Gluten Free Adventures: Broiled Sesame Shrimp and Peppers and other Tasty Treats

Michelle and I went on our somewhat annual Best Friend Vacation to Florida a couple of weeks ago.  It was a glorious 5 days of chilling in the sun and reuniting with a good college friend of ours that lives down there. Derek went to college with us our freshman year, and even though he transferred out, we always kept in touch. After he moved to Florida to work permanently, I started making my pilgrimages to the sunshine state. Michelle joined me after my first visit after she saw all of my happy pics and stories, and she's been hooked.

After we disclosed to Derek our plans for cooking for him, he dropped a bomb: he was allergic to gluten. The last time we were in FL, Derek was complaining of stomach pains he'd been having for a while, and...other issues that are less decorous to share. The pains were complications due to his body saying "NO BUENO" to gluten.

Now, I know we hear the term gluten and have no friggin' idea what it is. Basically, gluten is a protein found in wheat that makes bread chewy and toothsome. Unfortunately there are people who are really sensitive to it, with the most severe case being celiac disease. Derek's case wasn't that serious, but, it was serious enough for him to make some changes to his diet and to start drinking gluten-free beer (my verdict: it's not bad!).

Most of the things we thought about cooking for him flew out the window. Could I make a gluten-free meal that we all (me, Michelle, Derek, and his roommate, Jesse) could enjoy? I used a couple of different resources, and I think everything turned out pretty damn splendidly.

Broiled Sesame Shrimp & Peppers

This recipe I got with the help of Tasty Kitchen's Special Dietary Needs section! They're sitting on a bed of gluten-free spiral pasta...I forget the brand name, but it's made of rice flour instead of the regular kind. I would have preferred rice noodles though..and if I had looked hard enough through Derek's pantry, I would have found them. WHOOPS. This was light, tangy/sweet, and delicious.

Orange Balsamic Glazed Chicken with Mac n Cheese and Roasted Carrots & Asparagus

Okay, I know most of people (including myself) find Rachel Ray REALLY irritating. But, she does have some really good recipes, and this one was really easy to make gluten-free. Easily found the gluten-free chicken broth at Publix, and made a substitution. Unfortunately, the mac and cheese was the Kraft kind, and Derek couldn't eat it...which is why I roasted veggies (400 degrees, toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper, and desired fresh herbs...I used thyme) on the side. Since Michelle isn't a huge veg fan, she was happy with the mac. The rest of us ate it ALL. The only thing I would change about the recipe is maybe using less chicken broth. I probably used a little too much oil in the sauteing of the chicken as well. I really wanted a tight glaze and I got a somewhat liquid-y consistency. Otherwise, this came out really good as well.

On the baking front were these two delights:

PW's Orange Marmalade Cake and Toll House Choco-Chip Cookie Bars

For the baked goods, I used two regular recipes and just substituted gluten-free flour for the regular kind. I made the cake, and Michelle made the cookies. The cake and the glaze are both made with yogurt, and made good use of the big ass jar of orange marmalade I bought. The cookies are the regular Toll House recipe, put into a rectangular pan so we wouldn't be scooping out cookie dough all night. I noticed that the flour swap made for a denser product with a slightly browner crumb, but other than that, everything tasted amazing.


And here is proof:

Please not that those chunks they cut, they thought were appropriate serving sizes. Boys are just animals, aren't they? :-)

Saturday Southern Brunch....and Duck Fat.

My friend Darrell and I have been unleashing his inner foodie for the past couple weeks, and we're really taking it to the limit. His first meal for me was roasted chicken with veggies...there was also scallion eggs, brown rice, and bok choy on the side.

Look at all that crispy skin!! Everything was roasted to perfection in his amazing cast iron skillet. Also, this was an especially plump bird, so all of the veggies got covered in chicken fat. YUM.

It was my turn to cook for him the next week, and he settled on biscuits and sausage gravy. Which I had NO problem with, since I love rustic food...covered in gravy. And on the side: duck fat hashbrowns. I found the fat at Dean & Delucca Weekend brunch is supposed to be indulgent, right?

(PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE SMURFS PLEASE)

I used canned biscuits (THE FLAKY KIND) because I didn't feel like making them from scratch. The gravy though, is a breeze once you get the technique down.You only need: sausage, flour, milk, salt, and pepper. That's it!

