Archives for “potato”

Quick and Easy Pan-Baked Potatoes

December 22, 2009 · Filed Under Friday Foodie Fix, Slightly Indulgent, Tempt My Tummy, What can I eat ..., breakfast, dessert, easy, flourless, gluten free, holiday, microwave, potato, recipe, side dish, vegan, vegetarian ·26 Comments

This post is linked to these terrific, weekly blog carnivals: Amy’s Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays , Linda’s What can I eat that’s gluten free?, Diane’s Friday Foodie Fix—Potatoes, and Lana and Lisa’s Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays.

My Favorite Santa … art by Son at age 10

If you celebrate Christmas, the big days are almost here. I say days, because for most families, it’s more than just the actual day when we’re celebrating and sharing meals with family and friends. Those days are Christmas Eve and Christmas day in our family.

So, you have selected your main dish for your dinner or special meal—perhaps the slow-cooked POM’d Pork from the Holiday Food Fest—and now you want a lovely side dish to accompany it. Why not make your side dish both attractive and delicious, but as fuss free as a slow cooker meal? Here’s a simple side dish that fits the bill. This recipe comes straight out of the manual/cookbook that came with my Kenmore (Sears) microwave, which proves once again that you can still rely on your old “mainstream” cookbooks to cook gluten free. Recipes that are gluten free naturally or easily made gluten free—gfe—abound. One just has to recognize them as gluten-free, even though they don’t have a gluten-free label. That’s another advantage of focusing primarily on real foods and understanding ingredients.

The original pan-baked potatoes recipe contains dairy, but I’ve made it dairy free when needed just by using almond flour in place of the Parmesan cheese and olive oil in place of the butter. That modification works very nicely. The almond flour and olive oil combination don’t brown quite as well as the Parmesan/butter combo, but a quick minute under the oven broiler can solve that problem if you’re going for that visual appeal. Seasoned gluten-free bread crumbs or a similar topping, like gluten-free cornflake crumbs, will also work in lieu of cheese.

This recipe is one I often make to accompany a “gift meal,” too. The potatoes go great with a meat/fish entrée or can be an easy vegetarian/vegan meal when paired with a salad. This recipe is always very well received. Folks have even referred to these potatoes as twice-baked potatoes before. While I don’t think they taste like twice-baked potatoes, they are a much easier, healthier alternative and do taste delicious. Sometimes I just make these potatoes for us as part of a weeknight meal because they are so quick, easy, and tasty. They can also work well as a breakfast potato dish to accompany egg dishes and such.

Pan-Baked Potatoes
(Click here for a print version of this recipe.)

2 tbsp butter (or margarine, oil)

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (or almond flour, bread crumbs, cornflake crumbs)

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp white pepper

4 medium potatoes (or larger potatoes cooked longer or cut to those sized pieces)

paprika, to taste

Melt butter in microwave-safe bowl (about 30 – 45 seconds on High). Set aside.

Stir together Parmesan, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl (one that is big enough so you can place your potatoes face down in it).

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Dip cut side of potato in butter, then in cheese mixture.

Place potatoes, cut-side up, in shallow microwave-safe baking dish or plate. Sprinkle with paprika, as desired. Pour any remaining butter over the potatoes.

Cook on High 10 to 12 minutes, or until tender.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Shirley’s Notes: Potato halves make the loveliest presentation, but if making this recipe for your family, you can cut larger potatoes into smaller pieces for faster cooking and additional “crispy” edges. I like to poke my potatoes with a fork after I’ve cut them to ensure faster baking. You can easily adjust the recipe for more or less servings.

Adapted from Kenmore Microwave Cooking

Enjoy! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays once again to all!

Shirley
Not just gf, but gfe!

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Tags: breakfast, dairy free, healthy, microwave, recipe, side dish

Pot Pie (Vegan or Turkey)

December 1, 2009 · Filed Under Friday Foodie Fix, GAHIGF, Thanksgiving, chicken, dairy free, entree, gluten free, potato, recipe, vegan, vegetarian ·23 Comments

This recipe is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Friday Foodie Fix—Turkey, and Pennywise Platter.

