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Blog update on updating the blog…

November 8, 2008
by angelaskitchen

I have all the content, words and what-have-you, transfered over to this site now.  Yay!  However, I do still have quite a bit of work left to clean up the entries, reattach photos, assign categories, and linking recipes to the recipe page.  Soooo, if you are looking for something specific, please use the search button to the right.  If you need something linked up to the recipe page sooner, leave me a comment and I’ll hook it up as soon as possible.  

 

Thank you for your patience!

Menu Plan Monday – June 7, 2010

June 7, 2010
by angelaskitchen

Last Wednesday was our first CSA box pick up.  I was so excited to see what we got from Featherstone Farm!  The first week included salad greens, red butter lettuce, spinach, asparagus, radishes, and cilantro.  Yum!  To use up our bounty we ate a ton of salad (of course).  The asparagus I roasted on Friday with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and served (with more salad) with peanut chicken satay.  With the cilantro I made marinaded beef fajitas and a cilantro dressing (recipe below).  With half of the radishes I made half a recipe of bread-and-butter-radishes (a refrigerator pickle).  I have been using the spinach for salads, and a bit torn up here and there to add greens to cooked meals.  The radish tops were a bit nibbled on by some little critter, but after cleaning them and slicing thinly, they were stir fried up with roasted garlic to add to some morning eggs.  Tomorrow night we will finish off the spinach at dinner with some poppy seed dressing.

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We are big veggie eaters and I am very glad we got the big box.  Our next pick up is Wednesday, which can’t come soon enough for me! This week it looks like we are getting red oakleaf lettuce, asparagus, spinach, green garlic, salad greens, dill, rhubarb, green beans, and garlic scapes.  Woo!

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To bake this week: Rhubarb Strussel Muffins (double batch – freeze most for later), Blueberry Muffins (double batch – freeze most for later) and Angel Food Cake.  Work some more on my gluten and dairy free croissant recipe…

To freeze this week: make and extra chicken and veggie enchilada to freeze.

To can this week: Another batch of Cinnamon Rhubarb Jam and a batch of Sweet Onion Relish.

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Monday: Daddy’s Birthday!/Boy Scout Canoe night

General Tso Chicken with Bok Choy and Cashews over Rice

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Tuesday: Mommy’s Birthday! (I am 40 this year)/mom volunteer at elementary school library/older girl’s soccer game

Chicken (yep, free range chicken is on sale big time this week) and Veggie Enchiladas (make one/freeze one) and Spinach Salad (all salad is from our CSA box and our garden this week)

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Wednesday: Last day of school for little girl!!/Woo-hoo!/pick up CSA box

Chicken Veggie Skillet Dinner (using some spinach and the top of a green garlic from the box along with various veggies from the fridge) and a jumbo salad with blueberries (the berries are buy one get one free this week), Angel Food Cake with Strawberries

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Thursday: Half day for the big kids/dress rehersal for dance (we need a portable dinner)

Brown Sugar and Mustard Glazed Ham, Roasted Asparagus (from the box), Cantaloupe and Salad (for the girlie’s and my portable dinners the ham and cantaloupe are cubed and the asparagus is cut into easy to manage pieces so that we can eat it all with little picks)

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Friday: Last day of school for the big kids!!  Woo-hoo!!?/dance recital for the girls/my big guy leaves for Boy Scout sailing trip

Broiled Fish, Two Potato Salad with Dill (the dill is from the box) and Salad

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Cilantro Dressing

1 cups fresh cilantro  leaves and soft stems, washed patted dry

6 Tablespoons lime juice

6 Tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Gluten Free-zer Friday – Roasted Tomatoes

May 21, 2010
by angelaskitchen

Head over to MJ’s for Freezer Food Friday.  Then, if you have a GF recipe to share that freezes well, come on back and join in on the fun!

Freezer Food Friday

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Join in on Gluten Free-zer Friday:

1. If you would like to participate in Gluten Free-zer Friday, simply email your post link to your gluten free freezer recipe (angelas_kitchenATcomcastDOTnet) or leave a comment below and I will add you to the roundup.

