Asiago Cheese Grits

I posted this photo to my Facebook page and copious commenting ensued.  A flurry of pork and grits lovers appeared from the woodwork of my friends list and everyone seemed to be drooling. I can't imagine why?

So the recipe for the Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder with caramelized onions can be found on the lovely Epicurious Website.  The grits recipe follows and, as if I hadn't taken this nonsense far enough, I topped it with an over-easy egg at the suggestion of a foodie friend.  FOODGASM!!!

I've made these grits with various types of cheese. Cheddar works especially well if you decide to put some tasty shrimp atop them.  Maybe I will post that recipe sometime in the future...mmmmm Shrimp & Grits.

Asiago Cheese Grits

2 1/2 cups milk (I use whole because well it's just better for these sorts of delicious things)

2 cups water (I love free ingredients) 

1 teaspoon salt 

1 1/3 cups stone-ground grits (white or yellow, doesn't matter - just NOT instant!)

3-4 Tablespoons butter

1/2-3/4 shredded asiago cheese (portion dependent on your love for all things cheese)

Combine milk, water and salt in a large saucepan.  Bring to boil over medium heat. Whisk in the grits slowly.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Now, this is important, grits love to stick to the bottom of your beloved saucepans so you need to tend to them.  Whisk or stir them about every 5 minutes (otherwise you'll be scrubbing the bottom of that pan after it has soaked in your sink and annoyed the crap out of you with its presence for about a week). After about 20-25 minutes, your grits should be nice and creamy.  

Add the butter and cheese. Stir until both are melted to perfection.  I like my grits a little more salty as well, so I typically add about another 1/2-1 teaspoon of salt (depending on the week, if you know what I mean) right about now. 

Top with whatever or just grab a big ol' wooden spoon and start shoving this stuff in your face. Yea, it's that good.

Maple Brown Sugar Granola

When I went gluten free for about a year, I discovered how ridiculously expensive this diet can be.  I mean, really? $5 to $8 for a 12oz bag of granola!  Don't get me wrong, I know that nuts and dried fruit aren't cheap by any means but come on! So I came up with my own granola recipe (a combination of about a dozen recipes I tried) that seemed more cost effective, tasted far more fresh and that I absolutely adore.

It's good with fresh fruit and yogurt, on top of vanilla ice cream or simply drowning in milk.

3 cups of rolled oats (Gluten-free, if preferred)
2 cups of nuts (slivered almonds, chopped pecans, cashews, hazelnuts, walnuts or whatever you have on hand)
1 cup of shredded coconut (I use unsweetened shaved coconut, but either will do)
1/3 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2-1 teaspoon salt (I'm a salt fiend)
1-1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries or cherries. Or a combination!)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together oats, nuts, coconut and sugar.  Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together syrup, oil, cinnamon and salt. Coat oat mixture with syrup/oil mixture and toss to combine.   Pour onto one large baking sheet with sides or two smaller sheets in one layer.  Bake for 1-1 1/2 hours, tossing/stirring every 15 minutes until golden brown.

Cool and mix in dried fruit. Store in air tight container.

Make this recipe your own by adding seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, flax etc.) or other mix-ins.

Eggs Galore!

So I remember when I went off to college, my mom telling me stories of when she and my father moved in together at Purdue.  She worked in some sort of chicken facility so she got to take home eggs all of the time.  Whenever they were low on funds, there were always plenty of eggs to be had.  Her go-to meal in a pinch is still fried egg sandwiches.

Now I can whip up a fried egg sandwich with the best of them, but somehow they never turn out as good as my mom's.  Doesn't that sound completely stupid? It's an egg, butter, a frying pan and some salt & pepper...so how does hers taste so much better than mine. Duh! Cause everything is better when your mother makes it for you.

So here's what I've been doing with eggs lately. (Oh and a little bit of leftover bacon from the Midwesterner's Bread.  I know, really?  I had leftover bacon? Totally unheard of! But it happened.)

Both of these recipes serve one hungry person.

Modified (GF) Egg in a Frame (aka Toad in a Hole and/or One-eyed Jack)

1 bell pepper, sliced in 1/2" rings
3-4 eggs
1 Tablespoon olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste
Toppins

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Place bell pepper rings in hot oil and saute for approximately 2 minutes. Flip rings and break one egg into each. Season with salt & pepper. Cover until eggs are cooked until desired (I like mine over-easy or medium hard). Adorn with toppins! I choose bacon (I will always choose bacon!) and cheese. Serve hot, delicious and gluten free!

