Spaghetti Sauce

Spaghetti Sauce
Al’s Spaghetti Sauce


If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.


FYI - If you make this recipe to save money and/or time - it will do neither. It will give you the satisfaction of making a great homemade product. Truly a labor of love.

Ingredients:

2 - 28oz cans Dei Fratelli Chopped Italian Tomatoes
1 - 28oz can Dei Fratelli Diced Tomatoes
2 - 15oz cans Dei Fratelli Tomato Sauce
1 - 12oz can Everyday Essentials Tomato Paste
1 - Medium Sized fresh tomato (optional - had one on hand)
2 - Cups Cherry Tomatoes - halved (optional - had some on hand)
1 - Large (or 2 Medium) White Onion - diced
1 - 8oz package of Mushrooms - diced
2 to 3 - Medium sized Zucchinis
2 to 3 - Medium sized Yellow Squash
2 - Medium sized carrots - peeled and fine grated.
Minced garlic (you decide how much)
Penzey’s Dried Oregano
Fresh Thyme (stripped from stem)
Fresh Basil (several leaves fine chopped)
Salt & Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 - lbs Ground Chuck.

The ingredients used above will fill a 7QT pot. Scale your batch accordingly. We freeze measured amounts of sauce in a container - enough for 3-4 servings.

Directions:

Place a 7QT pot on medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to pot. Add carrot, 1/2 of diced onion, zucchini, squash, 1/3 of diced mushrooms, and garlic. Season with salt, pepper, & oregano. Stir.

Sauté until veggies are tender (about 5 - 10 minutes). You might have to add more EVOO during sauté time. Onions will start caramelize. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Add about a teaspoon of fresh thyme and tablespoon of fresh basil.

Add all tomato products and 1/3 of diced mushrooms to pot. Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce to a texture of your liking. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover with a screen and stir often. The goal is to reduce the water content and concentrate the tomato mixture. This process will take 2 to 3 (or more) hours. Place a teaspoon of the sauce on a plate to see how much liquid spreads out from the edges. I don’t like much water in my sauce, so there’s very little. Season to taste with salt and pepper after it’s done reducing. Salting too much before reduction will also concentrate the salt. Add a sprinkle of dried oregano and more fresh thyme if you like. Stir

While tomato/veggie mixture is reducing, brown the ground chuck.

In another pan sauté the remaining diced onions, remaining diced mushrooms, and some garlic until soft. Salt & Pepper to taste.

Add ground chuck. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle of dried oregano. Break up and stir. Drain excess grease. If you are freezing the entire batch - allow to cool before adding to sauce. If you plan to use the sauce right away - add meat to sauce if it’s reduced to your liking.

Cool before freezer packaging. Fill sink with enough cold water ice to reach 1/2 up the sauce pot when placed into sink. Stir every few minutes.

Baked Alaskan Cod

Baked Alaskian Cod

Baked Alaskan Cod


If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

Wild Caught Alaskan Cod, thawed, cut in 4" to 5" pieces
1/2 stick of butter, melted
5 to 6 lemon slices
1/2 187ml bottle White Zinfandel wine
1/2 medium white onion, sliced
1 to 2 tablespoons minced garlic
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Granulated garlic (Penzey's)
Granulated onion (Penzey's)
Smoked paprika (Penzey's)
Tuscan Sunset (Penzey's) (optional)


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Place lemon & onion slices, and minced garlic in bottom of 9 x 13 glass pan.
Pour in 1/2 bottle of wine and melted butter.
Season mixture with pepper, and a pinch of salt.

Drizzle each side of cod with olive oil. Season each side of cod with salt, pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion, smoked paprika, and a sprinkle of Tuscan Sunset.

Place seasoned fish in pan and cover with foil and place in oven.

After 30 minutes, uncover fish and return for another 10 - 15 minutes. Fish will flake apart.

