coffee coffee coffee...kahlua

Most coffee liquor isn't gluten free, so we decided to make our own. It's amazing!

3 cups strong cold brewed coffee
1 vanilla bean
2 cups vodka (we used Tito's)
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup maple syrup

Make strong cold brew first:

3 cups water
1 1/2 cups ground dark coffee (we used The Roasterie's Kansas City Dark Roast)

Combine water and coffee grounds and let sit in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Then strain out grounds using a fine sieve.

Meanwhile, put whole vanilla bean in the vodka for 24 hours. One small Tito's bottle is exactly two cups of vodka, so you can put the vanilla bean directly in.

Combine coffee, vodka, agave, and maple syrup and stir. You can also leave the vanilla bean in the mixture. Let sit for at least 4 hours.

Drink!

veggie bouillon

I had an abundant parsley harvest this year, and just about everything else needed for this and it has so far been a nice addition to have on hand to spice up plainer dishes.

2-3 leeks, white and light green parts, chopped and washed
2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
2-3 celery stalks, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup fresh parsley leaves, and thin stems
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 1⁄2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup cilantro leaves

Process everything, except tomato paste and soy sauce, in food processor, scraping down sides of bowl frequently, until paste is as fine as possible, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add tomato paste and process for one minute, scraping down sides of bowl every 20 seconds.

Add soy sauce and continue to process one minute longer.

Transfer mixture to airtight container and tap firmly on counter to remove any air bubbles. Press small piece of parchment paper against surface of mixture and cover.

Freeze up to 6 months.

Use 1 tbsp to one cup boiling water to make broth.

Adapted from Food.com

pasta sauce, hold the pasta

Sometimes the things we make come about because of what we happen to have in the house. This came together because we had tomatoes and arugula and shrimp on hand and they were calling out to be combined. I originally made this as a pasta sauce, but by doubling or tripling the shrimp you could could have a quick and tasty shrimp dish.

1 medium tomato
3 slices of roasted tomato
A handful or two of arugula leaves, torn in half
8-10 large cooked shrimp, halved or quartered
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons of butter
salt and pepper
pasta (optional)

If using, cook the pasta.

Chop everything in advance as it all comes together quickly. Melt butter in a skillet. Add garlic and cook for one minute over medium heat. Don't let it brown. Add chopped tomatoes, chopped roasted tomatoes and arugula. Season generously with salt and pepper. Heat until the tomatoes begin to release their juices. Turn off stove and add cooked shrimp. Toss so the shrimp gets heated and serve, either over pasta or on its own.

lime and cilantro chicken

I came up with this based on what was in the fridge and what I most needed to use up before it went bad. The chicken was really good but the zucchini roasted alongside it was spectacular.

2 scallions cut into 2 inch pieces
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro plus a handful of large sprigs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 half lime, quartered
1 4-to 4 1/2-pound chicken, excess fat removed from cavity (or half a chicken)
1 large zucchini

Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle chicken inside and out with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place cilantro sprigs, the scallion bulbs and lime quarters in cavity.

Toss zucchini and rest of the scallions in olive oil and salt and pepper.

Place chicken in large roasting pan; arrange zucchini and scallions around chicken. Roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken thigh registers 165°F and zucchini are cooked, about 1 hour 10 minutes.

Transfer chicken to platter; let rest 10 minutes.

Using slotted spoon, move zucchini and scallions to a bowl. Sprinkle zucchini with lie from inside of chicken.

chile rellenos lasagna style

I love chile rellenos. Literally one of my favorite foods. Unfortunately my gluten allergy makes eating them at a restaurant a rarity. This recipe may not taste like original chile rellenos but it is incredibly delicious. Instead of stuffing these I made a casserole/lasagna kind of thing with ground pork. The chiles totally fell apart while I was seeding them so I just used them like they were lasagna noodles. So easy and tasted delicious. I also made my own mexican crema.

Mexican Crema

1 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set it out at room temperature for 3 hours.

From Epicurious

Chile Relleno Lasagna

6 poblano chiles
1 pound ground pork
3 ears fresh corn, husks and silks removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
Black pepper
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, or other Mexican melting cheese
½ cup Mexican crema

Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and preheat oven to 375°.

