Cooking Rut

New Blog ... New Place

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 15:14:00 +0000

Yes, I've made the move to another site. I've changed quite a bit over the past few years and earned some knowledge and credentials that have seemed to out-grow this blog.

Please visit: Cooking Sustainably

This blog will still be available as a recipe catalog but I will be moving and updating several recipes from here and putting them on the new site. I encourage you all to bookmark it and refer to the new site for issues related to sustainability, nutrition, and cooking.

Happy Cooking!

Cherry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 20:53:00 +0000

You know you want some.

Ice cream, that is.

While ice cream is welcome any time of the year, there is something special about eating ice cream in the summer. Maybe it's the heat and humidity. Maybe it's the chance to be outside while eating an ice cream cone as it melts down your hand. Who knows. All I know is that right now we are simmering in the heat of summer and cherries are in season. It is the perfect time of year to make ice cream.

Out of all the stone fruits (nectarines, peaches, etc), cherries are by far my favorite. I look forward each season to all the awesome things you can make with cherries -- cherry pie, cherry cobbler, clafoutis, cherry crisp.

And cherry ice cream.

We live in Cincinnati. If you know about Cincinnati, you know that Graeter's Ice Cream stores are peppered all over town just waiting for you to spend your hard earned cash on creamy, delicious ice cream. They have a few good flavors and they succeed in satisfying the sweet tooth and the cravings you have. In fact, their best flavor in the Black Cherry Chocolate Chip ice cream. It's worth stopping at a Graeters near you to have a taste.

But, let's say, you don't have Graeter's near you. Or let's say, you are like me and want to make as much from scratch as possible (crazy, I know... maybe it's a sickness). Or perhaps you have a bunch of sweet cherries laying around begging to be used up.

Well, then, I have a recipe for you...

As with anything you make from scratch, there is a satisfaction factor. You know, where you stand back and say, "Yep. I made this. And it's awesome." This ice cream has a high satisfaction score. And one more thing ... this recipe should ideally be started the day before you intend to churn your ice cream. This gives the ice cream base time to get cold and develop in flavor.

Cherry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

Special Equipment: Ice Cream Maker

Ice Cream Base:

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups half and half

8 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract

Cherries:

1 1/4 cups fresh sweet cherries, pitted

1 tablespoon sugar

Chocolate:

1/4-1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks

Make the Ice Cream Base:

In a 2-quarts saucepan, bring the cream and half and half to an almost boil over medium heat (little bubbles will form along the sides of the pan). Watch it or will boil over.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until combined. Add about 1/2 of the hot cream mixture to the yolks and whisk until combined. Pour the mixture into the pan with the rest of the cream. While stirring constantly, cook the mixture over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes or until it thickens slightly and reaches 170ºF. Pour into a bowl. Place bowl in an ice bath and stir until the mixture cools to about 50ºF. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.

Cover and refrigerate mixture until cold, about 4 hours or overnight.

Cherries:

Combine the pitted cherries and the sugar in a bowl. Refrigerate for at least a 1/2 hour or until ready to use.

Churn the ice cream:

When you are ready to churn the ice cream, mix together the cherries, chocolate chunks, and ice cream base. Pour into the bowl of the ice cream maker.

When churning is complete (according to the machine's directions), scoop the ice cream in to a container and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving. (If you can wait that long... I know it's hard.)

Serve.

Enjoy. And be sure to share.

Gluten Free Cornbread

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 13:00:00 +0000

Ok, I grew up (and currently live) in the northern states. I guess that makes me a Yankee. So, when I make cornbread, I add some sort of sweetener to it, like sugar. I know it isn't the "southern" way of making cornbread, but it is my way to do so. Incidentally, I also add beans to my chili, but that's a whole other thing.

Anyway, I made cornbread recently. This turned out to be not just any cornbread, but a gluten free version. I took some ideas from a recipe posted recently in the NY Times and then I added lentils to it for structure. Gluten free baked goods can have some issues with retaining structure after baking and lentils (and other legumes) help alleviate this issue.

The result? A great cornbread that everyone will enjoy, even those who adore eating gluten and wonder what this whole gluten free business is about. Trust me, you won't even know it's made with lentils.

It tastes like cornbread. Well, northern style cornbread.

Use a cast iron skillet if you have one. Otherwise, bake it in a cake pan. And... be sure to allow time to soak the lentils for 8 hours prior to baking.

Gluten Free Cornbread

Makes 1 10-in cornbread

Serves 6-8

Lentils:

1/2 cup red lentils

Cover the lentils with water. Leave out for 7-8 hours. Drain and grind the lentils in a food processor or coffee grinder. If you have issues grinding them in the food processor, add the eggs (see ingredients below) to it.

Cornbread:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup soaked and finely ground red lentils

1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal

1 cup GF flour mix (or make your own -- 1/2 cup brown rice flour, 1/4 cup tapioca flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

Melt the butter in the cast iron pan until it browns (turns a nice amber color), about 4-5 minutes over medium heat. Pour the butter into a small bowl and allow it to cool. Do not wipe out the pan.

Mix together the wet ingredients -- butter, maple syrup, eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, and lentils. In another bowl, mix together the cornmeal, GF flour mix, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Pour batter into the pan.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The cornbread will also start to pull away from the sides of the pan when it's done.

Serve warm.

Mexican Posole

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 13:00:00 +0000

This is my take on Mexican Posole, a stew made from pulled pork, hominy, and pinto beans. I have some picky eaters living with me and they aren't huge fans of hominy and pinto beans. So, to use up some of my leftover carnitas, I made posole using black beans and yellow corn instead (the corn was frozen from a huge batch of fresh corn I got from my brother). It turned into some seriously good eats. I liken this recipe to be another version of chili, so you can serve it with warm tortillas and shredded cheese. Or serve it with cornbread.

Posole is an excellent way to use up leftover pulled pork (like if you make a huge batch of carnitas) or even chicken.

Posole
Serves 6

2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 of a white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoons ground cumin
1-2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
2 cups chicken stock
2-3 cups cooked shredded pork or chicken
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 4-5 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic, cumin, and chili powder. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and saute for another 2 minutes. Add the black beans, diced tomatoes, corn, and chicken stock. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes on medium low heat. Add the shredded pork or chicken. Simmer uncovered for another 20-30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.