Since there was only the two of us, I only used half a tube of Jimmy Dean sausage. Dar sliced that half into patties, and I fried them up in his cast iron skillet until they were cooked and crisped. I love cast iron for stuff like this because it holds heat so well.

I removed the sausage to drain and left the fat that was rendered in the pat. It looked to be about 2 tablespoons worth, which was a little short of what I wanted. I added just a tipple of the duck fat.

I see you running away! Come back. This is gonna be tasty, I swear.

Anyway! I sprinkled a couple of flour over the fat and started to whisk it over medium-low heat. You want to whisk the flour and fat together, until it starts to brown a bit and smell nutty. You want to cook all of that raw flour taste right out, and since the pan was already pretty warm, it won't take that long. Then, add your milk. I started with a cup, and then added some more because I thought it was too thick. Keep whisking all throughout!

Dar crumbled up 2 of the patties for me and sprinkled them back into the gravy. That blur is me, whisking furiously.

The gravy will bubble up as you add the milk, but just keep whisking until...well, it looks like gravy. Creamy and luscious. Taste a bit and adjust the salt and pepper. Under-seasoned gravy tastes like library paste. I turned off the heat and let it hang out while Darrell made the green beans. Gravy thickens the more you let it stand, so to serve, I just turned the fire on very low, added a little more milk, and whisked it back to the consistency we wanted.

He used a piece of duck fat/skin he had left over from some Thai food, and a little ladle of the liquid stuff, to pan roast the beans.

He tossed them in the pot over high heat to crisp them up a bit, put a little bit of water in the pan, and covered it so it could soften. I think it took about 5-10 minutes.

OH THE HASHBROWNS! I almost forgot. These are so easy, it's criminal. Take a couple potatoes (we used 3-4 because we're greedy) and shred them up with a box grater. Take a bunch of paper towels or a large dish cloth, place the shreds inside, and SQUEEZE out the moisture. The drier you get the potatoes, the better. They'll crisp up better without all of its inner liquids and starch, and you'll have nicer hashbrowns. I fried these up in batches with the duck fat over medium-high heat until they were brown and crispy.

I can smell your jealousy.

Served with Brooklyn Brewery's Brown Ale. And another picture, because I'm feeling torturous:

This, I feel is the best way to spend a Saturday. A cold brew, a good friend...and eating a lot of things fried in the fat of ducks. Quack.

Oneshot: Nutella Cookies!

Nutella is the Lolita of spreads.

Skim milk, cocoa, and hazelnuts...how can three ingredients combine to make something that most people, including myself, have no problem eating straight out the jar? Eff using a spoon. I use my fingers. And I refuse to share.

So naturally, when I saw a recipe on Tasty Kitchen, an amazing recipe/blog/sharing site, for Nutella COOKIES..well, you know I had to go and make it. Especially, b/c it's so damn easy! Only 4 freaking ingredients necessary.

One egg.

A half cup of sugar.

One cup of Nutella.

One cup of Flour.

That's it! The end. In the recipe post, a stand mixer is used to combine all of the ingredients together...seeing as that most of my money goes to student loans, I used good old fashioned elbow grease, and a wooden spoon. I should have probably taken a picture of it...but the spoon snapped right in half...but, I'm getting ahead of myself! Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and prep your baking sheet (or, sheets).

Start by mixing the egg and sugar together...I made a double batch of these lovelies so I could bring some to work the next day. I doubled the quantities of everything, so keep that in mind. Whisk them together so they're nice and combined. Then, add in your Nutella. This is probably when you should switch over to a wooden spoon to make your life easier.

The last thing I added in was the flour, which i did in 4 parts, stirring after each addition. This is where it gets a little hard. If you have a stand mixer, you'll be fine. If you don't, you'll end up with a broken wooden spoon like yours truly. As it starts getting tougher to mix, switch over to a metal spoon. It seemed to be getting a little too dry, so I only used about half of my last part of flour. When it was good and mixed, I put some plastic wrap over it and let it rest for 10 minutes in the fridge.

I used a tablespoon to scoop out the dough and rolled it into balls with my palms. I fit about 12 on my non stick cookie sheet comfortably. Now, the recipe said to use the bottom of a drinking glass to flatten them out. The dough balls were pretty sticky, so I dipped the bottoms of the glasses in sugar, then flattened the dough. No sticking! And now the tops of the cookies would have a nice sparkle and crunch. I wanted them to stay chewy in the middle, so I only flattened them slightly. Put these in the oven for about 7-8 minutes until set. Cool on a rack, and repeat until you've baked up all of your cookies.

