Wheat and Gluten Free

Last week my good friend Laurencia asked me to be a part of the Shoreline Gluten-Free Association. Although I'm not wheat and gluten intolerant I have many friends and family members who are. At their monthly meeting I learned that 15% of the population is dealing with this daily struggle. I was surprised by how much wheat is out there. The obvious breads, pastas, crackers and sweets are just the tip of the iceberg. Almost every label you read has modified food starch and now the question has to be, "where does that starch come from?" The starch can come from many places. Potatoes, corn, rice and tapioca are commonly used but wheat by far is the most common. This is where the 1-800#'s can be useful, call them up! You finally have a good reason to use your cell phone in the middle of the grocery store.

I already love many different grains; quinoa, millet and the wide family of rice. Matthew and I cook and eat these on a daily basis. We have been looking to incorporate them into catering and now the time has come. With these grains, as with all your foods, you have to be careful of cross wheat and gluten contamination. Always read the labels! Soups and stocks are another culprit for wheat starch. This never occurred to me because I make my own soups and stocks from scratch. If a thickening agent is needed there are great alternatives to a roux. Not only will cornstarch and arrowroot thicken your soups, stocks and gravies it will do so with out the extra butter!

As for those breads, pasta, sweets and crackers....there are so many WF & GF products out there that are very tasty. I was surprised at how great some of the products are, some even tastier then the conventional alternatives. I love Pamela's cookies! You can find many of these products at your grocery store in the health/organic section or your favorite natural food market. I have enjoyed the last week trying out different recipes. I am trying to stay away from recipes calling for additives and that has been a challenge. Although many come from natural ingredients, I'm not a fan. For instance xanthum gum comes from fermenting corn. There is no avoiding this product in commercially made items (Pamela's cookies,) so I choose to avoid them in homemade baking and cooking. When you start looking at these additives you find they are in everything; livestock feed, cat food, baked goods and meat and poultry packaging. I think you catch my drift! Xanthum gum is used in WF & GF baking because it adds stability and strength to wheat alternative flours. I have made some very tasty brownies and shortbread without any xanthum gum. I used the Arrowhead Mill's GF & WF Baking Mix and the batch used contained no additives. This may not always be true, so if important to you read the label every time you buy. Please enjoy!

Alexa's Chocolate Shortbread

1 cup Arrowhead Mill's GF&WF Baking Mix

1/3 cup Green&Black Cocoa Powder

3T corn starch (WF & GF)

1/2 cup Confectioner's Sugar (WF & GF)

3/4 cup butter

1. Put all dry ingredients into food processor bowl and pulse to mix.

2. Add butter to dry ingredients (for easier mixing cut the butter into small cubes). Process ingredients until they come together in a ball.

3. Divide dough in half and roll into logs about 1inch in diameter. Roll in wax paper and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

4. Slice logs (about 16 cookies per log) and place in baking sheet in a 350 degree Fahrenheit preheated oven. Bake about 12 minutes or until cookies are firm but not colored.

5. Let rest 5 minutes then transfer to cooling rack.

Alexa's Chocolate Brownies

140g butter

200g dark chocolate (WF & GF)

340g cane sugar

4 large eggs, beaten

140g Arrowhead Mill's WF & GF Baking Mix

2t baking powder (WF & GF)

1/2t salt

1t vanilla extract

9x11 inch pan (lined with foil and then greased)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.

2. Melt butter in sauce pan and then add chocolate, stir with heat proof spatula until chocolate is melted. Mix in the sugar. Remove from heat and let cool.

3. Add vanilla to the eggs. Pour egg mixture slowly into the chocolate mixture (be sure to keep mixing so you don't cook the eggs.)

4. Sift dry ingredients together and stir into the wet ingredients.

5. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes. Be sure not to over bake.