Spoon liquid over the top of fish and squeeze of fresh lemon after plating. The liquid is also great poured over rice

Salmon Croquettes

Salmon Croqs

Salmon Croquettes

Original recipe by Anita Johnson


If you have left-over salmon, this is an excellent way to use it! Don't worry reheating these guys if you make too many, they reheat well. Best in a toaster-oven.


If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.


Ingredients:

1 - 6 oz can of salmon (or 1 cup of left over shredded salmon)
1/2 - Green Bell Pepper, chopped
1/2 - Onion, chopped
1 - Egg
1/4 to 1/2 cup - Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs (enough hold the salmon together)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes or Penzey's Forward Blend to taste (optional)
1/4 to 1/3 cup - Peanut Oil for frying (deep enough for croquettes to float)

Directions:

Remove any bones from salmon and shred into a large bowl. Add green pepper, onion, egg, salt, pepper, any additional seasonings. Mix well. Add enough bread crumbs to allow the mixture to form a 4" diameter by 3/4" to 1" thick patty.

On medium heat, preheat pan and oil until it just starts to shimmer. Gently place patties into oil. Depending on size of pan, do not add too many patties. Do not crowd them. Fry patties for about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Gently flip to fry the other side. Patties should be golden brown. Watch them carefully so they don't burn. Remove from oil and place on paper towel lined plate. If you have number of patties to fry, keep plate in low heated oven to keep them warm.


Need a quick meal? Instead of eating them, make the patties and put them in the freezer. Get them out about 20 - 30 minutes ahead of time to let them thaw slightly before frying. It only takes minutes to fry.

Seasoned Rice with Chorizo



Seasoned Rice with Chorizo

Most meals around our house are like an episode of The Food Network's Iron Chef. We never know what we're going to have too far in-advance.

It usually starts with "You know we have ________ in the fridge yet".

However, in this case, I was digging through the freezer looking for a protein. Chicken - nah, just had it. Beef - nope, need to give it a rest. Pork chops - mmm nah-uh, just not feelin' it.

Tonight's secret ingredient is...Chorizo sausage! Allez Cuisine!

Now...what to do with it? This is what I came up with...

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

1 cup rice (Lundberg)
2 cups of gluten-free chicken broth
(Kitchen Basics, Swanson’s, Pacific, Imagine)
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
Penzey's Forward seasoning

Klemment's gluten-free chorizo sausage - sliced
1 or 2 carrots, finely diced
1/2 cup diced white onion
Salt & Pepper
Granulated garlic
Olive Oil
Green Peas (frozen, but fresh if you've got 'em)
Fresh Parsley - roughly chopped

Directions:

Combine rice, broth, butter, salt and seasoning in a pot. Bring to boil and stir once. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add olive oil and carrots to large pan saute on med-high heat until carrots start to soften. Add a bit of water to help steam carrots.
Add onion and stir
Season with salt, pepper, granulated garlic
Add sausage to pan and stir.
Lower heat once everything is heated thru
Add rice to pan when it's finished cooking.
Mix ingredients well.
Add chopped fresh parsley right at the end.


Until the next good eats - cook well and be well.

Al

Lemon Garlic Chicken over Cauliflower Mash



Grilled Lemon Garlic Chicken Breast
over Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mash


Facebook is not all time-wasting games, people-sharing-more-stuff-than-we-really-wanted-to-know...it can be a really useful tool. Seriously...

I believe one of my Paleo Diet friends posted the low-carb
Lemon Garlic Shrimp over Cauliflower Mash recipe from Nancy at SheCooksHeCleans.net. Like a good husband, I asked Peggy to Pin it for me so I could make it for her. The ironic thing...it's just the opposite in our house...I cook and Peg cleans...just the way I like it.

I did make the shrimp & cauliflower and we both loved it! We had tried mashed cauliflower in the past, but we weren't impressed [at least with that particular recipe]. This recipe on the other hand...is a keeper!

In my adaptation of Nancy's recipe, I am simply replacing the shrimp with chicken and removing the lemon juice and red pepper flakes from the sauce. Actually the chicken you see was actually grilled the night before. Peggy is not a fan of reheated meat, but she had no problems cleaning her lunch plate.