Italian Eggs of Nom

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced (or a 1/2 teaspoon of that jarred stuff you have in your fridge door)
1/4 of a small onion, diced
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, pureed
1/2  teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
salt & pepper, to taste
1/4 cup of parmesan
2-3 eggs (dependent on the volume of your stomach growl)

Heat olive oil over medium. Saute garlic and onions until translucent. Puree tomatoes with rosemary, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. (Feel free to use the fresh stuff, but I can't seem to use that stuff before it spoils in my fridge and I manage to kill all of the live plants I buy) Cook down until tomato sauce thickens. Stirring occasionally.  Sprinkle on the parmesan cheesey goodness. Break eggs atop the cheese. Cover and cook to desired. I like mine over-medium for this one. Serve hot with some oven 'fried' potatoes! (recipe follows)

Oven 'Fried' Potatoes (for one)


One potato (of any variety*), sliced 1/4-1/2"
Olive oil
Salt & pepper (or seasoned salt and pepper rather!!!)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lay the potato slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle on desired seasonings. Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes, turning once about halfway through.  Serve with some Sriracha cause that stuff is liquid crack to a potato!

*Try with sweet potatoes. Season with cumin and drizzle lime juice on them prior to serving! (Skip the Sriracha on this one though)

Sweet and Sour Chicken

This is one of my favorite quick weeknight meals from Martha Stewart.  I can't stand her voice, but boy do I love her recipes.

I've made this as follows, but also made it with shrimp which is equally as delicious.  If you are using (uncooked, peeled and deveined) shrimp instead of chicken, make sure to add it when you add the scallions and garlic later in the recipe. 

Chuck pineapple is also a great addition to this recipe, if you are feeling crazy!

1 cup of rice (long grain brown, basmati, jasmine, whatever)

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup white vinegar

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

1-1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed into 1-inch pieces

2 bell peppers, diced (orange & red pictured, but you can use any kind)

½ pound fresh green beans, trimmed & halfed

5 scallions, sliced thin

¼ teaspoon of ground ginger (more if ginger is your thing.  It’s not mine.  You can also use minced fresh ginger, if you’d like)

3 garlic cloves minced (or 1 ½ teaspoons of minced garlic)

¼ cup chopped peanuts, garnish

Cook rice according to package instructions. While the rice is cooking, whisk together cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce & vinegar. Set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add chicken, bell peppers & green beans.  Stir frequently until veggies begin to soften (about 5 minutes). Add scallions, ginger, and garlic.  Stir frequently until chicken is cook through and veggies are tender (about 5 more minutes).  Add soy sauce mixture to skillet and toss to coat.  Stir constantly until sauce thickens. Remove from heat.  Serve over cooked rice and garnish with chopped peanuts (I roasted my peanuts in a saucepan over low heat until they were golden brown). 

Slow-Cooked Pork Carnitas with Fresh Corn Salsa

I just adore my slow cooker.  Not only does it ease cooking and preparation, but this method of cooking does absolutely incredible things to tenderize meats and meld flavors during its methodically lazy cooking process. 

Now the corn salsa is obviously best fixed when corn is in season, but canned or frozen corn can also be substituted.  Being a Hoosier for the better part of my life, corn has become a staple for me in the summer months. I’m fairly certain that there is no better vegetable than corn on cob that’s just been plucked from its stalk a couple hours before you put it on the dinner table.

2-2 1/2lb pork shoulder

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 large onion, cut into 4 pieces

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 avocado

Fresh cilantro (optional – I don’t care for cilantro)

Place pork in slow cooker and season with salt, black pepper, and dried oregano making sure to coat well. Place onion atop pork. Set slow cooker to low and cook approximately 6-7- hours or until meat is very tender and falling apart.  I like to add the cinnamon in about the time the pork starts to fall apart or an hour before it is completely done.  You can also add it in and toss to coat at the end of cooking.

Serve on corn tortillas with avocado, fresh cilantro and fresh corn salsa (see recipe below).

