Pink Potato Salad with Beets and Cheese

Potassium rich and quick and easy, (especially if using previously cooked or canned ingredients).

Ingredients:
Potatoes
Beets
Cheese
Vinegar
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Pepper
Basil (Optional)

I used pickled beets, canned potatoes, raspberry vinegar, fresh ground salt and pepper, dried basil and queso fresco for the cheese.  You could easily substitute fresh beets, feta or fresh mozzerella or paneer, fresh basil in the summer and apple cider or balsamic vinegar.  Red onions, fresh or cooked would work too.  This would be a good use for leftover beet pickle juice as well.

I would recommend this as a travel/to-go food...but only if using golden beets or not wearing white. ;)

See Ya In The Gumbo
Fat Tuesday
Gluten Free Wednesday

First Homemade Pizza (including GF crust)

I give this a B+. This was really easy to make...until things went wrong....mostly due to inexperience.

I had problems with wetness while mixing and stickiness after rolling  trying to get it off the rolling surface onto the pizza board and again off the board and onto the pizza stone in the oven.  It looked and tasted yummy enough to try again though....otherwise, I would be sticking to the occasional English Muffin Pizza. ;)

My surface area for rolling was too small, in hindsight, I should have divided the dough into 2 pizzas....or used less liquid?  I ended up adding a LOT of extra flour correcting the original wetness.  As it was, the dough when cooked was THICK, too much bread for my liking.  It held together very well though...only breaking where I ripped it trying to transport.

I don't know about you, but I try to avoid gums....guar gum, locust bean gum, xanthum gum.  Quite honestly, my digestive system can handle wheat on occasion BETTER than the gums.  The gums aren't just in gluten free baking products/flours, but in dairy, coconut and other products you wouldn't think needed "gluing."

Ingredients
2 tsp yeast
1 cup warm milk
1 egg
2 cups rice flour
2 tsp cane sugar
2 tsp gelatin
1 tsp sea salt
2 TBS coconut oil
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda

(Added to correct too wet dough)
1/2 cup corn masa, white or blue
1/4 cup arrowroot or tapioca flour/starch
2 tsp coconut flour (optional)

Mix yeast into warm milk first in a separate container.  Add egg to mixer or food processor and whip.  Add other ingredients in order a little at a time, blending as you go.

Flour your rolling area well, I used additional corn masa flour.  My dough stuck where I missed a few spots. This amount of dough will make a very large pizza or 2 smaller pizzas, so adjust accordingly. ;)  Roll in thin as the dough will double, at least, in thickness.  Based on my experience, I would flour the paddle as well.

Cook crust for 10 minutes at 425* F.

Add desired toppings and bake for an additional 15 minutes or so.

The pizza pictured above is a freshly shredded Mozzarella/Parmesan blend  with dried basil and red pepper flakes.  We let is sit for about 15 minutes on a cookie rack before cutting.

Deep Fried Cheese Rolls GF

I recently came across this recipe: Cats and Casseroles: Baked Mozzarella Sticks  I thought making a cover  for the cheese sticks was a marvelous idea and I wanted to try it.  I had some spring roll "skins" or wrappers (tapioca starch, rice starch, salt and water),  in the cup board already.

I have made these twice now.  The firsts ones were a little gummy, kind of pale and bland...but tasty enough to try again.  The second ones were crisp, mostly golden and much tastier.  The secret is being patient enough to let the oil get HOT ( too cool and the cheese melts before the skin is done) and soaking the skins in SALT water when softening.  It's possible using an already saltier cheese would solve that problem as well.

Ingredients:
Cheese sticks or any white cheese cut into chunks
Spring Roll Skins
Salt to taste
Water for soaking
Coconut Oil for frying

Dipping Sauce:
Savory Neufchatel Dip
Or
Favorite Pizza Sauce
Or
1 can crushed tomatoes
handful of basil flakes
red wine vinegar to taste
salt to taste
onion powder
thyme
beef gelatin

Directions:

1. Heat coconut oil in a deep pot and bring the temperature to 375* or so. This can take up to 45 minutes depending on the size of pot, BTU capacity of the burner and how cold the kitchen is at the time.  In the mean time, get out ingredients and 3 dinner plates; one for soaking (mine have a decent rim for holding water), one for rolling, and one for placing finished rolls while the oil heats up.
2. Mix ingredients for sauce in a separate pan, set on medium low.  Keep covered, stir once or twice and forget about it until rolls are done.
3. Carefully fill one dinner plate with salted water.  When salt is dissolved, add spring roll skin. (Skins are too brittle otherwise.) Do one at a time to prevent them sticking to each other.
4. Unwrap cheese sticks or cut cheese into chunks.  Think roughly index finger dimensions as a guideline.
5. Remove spring roll skin from soaking water when pliable. Hold up briefly over soaking plate to let drips fall off.
6. Starting on edge of skin, roll cheese up, folding the sides towards the middle after one full rotation of the cheese.  Continue rolling and tucking the sides, as needed.
7. Place finished roll on third plate, seam side down.
8. When oil is hot, add a single roll at a time, at least initially.  Adding two at the same time can cause them to glue themselves together.  Trying to separate will cause the skins to tear and allow for the cheese to bubble out.
9. They are done when floating and are the desired color (and/or the cheese is exploding from somewhere on the roll.)  Remove from oil with an appropriate, long handled tool; such as tongs or a slotted spoon.
10. Let cool for a few minutes at least...burning the mouth on too hot cheese doesn't make it taste better.
11. Serve warm with a generous portion of warm sauce.

These are yummy and fun to make...and eat.   I can see making it with Mexican themed seasonings (with corn tortillas even) or with apple pie type fillings with a custard sauce for dessert.

Gluten-Free Wednesday
Tasty Traditions

Green Tomato Stew

Ingredients
1 large glop of coconut oil
1 glug of ACV
1 pound of stew meat
1 small onion
4 TBS sucanat
1 tsp cream of tartar
4 TBS gelatin
green tomatoes, diced
4 potatoes shredded, hash brown style
handful of salt, to taste
basil (optional)

Before frost, (or in our case, a freeze), pick the tomatoes that are left in the garden.  Throw it all in a slow cooker on low and let it cook for the day.  The tomatoes provide the broth.  Enjoy!

Pennywise Platter Thursday 
The Ultimate Soup Recipe List

Thai Style Potato Soup

Thai Style Potato Soup
Potatoes and/or Sweet Potatoes 
Pineapple
Coconut Milk
Broth
Shrimp (optional)
Gelatin
Basil (optional)
Unrefined Salt
Green/Red Curry paste
Dried Mangoes (optional)
Sucanat/Rapadura (optional)
Cream of Tartar (optional)


Cut up the potatoes, place in pan and cooked covered in broth.  When potatoes are tender add pineapple, mangoes (if you have them, fresh or frozen would work too) coconut milk, salt and curry paste.  Be careful with the paste, a little goes a long way.  Add gelatin, basil and sweeten to taste.  Extra sugar will help cut the "burn" if you've added too much curry.  Use approximately 1/4 tsp of Cream of Tartar per tablespoon of sugar.  Add the shrimp at the very end, if you use it, when the burner is already turned off.  They will be done before you can fetch the bowls for serving.

Hearth and Soul Hop 
Gluten Free Wednesday 
Family Food Fridays 
Simple Lives Thursday 
Ultimate Soup Recipe List