If you like garlic, you're going to love this dish! It calls for fourteen to sixteen cloves. You'll need a way to peel them quickly; watch this video, it really works:
http://vimeo.com/29605182

Oh yeah, word of caution, don't plan on going out after eating this, you're a walking Garlic Weapon of Mass Destruction. This gives a whole new meaning to "chemical weapon".

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients

Marinade:

Zest of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound (3 or 4) chicken breasts


Cauliflower Mash:

1 head of cauliflower, cut into even medium to large sized florets
6-8 cloves garlic, peeled
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Butter
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Half and half or cream / Milk or broth, optional use if needed to correct consistency

Lemon Garlic Chicken:

Marinated Chicken (from above)
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 slices bacon
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup white wine, or gluten-free chicken broth
1/2 sweet onion, minced
Pinch or two of dried oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped


Directions

1. Mix all the ingredients of marinade in a bowl large enough for all the chicken pieces. Place chicken in the bowl and make sure each one gets well coated. Cover and place in refrigerator for 1 - 4 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 400 and fire up your favorite grill (gas or charcoal). Place cauliflower and garlic cloves in foiled shallow pan [sided cookie sheet or jelly roll pan]. Drizzle enough olive oil to coat the pan/foil and the vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover loosely with foil and roast for 15 min. Remove foil and carefully stir vegetables so they don't stick and so they brown evenly. Uncover and roast for another 15 – 20 minutes or until cauliflower and garlic are soft and lightly browned. Remove from oven.

3. As the cauliflower is roasting, get your grill grates cleaned and prepped. I like to heat my gas grill to about 500-600° to carbonize anything that might be sticking on the grates. Brush the grates with a grill brush to remove any carbonized food particles then clean with several layers of paper towel that was liberally coated with vegetable oil. This clean the grates, but it also creates a non-stick surface. Close grill cover and allow internal temp to rise back up to 500+

4. Place chicken breasts on the grill. Grill until meat is firm and juices run clear (or internal temperature reaches 165
°). Remove from grill, cover allow to rest and keep warm.

5. Place cauliflower & garlic with a couple tablespoons of butter in a food processor and puree. Add parmesan cheese and mix well. The cauliflower should be a mashed potato or grits consistency (fairly thick, not runny). Add a touch cream or broth if it's too thick. Place in a heat-proof bowl and keep warm.

6. In a sauté pan, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon set aside on paper towels. When cool, chop into small pieces. Set aside.

7. Add two tablespoons of butter to the bacon drippings and melt on medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened. Add minced garlic, and oregano – sauté for a minute. Stir in wine/broth. Cook until liquid is reduced by half (only a few minutes). Salt & pepper to taste.

Note: I also had left over bacon, so I did not have bacon drippings to help create a sauce. So, in order to re-heat the chicken and make a sauce, in a pan melt 2 tablespoons of butter, a splash of olive oil and sauté some minced onion and garlic. After onions soften, add some gluten-free chicken stock (1/4 - 1/2 cup?). Cover just the chicken with a small cover and allowed the sauce to reduce & slightly thicken. Near the end of cooking, add some dried oregano. If I had some white wine, I would've used that instead of chicken stock.

8. Slice chicken and place over mashed cauliflower, spoon sauce over the top. Garnish with chopped bacon.


Until the next good eats - cook well and be well.

Al


Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore



Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore


Slow-cooker to the rescue...again! It's been pretty busy around the Al & Peg House as of late. Weekends are doubly-busy, so in order to make good eats, we need some help. Whilst we're scurrying around the house, the slow-cooker is doing all the hard work.

Peg found this naturally gluten-free recipe:
http://www.recipe.com/slow-cooker-chicken-cacciatore/?esrc=nwrc071212pinc

The original recipe calls for chicken drumsticks, but we used thighs instead - more meat on the thighs.