Our Feathered Friends

Ok, I know my first post in the New Year and I'm talking about birds. Here in Connecticut we were hit with a pretty big snow storm and what better thing to do then watch our feathered friends. I can't get enough!
Matthew (my husband) has noticed on several occasions I'm in the same position, staring out the same window as when he gets home from work as when he left. I know, how lazy can you be?
I must say very lazy, but they have become my friends. I feed them, water them and care deeply for there well being. I have lost three birds over the last year that I had become very found of. I had a little House Sparrow that just wasn't right, he couldn't fly well. We all know that being able to fly well for a bird is very important. I was hoping that if he just made it through another molt his feathers would be stronger and away he'd go. No such luck!
Then a White-throated Sparrow had a similar story. The Mocking Bird was maybe the hardest. They are such friendly and happy birds. This sweet bird met its fate by a cunning hawk. But, for these sad stories there are as equally happy moments when watching and becoming friends with the birds.
My favorite is about a Carolina Wren. What a trooper. He too had a rough start and couldn't fly well. This time it was only the feathers. He was from a late clutch and must have missed out on some important nutrients because his flight feathers were just not right. The cold didn't get him down. He hunkered down in the basket by our back door. Being such a softy I lined the basket with leaves and pine needles, kept the feeders full and the bird bath heated. Low and behold his next set of flight feathers grew in and away he could fly. But, not to far. I found him a week later; he moved to the basket on our barn. To my surprise he needed the larger basket because he made a friend. My misfit wren now has a mate and I watch their antics everyday around the house.

Love and Patience!!!

If you have ever disagreed with the saying "dogs are good practice for children" you should try gardening. Most gardening fatalities, when caused by dogs and children can be avoided. After the initial rage subsides you see that it really is all your fault. Yelling and screaming will do nothing, except make you look like a bad pet owner/parent. I can assure you it will not keep them from going in, only a sturdy fence will deture both. They don't see beautiful flowers and tidy rows of veggies. They see fun and easy diggable dirt, something to put in their mouth, touch, explore and my favorite, beat with sticks/tails. You never know, there may be wild Bubba Bears (their favorite toy) and mystical creatures hiding amongst the lupines and peonies or in the rows of radishes and beets.

All which have been the fatalities of the week. I didn't close the garden gate, then the peonies and lupines bloomed. Henri romped through the garden, defecated on the peonies and tried to cover up the lupines. The fragrance we all love moved something deep inside Henri. Matthew said, "Henri must have misunderstood and thought we were saying pee-on-these." It is a very common mistake, I must admit. Brody however took to sampling my herbs, deciding that the flat leaf parsley was most desirable. Again, my fault and I must purchase some edging fence. My sister very kindly gave me enough for our herbs and Brody no longer grazes in them. My perennial beds are left vulnerable and remain a place for mischief.

A little pee never hurt anyone and I was able to salvage some peonies for the dining room table. The lupines will make it I think. Thank goodness I caught them this morning. Their roots were very moist and happy so I put them back in the ground with plenty of compost.

I had called Matthew about deciduous azaleas on sale this week at Nature Works when I saw the destruction. I must admit I had to get off the phone fast to save myself any embarrassment. Some tears were shed, but I did not yell!!! Henri, knowingly guilty went straight into his box and stayed there the rest of the morning. He took no chances on coming out.

Henri loves to dig: flower beds, newly planted grass seed, container plants even in the living room...
Brody is a true Lab and wants to eat everything: morning lilies, herbs, lemon grass...

I should have been better prepared this spring!!!

Shepherd's Pie

On this rainy day I'm heading out with my friend Marie and hitting some of my favorite farms. We are going to Four Mile River for beef and pork, Scott's for strawberries, White Gate Farm for produce and eggs and Beaver Brook for lamb, cheese, raw milk and yogurt!!!

This spring I came up with a tasty variation of an old classic. I didn't have any milk or butter, but I had lamb, potatoes, carrots and parsnips. So I made the Shepherd's Pie without mashed potatoes. The horror of such an invention rang loud and clear throughout my family. Then to boot I brought it to Easter, but much to my family's surprise it was very good. They were actually fighting over who got to take home the leftovers. So here is the recipe!!!