2. Link back to this post on the post with the recipe you have linked.

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My dad brought me 7 pints of tiny grape tomatoes.  Yes, it is May in Minnesota and as such, not such a seasonal thing (we just got our tomato plants in the ground here!), BUT I can’t let anything go to waste!  This is a great “recipe” for when you are overrun with tomatoes later on in the season.  The slow roasting process (which partly dries and caramelizes the sugars in the tomatoes) really intensifies the flavors of the tomatoes and can turn even supermarket ‘maters into little balls of heaven.

As I have yet to come across a home canning safe recipe for roasted tomatoes such as these (or has a processing time for less than and 90 minutes?!?  Sheesh!), so I freeze them.  If the tomatoes I am roasting are cherry tomatoes (over 1″ around) or very small romas, I cut them in half, placing them cut side up on the pan after tossing with olive oil and pepper.

These are amazing with eggs, on pizza, on toasted gluten free French bread, chopped on baked potatoes, with broiled fish or chicken, tossed with gluten free pasta, etc., etc.  Roasting tomatoes is hardly a new thing, but this is how I do it…

Slow Roasted Caramelized Tomatoes

Grape, cherry or very small roma tomatoes, washed and stems removed

Bulbs of garlic (1/2 bulb per pan of tomatoes)

olive oil (1-2 Tablespoon per pan)

fresh cracked pepper

Fresh herbs to toss with the tomatoes at the end of cooking time

Preheat oven to 425.  Line rimmed baking pan with parchment paper.  I needed 2 half-sheet pans for 7 pints of grape tomatoes.  Set aside.

If tomatoes are cherry or small romas larger that 1″ around, slice in half lengthwise.  Put tomatoes in a bowl and drizzle with 1 to 2 Tablespoons olive oil.  Toss tomatoes in the oil until coated and shiny.  You just need enough oil to give them a nice sheen.  Place tomatoes on your parchment lined baking sheet(s).  Break your garlic bulb apart, leaving the cloves unpeeled.  Place cloves from 1/2 of a garlic bulb on each baking sheet, mixing in with the tomatoes.  Be sure tomatoes are in a single layer.  If your tomatoes are cut in half, set them so the cut side is up.  Season with pepper.

Put in 425 degree oven.  Roast for 15 minutes.  Lower oven heat to 225 degrees.  Rotate the baking pan.  Allow to slow roast at lower temperature for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until dry and shriveled up, but still retaining some chewy-softness.  (Like sun dried tomatoes.)  After garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze out the roasted garlic and mix with the tomatoes.  You can now add fresh minced herbs, if you wish.

Use right away or allow to cool on the pan.

To Freeze: After tomatoes cool and garlic has been squeezed from peels, place baking sheet into freezer.  Allow tomatoes to freeze.  Pack tomatoes and garlic into small freezer bags or containers, removing as much air as possible, labeling and freeze.  Freezing this way allows a “loose pack” of the tomatoes, so that you can remove as many as needed without thawing the entire container of tomatoes.

Menu Plan Monday – Where are you?

May 19, 2010
by angelaskitchen

Menu Plan Monday was a bit delayed this week.  Can you tell?  Yep, the blog got ditched on Monday, but I swear it was for a good reason.  (My menu plan for the week is at the bottom of the post.)

Monday morning I received a call asking if I could fill in to teach a gluten free class.  ”Great!  I would love to.  When?”  Tuesday night.  Yikes!  After a bit of kid schedule rearranging (thanks to everyone who helped with that), I put together and prepped for a class in 24 hours.  Woo!  I think it went pretty well for such short notice, and I had a lot of fun.  Plus, I made gluten and dairy free brownie ice “cream” sandwiches and they make everything better.  It was a really great experience and I am hoping to work with them again.  Thanks for the opportunity, Eastside Co-op!  (It’s our local co-op.  Check them out!)

Featherstone Fruits and Vegetables

Eastside Food Co-op is where we will be picking up our CSA box from Featherstone Farm.  I am really excited about out boxes of veggie goodness that will be coming to us soon.  This past weekend was the Greenhouse Open House and Field Day at the farm.  We drove down to check it out.  We had perfect weather for the drive down.  The area the farm is in is just beautiful.

