Thanksgiving it can be a Gluten Free dream or nightmare!
For many many years I have always done the turkey...Aarons Glatt Kosher FRESH turkey from Trader Joe's is the only turkey I use.I make a clarified herb infused butter and blend that with a white wine reduction infused with garlic and shallots. This I inject into the turkey so that it is self basting.
Then it is the stuffing....chopping up everything takes 2/3 of your adult life! Then I had an "epiphany" the salad bar has everything I need! Already prepped and I can buy just what I need!!! Wa-La so I called my local Whole Foods and asked what time they open and when they put out the salad bar. I went first thing and bought all I needed by the pound..all sliced washed and partially chopped or sliced. That saves me 2 hours in the kitchen. I buy a Gluten free bread a rice or a tapioca loaf and slice it into cubes. Then dry it out in the oven.
I mix all the chopped vegetables and the stuffing and add some extra secret ingredients and stuff the turkey.
It is fantastic! I also make a gravy with cornstarch as the thickener for the gravy. I reserve a bit of the white wine reduction that I infused with garlic and shallots to add to the gravy.
Another Fabulous Thanksgiving...Gluten Free and delicious.
Estelle
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
The First Salad
The first harvest of lettuce was made this week...It was tasty. Butter leaf lettuce mixed with romaine and a bit of cheese and some roasted turkey. By next week I am hoping to harvest a bit of basil to mix with the lettuce adding a touch of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Which is naturally Gluten Free!
Salad Dressing Recipe:
1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
1 Teaspoon each
Oregano, Basil and Rosemary ground well. If using fresh reduce the amount to 1/2 as the flavor is more intense than dried.
You can add some cold sliced hard-boiled egg, left over cooked meat, cheese and garbanzo beans.
Enjoy!
Salad Dressing Recipe:
1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
1 Teaspoon each
Oregano, Basil and Rosemary ground well. If using fresh reduce the amount to 1/2 as the flavor is more intense than dried.
You can add some cold sliced hard-boiled egg, left over cooked meat, cheese and garbanzo beans.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Les Jardin
The garden is growing well. I can see the tomatoes starting to grow on the vines....
There is nothing finer than a real tomato with flavor.
By itself with a bit of sea salt, on a burger, or with olive oil, spices and fresh mozzarella and basil.
The next meal we are cooking is the foods of Spain. Hopefully the tomatoes will be ready! Everyone is so excited about the fact I am growing 4 types of tomatoes that I had to go and buy some more plants.
I also planted shallots, zucchini, pumpkins, walla-walla sweet onions, carrots, green beans, peas, popcorn, sweet corn, sunflowers, watermelon, butternut squash and soon 3 types of potatoes.
I love zucchini sauteed in a bit of butter then scrambled with eggs topped with Parmesan cheese and fresh tomatoes on the side.
This is a fantastic summer treat. If you can not grow your own stop by a farmers market and pick them up and make it at home.
You can also add spinach if you are not a zucchini fan.
There is nothing finer than a real tomato with flavor.
By itself with a bit of sea salt, on a burger, or with olive oil, spices and fresh mozzarella and basil.
The next meal we are cooking is the foods of Spain. Hopefully the tomatoes will be ready! Everyone is so excited about the fact I am growing 4 types of tomatoes that I had to go and buy some more plants.
I also planted shallots, zucchini, pumpkins, walla-walla sweet onions, carrots, green beans, peas, popcorn, sweet corn, sunflowers, watermelon, butternut squash and soon 3 types of potatoes.
I love zucchini sauteed in a bit of butter then scrambled with eggs topped with Parmesan cheese and fresh tomatoes on the side.
This is a fantastic summer treat. If you can not grow your own stop by a farmers market and pick them up and make it at home.
You can also add spinach if you are not a zucchini fan.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Tandoori Fried Rice
This dish has been on my mind for awhile. I remember the very first time I ever had Chinese fried rice. I was 3 or 4 I remember the vegetables, chicken and rice.
I fell in love with that dish instantly and to this day Chinese food is my favorite.
Indian food is also one I just love. So I thought "Tandoori Fried Rice".
So after cooking the Indian dinner for 14 I realized I would have some left over tandoori chicken. So I made this dish tonight and it was fantastic!
