2 cans of dark kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can of corn (drained)
1 29 oz can of diced tomatoes (do NOT rinse); you can also add an additional smaller can of diced tomatoes if you like it more tomatoey
1 14 oz can chick peas (drained and rinsed)
1/2-1 cup of dry roasted peanuts or to taste - you can also crush them if you prefer
Chili powder to taste (at least 2 tablespoons)
Cinnamon to taste but at least 1 tsp. If I have a cinnamon stick, I leave that in the pot as well.
Salt to taste

Saute in oil the first four ingredients in a large stock pot/dutch oven
for a few minutes then add all the other ingredients; bring to a boil.
turn down to a medium simmer.

Garnish with cheese/sour cream/chopped chives or green onions and you
can also garnish with tortilla chips
Enjoy!

Fast & Easy Creamy Polenta

Ever since having pan fried polenta in an Italian restaurant a few weeks ago, I've been imagining producing a similarly tasty dish at home. I have little experience with polenta; initially I didn't like it, and I probably would not have given it a second chance if I didn't have to avoid gluten.

My stepmother forwarded me her sister's microwave polenta recipe, which I quickly made. However, the consistency was creamy—like, I've realized, most polenta recipes. After my husband absconded with a bowl for himself, I tried frying up the polenta. That didn't go so well. The polenta was quite liquid to begin with, so when the bottom started turning from yellow to golden, the top had not hardened enough to be flipped without sliding off the spatula. While the result was messy, it was palatable and quickly eaten.

This recipe is great for quick clean-up. We just put all the ingredients in a Pyrex measuring cup.

After researching online, I realized that I could reduce the ratio of water to polenta from 4-1 to 3-1 for grilled or fried polenta and, importantly, I should spread it in a pan and let it set for at least an hour in the fridge. Yesterday, I attempted it again. I used about 3 1/3 cups of water and let the polenta set for just one hour in the fridge. I was able to cut the polenta into rectangles that held their shape when I put them in the pan, however the bottom of the polenta turned gelatinous before finally firming-up.

Polenta fresh out of the microwave and ready to set.

The result was certainly an improvement over the first attempt, but here are the changes for next time:

*3 cups of water to 1 cup of polenta
*refrigerate polenta overnight before frying
*make sure frying pan is completely heated before adding polenta

FAST & EASY CREAMY POLENTA

1 Cup yellow corn meal
4 Cups cold water (3 if you are going to be grilling or frying polenta)
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Teaspoon salt

Pour all ingredients in large bowl. Stir until there are no lumps. Cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes. Remove, stir and microwave another 3 (2 minutes if 3 cups water) minutes. Remove, stir and microwave for 2 minutes (1-2 for 3 cups water). Polenta will be cooked at this time. Cook longer if you want it less creamy. Times may vary slightly depending on your microwave.

Why You Need Baking Powder

I was rushing to make a number of dishes and bake cookies and other goodies before we had visitors. I started whipping up lemon poppy seed loaves at 10pm—not a good idea. The loaves looked fine when I took them out of the oven, but within minutes they had shrunken to become dense and brick-like. Instantly I realized that I had left out the baking powder: luckily I was too tired to get upset with myself. The next morning I baked two perfect loaves in no time.

Guess which one is missing the baking powder?

Tom Kha Kai Part 2

Armed with a new recipe for Tom Kha Kai, M* and I made a trip to Cho Mee on Mill Road to pick up a few ingredients: kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, tamarind-chili paste and tamarind. I had bought two large chicken breasts from the local butcher, and they ended up being exactly one pound, which is the weight the recipe called for. We've found that the meats from the butcher really do taste better. We also had homemade chicken broth which is more flavorful and is less salty than canned broth.

We followed the recipe exactly, and the result was better than any we've had in a restaurant.

Just a few notes for next time:
*There was not as much soup as we'd like—if you are having it for a meal it makes about four bowls. However, we were planning on having a lot left over for the week. Next time we'll double the recipe.
*The tamarind that I bought did not blend well with water to make paste. There were fibrous bits of tamarind skin (think that's what it was) that I had to pick out. I spent a bit of time going over the shelves in the store, but I'll look again to find tamarind that will produce a better paste.
*We had red chilies that I'd bought at Seoul Plaza, and we tasted them to test the heat. M* and I both agreed that they weren't that hot, so I used five in the soup. While eating the soup, M* chewed and swallowed two and looked as if he was going to explode or throw-up. What I didn't realize is that if you are going to test the heat of the chili, you need to test the top of the chili where the capsaicin is stored. I had cut off the bottom of the chili for M* and me to test. Oops. Luckily the chilies did not make the soup too spicy and M* was able to taste the soup after much water and about 20 minutes.
*We added a red pepper. If we'd had a fresh tomato, we'd have added that as well—cut into quarters.

