Butter-Toasted Pecans

Spread 1/2 lb of raw pecan pieces in a 9 x 12 glass baking dish with 3 Tbsp of butter. Place in a 300°F oven for 24 minutes, stirring every 8 minutes. Salt to taste.

Honey Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

Gently whisk together 1/2 cup honey, 1/2 cup rice vinegar, 2 tsp chile california, 2 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp horseradish sauce, and 1/2 tsp salt. Place in a salad-dressing bottle and store in the referigerator.

Beef or Chicken Stroganoff

Sautee 2 medium onions, cut into thick strips with 3 Tbsp butter and 1 clove minced garlic. Set aside. In the same pan, brown 2 lbs chicken or beef strips. Add 1/2 cup sake, stir and boil. Then add 1 1/4 cups broth, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes. Bring to a boil; then simmer for 10 minutes. With heat off add a mixture of 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup gluten-free oat flour. Stir and boil to thicken. With heat off again, add sour cream. Heat until hot but not boiling, serve over gluten-free noodles.

Corned Beef

Every year, my family celebrates our Irish heritage on St. Patrick’s Day by donning green cothing with Celtic prints, or in recent years, Armstrong tartan kilts. We gather for a family feast of Corned beef, cabbage, and piles of mashed potatoes; listen to The Fenians and other Celtic music; and toast with glasses of Guiness….

Tomato-Free Marinara

In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, lightly brown 3 cloves of crushed or minced garlic in 2 Tbsp of pure olive oil. Stir in 3/4 lb of chopped tomatillos and 2 good-sized sprigs of fresh basil. When the tomatillos have released a lot of liquid, and the mixture begins to boil, stir in salt, reduce heat, and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Uncover and add 3/4 lb of cooked, puréed beets. Heat until just beginning to boil again. Serve over gluten-free pasta with freshly grated parmesan.

Quick Italian Sausage

Place 1 1/4 lbs ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the following spices over the meat: 1 tsp each of dried parsley and onion powder, 2 tsp each of salt, dried basil, and chile California powder, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, and 1/4 tsp garlic powder. Mix the meat and spices with two spoons as if tossing a salad. Either brown as is for crumbles or mix with hands and then form into patties to make a denser sausage.

Fluffy Wheat-Free Drop Biscuits

Measure 2 cups of flour mixture, 4 tsp of baking power, 1/2 tsp of salt, and 1/4 cup flax meal into food processor and pulse to mix. Add 1 stick of cold butter, sliced, and pulse until fully cut in. Pour flour mixture into mixing bowl and stir in 1 1/4 cups cold milk. Let stand for 8-10 minutes. Drop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes until lightly golden around the edges and firm.

Deep-Dark Chocolate Cake

Dissolve 1 cup of dark baking cocoa in 1 cup of very hot milk. Whisk in 1 cup of hot espresso. Set mixture aside to cool completely. Mix together 2 3/4 cup wheat-free flour mixture, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp baking soda. Set aside. On low speed, cream 1 1/2 sticks butter adding 3/4 cup canola oil and 1 1/2 cups sugar in small amounts, mixing constantly to form soft peaks. Mix in 4 large eggs, one at a time. Make batter by adding chocolate mixture and dry ingredients in alternating thirds to creamed butter and sugar mixture. Mix until just combined. Pour batter immediately into prepared 8 inch round cake pans and let stand at room temperature for 8-10 minutes. Bake for 40-50 minutes at 350ᵒF.

Wheat-Free Cornbread

I have fond childhood memories of big, fluffy cornbread muffins with honey butter served as an appetizer or with hot soup. Maybe that’s why I still love it so much. This wheat-free cornbread recipe is nearly the same as a recipe with wheat, but the slight differences are very important. The gluten in wheat acts…

Fluffy Pancakes

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups gluten-free flour, 1 Tbsp baking powder, 3/4 tsp salt, and 3 Tbsp flax meal. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, add 3 eggs and 1 1/2 Tbsp canola oil. Whisk until smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups milk, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking until smooth again. Rest batter for 7 minutes; then cook over medium-low heat.