1 Teaspoon of curry powder mixed with 1 Tablespoon of water
2 Eggs
2 Cups cooked and cooled Basmati rice
2 Cups fresh or frozen vegetables ( I used some frozen mixed vegetables, green beans, yellow bell pepper and zucchini )
2 Cups leftover Tandoori chicken
1-2 Tablespoons Tandoori Paste mixed with 4 tablespoons of water.
Beat the eggs and add the curry water. Set aside.
Add 3 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil to a pan and heat on med. till hot
Pour in egg and scramble til done add vegetables and cook till they are almost done 3-5 minutes.
Add rice and chicken stir well and drizzle the tandoori paste and water over everything.
Cover and turn heat off let sit 3-5 minutes.
Stir and serve
Copyright ETC 2009
I fell in love with that dish instantly and to this day Chinese food is my favorite.
Indian food is also one I just love. So I thought "Tandoori Fried Rice".
So after cooking the Indian dinner for 14 I realized I would have some left over tandoori chicken. So I made this dish tonight and it was fantastic!
1 Teaspoon of curry powder mixed with 1 Tablespoon of water
2 Eggs
2 Cups cooked and cooled Basmati rice
2 Cups fresh or frozen vegetables ( I used some frozen mixed vegetables, green beans, yellow bell pepper and zucchini )
2 Cups leftover Tandoori chicken
1-2 Tablespoons Tandoori Paste mixed with 4 tablespoons of water.
Beat the eggs and add the curry water. Set aside.
Add 3 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil to a pan and heat on med. till hot
Pour in egg and scramble til done add vegetables and cook till they are almost done 3-5 minutes.
Add rice and chicken stir well and drizzle the tandoori paste and water over everything.
Cover and turn heat off let sit 3-5 minutes.
Stir and serve
Copyright ETC 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Sharing
Sometimes the simple things in life are best shared...especially with someone who has not had the experience.
This was the case when I was shopping for the things I needed to cook the Indian dinner for 18 this weekend.
While I was shopping "Devon" I was approached by six young students they had driven from another state and were exploring the city.
"Excuse me" one of the girls asked. " Do you know anything about this street?" Well it was their lucky, lucky, lucky day!
I took them to my favorite Indian sweet shop where. I told the shopkeeper..."these people have spent their whole lives never having Carrot Halva, White Rossagollas and Gulab Jamun!"
The next thing they knew he had prepared a plate with a sample for them to try.
They loved all of the treats that he so generously gave them. Well I said I am going up the street as I have quite a bit of shopping to do.
They also had a list of questions as they were doing a research project. So as we walked they asked me the questions on the list as we walked up the street.
Next we went in to the grocery store...where we met my friend Hero...I explained to him about the students. I asked if I could give him some things from the store to try. "Sure, Estelle", he said so I started with a package of Butter Naan, Tamarind Juice, some Chaat, a fresh Mango and a fresh Pineapple.
Hero brought a bag over so that they could put all their items in it. They were so thrilled, surprised and grateful for this whole experience. It was a delight to be able to share this with them. Share something you love with some one who has not tried it before.
Try something new yourself. "Life is a banquet so share what is on your side of the table"
This was the case when I was shopping for the things I needed to cook the Indian dinner for 18 this weekend.
While I was shopping "Devon" I was approached by six young students they had driven from another state and were exploring the city.
"Excuse me" one of the girls asked. " Do you know anything about this street?" Well it was their lucky, lucky, lucky day!
I took them to my favorite Indian sweet shop where. I told the shopkeeper..."these people have spent their whole lives never having Carrot Halva, White Rossagollas and Gulab Jamun!"
The next thing they knew he had prepared a plate with a sample for them to try.
They loved all of the treats that he so generously gave them. Well I said I am going up the street as I have quite a bit of shopping to do.
They also had a list of questions as they were doing a research project. So as we walked they asked me the questions on the list as we walked up the street.
Next we went in to the grocery store...where we met my friend Hero...I explained to him about the students. I asked if I could give him some things from the store to try. "Sure, Estelle", he said so I started with a package of Butter Naan, Tamarind Juice, some Chaat, a fresh Mango and a fresh Pineapple.