I got to meet Peggy Hanson, the writer for cookoutofthebox.blogspot.com.  She is the farm’s resident cooking expert who shares cooking ideas for the contents of each week’s CSA box.  So far, her posts on winter salads, cabbage rolls (with extra veggies and quinoa in the filling), and the end of winter borscht have caught my eye.  I am looking forward to the future seasonal posts on the CSA shares.

Crops my kids can’t wait for:

I have major greenhouse envy…

We can’t wait to go back to the farm for the Strawberry Social in June!

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I am late, but still linking up to Laura’s Menu Plan Monday, even though it is Wednesday.  I am such a rebel!

The Gluten Free Menu Swap is hosted this week by Heather of Celiac Family.  She picked Picnic Foods for this week’s theme.  I am hoping for some great ideas from everyone.  During the school year I usually try to pack dinner for our Tuesday evening piano lesson nights.  In the summer soccer games, play time at the park, zoo trips, a beach day and concerts/plays in the park all call for portable foods.  Any excuse to eat outside is a good excuse!

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If you would like to host a week of the swap, contact Cheryl at Gluten Free Goodness.  She would love to hear from you!

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Portable food we like (if anything looks like you would like a recipe posted on it soon, let me know.  I can get it posted after next week’s business.):

Humus and Quinoa Tabouli

Double A Quinoa Salad (it has apples and almonds in it)

Pizza Scones

Stomboli (stuffed with anything, really)

Calzones using our pizza crust filled with anything (my kids love hand pies)

PB & J bars

Cucumber cups or smaller hollowed out tomatoes stuffed with humus, or egg, chicken, ham or salmon salad/sandwich spread.

Nori rolls or sushi wraps

Pickles in a blanket (Spread a slice of gluten free deli ham or smoked turkey with coconut cream “cheese” – either plain cream “cheese” or mixed with fresh herbs or finely chopped and drained veggies.  You can lay a few spinach leaves or fresh basil leaves on the “cheese”.  Lay a pickle wedge on one end of the cold cut and roll up.  Secure roll with toothpicks and slice into 1 to 1 1/2 inch bites.)

A variety of slaws as they travel better than salad greens (Asian napa slaw, apple/bok choy/carrot slaw, sesame slaw, to name a few)

Bean and summer veggie salad

spring rolls

coconut chicken strips

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On to this week’s menu!

Monday:  prep for class/track practice/middle school symphony orchestra concert

Sweet & Sour Chicken and Veggie Skillet Dinner with salad

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Tuesday: 1 grade bird banding field trip/mommy volunteer in school library/tack practice/piano lessons/soccer practice/finish prep-teach gluten free class

Beef and veggie stir fry, rice, salad

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Wednesday: track meet/little girl dance class/end of year drama club meeting for my big girl

Gluten free fettuccine with homemade roasted garlic tomato sauce (precooked grassfed beef from my freezer, thinly sliced spinach and chopped broccoli will be added to the sauce) and a salad

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Thursday: Daisy Girl Scout meeting

Gluten Free French bread, marinated grilled chicken and roasted veggie sandwiches, spinach salad with homemade poppyseed dressing

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Friday: Boy Scout Star Camp

still in the planning stages…

Cinnamon Rhubarb Jam

May 19, 2010
by angelaskitchen

You all know how I love rhubarb.  My husband?  Not so much.  He pretty much thinks rhubarb is evidence of Satan.  I REALLY want to know what rhubarb dish he was fed as a kid to make him hate it so.  Being the great wife that I am, I still cook up plenty of rhubarb (more for me, baby!) to enjoy.  I am awesome like that…  (Love you, honey.  I have some gluten free brownies for you.  xoxoxo)

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There is sunlight today, so I will try to get a picture of the jam in the jars posted later on.  Wish me luck!

Cinnamon Rhubarb Jam

2 pounds rhubarb stalks, chopped into about 1/3″-1/2″ peices

1 clementine, zested and juiced (mine was a bit tart)

2 cinnamon sticks

2 cups granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon lime juice

Place rhubarb, clementine zest and juice, and the cinnamon sticks in a bowl. Add the sugar, mixing well. Cover bowl; set aside at room temperature for two hours, stirring occasionally.  The sugar will dissolve as the fruit releases its juices.  After two hours, refrigerate covered overnight.

