October 22, 2011

Garlic Smashed Potatoes

1 pound small fingerling potatoes
2 cloves garlic
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup buttermilk

1. Put the potatoes and garlic in a saucepan, cover with cold water and season with salt. Cover and bring to a boil, then uncover and continue cooking until tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Drain the potatoes, reserving 1/4 cup liquid. Return the potatoes to the pan; add the buttermilk and mash, adding cooking liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper.

Original recipe found at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/pork-chops-with-apples-and-garlic-smashed-potatoes-recipe/index.html

Pork Chops with Apples

Kosher salt
4 1/2-inch-thick boneless pork loin chops (5 ounces each)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
Freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
2 Granny Smith apples, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 cup apple cider

1. Rub both sides of the pork chops with the sage, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat, then add 1 teaspoon olive oil and sear the chops until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
2. Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil. Add the onion and apples and cook over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the cider.
3. Return the chops to the skillet. Cover and cook, turning once, until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes.

Serving suggestion: Serve with Garlic Smashed Potatoes or an autumn salad

Original Recipe found at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/pork-chops-with-apples-and-garlic-smashed-potatoes-recipe/index.html

Pancakes

1/2 c. cornstarch
3/4 c. white rice flour (or more if batter is too thin)
1 T. baking powder
1 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 1/4 c. milk
3 T. melted butter

1. In one bowl, mix dry ingredients.
2. In a second bowl, combine wet ingredients.
3. Mix wet and dry ingredient together just until dry ingredients are moistened.
4. Pour batter onto hot griddle or frying pan to form 6" pancakes. Allow pancakes to cook until golden brown on bottom, then flip and allow to cook until golden brown on top.
5. Top pancakes with butter, jam, or maple syrup.

* These pancakes are great with chocolate chips, peanut butter, or peanut butter chips. They are also the base recipe for Dessert Pumpkin Pancakes.

Dessert Pumpkin Pancakes

1/2 c. cornstarch
3/4 c. white rice flour
1 T. baking powder
1 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 1/4 c. milk
3 T. melted butter
2/3 c. pumpkin (not pie filling) - or more if desired
chocolate chips
chopped pecans
cream cheese frosting

1. In one bowl, mix dry ingredients.
2. In a second bowl, combine wet ingredients.
3. Mix wet and dry ingredient together just until dry ingredients are moistened.
4. Pour batter onto hot griddle or frying pan to form 6" pancakes. Immediately after pouring, sprinkle batter with a few chocolate chips and chopped pecans. Allow pancakes to cook until golden brown on bottom, then flip and allow to cook until golden brown on top.
5. Top pancakes with a thin layer of cream cheese frosting.

October 15, 2011

GF Dinner Rolls

1/2 cup lukewarm water
2 teaspoons yeast
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar, divided
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup buttermilk (or in place of milk + buttermilk use 1 1/4 C soy or almond milk)
2 cups brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups tapioca flour
2 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1/2 cup dried potato flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil or shortening (I used oil)
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees, or “warm” setting.
2. Place warm water in a small bowl and sprinkle yeast and 2 teaspoons sugar onto it. Set aside.
3. Microwave milk for about 1 minute, until hot. Add butter and stir to melt. Add shortening if using as well. (Susan’s recipe doesn’t call for melting the butter but I though it was easier that way)
4. Combine flours, 2 tablespoons sugar, xanthun gum, potato flakes, and salt in a large bowl (use your mixer bowl if you’re using a kitchenaid or similar mixer.)
5. Add yeast mixture, warm milk mixture, oil (if using), buttermilk, and eggs into dry ingredients. Beat at high speed for 3 minutes.
6. Spray a muffin tin pan with cooking spray (I rubbed mine with butter). Spoon dough into muffin tins, around 3/4 full. (I then used my buttered fingers to pat down the tops of the rolls)
7. Set muffin tray on open oven door to rise (or turn oven off and place rolls inside with door closed like I did). Let rise for approximately 20 minutes for rapid-rise yeast, and 30 minutes for regular yeast. (I used rapid rise and it took about 30 for them to look plumped up, it’s always better to go by what breads look like rather than time noted in a recipe since all oven/house/weather conditions are different).
8. Turn heat up to 375 and bake for 20-24 minutes. (I took my pan out of the oven while I preheated it and they were done right at 20 minutes) Yields: 16-18 rolls

These would also be delicious if topped with Garlic and Parmesean or modified into Cinnamon rolls.

