Quinoa with Grilled Vegetables and Prosciutto

We have had a couple nice bursts of sunshine here in the Portland area lately. My daughter and I made it to the zoo a couple times and I was able to go fishing with my parents at a nearby lake. I love this time of year as spring creeps toward summer. With the brief warm temperatures, I took advantage of dusting of the BBQ and grilling up a nice meal. Quinoa with grilled vegetables isn't exactly rocket science but this dish was light and full of wonderful flavors.
Quinoa with Grilled Vegetables and Prosciutto:
1-3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup Quinoa (rinsed and drained 2-3 times)
1 small zucchini
6-8 stalks of asparagus
2 green onions
3-4 sprigs of cilantro
1 medium slice of Prosciutto
Olive oil
Sea salt
Prep the zucchini and asparagus for the grill. Peel and slice the zucchini into spears and trim the ends of the asparagus. Drizzle with olive oil and sea salt. Grill the vegetables until they are tender, about 8-10 minutes on my grill.
For the quinoa; bring the chicken broth and 1/2 tsp of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the quinoa, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook until done, about 15 minutes. While the quinoa is cooking, finely chop the cilantro, green onions, and prosciutto.
Coarsely chop the grilled vegetables and add them to the cooked quinoa along with the cilantro, green onions, and prosciutto. Serve alongside just about anything you like. For us, it was a great accompaniment to our BBQ chicken. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Macaroni and Cheese

Yes, Yes, I'm still alive. It has been a trying couple of weeks. My car broke down and had to have the engine rebuilt and then my wife got strep throat. I figure I'm about a six pack of beer and a lost dog away from a good Country Western song. Here in the Portland area the weather can't seem to decide what to do. One day it's sunny and warm, the next it is cold, windy, and rainy. It's best just to whip up some comfort food and stick close to home this time of year. I don't usually get too crazy with macaroni and cheese. Simple is often best. However, I saw an episode of Barefoot Contessa where Ina made up some mac and cheese that looked delicious, bold, and easy. So, I had to give it a go.
Grown Up Macaroni and Cheese:
courtesy of Ina Garten, modified to be GF
4 ounces thick-sliced bacon
8-12 ounces GF elbow pasta (I use Ancient Harvest Quinoa)
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons GF flour mix
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
2 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
2 slices GF sandwich bread (I use Whole Foods Brand)
2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves Cook the pasta per directions on the package. Drain well and set aside. Cook the bacon, coarsely chop and set aside.
In a medium sauce pan, melt butter and add the gf flour. Stir to combine. Whisk in the milk until it become smooth and coats the back of a spoon. Do not allow the milk to boil. Add all of the cheese and stir until smooth and creamy.
Add the chopped bacon, pepper, and nutmeg.
In a food processor, add the gf bread and basil. Pulse until combined into crumbs.
Mix the pasta and cheese sauce together. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish or several smaller baking dishes. Cover with bread crumb mixture. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until the bread topping is golden brown. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole

Last Thanksgiving was my first attempt to tackle a gluten free green bean casserole. Having to make fried onions and cream of mushroom soup are two reasons why green bean casserole can be a bit tedious to make gluten free. If your willing to put in the work, the results are incredible. This can be made a day ahead of time and reheated when you need it. However, the fried onions are best and crispiest if done the day you plan on eating. Lets get started.
Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole:
For the onions:
2 medium onions sliced thin
1/4 cup GF flour mix
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
oil for frying
For the cream soup base:
2 Tbs butter
12 ounces mushrooms (cut into 1/2 pieces)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic (pressed)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 Tbs GF flour mix
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup half and half
Green Beans:
1 pound green beans (trimmed and halved)
Casserole baking directions:
Bake in an 8x8 baking dish at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes add onions and bake 5 minutes longer.