When ready to make the jam:  Stir rhubarb/sugar mixture one more time.  Drain the rhubarb and pour the juice into a large saucepan. Scrape any extra undissolved sugar into the pan, if needed. Add cinnamon sticks to liquid.  Place pan over medium heat and stir, completely dissolving the sugar, if needed. Bring liquid to a boil.  Add the rhubarb to the pan.  Bring mixture back to a boil, then reduce heat to cook at a low boil about 20 minutes, stirring often so jam does not scorch.  Stir in the lime juice.

Test if jam is finished by putting a teaspoon of jam on a cold plate. If it does not set up within 2 minutes (or has some juice pooling around the center mound of jam), cook a few minutes longer.

Remove the cinnamon sticks. Ladle the jam into clean, hot canning jars, adjust lids and seal in a boiling water bath 10 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Makes about 4  1/2-pints.  Mmmmm….. jammy goodness!

To see a great tutorial on hot water bath canning go to CanningUSA.  CanningUSA also has video podcasts about the canning process you may find helpful.

Gluten Free-zer Friday – Rhubarb Ice “Cream”

May 14, 2010
by angelaskitchen

Welcome to Gluten Free-zer Friday.  It’s been a while, but let’s just jump in, shall we?  First, head over to MJ’s for Freezer Food Friday. This week she has a Tex-Mex Chicken Starter that is naturally gluten and dairy free.   Then, if you have a GF recipe to share that freezes well, come on back and join in on the fun!

Freezer Food Friday

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Join in on Gluten Free-zer Friday:

1. If you would like to participate in Gluten Free-zer Friday, simply email your post link to your gluten free freezer recipe (angelas_kitchenATcomcastDOTnet) or leave a comment below and I will add you to the roundup.

2. Link back to this post on the post with the recipe you have linked.

Rhubarb Ice Cream

3 cups 1/2″ pieces rhubarb

3/4 cup sugar (I like the slight molasses taste of organic sugar in this)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 (14 oz) can organic coconut milk (NOT light – mmmmm…)

2/3 cup almond milk or milk substitute of choice

1 teaspoon gluten free vanilla extract

In a bowl combine rhubarb and sugar.  Allow to sit for 1 to 2 hours until sugar is mostly dissolved and rhubarb has released some of its juices.  (You can skip this step if in a rush.  However, you will need to stir, stir, stir and watch it when the rhubarb and sugar are first heating so the mixture does not scorch.)  Put rhubarb mixture, cinnamon and nutmeg into a saucepan.  Place pan over medium-high heat, stirring often, bringing mixture to a low boil.  Cook until rhubarb is soft, about 8-10 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Stir in coconut milk and almond milk.  Using an immersion blender, blend mixture until smooth.  Cover and chill until cold.  After chilled, stir in vanilla.  Put rhubarb mixture into your ice cream maker and make according to manufacture’s instructions.  When finished the ice cream will be soft serve texture.  For a firmer texture, put the ice cream into a freezer safe container and freeze for about 2 hours.

To make ice cream without an ice cream machine: When mixture done chilling in refrigerator, put into a freezer safe container with a lid, cover with lid and place in the freezer.  After 30 minutes, remove from the freezer and vigorously whisk or stir mixture breaking up any frozen areas and mixing them in.  Place back into the freezer.  Continue to check and stir vigorously (you are breaking up those ice crystals) every 30 minutes.  You can even use an immersion blender for mixing, if you have one.  The ice cream should be ready after 2-3 hours.

To freeze just the rhubarb base (you can double, triple, etc. the recipe.  Just be sure to package the ice cream base in as many packages as you multiplied the recipe by!):  Make the recipe through cooking the rhubarb.  Remove from heat.  Using an immersion blender, blend rhubarb mixture until smooth.  Cool.  Package rhubarb ice cream base into quart sized zip seal freezer bags, removing as much air as possible before freezing.  Label bags (adding instructions to add 1 cup of coconut milk, 1 cup of almond milk and 1 t vanilla), and freeze.  When ready to use, allow mixture to thaw, mix in “milks” and vanilla and freeze as directed.