Sparkles! That sugar was a good move. I loved the texture and flavor of these cookies! The taste of the Nutella wasn't overpowering in the least, and the crumbly edges and super chewy middle of the cookie was addicting. One problem though, these will stick to your teeth like no other, so be prepared to brush your teeth afterward! I stored these in Tupperware with a slice of bread to keep them soft til the next day, and they tasted even better.

A few notes for next time:

I would probably change some or all of the sugar to brown sugar. I'd be interested to see how the Nutella and the slightly caramel flavor of the sugar work together. Plus, the molasses in the sugar (that's what makes real brown sugar brown), would keep the cookies extra moist.

I would also rest these in the fridge longer. Because there really isn't any liquid in the dough, a longer time in the cooler would give the dough a better chance to absorb the water in the eggs. Plus, the cookie would spread slower.

I'm also curious to see how the cookie would taste with some cinnamon added to it. Cinnamon + chocolate = YUM. Yay for for experimenting!

Try these beauties out, and let me know how you like em. Thank you so much Miss Amy and Tasty Kitchen for sharing!

Oneshot: Easy Peasy Roast Chicken

I feel like everyone, no matter what your cooking skill level is, should be able to roast a chicken. Yes, an entire effing chicken.

There she is, in all of her golden, crispy, buttery glory (captured beautifully by my friend Sammi, I might add). Roast chicken is not only a really easy meal, but also a window to a lot of other meals. You can shred it and use it in tacos, salads, or casseroles. The meat keeps really well in the freezer (just don't forget about it) and you can also freeze and save the bones for stock. I'll tell you how I like mine.

First, set your oven's temp to 400 degrees. We want that oven ROCKET hot.

I start with a kosher bird; the supermarkets by my way sell a brand called Murray's. You don't have to use one, go ahead and use Purdue! But I feel like I'm getting a better quality birdie, the taste makes the difference. Make sure you wash your hands before you handle your chicken, folks.

Take her out of her plastic prison, stick your hand inside, and remove the little bag which will prob have the chicken heart, gizzards, neck, etc. You really don't want to leave that in there when you cook your chicken. If you want to save that to make gravy or whatever, go ahead...but I usually discard them. Rinse the bird inside and out under cool running water; I like to do this with some lemon juice. Lends a nice clean flavor, and I think it makes taste less like chicken coop. It's a Caribbean thing. (Also, if the thought of touching a raw, naked bird makes you cringe, use some latex gloves, sans powder.)

Dry the chicken with clean paper towels, set it on a cutting board and contemplate a massage. Not for you, but for the bird! I like to use softened, unsalted butter to rub down my chicken because, well, butter tastes good, and browns excellently. I use unsalted because I like to control how much salt I use. Sprinkle some salt and freshly ground pepper inside the chicken's cavity. Next, I take a quartered red onion (you can use white too, I just had a red one on hand), some springs of thyme and rosemary (just roll them around in your hand til they bruise), 2-3 cloves of crushed garlic, and shove them into the bird's backside.

Graphic, I know.

Grind lots of fresh black pepper and some big pinches of salt all over your violated fowl. I like to squeeze half a lemon all over it too, to add some tang.

Some people like to use a roasting pan and a v-rack set up to roast their chicken...I like to use a cookie sheet because it doesn't squish up the bird. I just throw it on there and fold the wings under the bird so they don't burn. Oh! I used a stiff sprig of rosemary to secure the vegetation inside. Just poke two holes opposite each other over the cavity, and skewer the rosemary through.

Throw your bird into that 400 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until it starts getting brown. I start it in such a super hot oven to get the skin super crispy and scrumptious, then I turn the heat down to 350-300 and let it ride. Basically browning time, 15-20 minutes; roasting time, 45 minutes to an hour. As Alton Brown says, "Your patience will be rewarded."

How did I know it was done? I wiggled one of the drumsticks, and it was pretty lose. And I sliced a TINY hole in the back near the thigh, and the juices ran clean. I don't have a thermometer. Sue me! After taking it out of the oven, I covered it loosely with foil and let it rest for 10 or 15 minutes to let the juices redistribute throughout the birdie. If you don't do this, and you cut into it too early = DRY CHICKEN. And that, ladies and gents, is a true damn crime.