I sliced two onions with a mandoline. In a medium bowl, combine gf flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Toss in the onions and coat thoroughly until all the flour mix is coated on to the onion slices. Heat oil (I used canola) in a heavy bottom pot or fryer to 325-350 degrees. Cook onions for 4-6 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the onions, drain and set aside.
Next, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the green beans for 5 minutes. Drain into a colander and run under cold water for 2-3 minutes to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
My wife hates mushrooms, so I did not use any. However, I am including the full mushroom version here in the directions. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Cook the mushrooms until they begin to give up some of their liquid, about 4-5 minutes. Next, add the garlic and nutmeg and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes. Add the gf flour and mix until absorbed into the liquid, about 1 minute. Next add the chicken broth and half and half. Cook until the mixture thickens up, about 6-8 minutes. Do not let the soup mixture boil. Take half of the fried onions and roughly chop them. Add the chopped onions along with the green beans to the soup mixture.
After thoroughly coating the green beans and chopped onions with the soup, pour into a 8x8 baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes in a 350 degree F oven.
Top with the rest of the fried onions and bake for another 5 minutes.
Dish up and you have a great gluten free side dish for your Thanksgiving meal. It may take a little effort but it is well worth it in the end. Enjoy!!!

Chipotle Braised Chicken with Herbed Coriander Rice

Before starting this blog, I never realized how much I cycled through the same meals month after month. I tried new dishes now and then but for the most part I made the same few dishes over and over. In order to keep things fresh and new for my blog I am constantly looking at new recipes. I love trying new things and expanding my horizons. This week I found a recipe for Chipotle Braised Chicken with a side of Warm Herbed Coriander Rice Salad. Both recipes are unique with very flavorful ingredients. I have to say that as good as the chipotle chicken was, the herbed rice salad stole the show for me. The texture and mix of flavors was outstanding. Let's put this together for dinner tonight.
Chipotle Braised Chicken:
from gourmet.com
1 large onion
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1/2 bay leaf
1-1/8 tsp salt
1 Tbs unsalted butter
1-1/2 Tbs olive oil
3 pounds chicken breasts or parts
1 tsp chipotle chile powder
1 cup water
1 Tbs lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Start by cooking onion, garlic, salt, and bay leaf in butter and 1/2 Tbs oil over medium heat until onion begins to brown; about 10 minutes.
Next, remove onion mix from the pan and set it aside on a plate. Pat chicken dry and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. I used a whole chicken, broken down, but chicken breasts would be great as well. Brown the chicken in 1 Tbs of oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side. Set browned chicken aside on a plate.
Discard all but 2 Tbs of fat from the pan. Return the onion mixture to the pan and add 1 tsp of chipotle powder. Stir together for 1 minute. Next, stir in 1 cup of water and bring to a simmer. Lay browned chicken pieces on top of the chipotle/onion mix. Cover with a lid or foil and cook over low heat for 25-30 minutes, turning the chicken once. Finally, remove the cooked chicken and onions from the pan with a slotted spoon. Skim off and discard fat from the sauce. Turn up the heat and boil the sauce until slightly thickened. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro, then spoon sauce over the chicken before serving.
Warm Herbed Coriander Rice Salad:
from gourmet.com
1 cup long-grain brown basmati rice
1-3/4 cup water
3 Tbs vegetable oil -divided
1 tsp salt -divided
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Tbs coriander seeds (slightly crushed)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (slightly crushed)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large or 2 medium zucchini (cubed in to 1/2 inch pieces)
1/2 cup chopped herbs such as cilantro, parsley, and mint
1 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 cup pecans (toasted and coarsely chopped)

Begin by toasting pecans on a cookie sheet in a 400 degree F oven for 5-8 minutes or until fragrant, set aside. Next, bring rice and water to a boil with 1 Tbs oil and 1/2 tsp salt in a 2 qt heavy saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat for about 50 minutes. Remove the rice from heat and let stand covered for 10 minutes, then transfer the rice to a shallow baking dish or bowl to cool slightly.
Prepare the zucchini and crush the coriander and cumin seeds while the rice is cooking. I placed the coriander and cumin in a zip lock bag and crushed them slightly with a rolling pin. Use powdered cumin and coriander if you don't have whole seeds. While the rice is standing off the heat for 10 minutes, cook coriander and cumin seeds in 2 Tbs of oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add garlic, zucchini, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until zucchini is tender yet still crisp, about 5-7 minutes.Finally, toss zucchini mixture with rice, herbs, lemon juice, and pecans. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Now you're ready to dig in to a hearty and delicious meal. Enjoy!!!