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup chopped carrot
2 medium onions, cut into wedges
1 green, yellow, or red sweet pepper, cut into strips
4 cloves garlic, minced
12 chicken thighs, skinned (about 3-1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 14-1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/3 cup tomato paste


Directions:


1. Combine mushrooms, celery, carrot, onions, sweet peppers, and garlic in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Place chicken on vegetables. Combine broth, wine, tapioca, sugar, oregano, bay leaves, salt, and pepper; pour over chicken.

2. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 7 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 3-1/2 hours.

3. Remove chicken; cover to keep warm. Remove and discard bay leaves. If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. Stir in undrained tomatoes and the tomato paste. Cover and cook for 15 minutes more. Serve vegetable mixture over chicken and cooked pasta or rice.





Until the next good eats...

Al & Peg

Crockpot/Slow-cooker Beef Roast




Slow-cooker Beef Roast


Have you ever come home from a long day at work tired, hungry and don't really feel like making anything? Yeah, that happens around our house...
a lot. One weapon we rely on is our slow cooker. It's a magic time machine - you put stuff in it [usually frozen] before work and by the time you get home - POOF! Dinner! Good eats without a wholelotta work...I'm all over that like fur on a weasle...

This is crazy simple - takes about 5 - 10 minutes of prep work before you leave for work. Simple is what I need in the morning 'cos I'm usually half asleep when I'm putting this together.

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

Sliced large onion or 2 med. onions
Hand full of carrots
Stalk or two of celery
Chopped tomato (I've used tomato paste in the past, but we had fresh tomatoes to use)
Penzey's Granulated Garlic
Penzey's Granulated Onion
Penzey's Herbs de Provence
Salt & Pepper
1/2 - 3/4 cup of water or gluten-free beef broth or red wine.
2 - 2 1/4 lb Chuck Roast
1 tablespoon of Sweet Rice Flour to thicken gravy


Directions:

Place veggies on the bottom of the slow cooker. This gives the meat a bed of flavor to rest on.

Season both sides of the frozen meat with salt, pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion, Herbs de Provence. Use whatever herbs/seasoning you like - be creative!

Place frozen meat on top of veggies.

Add liquid.

Set slow-cooker to stun (low). For us, the cooking process is about 9 hours by the time someone gets home.

Walk out the door and return 8 - 9 hours later to some really great smells!

When I get home, I strain the veggies from the liquid. After 9 hours, they've given their little veggies lives to flavor the meat and the liquid for the gravy.

In a sauce pan heat up the liquid. Make slurry with the gluten-free flour and some water. Whisk the slurry into the pan. Allow to come to a boil and thicken. If it's not thick enough, make and whisk in a bit more slurry. Turn down the heat to a simmer. Season gravy to taste.


Homage to the Herbage

If you've ever wondered what type of herbs to use, my Facebook friend Jimmy Boswell [aka the
Gluten-Free Chef] from New Zealand created this very handy chart. He suggest which herbs to use for selected meats or veggies.

http://www.foodie.co.nz/Blogs/Jimmy-Boswell---Gluten-Free-Chef/Herb-Usage-Look-up-Chart.aspx

A great tip from Jimmy -

The general rule for using dried is use ¼ dried herbs for what’s suggested for fresh amounts in a recipe. You can reverse this if dried is suggested and you have fresh.



I took the liberty of putting Jimmy's text chart into a table...