Ooooo, child....

Ya sweet, sexy thang, you!

I plated this sassy chick with AB's Pearsnip Sauce and some seasoned roasted broccoli (olive oil, salt and pepper, and some lemon pepper seasoning).

You know you want this.

Oneshot: Refrigerator Pie! (Okay, Okay, It's Quiche.)

Before I started my short stint at Balthazar Bakery, we did a tasting of the menu, which included two types of quiche: Lorraine and Asparagus/Mushroom. I took tiny, bird-like bites of both. All I can say, I was heralded into a new world. The creamy richness of the egg and cream custard enveloped the Gruyere/ham/sweet onion goodness and just took me over the edge. I would have been more loony about the asparagus mushroom...if it had no mushrooms. Mushrooms taste like feet.

Anyway, I never thought I could love quiche. A childhood fear of cooked egg yolks (for some reason, eating fried eggs with the yolks in upset my tummy) has always kept me away from exciting egg dishes: frittatas, omlettes, and quiches. But I think that fear is more in my head now..and today I've decided to be unafraid!

That leads me to today, the outside world blizzarding like whoa, and craving some quiche for breakfast. This also makes a pretty damn good lunch when served with a small salad. I used Alton Brown's recipe because...I love him. Plus, this recipe is DEAD EASY. Really!


I started with two eggs and some heavy cream. You could use half and half..but why? Whisk the eggs in a medium sized bowl until well mixed and light colored, then throw in a cup of heavy cream. Mix well, and DON'T FORGET TO SEASON! Under-seasoned eggs are a travesty. I used sea salt, fresh black pepper, and a little Bacon Salt for good measure. The recipe called for fresh nutmeg too, but I forgot it. Oh well. Set aside while you prepare some fillings, in this case: thawed chopped spinach, canned artichoke hearts, and shredded (or grated) parm cheese. Please make sure you squeeze all the water out of the spinach, lest your pie bottom will be soggy. No one likes a soggy bottom. Chop your hearts finely, and then prepare for assembly.

Simply scatter the spinach on the bottom of a frozen pre-baked pie shell in a even layer, then the hearts, and then the cheese. Now, pour your eggy mixture evenly over it all, so the the liquid settles in evenly. Since the eggs will expand, you want it really surrounding your ingredients, or else it'll bake right out of the pan! Place the pie pan on a cookie sheet (in case of spilling) and slip into a preheated 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes. Before that time was up, I sprinkled some more cheese to melt on the top to make a crunchy crust. Extra yum. I could tell that it was done because when I stuck a toothpick in the middle, no eggs gushed out. Win!

Quiches are better when they're a little less than warm, so let this cool for like, 15 minutes. Patience!

Honestly, you can make this with whatever you have on hand: cheddar, bacon, caramelized onions, some blanched asparagus, peppers, leftover chicken...ANYTHING! Alton suggested Spam too, but I don't think I'll be trying that any time soon.

Oneshot: Fatty McFatterson Breakfast - Croissant French Toast

....yes, I have no shame.

The first time I took part in this insanely delicious treat was with my friend David at Maureen's Kitchen in Smithtown (Long Island). I was in love with the place at first site, squealing over the adorable cow print motif and cozy atmosphere. I had their baked oatmeal with warm milk, which tasted like a warm, gooey oatmeal cookie and a huge cup of tea. What really stole the show though was the croissant french toast with blueberries and apple cinnamon cream cheese. Good God. I like my french toast on the crunchier side, and all those buttery flaky layers in the croissant soaked up the custardy batter without making it soggy. With the fresh fruit and slightly sweetened cheese: fantastic. I dreamed of remaking it at home, and years later...I did. What can I say, I'm a little slow on the uptake sometimes.

If you look at the picture, you notice that there's some juicy berries, Nutella, and wait...some cream cheese on my lovely creations. Before I got started with the toast, I prepared those first. The cream cheese was just softened (via microwave) and mixed with 2 spoons of sugar. The berries were macerated with sugar and a little red wine for hutzpah and oomph...and other emotive words. 

For the french toast itself, I used croissants from Balthazar Bakery because, I used to work there AND because I think they're delicious. But you can use any that you fancy, but just make sure they're good quality. Don't use the whomp canned kind.