Garlic-Dijon Roasted Potatoes

There are somethings that will never click in my brain no matter how hard I try. My wife has given up trying to explain to me the difference between the living room and the family room. I simply call it the TV room or the non TV room. My brain is equally unable to process portion sizes when dealing with potatoes. Why is it that a total of 3 baked potatoes is the perfect amount for my family of three, yet when making mashed potatoes, I find myself peeling a mountain of spuds? The same holds true for calculating how many potatoes equal 2 pounds for this recipe. I just scrubbed and chopped until 8 little red potatoes stared back at me.

Garlic-Dijon Roasted Potatoes:
2 pounds of red potatoes (I used 8 potatoes)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves of garlic (pressed)
1-1/2 tsp Herbes De Provence
1-1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Bake at 450 degrees for 25-30 minutes, turning once.

Chop the potatoes and place in a large bowl. Add all the ingredients and mix well.

Place potatoes on a foil or parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake at 450 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, turning once. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Pasta Salad

Well, we made it back from our trip to Wallowa Lake in Eastern Oregon.

My daughter and her cousin enjoyed feeding all the chipmunks and squirrels from atop Mt. Howard overlooking the lake. There is a gondola that takes you to the top.

We tried our luck at fishing for the first time. We didn't catch anything, which probably wasn't too bad. I'm not sure what would have happened if my animal loving daughter saw a fish attached to the line she just reeled up.

I'm feeling kind of guilty lately. I haven't been posting as often as I would like. I'll blame it on summer. Here in Portland we are in the midst of a brutal heat wave. It was 103 yesterday and 106 today. Tomorrow is supposed to be even hotter. For the average, mild, rain soaked North Westerner, the heat is almost paralyzing. My family and I headed for the beach yesterday to avoid the hot hot weather. It was a rare moment on the Oregon coast where the ocean water actually felt refreshing and not just ice cold. So there it is, I've been a slacker lately. A hot kitchen is not the best place to hang out in the summer.

Summer or not, I still have to eat, so I present you with a gluten free pasta salad. I don't really follow a recipe for this, but I'll approximate amounts.
Pasta Salad
1 box of Ancient Harvest Quinoa Rotelle Pasta (prepare according to box-drain)
1/4 pound Italian dry salami (cubed)
1 medium cucumber (cubed)
3 Tbs sun dried tomatoes (diced)
4 ounces Feta cheese crumbles
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/3 cup Italian salad dressing
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and refrigerate for about an hour prior to serving. Feel free to add any of your favorite ingredients. Olives and red onion would be a great addition.
Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Onion Rings

It's a great time of year. There are so many fresh fruits and vegetables available at local farmers markets and road side stands. While I enjoy eating the fresh fruits and veggies, one particular vegetable just begs to be coated in batter and thrown into some hot oil. Walla Walla Sweet Onions are known well beyond the Northwest for their amazing flavor. Walla Walla Sweet Onions got their start over a century ago when a French soldier brought Italian sweet onion seeds to the Walla Walla Valley in Washington State. Today, my particular Walla Walla's end up as tasty gluten free onion rings. As I searched for the proper recipe, I realized that there are as many onion ring recipes as there are stars in the sky. I took a combination of recipes and mixed and matched them. Here's what I came up with:

Start by cutting some thick rings of Walla Walla or any other sweet onion.

Soak the raw onion rings in buttermilk for at least an hour.

Mix together about 1 cup of gluten free flour mix, seasoned with 1 tsp salt and any other spices you like. Shake off excess buttermilk and dredge the onion through the flour.

Next, dunk the ring in batter:

1-1/4 cup gluten free flour mix

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 egg

1 cup milk

mix together thoroughly

Send the battered ring for a dip in a pool of canola oil heated to 350-375 degrees F until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes.

Drain and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Enjoy!!!