All about Lentils

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 22:04:00 +0000

For the past few years, I have been working with a group of awesome individuals on a booklet promoting the consumption of organic lentils in Montana. Since lentils are highly nutritious, I thought that perhaps everyone (not just Montanans) would like to see what we came up with.

The booklet covers the agricultural, nutritional, and culinary aspects of lentils. I developed all the lentil recipes in the booklet and it's been quite an experience for me and my family. My husband and kids acted as the tasting panel on many recipes. It even got the point where we had a lentil boycott. Yes, there is a limit as to how many lentils one can eat and I think we reached that point.

When I started the project, I didn't realize how versatile these little legumes are. I've seriously tried them in everything and now add them to meatloaf and meatballs (shhhh... my kids don't know). I encourage everyone to think of new and inventive ways to incorporate legumes (any of them) or other vegetables into their cooking. You'll be surprised at how good veggies can taste in baked goods and how much you won't even notice that they're there.

Anyway... I hope you get a chance to look at the booklet. It really is a labor of love and it was great to work with all those involved -- especially, Alison, Michael, and Tim.

Here's the link to the Lentils Booklet -- https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7Q1aBVKUe4_cFBkVDFNZkE4bHc/view?usp=sharing

Cheers and happy lentil eating!

-Marcy

Salsa Verde

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 12:00:00 +0000

Salsa Verde is quite simple to make and it goes with everything and it's delicious on its own. I make a batch and it ends up served with fish, shrimp, or chicken. The salsa is made with tomatillos, a fruit in the gooseberry family. They are found covered in a dry paper-like skin. You need to remove this before proceeding with the recipe. Even though they are found in the grocery store (most of the time), you will probably find a fresher version sold at the local farmer's market.

Tomatillos

Salsa Verde

1 pound tomatillos, outer paper-like covering removed and washed well; cut in half vertically

1 small onion, diced

1 chili pepper - any will do depending on your preference and heat tolerance (jalapeño, serrano, etc) - diced

1 clove garlic

1/2 cup cilantro

Juice of 2 limes

salt and pepper, to taste

Roasted Tomatillos

Place the tomatillos in a heavy duty sauté pan (cast iron works best). Roast on the stove over medium-high heat until the tomatillos blacken slightly on the skin side and brown on the flesh side, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and place in a blender. Add the onion, chili pepper, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice. Blend until well combined and semi-smooth (as in all the vegetables are chopped up finely). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour into a bowl and chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Salsa verde can be made ahead of time and will keep for about 1 week in the refrigerator.

Apple Cinnamon Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 01:22:00 +0000

Just in time for fall - a warm cake to have with your morning coffee.

Summer is winding down and fall is nearly here. Honestly, fall is my favorite time of year. I love the leaves changing color and the cooler weather. But most of all, I love the flavors and fruits that fall brings with it -- apples, pears, pumpkins, and cinnamon. Sure, apples are sold year round in the grocery store and that's ok, I guess. However, fall is the time when you start seeing different varieties of apples show up in the store or at the local farmer's market as opposed to the standard ones found all the time -- Red Delicious, Granny Smith, and Fuji. Now flavorful apples such as McIntosh, Honey Crispy, Jonathan, Jonagold, and Braeburn (any many others) make their appearance. Just thinking about all these apples makes me hungry for a sweet, juicy piece of fruit to snack on.

Recently, I watched a rerun of America's Test Kitchen where they made a simple apple cake, which was easy and looked pretty. But, as with most of their recipes, I felt I could make it better. So, this recipe is adapted from America's Test Kitchen and it's full of apples with a hint of cinnamon.

Let Fall begin...

Apple Cinnamon Cake

Crumb Topping:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats

2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour

Apple Cake:

5 medium sized apples, peeled, cored, and diced small (use a mix of apples for the best flavor but choose 2 apples that are on the tart side)

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup + 3 tablespoons white whole wheat flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup whole milk

1 cup canola oil

1/4 cup maple syrup (or honey)

1 large egg

2 egg yolks

Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

Ready to be eaten.

In a small bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, oats, and flour. Mix well to make a crumbly mixture. Set aside while you make the rest of the cake.

Parcook the apples in the microwave for about 1 minute -- long enough for them to soften slightly. Toss the apples with the lemon juice and allow to cool while you make the batter.

In a bowl, combine 1 cup flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix together the milk, oil, maple syrup, and 1 egg. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and combine just until the flour is moistened. Remove 1 cup of the batter and pour into a small bowl and set aside. Add the 2 egg yolks and apples to the remaining batter and mix well. Pour the batter into the bottom of the springform pan. Add the 3 tablespoons of flour to the 1 cup of batter that was set aside. Gently spoon this batter over the top of the apple batter. This will make a layer of apples on the bottom and a small layer of cake on the top. Sprinkle the top with the crumble topping.

Of course, it had to be eaten. Mmmmm.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. It is done when the edges of the cake pull away from the sides of the pan and the top is nice and golden brown. Cool for 2-3 hours before slicing. This will help the apples set up a bit before slicing. Serve at room temperature. A dollop of sweetened whipped cream would be a delicious accompaniment.

Fresh Berry Lemon Tart

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Thu, 04 Sep 2014 19:23:00 +0000

Fresh and tangy, this berry tart is sure to please.

I know berry season is winding down and we're getting into fall flavors (apples, pears, pumpkins, etc), but I just couldn't resist making a fresh berry tart before the berries skyrocket in price and come to the grocery store from far away places in South America.

If you are looking to entertain some folks for dinner over the next couple of weeks, you may want to try out this dessert. The tart crust is more forgiving than a pie pastry. Meaning, if it tears while you are rolling it out, you can fill in the holes or tears and no one will know. The pastry dough is soft and pliable and it will be a little frustrating to work with, but it works well in the end and holds up nicely (which is what you want).

The recipe is done in steps -- like make the lemon curd first and then the tart pastry and then put it all together. The lemon curd and tart pastry can be made up to two days ahead of time (keep in the fridge). Also, I used an 11-inch tart pan for this. If you have a smaller tart pan, you will have leftover lemon curd cream (oh no!) to use for something else.