Tom Kha Kai - Thai Chicken, Ginger, and Coconut Milk Soup

from RecipeGullet.com

Thai-Flavored Chicken Stock
2 cups chicken stock
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 small handful cilantro stems (leaves reserved for other use)
freshly ground black pepper

Tom Kha Gai
2 cups Thai-Flavored Chicken Stock
14 oz unsweetened coconut milk (I use 1 well-shaken can of Chaokoh)
4—5 oz Siamese Ginger (Galanga), unpeeled and cut into slices
1 stalk lemongrass, peeled and sliced into large pieces then bruised
2 tbsp nam phrik pao (Chili-Tamarind Paste)*
6 pairs kaffir lime leaves, torn
1 large lime, juiced
1/2—1 tbsp tamarind sauce**
1—2 tbsp coconut palm sugar
2—3 tbsp nam pla (fish sauce) -- less if using pre-salted stock
1 can can straw mushrooms, drained (or white button mushrooms, brushed of dirt and quartered)
1 pound chicken, sliced into bite-sized pieces
3—6 stemmed and lightly crushed Thai chilies (if you want more heat)


1. Put the stock in a pan with the cilantro, garlic, and pepper. Heat over low.

2. While the stock is warming, add the lemongrass, ginger, and lime leaves. Increase to medium and bring to a simmer.

3. Add the coconut milk and return to a simmer. Stir in the chicken and simmer for 1 minute. Add the nam phrik pao, lime juice, palm sugar, fish sauce, and tamarind sauce. Stir until dissolved. Add the drained mushrooms and Thai chilis. Taste for balance, adding more of whatever is needed.

4. Remove from heat and serve warm. Be sure to only eat the chicken pieces, mushrooms, and Thai chilies if you dare (feel free to separate out the aromatics before serving if you wish). Tastes great leftover (I usually leave in a few pieces of the aromatics before refrigerating).

* see this for a recipe or use about 1 1/2 to 2 T of the medium-hot Pantainorasingh brand "Roasted Chili Paste with Soya Bean Oil"

** Use 1 oz of seedless tamarind paste to 1/2 cup of warm water, strain. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for about a week. Or use premade "soup base" - make sure the only ingredients are tamarind and water. If you can't find this, use more lime juice instead until balanced.

Gluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Tea Loaves

Another recipe from "Gluten-Free Baking Classics" by Annalise Roberts. There is nothing bad in this book. I've made this recipe twice in the last week. The first time I made it, I gave one loaf to our landlord, and the remaining loaf disappeared in less than 24 hours.

This recipe is very easy. Grating the 2 tbsps of lemon rind is the only time consuming step, and that only takes about 10 minutes. I found that one and a half lemons renders the desired amount. All ingredients are standard in a kitchen, except maybe the lemon extract. I didn't have the four 5x3 loaf pans, so I used two larger ones (6 1/2 x 4 1/2 I think). Baking time was only three minutes longer.

My second batch, which I've just taken out of the oven, I modified slightly. Since the recipe calls for a lot of sugar, I reduced it to 3/4 cup. M* noticed the difference and like it; he said that it tasted less like candy. I also substituted two egg whites for one of the three eggs. I'm going to attempt to make this with egg replacer, to keep the cholesterol down for M*.

Recipe
2 cups Brown Rice Flour Mix
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp xantham gum
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup poppy seeds
2 packed tbsps grated lemon rind
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp lemon extract
3/4 cup milk
granulated sugar to sprinkle on top of loaves

Mix the first six ingredients—set aside. Combine and beat the next four ingredients with mixer at medium-high speed for one minute. Add milk, flour mixture and mix until just blended. Fill loaf pans (lightly coated with cooking spray) with batter and cook in oven preheated to 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Cool loaves for 10 minutes in pans before removing them to cool completely.

Roast Chicken with Root Veggies

Recipe from Cook's Illustrated. I wanted to try brining a chicken, and it was really easy. Only thing was recipe called for two chickens to be brined and then cooked at one time. I don't have a pot truly big enough to brine one chicken to their specifications let alone two let alone an oven big enough to cook two. I will buy a real stockpot, but in the meantime I cut down the sugar and salt in the brine to 1 cup each from 1 1/2 cups because I could only fit about 10 cups of water when the recipe called for 16. Kept the garlic at two heads (yes, heads not cloves) and bay leaves at six. Basically just brine the chicken for an hour or so, cook and then use the same pan to cook the root vegetables under very high heat. Root vegetables are really up to you. We used potatoes, fennel, sweet potatoes and onions. I threw in some leeks that we had to use at the very end so that they wouldn't overcook.