Whenever I make french toast, I kinda just put it together off the top of my head. I used (for 4 croissants) 2-3 eggs, beaten well, added some whole milk (skim will NOT DO), a couple spoonfuls of sugar, a generous teaspoon of vanilla, and shakes of nutmeg and cinnamon. I used a whisk to get it nice and homogenized. Get a nice heavy pan/skillet on the stove and set it to medium heat. Let it get all warm and happy.

Slice the croissants so that they open like a book. You want that yummy batter to really soak in. I try to use a shallow dish to dredge as many pieces as I can. Make sure you let them soak a bit on both sides!

Now take a pat or two salted butter (you can use unsalted too), and swirl it around your skillet. Let it foam and turn a little brown...I usually turn down the heat a tad because my stove has demons. Slap those bad boys in, two at a time, for 3-5 minutes on each side. Replenish the butter as needed, and let them get real golden brown and delish. As they finish up, i put them on a foil covered sheet pan in a VERY low oven to keep warm. REALLY LOW, because i didn't want them to get to crispy, aka BURN.

I served them up the way I had them at Maureen's, like a sandwich. Nutella on one side, cream cheese and berries on the other. Smushed together, with a little maple syrup drizzled over the top. To keep me honest!


Egg whites, bacon, and sausage links round out this perfectly HEALTHY and NUTRITIOUS breakfast!

I figure if I type it in large letters...it'll make it true.

Oneshot: Supplemented Cravings….Grilled Cheese and Broke-Ass Thai Style Peanut Noodles

I know, I know.

Where’s the post from the pie contest?

Why are you being lazy?

WHY DON’T YOU LOVE US?????

I swear I do love you guys! Real life/work looms ladies and gents, IT LOOMS. So I’ve had to step back and get some stuff done. But I swear I’ve got some goodies coming up for you!

In the meantime though, have you ever walked past a food and just gotten a craving? It could be a picture, an ingredient, or the dish itself, and it triggers something on your tongue, in your loins, or in your stomach, that you just can’t get outta your head?

I was in my kitchen, lamenting the lack of food in it, when I walked past a jar of Jif peanut butter.

Sauce, it whispered.

“Huh?” I said, thinking it was one of my nieces pulling a prank.

Make peanut sauce, it quavered once more. I love a good spicy peanut sauce over noodles. But I’ve never thought to make it at home on my own. This needed to be changed. I looked around my pantry and found a pack of ramen. I threw away the spice pack and set some water to boil to cook the noodles. This way the sauce and pasta would be done at the same time.

I took a couple of spoonfuls of Jif (I think natural PB would be better next time, but this was all I had), and loosened it up with a couple of teaspoons of the hot water. I added some red chili flake and a clove of fresh garlic. I only used a clove because I didn’t want the flavor to overpower it. Added a tip of canola oil to stretch the sauce, and some hearty dashes of soy sauce (I LOVE soy sauce). Sea salt, fresh black pepper and a little parsley to round it out. I was hoping there’d be some coconut milk around to lend a little authenticity, but alas, none in the house. I kept tasting as I went, and finally was rewarded with a really robust, creamy sauce. While the noodles soaked in the hot H2O, I fried up a grilled cheese, for a nice side dish. Yes, I’m calling that a side dish, and I’m not changin’ it.

I kept a tiny bit of the hot water from the drained noodles and combined the pasta and sauce.

Oh yes, this hit the spot quite directly. It looks hideous, but it tastes good. And when you’re hungry, sometimes that’s all that matters.

Oneshot: The Elvis Sandwich

So of course I follow up my ode to Judaism cuisine post with something featuring bacon...I gotta be me. Honesty in all things!!!

Bread toasted in bacon grease, peanut butter, bananas, honey...and bacon. This was reported to be Elvis's favorite sandwich. The man was a druggie, but he sure knew how to eat!!! Sweet, salty, creamy from the bananas...AND BACON!!!




Fry up a couple slicees of bacon and reserve a tablespoon or so of the grease (approx. enough to fry both sides of the sammy). Slather your two slices of bread with peanut butter, drizzle some honey on each side. Take one banana, slice her up, then lay that on top of the honey and pb. Put it together and fry the sammy on medium heat until it's golden, brown, and delicious. I ate this with a huge glass of water, and fell asleep for 3 hours after.

Please don't judge me.