Fresh Berry Lemon Tart

Yield: one 11-inch tart

Lemon Curd

Zest from 2 lemons
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4-5 lemons)
4 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
Pinch of salt

Remove the zest from the lemons using a vegetable peeler. This will give you nice long strands of zest. Be sure to remove just the yellow part and not the white (the pith). Place the sugar and zest in a food processor. Pulse the processor several times to break up the lemon zest. Add the butter to the sugar mixture. Process until combined. Add the lemon juice, eggs, egg yolks, and salt. Process to combine.

Pour the mixture into a 2-quart saucepan set over medium low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened (the mixture should register 170ºF on a thermometer when it is cooked), about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a glass bowl. Allow it to cool for 20 minutes on the counter and then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. It will continue to set as it cools.

Tart Pastry

1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup almond meal/flour
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/4 cup cold water

You can make this by hand with a pastry blender or with a food processor.

By processor: Combine the flour, almond meal, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With the motor running, pour the water through the lid and pulse until the pastry forms a ball in the bowl of the processor. The pastry maybe a little on the wet or soft side. That's ok. Brush your hands with flour and gather the pasty in a ball. Press into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. This can be made up to 2 days ahead of time.

Dried beans and foil line the pastry

Fresh Berry Tart

Lemon curd (from above)
Tart pastry (from above)
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Fresh berries for decorating the top -- strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Place the tart pan in a baking sheet (this will help keep it steady as you move it to/from the oven).

Roll out the tart pastry on a well-floured surface. Sprinkle the top of the pastry with flour, too. It should be rolled out to about a 12-inch circle. If the pastry is tearing and being unmanageable, that's ok. Gather up the pastry and press it into the bottom and sides of the tart pan (cutting off any excess), filling in any gaps or holes with leftover pastry dough.

Once the pastry is covering the inside of the tart pan, prick the bottom with a fork. Line the pastry with foil - make sure it meets the edge of pastry and fill the foil with pie weights, dried beans, or dry rice (I use beans). Be sure you fill the foil to the edges of the pan. This will help prevent the pastry from shrinking down.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove the foil and beans (or pie weights). Bake for an additional 12-13 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

In a bowl, whip together the heavy cream and mascarpone cheese until the mixture forms soft peaks. Add the powdered sugar. Place the lemon curd in a large bowl. Stir it up to loosen the curd. Add about a 1/4 of the cream mixture to the lemon curd and mix well. Fold in the remaining cream mixture, being sure not to over mix.

Pour the mixture into the tart shell and smooth off the top. Refrigerate the tart for at least 1 hour before decorating the top with berries. When ready, decorate the top with berries and cut into pieces to serve.

Sourdough Pizza Crust

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 18:26:00 +0000

Crispy and slightly chewy crust - sourdough starter isn't just for bread. Make a pizza crust.

A sourdough starter has been living in my refrigerator for a month or so now. Since I created the living organism, we have had quite a few loaves of sourdough bread. This is great, of course. I mean, really, who doesn't want fresh from the oven sourdough bread? While we love the bread (gets eaten quickly around here), I decided to make pizza with the starter instead of bread.

How did it turn out? Delicious and chewy with a slight crispiness to it. I like my regular pizza crust recipe because it's simple and can be ready in an hour. This one, as it turns out, is just as simple to make. However, the rising time is slightly longer but you could make this and refrigerate for a day before baking and pull it out of the fridge an hour or so before you begin making your pizza.

It all starts with a great starter, though. Either steal one from someone you know or make your own - the recipe is below. The starter will take 5 days to develop before you can use it.

Sourdough Starter

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons AP flour
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast

Day 1:
Combine the flour, water, and yeast in a glass bowl. Stir vigorously to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot in the kitchen.

Days 2, 3, 4:
Each day, feed the starter with 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup water; stirring well after each addition. Continue to leave the starter in a warm spot in the kitchen.

Day 5:
Discard or use about 1/2 of the starter and then feed it with 2/3 cup flour and 1/2 cup water.

Beyond Day 5:
If you keep the starter on the counter, it needs to be treated like Day 5 (1/2 discarded or used and then fed). the starter can also be kept in the refrigerator. It will need fed once per week (discard or use 1 cup of it and then feed it with 2/3 cup flour and 1/2 cup water).

Sourdough Pizza Crust

1 cup "fed" sourdough starter
1/2 cup warm water
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 cup AP flour
1 teaspoon salt

In a bowl, combine the starter, water, olive oil, honey, and yeast. Add the whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup of the AP flour, and salt. Mix well to combine and form a dough. Add more AP flour if the dough is really sticky. The dough should be soft but not sticky. If using a stand mixer, place the dough in a mixing bowl and fit the mixer with the dough hook. Knead the dough in the mixer for 4-5 minutes. Alternately, you can knead the dough by hand (6-7 minutes). The dough should end up semi-smooth and soft.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot for 2-4 hours. It should double in size.

Divide the dough in half to make 2 pizzas. Roll out each pizza crust and top it any way you see fit. The oven should be heated to 425ºF (up to 450ºF if you want really crispy pizza). If using a pizza stone, heat the pizza stone in the oven. Pizzas should only take about 10 minutes to bake.

Homemade Greek Yogurt

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 18:27:00 +0000

Creamy and delicious Homemade Greek Yogurt - perfect for breakfast (or anytime, really)

I don't know about you, but we spend a lot of our food budget on yogurt. My husband consumes it every morning, which is a good thing because it serves as a probiotic. What are these probiotics? Well, they are beneficial bacteria that make your digestive system happy. When probiotics are consumed with a prebiotic (fiber-rich foods), your gut is especially happy. That's why whole grains, fruit, and yogurt go so well together.

But not all yogurt is created equal. When you head to the grocery store, you'll see an enormous selection of yogurt in the dairy isle. Most of these yogurts are high in sugar, low in fat (or fat-free), and loaded with preservatives. To get the "good" stuff, you'll have to spend $1.00 or more per cup. It adds up quickly. Plus, you have lots of plastic yogurt containers filling up your trash or recycling bin. Making yogurt at home can be more economical and save some plastic from entering the landfill.