Menu Plan Monday – May 9, 2010

May 9, 2010
by angelaskitchen

Today it is two weeks since my mom had her knee replaced.  She is moving around pretty well on it.  Thank you to her doctors, nurses and therapists who have helped the past couple weeks.  You guys have been amazing!

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Check out Menu Plan Monday for more menu inspiration.  I am hosting the Gluten Free Menu Swap this week and have picked rhubarb as the theme ingredient.  If you would like to host a week of the swap, contact Cheryl at Gluten Free Goodness.  She would love to hear from you!

Gluten Free Menu Swap Monday

We have a boatload of rhubarb in the garden (which explains the theme!) so I plan on baking some rhubarb strussel muffins and hopefully putting up some sort of jam this week.  Last year I also canned Sunshine Rhubarb Juice Concentrate and Spring Conserve which was pretty tasty, so I may do those again.  I would also like to get a batch of Victorian Barbeque Sauce put up (a rhubarb based BBQ sauce).  I’ll also freeze some for later use…  What do you guys do with rhubarb?  Got any great ideas?  Great canning recipes?  Do tell!  I would love to hear what they are!

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Some other interesting rhubarb ideas:

Rhubarb Rosemary Preserves

Drying rhubarb (we also make rhubarb and rhubarb-apple fruit leathers)

Rhubarb Mustard

Rhubarb and Ginger Preserve

Candied Rhubarb

Rhubarb Salsa and more Rhubarb Salsa

Do you have more?  Please share in the comments!

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Monday: Make turkey stock/bake GF bread and buns/make cupcakes for freezer and rhubarb strussel muffins/track practice/Boy scout meeting

-Sloppy Joes (Sloppy Daddy’s in our house – not turkey this time.  Made with grass fed beef), salad and strawberries

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Tuesday: walk with friend/volunteer in library/track practice/first soccer practice of the season/piano lessons

-Curried Turkey Salad Sandwiches, salad (pack dinner to bring with us)

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Wednesday: track meet/dance class for younger daughter/final youth group meeting of the year

-I am making a commitment to cook 2 times a week from other blogs I love or from the embarrassing number of cookbooks I own…  Wish me luck! This is on Wendy’s menu - that’s good enough of a recommendation for me!  Spicy Chicken with veggies over rice from Artisanal Gluten-Free Cookbook.  I got this cookbook at the Gluten Free Culinary Summit this past October.  I got to meet the writers, a really nice couple who’s blog is No Gluten, No Problem.

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Thursday: track practice/newspaper club/Cadette Girl Scout meeting

-I am making a commitment to cook 2 times a week from other blogs I love or from the embarrassing number of cookbooks I own…  Wish me luck! Braised Chicken with Shallots from Fresh Flavor Fast (adapted to be gluten free and made in the slow cooker) with mixed green salad.

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Friday:  Sleep over for the older daughter

-Gluten and dairy free lasagna and a salad (make a second lasagna one to freeze for another day)

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Saturday:  Dance class for older daughter/greenhouse open house and field day at our CSA, Featherstone Farm. Woo!

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What is on everyone else’s plate this week?

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Heather at Celiac Family is heading into the busy spring time schedule.  This is making her look toward lighter and quick meals for her family.  Her menu looks delicious with Baked Salmon, Cilantro Lime Shrimp, Beef & Veggie Kabobs and Chicken wit Mango-Heather will be hosting the menu swap next week with a picnic food theme.  I am looking forward to that, as I am always on the lookout for portable meals with soccer and summer schedules coming up.

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Wendy at Celiacs in the House has play-by-play photos of a great gluten free paper mache viking helmet for PROM!  I LOVE it!  She also shares about having a GF meal at prom, which gives me hope for my kiddos at prom someday (okay, I don’t want to think of them going to prom just yet (gulp!) BUT yay for GF food hope!).  She has Mexican Lasagna, Tofu Stir-Fry, Barbeque Beef and Beans, Spicy Chicken, and a pizza night planned.  For her rhubarb recipe she will be making Jamie Oliver Rhubarb Souffles.  Thanks for the rhubarb link to check out, Wendy!

