Saturday, February 18, 2012

No Cook super easy Key Lime Pie Tarts (NOT GFCF)

Disclaimer: So this recipe is NOT gluten free and definitely NOT dairy free so I know it is the opposite of what should be on this blog, but please forgive me and if you are looking for gluten free skip this recipe! My husband really wanted key lime pie today and said some neighbors would love the recipe so I am putting it up for any of them who may enjoy it! I am sure I could figure out some substitutes but I am positive it would be far from the original recipe.





SUPER EASY KEY LIME PIE TARTS:

I learned to make this while waiting tables at a gourmet restaurant and it was part of my side work to make the pies. I will not name the restaurant but they had me make pies for $2/hour for a year of my life so I am not feeling guilty about sharing how I made those pies at all :)


Ingredients:
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup key lime juice (approx 16 key limes)
mini graham  cracker crust (2packs) (I prefer the mini ones which is what we used in the restaurant and they were "key lime tarts" but our local dollar general store only had full pie crusts* so that is what I used)
1 spray can of whipped cream

*This makes more key lime batter than 1 crust worth but not enough for 2 so you can use 1.5 cans of sweetened condensed milk and juice from approx 12 key limes for one pie). Also with a large pie crust batter may be a little runny even after a few hours in the fridge. We do not mind it being a little runny but if you do it can be easily fixed. Just add a couple tablespoons  of cornstarch (when stirring the batter) if you want your pie to not be to runny.

Directions:
1. Put most but not all of the keylime juice (about 1/2 cup) and sweetened condensed milk (1.5 cans) in a bowl stir or whisk until juice thickens milk (about a minute). There should be no liquid and it should be the consistency of yogurt. Careful not to over stir and don't use an electric beater because it will over stir the batter. 
2. Taste  if too sour put more sweetened condensed milk, if too sweet add key lime juice and stir more to mix into the batter (This is necessary because every key lime is different in tartness so you HAVE to taste it every time you make it and adjust until the right balance)
3. Pour batter into mini pie crust and leave a little space for whip cream (but DO NOT put it on yet)
4. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to let it get firm. Since I made a large pie I use the plastic that came with the crust for a cover (flipped upside down-see photo)
5. Put whip cream on each tart as it is served and enjoy

I made this for my husband before we were married (and after). He thought I was some kind of GREAT chef. When I showed him how I made it (after the wedding) he couldn't believe that was it and I didn't even cook it. He quickly learned that I had a lot to learn about cooking that involved actually using an oven! I have come a long way since then :)
 

Friday, February 17, 2012

Cinammon Apple Donuts

So I made a few batches of donuts with our left over Cinnamon apples and left over icing (from a carrot cake I made last Sunday). The kids love them. One of my strategies for GF baking is to avoid cooking things that need to rise. I have successfully gotten baked things to rise (such as bread) BUT I have failed many more times. For Christmas we bought ourselves a mini donut maker which is basically an electric top and bottom pan that is donut shaped. This batter could also be used in a waffle maker (that is same thing but different shape) or a cake pop pan.

Ingredients:
2 cups of  Cinnamon apples
1 cup of Gluten Free baking mix (I make my own 2 parts rice flour, 1 part potato starch, 1 part soy flour, 1 part corn starch)
5 eggs (can use less I just like a lot of protein)
icing (recipe coming later)

Directions: 
1. Put cinnamon apples then baking mix, then eggs
2. Process until well mixed and apples have no more big chunks
3. Put in donut maker, or top bottom pan, waffle maker, etc 
4. Cook until done and put on icing

Our mini donut maker is sold on Amazon :





 

GF breakfast: Apple Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal

Ingredients:
1 cup oatmeal
1.5 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 apple peeled and chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1 TBS cinnamon

Directions:
1. Bring water to a boil
2. Add oatmeal first and stir then add all other ingredients and stir
3. Cook on low 5 mins or until oatmeal and apples have a nice consistency


So I know oatmeal is not all that exciting but I grew up on it and it is easy for a quick basic gluten and dairy free breakfast! All you need for a perfect breakfast is a glass of OJ, some protein and you have a quick balanced breakfast. I recommend grabbing a boiled egg from the fridge or frying one up on the skillet while your oatmeal cooks. This breakfast is comforting to me and reminds me of staying with my grandmother as a kid. We would have it more often in our home but one of my kids does not like the texture so I give him a different breakfast (which can be a hassle). Maybe one day we will ALL enjoy this easy quick breakfast. One can always dream right?