I'm sure you are wondering if you need a fancy yogurt maker for this. The answer is, "No." Sure, you can buy one to make sure you have the perfect incubation temperature, but it is not necessary. If you have a cast iron pan, a couple of kitchen towels, and a ceramic or glass bowl, you are good to go.

Give yourself at least a day to make yogurt. The yogurt needs to sit in the oven for 8-12 hours and then drain in the refrigerator for another 2-3 hours before you consume it. It can drain longer in the refrigerator (like overnight). Doing so will make it even thicker.

When it comes to the milk, I like using organic whole milk. However, you can use any whole milk available. Low-fat milks (1% or 2%) can be used as well, but you will need to add powdered milk to the mixture. Add 1/3 cup powdered milk per 1 quart of milk.

Yogurt all nestled in the cast iron pan. Ready to incubate.

Homemade Greek Yogurt

Yield: about 3-4 cups yogurt

1 half-gallon whole milk

A folded over flour sack towel works best for straining.

1/4 cup plain full fat or 2% yogurt with active cultures (Fage is the best)

Place a large cast iron skillet in the oven and heat it to 250ºF for 10-15 minutes. While the oven is heating up, set aside a 1/4 cup of the milk and heat the rest of the milk in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring the milk up to 170ºF. Once the milk is up to temperature, pour the milk into a glass or ceramic bowl. Be sure the oven is turned off at this point, too.

You can't tell, but the yogurt is nice and thick and
ready to be strained.

Cool the milk at room temperature to 110ºF. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, this may take 20-30 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup yogurt. When the milk is cooled to 110ºF, pour in the yogurt cultures. Line the warm cast iron pan with a dishtowel. Place the bowl of milk and cultures into the cast iron pan and cover the bowl with another dishtowel.

Leave the milk in the oven for 8-12 hours (can be done overnight or during the day). The longer the yogurt incubates, the tangier it will get. Check the oven half-way through to see if the cast iron skillet is still warm. If not, turn on the oven to 180ºF for 5-10 minutes.

The yogurt after it has been straining overnight - very thick
and creamy!

When the yogurt is done, remove it from the oven. Line a mesh strainer with either cheesecloth or a kitchen towel. Flour sack towels work well because they are thin. Gently scoop the yogurt into the lined strainer placed over a bowl to catch the liquid whey. Depending on how big your strainers are, you may have to use 2 strainers for this process. Place the strainer/bowl into the refrigerator for 4 hours. Once the yogurt is strained and thick, scoop it out and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Sweeten the yogurt any way you see fit. We like ours with honey and berries. Delicious.

Carnitas

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 18:05:00 +0000

Easy one pot meal that will transform taco night.

Carnitas ready to eat

Who doesn't love taco night? Normally for tacos, I brown some ground turkey or beef, add a can of black beans, along with with seasonings and serve it up. The kids like it but if I have a little extra time, I change things up and make carnitas, i.e., shredded pork.

Making a big batch means I can freeze the leftover shredded pork and have carnitas again or make a quick pork BBQ. Even though the recipe bakes in the oven for 4 hours, you can certainly make carnitas in a slow cooker over the course of a day. Just think - once you get home from work, dinner will be nearly ready. Set the slow cooker on low and let it go for 8 hours.

Carnitas

Serves 6

1 4-5 pound pork shoulder, some of the excess fat trimmed off

2 tablespoons chili powder

4 dried chili peppers (a combination of ancho, guajillo, or other Mexican dried peppers)

4 garlic cloves, crushed

Juice of 1 orange (or cut the orange into quarters)

1 teaspoon peppercorns, crushed slightly

1 teaspoon Juniper berries

1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

1 tablespoon salt

Ready to cook

4-6 cups water

Seasonings (about 1 teaspoon of each): ground cayenne pepper, ground ancho, smoked paprika, ground cumin

Either the night before or 30 minutes before cooking - dry rub the pork shoulder with the chili powder and 1 teaspoon of salt. If doing this the night before, refrigerate it.

Preheat the oven to 300ºF.

Ready to strain liquid and shred the pork

Place the pork in a Dutch oven. Add the dried chili peppers, garlic, orange juice, peppercorns, Juniper berries, whole cumin seed, and 2 teaspoon of salt. Add enough water to come up about 3/4 the way up the pork (don't completely submerge it with water). Place the lid on and put it in the oven. Bake for 4-5 hours or until the pork is very tender and shreds easily.

Remove the pork from the liquid. Strain the liquid and pour it into a sauté pan. Skim off some of the fat from the top of the liquid. Shred the pork and place it into the sauté pan with the cooking liquid. Season the liquid well with the seasonings. Add salt if needed. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or so.

Serve the shredded pork with guacamole, salsa, cheese, and tortillas.

Any leftover pork can be frozen for up to 6 months.

Emmer Berry Hot Breakfast (revisited)

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 21:18:00 +0000

Hold the oatmeal... we have emmer berries (farro) for breakfast.

Cherries and nectarines - delicious together

I made this recipe a few years ago and since then, I've been updating it slightly. As a result, the process is simplified somewhat. I'm not a big fan of oatmeal. I like oats, but in granola, cookies and baked goods. However, I love the idea of eating whole grains in the morning, along with fruit and nuts. So, why not use whole wheat berries? This recipe calls for emmer, which is the same as farro (and might be labeled as such). You can use any whole wheat berry for this recipe - kamut, red wheat, etc. Even barley (purple or bronze) can be used. They all should be soaked the night before to speed up cooking the next morning. What I love about this recipe is that it works with any type of fruit that's in season -- fresh strawberries, raspberries cherries, blueberries, nectarines, peaches, apples, pears, etc.

Time saving note: Make a bigger batch to last you through the week.

Emmer Berry Hot Breakfast (revisited)

Serves 2

1 cup emmer wheat berries (or any wheat berry)

1/2 cup (or more) fruit*

1/4 cup walnuts or almonds

1 tablespoon raw sugar

3 teaspoons honey

1/2 cup plain yogurt

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

*Mix or match fruit to make tasty combinations. Cherries and nectarines go well together, for instance.

Soak the emmer wheat berries in water overnight under refrigeration.