Cheryl at Gluten Free Goodness eats her rhubarb most often made into a compote with pineapple or apple (she says it freezes well, too).  Yum!  She has all sorts of great things growing in her garden, so spring must have sprung in her neck of the woods!  Her menu includes chicken in parsley sauce, quinoa Italiana, and lentil dal with roasted cauliflower.  She has a link to amazing looking gluten free, yeast free, egg free cinnamon rolls (she might be making them dairy free this week too!) from Cinnamon Quill that I just have to try.

We have a new gluten free menu and blog to check out this week from Renee at Beyond Rice and Tofu.  Her blog is gluten free and vegetarian and was started in April.  It’s always so exciting to find other GF bloggers!  She has a great post called “Where’s the Protein?” and a Thai Tomato Soup you need to check out.  One her menu this week are Red Beans and Rice, Stir-Fried Tofu with Bok Choy, Greek Lentils and Pasta, and Egg Noodles with Vegetables.  Yum!  Thanks for joining us, Renee!

Menu Plan Monday – April 12, 2010

April 12, 2010
by angelaskitchen

Heather of Celiac Family is our host this week for the Gluten Free Menu Swap.  She has picked eggs as the theme ingredient for the week.  If you would like to host a week of the GF Swap, contact Cheryl of Gluten Free Goodness.  She would love to hear from you!

Gluten Free Menu Swap Monday

For other menu ideas, check out the Organized Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.  Lots and lots of links on there!

Monday:  First day of middle school track

Apple Pork Medallions and Spinach Salad

Tuesday: Mommy volunteer in elementary school library/track/Piano lessons

Taco Salad with all the fixings and Mango

Wednesday: little girl dance/youth group

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches and Red Cabbage Coleslaw

Thursday: Daisy Girl Scout meeting

Asparagus Egg Bake, Brown Sugar Bacon, and Spring Greens Salad

Friday:  Mommy help with 1st grade math games

Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry over Pre-soaked Brown Rice and Kim Chi

Saturday:  Piano Festival for all the kiddos/Boy Scout campout

Sunday:  Church/birthday party for youngest kiddo’s buddy/get together with small group ladies

Menu Plan Monday – April 5, 2010

April 5, 2010
by angelaskitchen

I am quite excited to be hosting the Gluten Free Menu Swap this week.  The theme this week is coconut, so join in with your favorite coconut love!

We do like our coconut around here.  We use it as a replacement for heavy cream (think whipped topping for pie, and in ice “cream”), coconut yogurt, and coconut “cream cheese“.   I have even made dairy free cream cheese cake pops from the coconut cream cheese.  I also like to use the coconut water for making coconut water kefir, and as a natural sports drink.  I use the oil for cooking when I am doing high temperature cooking and as a shortening replacement (replace shortening with 1/3rd to 1/4th less coconut oil than the amount of shortening called for in the recipe).  All in all coconut is one amazing food that can be used for sweet and savory dishes, lends a creaminess to the dairy free recipes, a great source of MCFAs, and is very tasty to boot!

If you would like to host a week of the Gluten Free Menu Swap, drop Cheryl a line.  She would love to hear from you!

For more menu inspirations, visit Laura for Menu Plan Monday.

Gluten Free Menu Swap Monday - Coconut

Monday:  Boy Scouts/Girl Scout Leader meeting

Ham and Sweet Potato Casserole, salad

Tuesday: mommy volunteer in school library/Piano lessons

Slow Cooker Bean Soup (with the ham bone from Easter), blender corn bread, salad

Wednesday:  My youngest girl’s birthday!!/little girl dance lessons/youth group/youth group parents meeting

Birthday girl choice (she hasn’t picked yet, but I am sure hot dogs, strawberries, and French fries with be on the menu).

Thursday: After school newspaper club/Caddy Girl Scout meeting

The Girl Scouts are making a dinner for their badge tonight, so hubby, son and little daughter are having sandwiches and salad night.

Friday: half-day of school for the kiddos

Baked Teriyaki Chicken, quinoa, salad

Saturday: Big girl dance lessons/Girl Scout Program Aide Training

Sunday: Big girl and mommy teach Sunday school

What is on everyone else’s plate this week:

First up is Wendy from Celiacs in the House.  It’s Spring Break around their house this week.  The GF egg rolls look amazing, as do the enchiladsa with green sauce, pizza night and grilled chicken.  Sounds like great Spring Break food to me!  Let us know how the GF wraps taste and work out, Wendy, please, pretty please??