Meanwhile, if you have a gas stove, turn heat to high on one of the burners, and set as many of the poblanos as will fit on the grate. Cook, flipping and moving the chiles often with a pair of tongs, until blackened on all sides. Cook, flipping occasionally with a pair of tongs, until blacked on all sides.

When chiles are blackened, transfer to a plastic bag and seal. Let them steam for at least five minutes. When done, peel off the blackened skins. Cut a slit down the side of each, and remove the stem and the seeds.

Using a sharp knife, cut the kernels off the corn cobs. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add the onion and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent, about two minutes. Add the ground pork and brown. Add the corn, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until corn turns golden brown, about five minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.

Oil a casserole dish. Lay down chiles to cover the bottom of the dish. Add a layer of the sauteed corn and pork mixture, a layer of the shredded cheese, and few dollops of the crema. Should make about 3 layers. Finally, add a layer of cheese on top.

Transfer baking dish to the upper middle rack in the oven and cook for ten minutes. Turn on the broiler to high, and cook until the cheese is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

watermelon mint salad

After grazing my way through Whole Foods and sampling this I bought all the ingredients and it was super easy and delicious. It also seems like it would be tasty on an actual salad.

2 cups watermelon
a spring of mint
fresh ground pepper
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 to 2 tbsp honey

Cube watermelon. Cut the mint into thin strips. Stir the olive oil, lime juice, honey and pepper together until fully combined. Mix everything together.

red risotto

I helped a friend make this and while the constant stirring has kept me from making my own risotto, this recipe totally changed my mind. So good and so worth the time it takes. Especially good with roasted asparagus,

Red Wine Risotto

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1 cup dry red wine, cabernet or barolo
6 cups chicken/turkey/vegetable stock, preferably homemade
3 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, more for serving.

In a wide, deep skillet, heat oil until very hot but not smoking. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes but not browned. Reduce heat as needed. Add rice and stir with a wooden spoon until opaque and slightly toasted.

Meanwhile, heat the stock in a saucepan and keep it just below a simmer. Add wine and a ladleful of hot stock and cook, stirring often, until liquid is absorbed. Continue stirring and adding hot stock a ladleful at a time, always waiting until liquid is almost completely absorbed before adding more. Cook until rice is tender and creamy but not mushy, about 20 minutes (or more). Toward the end of cooking time, rice will quickly soften, so stir constantly and taste often. Turn off heat and stir in butter. Stir in cheese and serve with additional Parmesan.

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

it's nota frittata – no egg veggie casserole – take 2

I made this based on an earlier version with the types of veggies we had on hand, and it's just as delicious.

Olive oil cooking spray

medium bunch of kale
8-10 small spring turnips, sliced
8-10 radishes, sliced
5-6 small to medium tomatoes, sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
handful of thyme
handful of parsley
2-3 tablespoons butter, melted or olive oil1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400°.

Tear kale into pieces and spread along the bottom of a 10-inch dish coated with cooking spray. Toss together radish and turnip, salt and pepper, thyme and parsley. Salt and pepper tomato slices separately so they don't break up. Layer radishes, turnips, and tomatoes over kale, alternating and overlapping slightly. Drizzle with 2-4 Tbsp. melted butter. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake at 400° for 30 minutes. Remove foil, and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

strawminty ice cream

I haven't tried this yet, but I've found a couple of recipes that I want to combine to make a delicately minty strawberry ice cream.

2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced (about 5 cups)
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups light cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large handful of mint

Soak the mint leaves in the cream and rest in the fridge overnight.

In a large bowl stir together strawberries and sugar until combined well. Chill mixture, covered, stirring occasionally, overnight.

Drain strawberry mixture in a sieve set over a bowl and reserve 2 cups strawberry slices. In a food processor purée remaining slices with strained liquid until smooth and transfer to a bowl. Stir in cream and vanilla extract until combined well.

Freeze mixture in an ice-cream maker for 25 minutes. During this time, place remaining strawberries in the freezer. After 25 minutes, add reserved strawberry slices for the last 5 minutes of freezing time.

Adapted from Epicurious

mustard green beans

Spring CSAs mean lots and lots of mustard greens. Lots and lots. And now I've come up with a recipe I'd be happy to eat every week they show up. This recipe is based on the idea of red beans and rice crossed with green gumbo, and hits all the right notes: a little sweet, a little spicy, and lots of umami.