Drain the emmer and place in a sauce pan. Cover by 1 inch with water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain the emmer. Place back into the pan over medium low heat, along with the fruit and nuts. Sprinkle with sugar and 1 teaspoon honey. Cook for about 5 minutes. You can skip the step of heating the emmer with the fruit if you don't want the berries to be cooked to much (like strawberries can get rather mushy when cooked).

Mix together 2 teaspoons honey, yogurt, and orange juice. Serve the yogurt with the emmer and fruit.

Puff Pastry Tart with Prosciutto and Spinach

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Sun, 22 Jun 2014 11:26:00 +0000

Savory puff pastry? But of course...
Ever wonder what to do with puff pastry? Well, make it into an quick dinner served with a side salad or soup. Duh.

This recipe is a good substitute for pizza, especially if you don't want to bother making the dough. Of course, you can always make homemade puff pastry. I'm not going to stop you but the frozen variety sold in your neighborhood grocery store is just as good and not as labor intensive.

This recipe would also make a great appetizer. It's easy to throw together and bake.

Puff Pastry Tart with Prosciutto and Spinach

Serves 4-6

1 sheet thawed puff pastry

2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto

1/2 cup fresh baby spinach

1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese (or mozzarella)

1/4 cup pitted and sliced kalamata olives

2-3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 12x8-inch rectangle. Transfer the pastry to the baking sheet. Fold in each side of the pastry by a 1/2-inch to create a border. Make several marks with a fork in the center of the puff pastry. This helps prevent the center from puffing up too much while it bakes.

Decoratively (like you are making a pizza), place the slices of the prosciutto, spinach, and olives in the center of the pastry. Sprinkle the top with both of the cheeses. Bake in the hot oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and cut into squares. Serve warm.

Red Lentil and Winter Squash Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Wed, 18 Jun 2014 01:34:00 +0000

Delightfully filling and satisfying soup.

Lentils really are a truly amazing food. They're are in the legume family, so you know that they're highly nutritious. For the past several months, I have been working on a project to promote the use of lentils in the state of Montana and as a result I developed several recipes incorporating lentils including the one below. I will share some of these recipes over the coming months.

Basically, we all should be consuming lentils. High in protein, fiber, folate, iron, and calcium, lentils pack a powerful nutritional punch. Lentils also have about 45% more antioxidants than blueberries (I know – what?!). Yeah. Lentils rock.

To get the most out of their nutritional benefits, you should soak them first before using. Eight to twelve hours is long enough to increase their nutritional benefit. Even sprouting (a whole other blog post) will increase the nutritional powerhouse even more.

Ok. Are you ready to start eating more lentils? Here's a good recipe to get going.

Red Lentil and Winter Squash Bisque

Makes 6, 1 cup servings

1 medium acorn squash, cut in half and seeds scooped out

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 yellow onion

1 tablespoon Thai red chili paste (like Sambal)

4 cups vegetable stock

1 cup red lentils*

1 cup coconut milk (canned is best)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Chopped cilantro for garnish

Juice of 1 lime

*The red lentils can be soaked ahead of time for 8-12 hours in the refrigerator. When ready to make the soup, drain the lentils.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush the foil with a teaspoon of olive oil. Place the acorn squash flesh side down on the foil. Bake until the squash is tender, about 20-30 minutes (depends on the size of the squash). Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly. Peel off the skin and scoop out the flesh. Reserve the flesh for the soup.

While the squash is cooking, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat in a soup pot. Add the ginger, garlic, and onion. Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Season the vegetables lightly with salt and pepper. Add the Thai red chili paste; sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the stock and the lentils; season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring up to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer until the lentils are cooked, about 20-25 minutes. Add the squash to the soup. Cook for another 10 minutes or so. With a hand blender, puree the soup until smooth. Add the coconut milk. Blend to incorporate. Taste and adjust the seasonings accordingly.

Serve in warm bowls garnished with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Cherry Tart

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 03:27:00 +0000

Cherries, Mascarpone Cheese, and Puff Pastry team up to make a delectable dessert.

Guess what's in season right now (or very soon)... Cherries. While I love a great cherry pie, I needed to use up homemade puff pastry that's been occupying my freezer for a few months. I'll post the recipe for homemade puff pastry at some point but you can get by using the pre made pastry in the store. Making puff pastry takes a bit of skill and patience, so it's perfectly sane and normal to buy it from the freezer section of the store.

This dessert would be the perfect end to any summer meal. It's light and not overly sweet. It also doesn't take a lot of time to make and some of it can be made ahead of time. If you like to jazz things up (you know, like for a dinner party), serve the tart with a tawny port or other dessert wine like a Muscato.

Cherry Tart

Serves 6

Cherry Compote

4 cups sweet cherries (Bing), pitted

2 tablespoons orange flavored liqueur

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon honey

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Puff pastry and Mascarpone filling

1 sheet puff pastry

8 ounces mascarpone cheese (or substitute cream cheese)

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar (depends on how sweet you want it)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup chopped almonds, lightly toasted

1 ounce square white chocolate for shaving

Make the cherry compote:

In a saucepan heat the cherries, liqueur, sugar, and honey over medium heat for 10 minutes. In small bowl, mix together the cornstarch with 2 tablespoon water. Add the cornstarch slurry to the cherry mixture. Bring to a boil and then remove from the heat. Pour the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate until cold, about 1-3 hours. You can make this 1 day ahead of time.

Puff pastry with sides folded in by a 1/2 inch and the center
pricked all over with a fork.

Bake the puff pastry:

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Roll the sheet of puff pastry out on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle about the size of 12x8 (inches). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the pastry to the baking sheet. Fold each side of the pastry in by a 1/2-inch to create a border. Make several marks in the center of the pastry with a fork to prevent it from puffing up too much during baking. Bake the pastry in the hot oven for 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Allow to cool completely. This can be done a couple hours ahead of time before serving.

Make the filling and put everything together:

In a bowl, beat together the mascarpone cheese, cream, sugar, and vanilla together. The mixture should be smooth and thick but not too stiff. If it seems too thick (like you will have a hard time spreading it on the pastry), add a little more cream.

Place the cooked pastry shell on a serving platter. Spread the mascarpone filling in the center of the pastry. Spoon the cherry compote over the cheese filling. Sprinkle with the toasted almonds and shave the white chocolate over the whole tart. Cut into squares and serve.