Hero brought a bag over so that they could put all their items in it. They were so thrilled, surprised and grateful for this whole experience. It was a delight to be able to share this with them. Share something you love with some one who has not tried it before.
Try something new yourself. "Life is a banquet so share what is on your side of the table"
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Faux Cheese Cake
Faux Cheesecake,
I created this simple dessert for the summer...something light yet with flavor.
The man loves "Raspberry Coulis" as Summer approaches and there are fresh berries I decided to make him something that would taste decadent yet be light and worthy of raspberry coulis.
So I bought two large containers of a Gluten Free Vanilla Yogurt.
Lined the colander with 3 large coffee filters and poured in the yogurt. Set the colander on a plate put it back in the fridge and let it drain for 3 hours. Then I carefully removed the yogurt which is now quite a bit thicker. Stirred in 1 tablespoons of Neilsen-Massey Vanilla and 1 tablespoon of Neilsen-Massey Vanilla Bean Paste and put it back in the fridge.
For the raspberry Coulis I used a jar of Robert Rothchild's Seedless Raspberry Preserves. This brand is Gluten Free and they have won numerous awards for their outstanding products.
To serve it I put the yogurt ( Faux Cheese Cake ) in a bowl and spooned several tablespoons of the preserves over the top.
This was a huge hit...The Man was delighted with this healthy tasty dessert...."This taste like Cheesecake", he said.
I will have to wait until the fresh raspberrys are out in a few more weeks to make him a fresh batch of raspberry coulis to enjoy with his Faux Cheesecake.
copyright ETC.2009
I created this simple dessert for the summer...something light yet with flavor.
The man loves "Raspberry Coulis" as Summer approaches and there are fresh berries I decided to make him something that would taste decadent yet be light and worthy of raspberry coulis.
So I bought two large containers of a Gluten Free Vanilla Yogurt.
Lined the colander with 3 large coffee filters and poured in the yogurt. Set the colander on a plate put it back in the fridge and let it drain for 3 hours. Then I carefully removed the yogurt which is now quite a bit thicker. Stirred in 1 tablespoons of Neilsen-Massey Vanilla and 1 tablespoon of Neilsen-Massey Vanilla Bean Paste and put it back in the fridge.
For the raspberry Coulis I used a jar of Robert Rothchild's Seedless Raspberry Preserves. This brand is Gluten Free and they have won numerous awards for their outstanding products.
To serve it I put the yogurt ( Faux Cheese Cake ) in a bowl and spooned several tablespoons of the preserves over the top.
This was a huge hit...The Man was delighted with this healthy tasty dessert...."This taste like Cheesecake", he said.
I will have to wait until the fresh raspberrys are out in a few more weeks to make him a fresh batch of raspberry coulis to enjoy with his Faux Cheesecake.
copyright ETC.2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Harvesting The Gluten Free Outdoors
The French have used candied violets as decorations on cakes for hundreds of years. The sugared petals offer a subtle flavor and a stunning color that
some French chefs create special desserts to feature the crystallized flowers. The Candied Violets are an expensive item to buy. At $83.00 a pound they are a expensive yet elegant garnish.
When out at the country this weekend I noticed hundreds of Wild Violets. I made sure that they were the edible variety and asked the man to make sure they had never been sprayed with anything. They were organic and stunning...perfect for making Candied Violets. The man helped me pick them. It is best to pick in shifts so that the ones you just made can set up and start drying. Then go and pick some more. It is a time consuming project. Yet I have made enough to give some as gifts to my friend that make exquisite desserts. I will use them this year on cupcakes, cakes and ice cream. Tres Tres Bon!
some French chefs create special desserts to feature the crystallized flowers. The Candied Violets are an expensive item to buy. At $83.00 a pound they are a expensive yet elegant garnish.
When out at the country this weekend I noticed hundreds of Wild Violets. I made sure that they were the edible variety and asked the man to make sure they had never been sprayed with anything. They were organic and stunning...perfect for making Candied Violets. The man helped me pick them. It is best to pick in shifts so that the ones you just made can set up and start drying. Then go and pick some more. It is a time consuming project. Yet I have made enough to give some as gifts to my friend that make exquisite desserts. I will use them this year on cupcakes, cakes and ice cream. Tres Tres Bon!
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