Cheryl at Gluten Free Goodness loves to use young coconut for it’s water and the soft inner “meat” she blends into coconut milk.  She is making a Chai breakfast cake to celebrate the theme (swoon!) which I hope she posts the recipe for (hint, hint).  She has a tasty menu planned which includes, Quinoa Italians, Beef Curry (with coconut and cauliflower), Nightshade stew and Orange halibut.

Scrumptious at In My Box, has a great gluten free and vegan menu this week, including breakfast ideas (I have to try the Quinoa Breakfast Brownies!).  She also has a recipe for a version of the Magical Loaf Studio recipe (you have to try the studio, I have never had a bad version from it.  Super easy and yummy.)  from the Vegan Lunch Box.  Also on the menu this week are California Minestrone, Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie, Fennel and Kale Pasta and lots of yummy veggie sides (and lots of recipe links, too!).  Her coconut is showing up in Coconut-Orange Macaroons and her Green Smoothie.

Heather at Celiac Family is not a big fan of shredded coconut, but is using coconut milk as a dairy replacement more often.  She has used coconut milk in Chicken Tikka Masala and Chocolate Creme Brulee (both sound AMAZING to me!  She has recipe links for those recipes on her post, too).  On her menu is pupusas (I want to make those soon), salmon with balsamic glaze, and garlic shrimp pasta.   Heather will be hosting the Gluten Free Menu Swap next week with the theme ingredient of eggs, so be sure to join in on the fun!

Thanks to everyone who joined in the swap.  You guys are an inspiration!

Menu Plan Monday – March 29, 2010

March 29, 2010
by angelaskitchen

The host for the Gluten Free Menu Swap this week is Gluten Free Goodness.  The theme is Cheep and Easy Foods which is pretty much all I make during the week.  We eat mainly whole foods, and do all our baking from scratch which keeps the cost down tremendously.  As the big kids are also helping with the cooking now (one time a week one of them makes dinner – yay!), the easy part is a must when you are teaching or learning different cooking techniques.  You don’t have to make dinner too complicated to get a great meal when you are using fresh, whole ingredients, thank goodness!  This week my menu is pretty chicken heavy, as our local free range chicken is on sale.

Gluten Free Menu Swap Monday

For more menu ideas head over to Laura’s for Menu Plan Monday.

Monday:  Mom subs in library/Boy Scouts

Pepper Steak over rice (brown jasmine, presoaked) and salad

Tuesday: Mom in school library/no piano this week/make cookie dough, chill

Mushroom Herb Chicken with broccoli

Wednesday: No dance this week/youth group/bake cookies

Tangy brown sugar-mustard chicken and mixed veggies

Thursday: Decorate cookies, freeze/bake mini carrot cupcakes

Chicken Escarole Soup with GF French Bread

Friday: Dye eggs/Decorate carrot cupcakes, freeze

Thai Chicken Pizza and salad

Saturday: finish prepping for Easter/make Easter Story Cookies with kids/set frozen cinnamon rolls and hot cross buns to thaw in fridge for morning

Omelettes and salad

Sunday: Easter/bake cinnamon rolls and hot cross buns for breakfast with homemade apple turkey sausage and fruit.

Apricot and herb glazed ham, salad, roasted spring veggies, fresh fruit, gf cardamon orange twists, rosemary-apricot rolls, mini carrot cupcake, brown sugar cookies, Easter Story cookies.

Gluten Free-zer Friday – Hot Cross Buns

March 19, 2010
by angelaskitchen

Today is my dear friend Cari’s birthday.  In honor of Cari, my girl’s have declared it “Pink Day” where they are wearing all pink, and painting their toenails hot pink.  We will also be making some brownies to celebrate Cari’s love of chocolate.  We miss you, Cari.