Bulgur Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Sat, 14 Jun 2014 12:00:00 +0000

Bulgur. Who knew it could taste so good?

Bulgur is one of those grains that every time I make it, I wonder why I'm not eating this more often. Seriously. It's super easy to make and super easy to dress up. Bulgur is a bit plain and boring on its own (most grains are). Tossing it in a tasty vinaigrette spruces it up and adds another lovely dimension to your salad, because salads can also become boring and routine.

What is bulgur anyway? Well, it's made from the groats of the wheat berries and is usually parboiled and dried before we see it in the bulk section of the supermarket. So, what are groats then? Groats are the hulled grain (wheat berry, in this instance) that have been chopped into bits. Ok. Now that we have that out of the way, we can get to the nitty gritty - the recipe.

This recipe would be great for a cookout or a light summer meal (along side kebabs or grilled fish).

Bulgur Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Serves 4

1 cup bulgur

Juice of 1 lime (1-2 tablespoons)

Juice of 1 lemon (2 tablespoons)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 to 3/4 cup diced red onion (depends on your preference)

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

2-3 cups chopped fresh salad greens (Romaine, green or red leaf, or spring mix)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted*
1/4 cup feta or goat cheese

*lightly toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat just until they are lightly toasted, about 3-5 minutes.

Place the bulgur in a large bowl. Bring about 4 cups water to a boil. Pour water over the bulgur and let it stand for 20-25 minutes. Drain. Allow the bulgur to cool slightly.

In a bowl, whisk together the lime juice, lemon juice, garlic, and Dijon mustard. Slowly add the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large serving bowl, toss together the bulgur, onion, parsley, salad greens, walnuts, and goat cheese. Add the vinaigrette and toss to coat the mixture well. Either serve right away or refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be made 1 day ahead of time.

Garden Frittata

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 05:47:00 +0000

Full of fresh vegetables and a bit of bacon, this frittata is great as a meal for dinner or served at brunch.

If there's one thing we eat a ton of, it's eggs. My kids have grown up eating a breakfast with eggs instead of cold cereal. They aren't really the cereal types. Sure, they like Lucky Charms and Chex but they would rather eat those straight out of the box and skip the bowl of milk all together. So, eggs in the morning it is. This also requires that my husband or I are up to not only see them off to school but to actually make breakfast. I'm pretty sure raising chickens is in our future, along with teaching them how to make their own scrambled eggs so the parents can sleep in.

But sometimes you want eggs for dinner and that's where a great frittata comes into play. Frittatas are a great meal for several reasons: they're simple, they're inexpensive (about $12 for all the ingredients), and all you need is one pan (cast iron is best). I like to make frittatas when I have vegetables in the fridge that are a bit past their prime and I have to make a decision: thow it out or eat it right now. You know, like when the spinach is at that stage where you really don't want to eat it raw in a salad but sautéing wouldn't be so bad. I mean, it's nearly wilty anyway.

You can use any vegetables you have on hand or that you want to put in. This recipe is my favorite combination. Serve with a salad and/or fresh bread.

Garden Frittata

Serves 4

3-4 thick-sliced bacon

8 eggs

2 tablespoons cream or half and half

1/2 red onion, diced

1 medium sized bell pepper (any color), diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2-3 cups swiss chard, roughly chopped

2 ounces goat cheese (plain or flavored)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, and about a 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Set mixture beside the stove. Heat a 10-inch cast iron pan over medium heat (if you don't have cast iron, an oven-proof non-stick pan will work, too). Add the bacon to the pan and cook until crispy and brown. Remove bacon from pan and set aside. Reduce heat to medium low. Add the onions and bell pepper. Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Season the mixture lightly with salt and pepper. Add the chard and sauté until wilted, about 2 minutes; season the mixture with salt and pepper. Turn the heat off. Pour in the egg mixture. Sprinkle the top with the crumpled bacon and dot the top with the goat cheese. Place in the oven and bake the frittata for about 10-15 minutes or until the eggs are set in the middle (not runny). Serve.

Gluten Free Carrot Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Sun, 01 Jun 2014 15:35:00 +0000

A great carrot cake doesn't need gluten, does it?

A while back, I posted a recipe for a traditional carrot cake. It's delicious and in fact, it's one of my favorite cakes. I highly recommend baking it, that is if you are not gluten free.

However, there are some of you out there who are gluten free for various reasons. For my daughter's 13th birthday, I baked her a gluten free version of the carrot cake. It turned out to be just as delicious and great as the original one.

Before I get started, let me add a quick note about one of the ingredients listed: soaked red lentils. I will discuss lentils in an upcoming post (been working with these little legumes for several months now) and I wanted to introduce adding soaked lentils to baked goods. The red lentils need to be soaked for 8-12 hours and then ground into a paste before adding to the cake. You can make the cake without the lentils but they add more nutrients (protein, fiber, folate, and iron) and you won't know that they are there. Trust me on this. You can even add the soaked red lentil paste to the regular carrot cake for additional nutrition.

Gluten Free Carrot Cake

Yield: 1 10-inch cake or 2 9-inch cakes

1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup almond flour/meal
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup olive oil (or canola oil)
1 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
6 ounces plain (or vanilla) Greek yogurt -- use one that has a bit of fat in it
1/4 cup red lentils that have been soaked and ground into a paste*
1 1/2 cups grated carrots, about 4-5 medium carrots (either grate or run through a food processor to chop up)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

*Soak the red lentils for 8-12 hours (overnight). Drain and grind the lentils in a food processor or grinder until it forms a paste.

Grease (with butter) and flour
the pan(s)

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour the bottom and sides of one 10-inch springform pan or two 9-inch cake pans.

In a small bowl, whisk together the brown rice flour, almond flour, cornstarch, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Folding in the walnuts

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, olive oil, brown sugar, and yogurt. Add the lentils, carrots, vanilla, and honey. Whisk until everything is mixed well. Add the spices and the flour mixture. Whisk to incorporate all the ingredients. Stir in the walnuts.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes start to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30-40 minutes. The smaller pans may not take as long to bake.