I found this recipe on Our Best Bites, but they got it from the book Gluten Free Cooking Made Easy, by Susan Bell (which I will definitely be buying!)
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/08/gluten-free-rolls-gf-cinnamon-cream-cheese-rolls/

Easy Noodle Stir-Fry

1 12-oz. package linguine (GF of course - I like quinoa but rice would probably work too)
2-3 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 bottle La Choy Orange Ginger Stir Fry Sauce
1 small red onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced or pressed
1 large or 2 small orange, red, and/or yellow bell peppers, seeded and sliced
1 cup fresh or frozen green sugar snap peas or snow peas
1 medium zucchini, julienned or chopped
Optional: Grilled chicken, shrimp, or steak, black sesame seeds, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When it is boiling, add the noodles and cook al dente. When the noodles are done, drain them and toss in 2-3 teaspoons of olive oil.
2. While the noodles are cooking, heat a large skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the sliced onions, garlic, and ginger. Stir fry 1-2 minutes or until fragrant, but the garlic isn’t burning. Add the peas (or beans or edamame) and stir fry for about 30 seconds. Add the zucchini and peppers and stir fry for another 30 seconds or until the veggies are crisp-tender. Add the noodles and stir to combine. Drizzle the sauce evenly over the noodles and stir fry the entire mixture for about 30-60 seconds or until everything is well-coated in the sauce. Serve immediately.

Recipe inspired by this recipe from Our Best Bites:
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/09/quick-easy-noodle-stir-fry/

Cashew Sweet and Sour Pork

2 Tbsp. cornstarch, divided
1 Tbsp. cooking sherry or apple juice
1 lb. pork tenderloin or boneless pork chops, thinly sliced
1/3 c. water
¼ c. sugar
¼ c. cider vinegar
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. oil
1/3 c. chopped cashews (or exactly one of those little .99 bags of Fritos cashews at the front of the grocery store)
¼ c. green onions
2 tsp. minced or grated fresh ginger
2 tsp. fresh garlic, minced or pressed
6-8 oz. snow peas, trimmed
1 8-oz. can pineapple chunks, drained

1. Cut your pork super thin. (Cutting it semi-frozen helps).
2. Trim your snow peas to get any icky hard parts off.
3. Begin cooking your rice.
4. Combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch, sherry/apple juice, and pork. Toss well.
5. Combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch, water, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and ketchup. Stir with a whisk; make sure there are no clumps with the cornstarch.
5. Heat 1-2 Tbsp. canola oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add pork and stir-fry 3 minutes. Add onions, ginger, and garlic.
6. Stir-fry 1 minute. Add snow peas and pineapple. Stir-fry 3 minutes more. Whisk sauce ingredients again and add to panbring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in cashews and serve over hot rice. Garnish with more cashews and green onions if you want.

Another incredible recipe from Our Best Bites:
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/04/cashew-sweet-and-sour-pork/

Mini Cheesecake Tarts

2 packages cream cheese
3/4 c. sugar
2 T. GF flour (I used white rice)
1/4 t. baking powder
2 eggs
1 1/2 t. vanilla
foil cupcake liners
12 'Nilla Wafer Cookies (you'll have to make your own GF)
toppings: berries, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce...

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar. Add in flour and baking powder and beat to combine. Then add in eggs, one at a time, lemon juice, and vanilla.
3. Fill a muffin pan with foil cupcake liners and place one vanilla wafer in the bottom of each one. Divide batter between 12 muffin papers, filling each up up to about 1/4 inch from the top. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. They'l puff way up during baking but they'll settle after being chilled.
4. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. Let the cheesecakes cool completely. While they cool, they will sink down in the center. Refridgerate for 4-6 hours or overnight. Top as desired.

This recipe is from Our Best Bites:
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/06/mini-cheesecake-tarts/

'Nilla Wafers

1 1/3 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Dash (1/8 teaspoon) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (in a pinch, dark brown sugar will do)
1 extra-large egg (or the biggest large egg in the dozen), at room temperature
4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl add the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and whisk to combine. Add the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla and milk, mixing well with a hand mixer after each addition. The batter should be thickened, but thin enough to be piped through a plain pastry piping tip.
3. Either scoop dough by the level tablespoonful, or pipe an equivalent amount through a pastry bag fitted with a plain piping tip or plastic bag with corner cut out (for more consistent cookie sizing), onto the prepared baking sheets. The mounds of dough should be spaced about 1 inch apart. They will spread, but not a lot. If you have piped the dough, with wet fingers, gently flatten the top of each raw cookie if anything is sticking up.
4. Chill the raw cookies on the baking sheet in the freezer for a few minutes until firm.
5. Once they are firm, place the baking sheet in the center of your preheated oven and bake for between 15 and 20 minutes, or until the cookies are nice, uniform brown color — like they came right out of that brown wax paper bag in that Nabisco box.
Cool a few minutes on the baking sheets before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Original recipe from Nicole @ Gluten Free on a Shoestring: http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/nilla-wafers/