1 half package smoky bacon (I like North Country)
1 can of white cannellini beans
2-3 types of greens (mustard, radish, etc.)
5 green garlic stems (if unavailable use an onion)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Crystal cayenne pepper sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Rinse and chop the greens. Chop the green garlic or onion into half inch pieces. Cut raw bacon into half inch pieces. Fry bacon and garlic/onion in a deep cast iron pot. When bacon and garlic/onion have begun to brown add greens and stir until they wilt. Then add the can of beans with their liquid and stir. Add remaining ingredients, stir and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

creamy chicken and mushrooms

Quick and easy chicken dinners are harder to come by than I would like so finding this recipe, and adjusting it to be even faster, was great.

1 lb chicken thighs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 sweet onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 package sliced baby bella mushrooms
2 tablespoons gluten-free flour
1 1/2 cups half and half
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Pinch of hungarian hot paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes and season with salt and pepper.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, garlic and mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned, about 5-6 minutes. Push vegetables over to the side of the pan and add another tablespoon of butter the empty side. Add chicken and brown on all sides.

Sprinkle everything with flour and mix until lightly browned, about 1 minute.

Gradually stir in half and half, thyme, basil and paprika; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.

Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.    

Adapted from Damn Delicious

strawbarb crumble

My man loves all things strawberry rhubarb, and though it's not my favorite when I found rhubarb on sale at the store I thought I would give a crisp a try. I wanted to make it with as little flour as I could, so I adjusted the recipe I found for a regular crisp.

4 to 5 stalks of fresh rhubarb
1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled
1 cup turbinado sugar
half an orange worth of grated orange zest
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 cups Kind Oats and Honey Clusters granola
1/2 stick butter
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Slice the rhubarb into 1 inch pieces and cut the strawberries into pieces the same size as the rhubarb. In a large, ovenproof bowl, toss the fruit with 3/4 cup of the turbinado sugar, the orange zest, and the cornstarch dissolved in the orange juice.

For the topping, melt the butter and 1/4 cup of sugar in the microwave. Once melted and combined, stir the granola into the butter and coat well. Spread the topping over the fruit, covering it completely. Bake for 1 hour, until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown.

Let cool for 10 minutes and serve warm with ice cream.

Adapted from Food Network

smoky spinach cheese steak roll ups

A super quick, super delicious meal.

steak tips
smoked cheddar cheese
frozen whole leaf spinach

Heat a cast iron pan in a 500 degree oven.

Split the steak tips so they are laying flat. Slice the cheese. Defrost spinach in microwave for 2 minutes. Squeeze the water out of the spinach. Lay the slices of
cheese along the steak, spread with spinach, and roll. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and rub with olive oil.

Place the cast iron pan on the stove top on a high heat. Lower heat in oven to 400 degrees. Heat each roll up in the pan for 2 minutes on each side and then place in the oven for 4 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

crispy chicken and sauce

We've made this a few times already and the chicken comes out moist and the skin comes out perfectly crispy every time. We've tried a couple different flavor combinations and the only thing we need to watch is how much acid gets added, avoid adding too much. we also use chicken breasts instead of the original thighs and it's only way I've found that makes the breasts nearly as juicy as chicken thighs.

3-4 skin-on chicken beasts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon oil
8 ounces bacon, cut into lardons
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 bag of baby carrots
3 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tablespoons sugar
2 bay leaves
6 sprigs thyme
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350°F. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a straight-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving it until well browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Flip chicken and brown lightly on second side, about 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.

Add bacon to pan and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add onion and carrots and cook, stirring, until softened and starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Add chicken stock, lemon juice, sugar, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs and bring to a simmer.

Nestle chicken back into sauté pan, leaving the skin above the liquid but submerging most of the meat. Transfer pan to oven and cook, uncovered, about 45 minutes (do not cook longer even for larger pieces of chicken).

Remove from oven and transfer chicken and pieces of onion, carrot and bacon to a serving platter. Stir butter into sauté pan, reduce sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Adapted from Serious Eats

my best steak seasoning

My favorite steak seasoning has been McCormick's Steakhouse Seasoning for years, which I can no longer find. So it was time to make my own before I finished the last of the McCormick's. Here's my version, which comes pretty close.

4 tsp mixed peppercorns
2 tsp onion flakes
2 tsp garlic flakes
1 to 1 1/2 french grey sea salt
2 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp paprika