Cool completely before frosting. To frost the 10-inch cake, you can cut it in half horizontally to get 2 pieces. This will be easier if the cake is slightly frozen (like freeze it for an hour before cutting it).

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 ounces butter, at room temperature
2-3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream together the cream cheese and butter. Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until well incorporated. You may need more powdered sugar if the frosting seems to loose.

Asian-style Pork Burgers with Orzo and Vegetable Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Sun, 25 May 2014 03:51:00 +0000

Burgers good enough for a cookout or any time you want a tasty burger.

Ever get stuck with ground pork and not know what to do with it? Well, I found a package of ground pork hanging out in my freezer. At first I thought we could have meatloaf and I was ready to get some ground beef and make a delicious home cooked meal. Then I changed my mind. Meatloaf? On a nice sunny spring day? Nah. We gotta have us some burgers. Pork burgers. Asian-style pork burgers.

I served this with a simple Orzo and Vegetable Salad. That recipe is below as well. Nice and light meal. Perfect for a warm spring evening.

Asian-style Pork Burgers with Caramelized Onions and Carrots

Serves 4

1/3 cup yellow lentils that have been soaked and ground*

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium size onion, julienned

1 medium carrot, julienned

1 pound ground pork

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

2 tablespoons Sambal (Thai chili paste)

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 slices gruyere cheese

4 buns

Yellow lentils - soaked and coarsely ground

*Soaked yellow lentils? Yes, lentils. Soak the lentils for 5-7 hours at room temperature. Drain and grind into a coarse paste. The lentils are optional, but they add a little texture to the burger. Try it. You may like it.

Julienned carrots and onions

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan set over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot. Reduce heat to medium low. Cook the onions and carrots, stirring often, for about 15-20 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce. Reduce heat to low and cook the carrots and onions until brown.

Ready to mix up the burgers

In a bowl, combine the ground lentils, ground pork, garlic, ginger, Sambal, hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Form the mixture into patties. Heat the grill or a cast iron skillet. Grill the patties on each side, about 6-8 minutes per side. Half-way through cooking the on the 2nd side, top each patty with the onions and carrots and a slice of cheese. Cook covered until the cheese melts, about 2-3 minutes. Once the internal temperature of the pork patty reaches 160ºF, the burgers are ready to serve.

Orzo and Vegetable Salad

Serve 4-6

(can be made ahead of time)

3/4 cup dry orzo pasta

1 cup diced zucchini

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup chopped scallions

2-3 ounces goat cheese (plain or flavored)

Juice from 1 lemon

Juice from 1 lime

1 garlic clove, minced

1 serrano chili pepper, minced

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Cook the orzo according to package directions. Drain and toss the cooked pasta with a tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside to cool slightly.

Make the vinaigrette:

Whisk together the lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, and serrano pepper. Whisk in about 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Toss together the orzo, zucchini, tomatoes, scallions, and goat cheese. Add the vinaigrette and toss to combine well. Let stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Gluten Free Pizza Crust

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Wed, 21 May 2014 03:00:00 +0000

Gluten free pepperoni pizza

Gluten free pizza that rivals a traditional thin crust pizza.

Over the past year, my kids have been eating a mostly gluten free diet. Changing their diet meant making a lot of changes in how we cook but doing so has greatly reduced the amount of stomach issues they were experiencing while eating gluten. My husband and I still eat gluten, so the household is not completely gluten free, but it seems as though we've become choosier in which wheat products we eat. Now, we opt for more whole grains and consume even more ancient grains (kamut, anyone?).

One of the biggest changes for the GF diet was pizza night. The kids love pizza. I mean, really, what kid doesn't. Sure, you can buy GF pizza crusts that are pricy or you can go to a local pizza parlor and get a GF pizza made. However, the results are usually disappointing. The crusts taste like cardboard. The kids eat it, because it's pizza and it's topped with cheese.

So, a necessity was born: homemade gluten free pizza crust:

The ingredients: the dry ingredients, milk, oil and vinegar, yeast, and sugar

The brown rice flour, buckwheat flour, cornstarch, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, and salt.

The dough

Rolling out the dough

The rolled out dough ready to be baked

The dough after the 1st baking. Now it's ready to be made into pizza or stored for later use.

Gluten Free Pizza Crust

Yield: 1 crust for a baking sheet or 2 small round pizzas

2/3 cup brown rice flour (plus more for dusting)

3 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons buckwheat flour

2 tablespoons tapioca flour

2 teaspoons xanthan gum

3/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup warm milk (1% or 2% or dairy free like almond or soy milk)

1 tablespoon instant yeast*

2 teaspoons sugar (or honey, but add a tablespoon more brown rice flour)

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Sprinkle a baking sheet with brown rice flour.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the brown rice flour, cornstarch, buckwheat flour, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, and salt. Add the milk, yeast, sugar, olive oil, and vinegar. Stir mixture well with a wooden spoon, being sure to break up any clumps of cornstarch or tapioca flour that may form. The mixture will form a dough that is still slightly sticky. If it seems too sticky, add more brown rice flour.

Generously flour (with brown rice flour) a wooden cutting board (or a piece of parchment paper). Form the dough into a disk shape and place on the board. Flour the dough. Roll out the dough with a floured rolling pin. Roll it into a rectangle or cut the dough in half and make 2 small pizzas. Make sure you flour the dough when it starts to stick and always check underneath it to make sure it isn't sticking too much to the board. This dough is pretty forgiving, so if you get a tear or have issues, you can transfer it to the baking sheet and press it into the shape you want.

Place the rolled out dough onto the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the top with olive oil. At this point, you can continue on and make pizza or you can cool it and freeze the crust for later use (use within 6 months). The crust can also be refrigerated for up to 1 week before using.

To finish the pizza process, increase the oven temperature to 425º. Top the crust with desired pizza toppings. Bake until cheese is melted and crust is nicely golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cut into slices. Serve warm.

*I always use instant yeast but if you decide to use regular active yeast, mix it with the milk for a few minutes to dissolve it.

I'm Baaack...

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Thu, 15 May 2014 03:07:00 +0000

Where in the world have I been? Well, I've been working on my masters degree in Sustainable Food Systems at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana. My studies and projects got the better of me and I neglected to keep up with this blog. I finally graduated this May and now I can devote more time to writing. I have a lot to share, especially lentil and gluten free recipes.