I’ll bring you a Carmel Macchiato…

Pink Princess Find a Cure Women's V-Neck T-Shirt

I know we hear a lot about breast cancer awareness in October, but here on Cari’s birthday, I would like to encourage you to remember those who are touched by cancer of all kinds and the struggles they and their families face beyond the health issues.  Please consider the Angel Foundation as a place to share your resources to help families faced with cancer.  Since 2001, Angel Foundation has provided financial assistance for adult cancer patients to meet critical non-medical needs, as well as education and support programs to families in the Twin Cities metro area who have a parent with cancer.

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Now onto Free-zer Food Friday…  Head over to MJ’s for Freezer Food Friday. Then come on back with your gluten free freezer recipe link.  If you have a gluten free freezer recipe to share, let me know in the comments and I will add you to the round up!  Come join in on the fun!

Freezer Food Friday

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Join in on Gluten Free-zer Friday:

1. If you would like to participate in Gluten Free-zer Friday, simply email your post link to your gluten free freezer recipe (angelas_kitchenATcomcastDOTnet) or leave a comment below and I will add you to the roundup.

2. Link back to this post on the post with the recipe you have linked.

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Hot Cross Buns
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3 Tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoon unflavored geletin (or pectin or agar flakes)
1 cup warm gluten and dairy free unsweetened milk substitute (I use almond or coconut milk)
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1 Tablespoon sugar

*3 cups bean flour blend (or 2/3 cup garfava flour, 1/3 cups sorghum flour, 1 cup corn or potato starch, and 1 cup tapioca starch)
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3 eggs
1/4 cup softened gluten and dairy free margarine, organic shortening or 3 Tablespoons coconut oil
1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar

3/4 cup dried currants or raisins (I use a mix of golden raisins, chopped dried apricots, chopped dried apples, and chopped dried cherries)
optional, finely grated zest of a lemon (use an organic lemon)
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Egg wash:
1 egg mixed well with 1 tablespoon of milk substitute.
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Icing:
3/4 cup gluten free powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon milk substitute (or lemon juice or 2 1/2 teaspoons milk substitute and 1/2 teaspoon gluten free vanilla flavoring)

Put dried fruit into a bowl.  Cover fruit with warm water, just to cover.  Allow to soak until needed in recipe.  Optionally, you can soak the fruit in orange juice for a different flavor.  Sprinkle the gelatin onto the 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl.  Set aside until gelatin has absorbed all the water.  Mix gelatin into the warm milk substitute.  Add yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar with the warm milk substitute and set aside.
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Mix together the bean flour blend, brown sugar, xanthan gum, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and salt in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer.  Blend well.  Add gelatin mixture, yeast mixture, eggs, margarine, and vinegar.  Mix on low until blended, then on high for 3 minutes.  Drain fruit and blot dry.  Stir dried fruit and lemon zest into dough.

Using very wet or oiled hands, divide mix into 24 smooth balls of dough (about 3 Tablespoons dough per ball).  Place dough balls evenly spaced onto a baking sheet lined with Silpat or parchment paper.  Cover with oiled plastic wrap and allow to raise for about 45 min to an hour until almost doubled in size.  Gently brush buns with egg wash.  With oiled scissors, snip a cross shape 1/4″ deep into each bun.

**Bake buns in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes.  Allow buns to cool on a cooling rack.  Mix icing ingredients together until smooth.  Place in small zip closure bag.  Snip a small corner of the bag to let icing out.  Decorate top of buns by making a cross shape in the snipped indents with the icing mixture on top of buns.
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To freeze after baking: When icing is set, wrap buns well and freeze.
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To freeze before baking: Make recipe up to shaping dough into buns, but before they rise.  Place baking pan into the coldest part of the freezer.  Allow to freeze solid.  Store dough well wrapped until ready to use.  When ready to bake, place frozen buns onto silpat or parchment lined pan, cover with oiled plastic wrap and allow to thaw/raise in refrigerator overnight.  Remove pan from refrigerator 1/2 hour before baking.  Brush with egg wash, snip cross shape, bake, etc as directed.
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*I have also used gf millet flour in place of the garfava in this recipe.
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**Note:  When baking breads, I always place another baking pan on the bottom-most rack and add a couple of handfuls of ice cubes to the pan.  I put the bread to be baked on the center rack in the oven, close the oven door, and bake as directed.  This creates a steam oven for your gluten free bread and greatly improves the moisture and crust of the final product.