It wasn’t long after I posted my recipe for Crustless Apple Pie back in May that I thought I could use the same “pour-over” batter concept to make an easy pot pie. But, it was May, then I got distracted … soon it was summer and I was out of the pot pie mood. However, some gfe readers had thought the same thing about the possible pot pie idea and emailed me to ask if I had a simple conversion recipe. Conversion recipe, because the batter poured over the apple pie calls for a cup of sugar—which would definitely not be a good choice for a pot pie batter. I had to reply that I’d had the idea on the back burner for a while, but hadn’t come up with a solution yet. I had actually made one pot pie using the method, but had not been really pleased with the results. The topping had been too thick and “doughy.”

When Jessica asked me the same question in a lovely email she sent the other day, I decided the timing was right to seriously address this question/need. I had plenty of turkey left over from my Traditional Turkey Breast and Special Turkey Breast. So I looked online for some simple ideas that might inspire me. There were many pot pies topped with standard, “roll-out” pie crusts, even gluten-free versions, and many of them did look wonderful. But, they weren’t what I wanted. Do I need to mention it was right after Thanksgiving? Not only was I looking for an easy topping, but I also didn’t want too much “heaviness” or mega calories. Other recipes called for a biscuit-type topping, which I wasn’t interested in either. Finally, I found a promising turkey pot pie recipe (with a “pour-over” crust) at the Gluten-Free-Diet-Help site. First, I halved the recipe (we certainly didn’t need a 9 x 13 pan full of pot pie for just the two of us). Second, I decreased some ingredients, cut some ingredients, increased others, and streamlined the recipe. In the end, I was really pleased with the results and Mr. GFE gave his hearty approval, too. I’ll probably tweak the recipe for the crust topping if I make it again because it was pretty thin (and looked somewhat like a cracked desert as you’ll see). I think I’d like to try a more traditional crust as far as thickness next time. However, the filling was thick and luscious, so a light crust (again, timed right after Thanksgiving) seemed just right.
I used coconut milk, which did not make the pot pie have a coconut taste, but did provide a slightly discernible, yet pleasant sweetness. (The original recipe actually called for some sugar, but that was one of the things I omitted.) The herbs and seasonings (parsley, thyme, oregano, sea salt, and peppercorn medley) used also ensured that the pot pie did not come out sweet, but rather was the very definition of savory in my opinion. Last, here’s the funny thing … I got so caught up in how beautiful the vegetables looked and how nicely the whole mixture thickened, that I completely forgot to add the turkey! Accidents can often yield some wonderful results—in this case, a lovely vegan pot pie if one uses vegetable broth in the recipe. Because we wanted to use up our leftover turkey, I just diced some turkey on each of our plates and served the pot pie over it. This method worked just fine, so consider this idea as a way to easily accommodate vegans and carnivores at the same pot pie meal.

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Pot Pie (Turkey or Vegan)
(Click here for a print version of this recipe.)

Filling:

1 medium onion, diced coarsely

2 large carrots, peeled and cut to your liking (e.g., diced, sliced and halved)

2 large potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch chunks (I used Russet potatoes; I washed them, but didn’t peel them)

1 tsp dried parsley

1/4 tsp ground thyme

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp peppercorn medley, ground

2 1/2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth (for vegan version)

1 cup frozen baby peas

1 cup baby lima beans

1 ½ cups cooked turkey meat, diced or cut into small pieces (optional; chicken could be used also or omit both for vegan version)

cooking oil, divided—3 tbsp cooking oil, 2 tbsp cooking oil (I used olive oil)

1/3 cup gluten-free flour mix (or sweet rice flour or potato flour)

1 cup milk or milk substitute (I used full-fat coconut milk)

Crust:

¾ cup gluten-free flour mix*

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 tsp baking powder

2/3 cup milk or non-dairy milk (I used full-fat coconut milk)

Directions:

In large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons oil and add the onions, carrots, potatoes, parsley, thyme, oregano, sea salt, and pepper. Allow to cook on medium-low or medium heat until vegetables are softened.

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Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Allow it to simmer about 2 minutes, then add peas and lima beans and cook until tender.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, mix the 1/3 cup flour and 2 tbsp oil until blended, and heat on medium-low a minute or two until thickened. Add the milk gradually to make a white sauce. When the mixture is almost thickened, add to the vegetable mixture. Stir in turkey, if desired. When all is thickened nicely, pour into a greased casserole dish or pie plate. (I used a glass deep-dish pie plate.)

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In same saucepan, whisk together crust ingredients: flour, salt, baking powder, and milk. Pour over top of filling in casserole dish or pie plate. Even out the topping with a spatula, not quite going to the edge of the dish (leaving this space allows venting, if needed). Place pot pie into preheated oven and bake for 30 – 45 minutes, until crust is lightly browned.