Fresh Corn Salsa

5-6 ears fresh sweet corn (boiled, cut from cob and cooled)

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1 medium tomato, diced 

1/2 red or green pepper, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and diced (optional – if you’re feeling spicy)

2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Toss to combine corn, onion, pepper and tomato.  If you are using jalapeno and cilantro, add it now as well.  In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper.  Coat corn mixture will olive oil mixture and toss gently to coat well.  Refrigerate for 2-3 hours prior to serving to allow flavors to mix.  

Coconut Rice Pudding

It took me awhile, but I finally developed a taste for rice pudding.  I’d tried at least a half a dozen prepackaged concoctions and box mixes totting the name ‘rice pudding,’ but they were all terrible.  So finally I found one that I truly love.

4 cups whole milk

1 cup arborio rice (about 8 ounces)

½-3/4 cup sugar (I like mine sweeter!)

One 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk

1/2 cup coarsely shredded unsweetened coconut

In a large saucepan, combine the milk, rice and sugar with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the rice is tender and suspended in a thick, creamy sauce, about 30 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rice is very tender and the liquid is thickened, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.

In a medium saucepan, toast the coconut over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and golden, about 4 minutes.

Serve with rice pudding adorned with toasted coconut. 

Coconut Curried Shrimp Salad

So I've been on a 'Whole Foods' Cleanse the past two weeks. Not to be confused with the grocery store chain, Whole Foods.  Week 1 consisted of nothing but fruits, veggies and the occasional handful of nuts.  I'm here to tell  you that you have no idea how important meat is until you try and give it up. While my co-cleansers were craving wine and sweets, all I wanted for was a filet, some beef tartare or a slab of bacon.  

Week 2, we got to add back fish and lentils. (Yes, lentils.) So having never prepared fish outside of the occasional shrimp kabob, I've started experimenting with different flavors. So far I've taught myself how to bake a perfect tilapia filet (I can thank my cast iron skillet for that) and then got all crazy on some shrimp.  Oddly enough, I don't suck at it! 

Next week, I get my grains back! Bring on the oats & rice!

1 lb uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Tablespoon mild curry paste
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup unsweetened shaved coconut
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
6 ounces washed baby spinach
2 clementines (or 1 small can of mandarin oranges drained)


For dressing whisk together the following and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble salad for serving:
1/3 cup olive oil
juice from half of a lemon
salt & pepper to taste


Heat olive oil and curry paste in skillet. Saute shrimp until pink. Turning once (approximately 2-3 minutes per side). Remove from pan. Cool and refrigerate for approximately 2 hours or until chilled.

Toast almonds and coconut in a saucepan over low-medium heat until golden brown. Toss with ginger.

Combine spinach with toasted almond/coconut mixture and toss with dressing.  Top with clementines and shrimp.  Serve chilled.

Dark Chocolate Brownies (GF)

Unwitting friends and family have told me that these are the best brownies they've ever had  before I tell them that they are gluten free.  Even after I tell them, they still stand by their original opinion.  

A big fan of the slighty-undercooked brownie myself, I would have to agree that the dark chocolate coupled with the gooeyiness of these brownies makes me swoon. Top with some homemade vanilla bean ice cream and seasonal berries and prepare for a foodgasm. 

Huge thanks to the Gluten Free Goddess for this one.  I have yet to make any of her recipes that turned out poorly. http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/

5 ounces dark chocolate

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1/2 cup almond meal (I just magic bullet almonds to a fine powder. Works great!)

1/4 cup brown rice flour

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon GF vanilla

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (Optional) 

1/2 whatever kind of chips* for the top (Optional)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line an 8x8-inch square baking pan with foil and lightly oil the bottom.

Melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat, gently stirring.

In a mixing bowl whisk together the brown sugar, almond meal, brown rice flour, sea salt and baking soda. Make a well in the center and add the beaten eggs, vanilla extract and melted dark chocolate mixture. Beat on low-medium for two minutes, until the batter begins to come together. At first it will seem thin, like cake batter, but keep beating until it thickens and becomes smooth and glossy.

If you are adding nuts, stir in the nuts by hand and spread the batter into the prepared baking pan. Even out the batter with a spatula.

*Press some semi-sweet or dark or white or whatever chips into the top of this bad boy!

Bake in the center of a preheated 350 degree F oven for 32 to 35 minutes, or until the brownies are set. The top will crack, like a flourless chocolate cake.

Cool on a wire rack; and remove the cooled brownies from the pan by gripping the foil edges and lifting the brownies out as a whole. Cool for an hour before cutting.