Jimmy Boswell's Herb Chart for Proteins
Protein Herbs
Beef Basil, Bay leaf, Caraway, Chervil, Lovage seed, Cumin, Garlic Fenugreek, Ginger, Marjoram, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Savory, Tarragon, Thyme and Peppermint.
Chicken Thyme, Anise, Basil, Bay leaf, Borage, Chervil, Chives, Cinnamon, Cumin, Dill, Fenugreek, Fennel, Garlic, Ginger, Lovage, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Mint Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Saffron, Sage, Savory and Tarragon.
Duck Bay, Rosemary, Sage, Sweet Marjoram and Tarragon.
Fish Anise, Basil, Borage, Caraway, Chevil, Chives, Dill, Fennel, Garlic, Ginger, Marjoram, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Saffron, Sage, Savory, Tarragon and Thyme.
Fish - Baked or Grilled Basil, Bay, Caraway, Chervil, Chives, Dill, Fennel, Lemon Balm, Lemon Thyme, Lovage, Marjoram, Mints, Parsley, Savory, Tarragon and Thyme.
Fish - Oily Fennel and Dill.
Fish Soups Bay, Lovage, Sage, Savory, Tarragon and Thyme.
Goose Fennel, Sage and Sweet Marjoram.
Ham Lovage, Marjoram, Mint, Mustard, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary and Savory.
Lamb Basil, Bay leaf, Cinnamon, Coriander, Cumin, Chervil, Dill, Garlic, Ginger, Lemon Balm, Lovage seed, Marjoram, Mint, Parsley, Saffron, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme and Savory.
Liver Basil, Dill, Marjoram, Sage, Savory and Thyme.
Pork Anise, Caraway, Cardamom, Coriander, Chervil, Dill, Garlic, Ginger, Oregano, Rosemary, Saffron, Sage, Tarragon, Fennel, Lovage seed, Marjoram, Savory and Thyme.
Rabbit Basil, Bay, Marjoram, Lovage seed, Rosemary and Sage.
Salmon Dill seed and Rosemary.
Seafood Basil, Bay, Chervil, Chives, Dill, Fennel Seed, Marjoram, Rosemary, Tarragon and Thyme.
Turkey Basil, Garlic, Marjoram, Oregano, Rosemary, Saffron, Sage, Savory, Tarragon, Thyme, Parsley and Sweet Marjoram.
Veal Basil, Bay leaf, Chervil, Chives, Ginger, Marjoram, Mint, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Savory and Thyme.
Venison Bay, Lovage seed, Rosemary, Sage, Savory and Sweet Marjoram.


Jimmy Boswell's Herb Chart for Veggies
Veggie Herbs
Artichokes Bay, Savory and Tarragon.
Asparagus Chives, Lemon Balm, Sage, Savory, Tarragon, Thyme, Chervil, Dill and Tarragon.
Avocado Dill, Marjoram and Tarragon.
Beans Dried Savory, Cumin, Garlic, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Sage, and Thyme.
Beans, Green Savory, Basil, Caraway, Cloves, Dill, Marjoram, Mint, Sage and Thyme.
Broccoli Basil, Dill, Garlic, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Oregano, Tarragon and Thyme.
Brussel Sprouts Dill, Sage and Savory.
Cabbage Basil, Caraway, Cayenne, Cumin, Dill, Fennel, Marjoram, Sage, Savory, Borage, Dill seed, Mint, Oregano and Savory.
Carrots Anise, Basil, Chervil, Chives, Cinnamon, Clove, Cumin, Dill, Sage, Ginger, Marjoram, Mint, Parsley, Savory, Tarragon, Thyme and Chervil.
Cauliflower Basil, Caraway, Chives, Cumin, Dill, Garlic, Marjoram, Parsley, Rosemary, Savory, Tarragon and Fennel.
Corn Chevil, Chives, Lemon Balm, Saffron, Sage and, Thyme.
Eggplant Basil, Cinnamon, Dill, Garlic, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Sage, Savory and Thyme.
Lentils Garlic, Mint , Parsley, Savory and Sorrel.
Mushrooms Coriander, Marjoram, Oregano, Rosemary, Tarragon, Thyme, Basil, Dill, Lemon Balm, Parsley, Rosemary and Savory.
Onions Basil, Marjoram, Oregano, Sage, Tarragon and Thyme.
Parsnips Basil, Dill, Marjoram, Parsley, Savory and Thyme.
Peas Caraway, Chevil, Chives, Rosemary, Savory, Tarragon, Thyme, Basil, Chervil, Marjoram, Mint, Parsley and Sage.
Potatoes Parsley, Basil, Caraway, Chives, Coriander, Dill, Fennel, Lovage, Sage, Marjoram, Oregano, Rosemary, Tarragon and Thyme.
Spinach Anise, Basil, Caraway, Chevil, Chives, Cinnamon, Dill, Rosemary, Thyme, Borage, Marjoram, Mint, Sage, Sorrel and Tarragon.
Squash Basil, Caraway, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger, Marjoram, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Savory and Dill.
Tomatoes Basil, Bay leaf, Chives, Chervil, Coriander, Dill, Garlic, Lovage, Sage, Marjoram, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Savory, Tarragon and Thyme.
Turnips Dill seed, Marjoram and Savory.
Zucchini Basil, Dill, Marjoram, Rosemary and Tarragon.