During my studies and teaching, I wrote a cookbook, Fundamentals of Food Preparation: Lab Manual for food and nutrition students at MSU. You can purchase a copy for yourself since it includes many awesome and delicious recipes. Of course, it is a textbook, so there are experiments and questions for each unit. It's up to you to answer the questions. I'm not going to grade anyone. I'm planning to write a book similar to this one but targeted for for the home cook and will include many basic recipes. Don't expect a copy to soon. It will take some planning and development before it hits the shelves.

So... stay tuned... regular programming shall begin soon...

Recipes will resume once again.

Mocha Chocolate Torte

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 19:08:00 +0000

Simple dessert that is rich and decadent.

This is a great dessert for dinner parties or for any time you want a restaurant-style dessert to show off to your friends and family.

Mocha Chocolate Torte

Torte:

3/4 cup water

3/4 cup raw sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed

1 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon espresso powder

1 tablespoon Kahula liqueur

1 teaspoon vanilla

6 large eggs

Ganache:

1 cup heavy cream

8 ounces bitterweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and sides of the pan. Wrap 3 layers of foil around the outside of the pan, bringing the foil up to the rim.

In a small sauce pan, combine the water and raw sugar. Cook over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, about 4-5 minutes. Set aside.

In a double boiler set over simmering heat, combine the cream, butter, and chocolate. Whisk until melted and smooth. Add the sugar syrup, along with the espresso powder, Kahula, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Remove the bowl from over the water. In a small bowl, beat the eggs. Slowly add the eggs to the chocolate mixture, whisking to combine well. Pour batter into the spring form pan. Place the spring form pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come half-way up the side of the spring form pan.

Bake for 50 minutes or until the center of the "cake" no longer giggles in the center. Remove from the water bath and cool on a rack. Cool completely.

Ganache:

Heat the cream until near boiling (little bubbles will form around the sides). Place the chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Pour the ganache over the torte. Refrigerate the torte for at least 2 hours before serving. Before serving, run a knife around the edges of the pan and release the sides of the spring form pan. Serve.

Torte will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Spinach and Garlic Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Garlicy and full of spinach. This soup is surprisingly hearty and filling. Serve with crusty bread.

I got the inspiration for this soup from the New York Times Food Section. I'm one of those people that rarely uses a recipe (funny, since I write a lot of recipes) and so I just couldn't follow the one in the NY Times verbatim. I just had to put my own spin on it. Plus, I cleaned out the refrigerator and found a packet of prosciutto to use up. Yeah, we bought prosciutto and forgot to use it. Never said we were normal.

Spinach and Garlic Soup

Serves 6

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 ounces prosciutto

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

5 large cloves garlic, sliced thin

2 quarts vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

3-4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 cups fusili pasta (spiral pasta)

3 eggs

1/2 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

5 ounces baby spinach, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the prosciutto and red pepper flakes. Saute for 3-4 minutes or until the prosciutto gets crispy. Add the garlic. Saute for 2-3 minutes to lightly brown the garlic. Pour in the vegetable stock. Add the bay leaf and thyme. Simmer over medium low heat for 20-25 minutes. Add the pasta. Simmer for 15 minutes. Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Ladle in about 1 cup of the hot stock to temper the eggs. Add the cheese to the egg mixture. Pour mixture into the soup. Stir until the eggs are set. They may scramble a bit and that's ok. It's soup, not creme brulee. Add the spinach and cook for about 5 minutes more. Adjust seasonings of the soup with salt and pepper.

Serve with crusty bread or croutons.

Chocolate Lentil Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 14:30:00 +0000

Wholesome and moist ... you would never guess this cake was made with lentils.

Not too long ago, I made zucchini bread with cooked lentils, which had great results. I like to bake with whole wheat flour as much as I can, but I find the end product to be too dense and dry, especially if I don't adjust the amount of liquid in the recipe. However, when you add cooked lentils to the cake (or bread) along with the whole wheat flour, the end product is moist and delicious. It's a great way to increase fiber and protein consumption in your diet.

First you have to make the Lentil puree ...
Some lentils get really mush when you cook them, while others keep their shape. I like to use either yellow or green lentils for baking. Each of these get soft and will puree nicely. The lentils can be soaked for 8 hours prior to cooking to increase their nutrient availability.

Lentil Puree:
1 cup lentils (yellow or green)
2 cups water

Place the lentils and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until the lentils are tender, about 40 minutes. Drain (reserve a little cooking liquid) and puree lentils in a food processor until smooth. Add a little cooking liquid if the lentils seem too dry. The puree will keep in the refrigetaor for 3-4 days and can be frozen for a later use.

Chocolate Lentil Cake
1 1/2 cups sugar (use raw sugar if you have it)
1/2 cup honey
3/4 cup canola oil (or a fruity olive oil)
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups lentil puree
1 1/4 cups water
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350º F. Generously grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the sugar, honey, and oil. Add the eggs one at a time to incorpate well. Add the lentil puree and water. In a small bowl, mix together the whole wheat flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing well. Pour batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from the pans and cool completely. These cakes can either be frosted or dusted with powdered sugar. Either way, they're good.

Trail Mix Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Marcy Gaston) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Pack these cookies on your next hike. They can be tailored to suit any tastes.

The inspiration for these cookies came from a simple oatmeal cookie. They are a healthier version of oatmeal cookies. Well, sort of healthy. No cookie is entirely healthy, but these come closer than others. I made mine with dried cherries, walnuts, and white chocolate chips. I offer many different additions to the cookie to make it your own. Get creative ... kind of like trail mix.

Trail Mix Cookies

2 cups white whole wheat flour (or regular whole wheat flour)

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup raw sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped nuts (almonds, pecans, or walnuts)

1/2 cup dried fruit (cherries, blueberries, cranberries, or raisins)

1/2 cup chocolate chips (white chocolate or dark chocolate)

Optional additions:

1/4 cup sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds

Zest of one orange

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and raw sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix in the flour-oat mixture until well combined. Stir in the nuts, dried fruit, and chocolate chips. Mix well. Scoop onto baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Store in a tightly sealed container.