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*I use my all-purpose gluten-free flour mix, but you can use whichever flour you prefer for baked goods. (If you are not gluten free, use your “standard” all-purpose flour.) My gluten-free flour mix is 3 parts Asian white rice flour and 2 parts cornstarch. I gently mix three one-lb bags of the Asian white rice flour and two one-lb boxes of cornstarch in a very large bowl and then store the mix in several airtight containers (like glass jars or Tupperware). No refrigeration is needed.

Recipe adapted from gluten-free-diet-help.com

Shirley
Not just gf, but gfe!

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Tags: chicken, dairy free, GFE, gluten free, pie, recipe, turkey, vegan

A Canoe with a View

September 17, 2009 · Filed Under camping, easy, entree, gluten free, potato, recipe ·24 Comments

We squeezed in a stop at our mountain property over Labor Day weekend. Monday morning we slept late, had a very light breakfast, and then headed out in the canoe. The Shenandoah River flows north. It’s one of the few rivers in the world that does. We headed south—paddling against the flow—weaving our way between the rocks (this section of the river is called the maze) and leaving as little of our canoe’s “hide” behind as we possibly could while doing so. We paddled as far south as we could (we don’t portage for such outings) and then crossed the river and turned north, to float back to our property. Around each bend of the river was another postcard view … the river itself, mountains, wildlife, and many other sights–scenes that are always comfortingly familiar, yet always surprising us, too.

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Sycamore in sepia …

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One of a pair of great blue herons … always just far enough away to avoid a great photo …

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There are caves at the top of this rock face … we love visiting them, especially with new folks.

Below, Mr. Green Heron on the hunt …

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This smallmouth bass only “visited” for a minute or two (we “catch and release”) and then he was off after bigger fish—hopefully, ones with no hooks …

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The turtles reappeared for the first time since spring …

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Shooting “our” rapid …

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And, then we enjoyed lunch … hash made from leftover ham and sweet corn from dinner the night before, and diced potatoes (skins on), to which I added a little olive oil, cayenne pepper, and onions. The burned bits are the onions. Clearly, I added them too early in the cooking process. I forgot how long the diced, but raw potatoes would take to cook. Usually, I use leftover potatoes that have already been baked in the campfire. Since we had a long trip from North Carolina and Mr. GFE’s college reunion the previous day, we had prepared a very simple meal the night before–grilled ham steaks and grilled corn on the cob; there had been no time to get an adequate bed of coals for baking potatoes. The burned onion bits weren’t bad (I often rather like that flavor–just a little beyond caramelized, if you will), but they weren’t exactly the most photoworthy. Hash like this is a great meal though … so easy to make. I don’t even use a pan. I just make mine on foil on the grill. How do you use your leftovers like these? Do you make ham hash, steak hash, or just great hash browns by themselves? Or maybe something else?

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We’re headed to our property again this weekend. It should be a lovely camping weekend given the weather forecast—70s during the day and high 40s at night. Some friends of ours, a couple, will be joining us. Each has a kayak, so we’ll all be out in the water doing a mini float. This trip might be our last camping for the season at our property because next weekend I’ll be heading to the BlogHer Food conference in San Francisco (which I’m really looking forward to, because I’ll be meeting so many of my online buddies in person!) and October is pretty unpredictable for mountain weather. But, we have had Indian Summers that allowed us to camp through October before. One year we even enjoyed a balmy Halloween weekend there—complete with a spooky jack-o-lantern!

Fall officially begins on Tuesday. I’m definitely ready. It’s my favorite time of year … that edge of coolness and freshness in the air, long-sleeved comfort, chasing away the overnight chill in the house by baking, building the first fire in the woodstove … that all just sounds so good. That last one, building the first fire in the woodstove is far from here yet, but it’s part of fall to me. I know we’ll certainly have a big campfire blazing tomorrow night in the mountains. Mr. GFE is already talking about his special “hot fire” wood that he has stashed at our property. I trust him, but I’m still taking a hat and gloves and the makings for hot cocoa … oh, and gotta have my alternative S’mores. That, of course, leads me back to baking. I’m making flourless chocolate cookies to use as a base this time, so maybe I’ll just skip adding more chocolate in between. Two rich chocolate cookies with a perfectly-roasted marshmallow in the middle … that sounds like a lovely S’more to me.

Hope you all have a great weekend planned!

Shirley
Not just gf, but gfe!