Until the next good eats...

Al


Lemon and Herb Roasted Chicken



This was part of a very fallish Saturday night dinner. What you don't see is the roasted squash.

In the 20 years that Peg and I have been married, we've never roasted a chicken. We've done turkeys countless times, but not chickens. Why? Don't know. 99% of our chicken comes in the form of boneless-skinless breasts...it's quick, it's easy, it's versatile. Well, things have changed.

Some days it's like Iron Chef Kitchen Stadium around our house - I never know what is going to turn up. Friday night I helped put away groceries and came across a whole chicken.

Me: "A whole chicken?!"
Peg: "Yeah, I think we need to roast a chicken to go along with that squash."
Me: "Are you going to make Beer Can Chicken?"
Peg: "I would but we don't have any gluten-free beer in cans".

Now I'm sure we could've worked out the logistics of making a gluten-free beer can chicken if we put our minds to it, but we had a zillion other things to do around the house on Saturday. As I was recovering from my yard raking & mowing induced myocardial infarction, I decided to consult one of my friends about a roasted chicken recipe. It didn't take long before he suggested a recipe from Tyler Florence of Food Network fame.

I decided on Tyler's recipe because 1) there is only a handful of ingredients 2) there is only a handful of steps 3) it was going to taste great! I don't like following recipes in the first place, and it's even worse when it's long and drawn out...and often times organized weirdly...and often times makes me swear at it [maybe I'm the one that's organized weirdly, but that's whole 'nother post...].

Some people like gourmet-type foods with an ingredient list as long as your arm and a set of directions that is as thick as War and Peace. I have neither the patience nor the time for that! I'm a simple guy, that likes simple, but great tasting gluten-free food. Tyler's recipe is a perfect example of how you can take simple ingredients and make amazing food! Yes, "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts".

This recipe is a keeper. In our house we call it "Company Food" [food we'd serve to guests].

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (organic, free-range if you like)
1 lemon, quartered
1 head of garlic, halved
1/4 bunch of fresh rosemary, thyme and parsley, roughly chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 pounds of red potatoes (all about the same size)
Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400

Tyler's recipe [and many others] calls for rinsing the chicken, however the USDA suggests that rinsing can spread bacteria thus increasing cross contamination risks. When cooked properly (internal temp >165) any bacteria on the chicken will be destroyed.

Season the cavity with salt & pepper - after removing the bag of "goodies" found inside.

Stuff the herbs, garlic & lemon inside the cavity.

Tie the legs together and place into roasting pan. I used our dutch oven, it was a snug fit so I didn't tie the legs.

Season outside liberally with salt & pepper and drizzle the olive oil over the entire chicken.

Toss in the potatoes around the chicken.

Roast for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remember to baste the chicken with the drippings every 20 minutes.

Check internal temp by inserting an instant read thermometer into thickest part of of thigh - it should read 165 degrees.

Remove from pan and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Enjoy!


Note: We saved the pan drippings, added the carcass (and the head of garlic) back to the dutch oven and covered it with tap water. Let this come to a boil for 10-15 minutes and strained the liquid gold into a large bowl or measuring cup. After cooling, place in fridge. The fat will rise to the top to be skimmed off later. This will be the base for some killer chicken soup!

Until the next good eats...


Al

Tuscan Chicken with Veggies

During one of our trips to the Appleton Penzey's store, we ran across a new spice mixture called Tuscan Sunset.