2-3# ground lamb
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3-4 large onions, small dice
3-4 large parsnips, peeled and small diced
6 carrots, peeled and small diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 t dried rosemary (fresh if you have it)
2-3 T ap flour
2-3qt favorite stock (we always have home-made in the freezer, I used beef for mine)
1-2 cups favorite red wine (use what you like to drink!!!!)
salt and pepper, to taste

3-4 large potatoes (do not peel)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In an 3-4qt oven/stove proof casserole (I love Le Creuset) brown your lamb in olive oil. Once browned strain fat from lamb and set aside. Now cook veggies in the same pan, you made need to add more olive oil. Cook veggies until slightly caramelized and add back the lamb, dust with flour and cook a few more minutes. Deglaze with your red wine and then add the stock. You may have stock left over, make sure to save room for potatoes. (I didn't have my large Le Creuset when I first made this and if you don't either do what I did!!! Prepare in the pan you have for the stove top and then transfer to a oven proof casserole and cover with foil instead if the lid.)
Let lamb mixture simmer on the stove while you prep your potatoes. Wash potatoes well because we won't be peeling them. Slice potatoes thin on a mandolin if you have one. Be careful of your fingers!!!! I have sliced them by hand using a sharp knife-this takes just a few more minutes. Now arrange slices on top of casserole and cover and bake (on a foil lined sheet pan, juices may run over) for 45 minutes, remove cover and bake another 15 minute (this will help brown the potatoes.)

If you have potato slices left, make some potato chips! You went to the trouble to slice them -don't just throw them away!!!

I hope you find this as tasty as we did. I know my ingredient amounts may look vague, but use your discretion. Remember, this started as a peasant dish to use up leftovers!!!!

What to buy for Father's Day?

While checking my email this morning I received one from D'Artagnan. They are a supplier of specialty food and they also send mail order to foodies everywhere. This email was for the Dad's, starting with The Shameless Carnivore's Feast!!! It sounds great with all free range meats: bison, wild boar, venison, veal, fois gras.... Yes, there are some humane/free range fois gras farms, I have been to one in the Hudson Valley. People are right by saying "know your food" and that starts from the beginning. Knowing the gardener and the farmer, if you trust these people you can only hope to trust those down the line (growers, harvesters, butchers, etc...) For more on this there are a ton of books that have said this much more eloquently then I (a very good place to start: http://www.michaelpollan.com/.)
My dad is easy, this would be a perfectly suitable gift and as a matter of fact for almost all the fathers I know. Every retailer that send emails for Father's Day sends things about food and mostly things for cooking meat! Even Brookstone; with the electronic meat thermometer that beeps when your meat is ready!!! This isn't entirely fair but this may be the most affordable option. I don't think any of us are going to be buying a Bose for our father's this year. I can think of a handful that deserve one, but it's a pretty penny! Hopefully most will have the pleasure of knowing their father as well as I do and this won't be a problem.
But remember there are grilled veggies, tofu, temphe patties, etc... These are all very yummy alternatives that these grilling tools can be used for. Even the thermometer for those who eat fish and poultry. If your dad is a vegan dress them up with a balsamic reduction, pesto (leave out the parmesan and use tofu) and salsa. Not a vegan add a sprinkle of feta or his favorite cheese and a runny farm raised egg is always great over veggies. Also any marinade you love on fish, poultry or beef can be used with meat alternatives. The best way to serve these items to your carnivores is do not lie!!!! Don't you dare call them sausage, burgers, bacon, etc... Even turkey or chicken burgers, if they are not beef you better make that clear!!! I think you catch my drift, nobody likes a liar!!!!
My father is a good man and he will try most everything I make. Sometimes I don't always like the criticism, but he tried it and that is what counts!