Cranberry Cornbread Stuffing

1 c cranberries
1/2 c water
1/4 c sugar
4 c corn bread stuffing or dried corn bread crumbs, gluten free
1/4 c finely chopped celery
1/4 c finely chopped sweet onion
2 T dried parsley
1 t dried thyme
1 t dried marjoram OR rubbed sage
1/4 t salt
Dash of pepper

Combine cranberries, water and sugar.  Boil for 10 minutes.  Add to the other ingredients.  Mixture will be just slightly wet.  Stuff up to a 15 pound turkey.

If you want to bake the stuff separate from the turkey, you will need to add enough chicken broth to make it quite moist.  Otherwise it will be very, very dry.

Lemon Ginger Chicken Thighs

From Better Homes and Gardens, September 2010
35 minute cook time

1 lemon
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos
8 chicken thighs, bone in
2 tsp vegetable oil
sliced green onions and lemon wedges (optional)

(1) Finely shred peel from lemon and juice lemon.  In bowl combine the lemon peel, ginger, and salt.  In another bowl combine lemon juice, honey soy sauce, and water.

(2) Rub lemon peel mixture under the skin of the chicken thighs.  In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium high heat.  Place chicken, skin down, in the hot oil.  Cook 7 minutes or until well-browned; turn chicken and add lemon juice mixture.  Reduce heat; cover and cook 14 to 18 minutes longer or until no pink remains (180 degrees).

(3) Transfer chicken to plates.  Skim fat from pan juices, if desired.  Drizzle chicken with some of the pan juices.  Top with green onion and serve with lemon wedges.

Serves 4.

Notes: 

(1) I freeze my ginger as I cannot use it fast enough.  When I need fresh ginger, I just take the ginger out of the freezer and grate it with the peel.  A nice rule of thumb is 1 tablespoon = 1 inch of the ginger root.

(2) I used some Bragg's Liquid Aminos.  The main ingredient is non-GMO soy sauce which did not effect my daughter negatively.  Be very careful if you are allergic to soy.  I am not endorsing that you use this.  I am just saying that it worked for us.

Shrimp and Linguini

8 oz gf linguini
1 tablespoon butter or dairy free butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, sliced
1 - 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
1 lb medium count shrimp, deveined
1/2 c dry white wine

(1)  Fix linguini according to directions.  Rinse and set aside

(2) Melt butter over medium high heat.  Add olive oil.  Add shallots and cook for 5 minutes.  Add minced garlic.  Cook for 1 minute.

(3) Add sliced mushrooms.  Cook over medium high heat until almost all the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated (about 20 minutes).

(4) Add shrimp.  Cook for 3 to 5 minutes.

(5) Add dry white wine to deglaze pan.

(6) Toss with linguini noodles.

(7) Stir in grated cheese.  Serve in preheated pasta bowls or on preheated plates with a sprig of fresh basil on the side.

I served this with a fresh salad and some freshly made garlic herb bread.

Notes:  Next time I make this will only use 5 - 6 oz of linguini as I had so much leftover.  Not all the linguini would fit into the pan and toss well at least for me.  For the butter I used Earth Balance's Soy Free, Dairy Free, Gluten Free "butter".  Pecorino Romano is a sheep's milk cheese which is a great substitute for our family.

GF Crazy Cake

This is almost identical to the other Crazy Cake recipe that I just posted.  However this recipe is egg free, dairy free, soy free AND wheat/gluten free.

1 c white rice flour
1/3 c potato starch
5 T and 1 tsp tapioca flour

3 T cocoa
1 c sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp white vinegar
5 T cooking oil
1 c cold water

Sift all dry ingredients into an 8 inch square greased pan. Make three depressions in four mixture and add vinegar in one depression, vanilla in the second and oil in the third. Pour cold water over all and stir thoroughly. DO NOT OVER MIX! Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Notes: This cake really needs to be mixed by hand. A hand mixer or a stand mixer over mixes the batter and kills the leavening process between the baking powder and vinegar.


Also, the dry ingredients really do need to be sifted. This distributes the baking powder evenly and without lumps. Baking powder lumps DO NOT dissolve during the baking process and taste icky if you bite into one.

Crazy Cake

This is an awesome cake!  This is the first cake that I learned to make.  It is from the Depression Era when money was tight and supplies were limited.   It does well for people who like chocolate but are unable to eat it due to medical or allergy restrictions since cocoa is used not chocolate.

1 1/2 c flour
3 T cocoa
1 c sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp white vinegar
5 T cooking oil
1 c cold water

Sift first five ingredients into an 8 inch square greased pan.  Make three depressions in four mixture and add vinegar in one depression, vanilla in the second and oil in the third.  Pour cold water over all and stir thoroughly.  DO NOT OVER MIX!  Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Notes:  This cake really needs to be mixed by hand.  A hand mixer or a stand mixer over mixes the batter and kills the leavening process between the baking powder and vinegar. 

Also, the dry ingredients really do need to be sifted.  This distributes the baking powder evenly and without lumps.  Baking powder lumps DO NOT dissolve during the baking process and taste icky if you bite into one.

The next time I make this I am going to scoop the batter into cupcake papers.  Will let you know how it turns out.

Serving suggestions:  Growing up this was served with sliced strawberries and whipped cream or ice cream.

Nun's Puffs

My house smells so incredibly yummy right now with these baking in the oven!  I found these in our Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook Special Edition and had to try them.  I realize that they do NOT fit into an allergy free diet so I had to wait until I could make them and it was well worth it.  These are NOT for the faint of arm strength.  Making Nun's Puffs really works out your arm muscles!

1/2 c butter
1 c milk
3/4 c all purpose flour
4 eggs
1 T sugar
Dash of salt (optional)
Honey (optional)

Generously grease twelve 2 1/2 inch muffin cups, including the edge and around the top of each cup; set aside.

In a medium saucepan melt butter; add milk.  Bring to a boil.  Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon.  Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball that does not separate.

Remove from heat and allow to cool for five minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute with a wooden spoon after each addition or until smooth.

Divide dough evenly among prepared muffin cups, filling cups about 2/3 full.  Sprinkle with sugar.  Add a one grind of salt from a salt grinder per muffin if desired.

Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and puffy.  Remove from pan.  Serve immediately.  If desired, serve with honey.

Serving ideas:  Sprinkle with powdered sugar or a side of Nutella or fresh jam.  Another idea is to fill with a custard of some kind.

Tri-Color Couscous Salad

1 c tri-color couscous
1 1/2 c water
1 c grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 c feta cheese, goat or sheep are the best
1/3 c pine nuts
1 T chopped fresh chives
1 T chopped fresh parsley

Bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and add couscous.  Cover for five minutes.  Remove lid and fluff couscous.  Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool for five minutes.  In bowl toss couscous with remaining ingredients.  Chill.

Notes:  I used feta when making the salad this time BUT goat cheese, fresh mozzarella or cubed cheese of your choice would work as well.  Pine nuts are considered seeds not nuts but some folks react to the pine nuts after eating them.  Please exercise caution.