It's a great mix of basil, oregano, red bell pepper, garlic, thyme, fennel, black pepper and anise.

We only purchased a small .5 oz bottle that day, but we will getting a larger bag of it. Sadly, I used it all tonight.

At the checkout, we found a recipe for Tuscan Veggie & Chicken Pasta Salad. I decided tweak how the ingredients were put together. This is my version...

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Tuscan Chicken with Veggies

Ingredients:

1 Package boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in thin strips.
1 package gluten-free pasta (shown here: Jovial GF Brown Rice Penne Rigate)
1 Red bell pepper, thinly julienned
1 Green pepper, thinly julienned
1 Medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (half a lemon)
1 - 2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Teaspoons Penzey's Tuscan Sunset
Salt & Pepper


Dressing:

2 Tablespoons Penzey's Tuscan Sunset
2 Tablespoons water
3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar


In a bowl large enough to hold all the pasta, mix Tuscan Sunset and water, let stand 1 minute, then whisk in oil and red wine vinegar.

Prepare GF pasta per directions on package. Leave it slightly al dente because it will be returned to the pan at the end. Place cooked pasta in to bowl with dressing and gently mix until pasta is coated. Let stand.

Using medium heat and large deep pan saute' peppers and onion with small amount of olive oil for several minutes or until peppers have softened. Sprinkle in 1 tsp Tuscan Sunset. Salt and Pepper to taste. Remove from pan.

Return pan to stove, increase heat to medium-high and allow pan to heat up without smoking. Add small amount of olive oil to pan and add chicken strips. Allow chicken to turn golden brown. Reduce heat to simmer. Sprinkle in 1 tsp Tuscan Sunset. Salt & Pepper to taste. Add lemon juice.

Add in saute'ed veggies and dressed pasta. Make sure to get all the pasta dressing into the pan.

Gently stir a few times until all ingredients are fully heated - about 2 - 3 minutes. Be careful not to damage the pasta.


Notes:

The original recipe called for asparagus tips. This is a great addition, unfortunately I did not have any handy this time. Options I want to try in the future: mushrooms and/or artichoke hearts.

If you like more tanginess, add more red wine vinegar or lemon juice.


Until next time...

Al

Big Al's Burgers



Big Al's Burgers - Al

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

1lb of your favorite hamburger (we use Brandon Meats)
Salt or your favorite seasoned Salt
Pepper
Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce (this brand is gluten-free in the USA. It was not GF on Canada that last I knew. Not all Worcesteshire sauces are)
1/2 medium onion - finely diced.


Directions:

Fire up the grill.

Flatten out hamburger on a plate.
Spread out the onions.
Sprinkle the salt & pepper to taste.
A few splashes of Lea & Perrins to taste.
A few splashes of A1 to taste.

Mix hamburger and ingredients together.
Make 1 big burger patty and cut into equal fourths. Do thirds if you want monster burgers
Form each portion into patties. I make a ball, place it on a piece of waxed paper large enough to folder over the top - then use a small 4-5" plate to press it flat to desired thickness. No high-tech burger presses for me!

Grill and enjoy!


Options:

Red pepper flakes if you like a little fire in your burgers.
Add a splash of A1 Steak Sauce to the meat before mixing it.

Cold Veggie Salad

Cold Veggie Medley - Kimberly

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

Any veggies you have on hand, today's mix included:

1 large onion
3 stalks of celery
1 pound each of corn, peas, green beans [all cooked, if frozen; otherwise 15oz can each is fine...especially if you're not cooking for an army!]
1 Green Pepper
1 Red Pepper
1 Yellow Sweet Pepper
1 pound of your favorite beans [today's were garbanzo, but kidney or black beans add nice color]


Dressing:

1 cup oil
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon ground pepper
Dash of ground mustard

Put dressing ingredients in an a small-medium bowl and whisk together.

Put all veggies in a large bowl, pour on dressing and carefully mix ingredients together. Chill in the fridge.