Thursday, February 16, 2012

Coconut Curry Chicken (GFCF)


Tonight for dinner we had a family favorite Coconut Curry Chicken with Rice. It is not too labor intensive but in my mind if it takes prep work it is not a quick meal either. We made quite a bit which we always do because it freezes well and we all love the left overs! This has a lot of flavor, a creamy sweet richness and the heat from the curry gives it a wonderful spicy finish! Also this is one of the few dishes I think taste even better as left overs. The longer the better!

Ingredients:
3 TBS Peanut Oil
4 TBS Red Curry paste
1 cup chopped green onion
1.5 tsp dried minced garlic 
1 large tomato diced
1 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp salt
canned Coconut milk 20 oz (1.5 cans)
2-2.5 lbs skinless chicken breast cubed (can use less but decrease other ingredients only slightly NOT proportionally or may not have enough flavor)


Directions:
1. Cook Peanut Oil and Curry Paste for 5 minutes Med-Low heat
2. Add Onion and Garlic to pan and saute for 5 mins
3. Add Chicken and salt. Cook until it is no longer pink
4. Add Tomato, fish sauce and coconut milk
5. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes
6. Salt to taste and serve

We like it served over white rice (to soak up all that yummy sauce!)




SHORT ON TIME IN THE EVENING??
I have a great solution and I actually prefer the flavor to the traditional way above but it does take more steps and overall time.
1. Cube and cook the chicken in oil
2. In a freezer bag put curry, fish sauce, garlic and coconut milk, mix well.
3. Put chicken into bag and put in fridge for when you are ready to make dinner
4. Can cut up onion and tomato now and put in fridge until dinner or cut up at dinner if you have time
5. When ready to cook put veggies and bag of sauce and chicken in a sauce pan and heat on Med heat for 20-30 minutes (until nice and hot)

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Cinnamon Apples: This dish + carrot cake icing makes the apple cinnamon donuts (soon to come)


I have been a rebel and took the family off the gluten free diet for a while (for a GI doc who was wanting to do testing) and we have not totally gotten back on the band wagon yet (I know... for shame, for shame, tssk, tssk, tssk) BUT I did start having crazy medical issues and I have started cooking GF again. SO the first real big batch of cooking I did was because I joined a food co-op and ordered 25 pounds of apples (and no that is not a typo), along with 20 pounds of carrots, and tomatoes.  (Oh why am I so ambitious?) Alas even after DAYS of cooking I still ended up giving away a bunch of produce. But on to the cooking ........

Candied Apples:

5 apples cored and sliced (I leave peels on because time is a commodity and they have a lot of nutritional value)
1/3 cup brown sugar (for those not wanting sugar this can be skipped all together but requires longer cook time and will be a little bitter, or honey, agave, stevia, Splenda can all be used)
1 TBS ground cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1-2 TBS vegetable oil (or butter if you are not dairy free)

Directions: Spread oil on skillet, then apple slices, next sprinkle on sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook on Medium heat covered for 3 mins. Stir well and cook for 8 more minutes(stirring occasionally) until desired crispness/softness is reached. Also if want to have softer apples can recover it after first stir and just leave it for less work and more of a steamed apple texture. Eat as many as you like then refrigerate the rest for later! They taste good hot or cold!

*These are not super sticky or greasy like most fried apples but they can be with additional sugar, oil and pan frying for longer (and uncovered). My kids actually prefer them per the above recipe though. They like them with a little crunch and I cook them just soft enough that my kids will eat the peels without complaining.

**Can skip oil by putting 1/4 cup water instead and cooking a little longer though it does effect the texture some