Applewood Egg Special

The first trip my husband and I took together was to Williamsburg, Virginia, a destination my parents had taken me to many times during my childhood.  As a history and government teacher, I have a huge appreciation for this amazing town.  I love that feeling of being back in time when I'm there.  On our first trip together, we stayed at Applewood Bed & Breakfast.  One breakfast we had there completely blew us away,  and we were determined to recreate it at home.

I love kitchen gadgets!  One of my favorite is my West Bend Egg and Muffin Toaster, that I purchased from amazon.com after my toaster oven from college died.  It's perfect for this recipe!  

First, I start by toasting a Food for Life Gluten Free Multi Seed English Muffin for a full cycle on high.  They are organic, and contain brown rice and tapioca flour, potato starch, yeast, flax/chai/sesame/sunflower seeds, sea salt, and vegetable gum (xanthan, cellulose). 

While the English Muffins are cooking, I put 2 eggs in the egg cooking part of my toaster, and pour in the right amount of water to soft boil them.  A handy dandy measuring cup is included to aid in this process.  After my English muffins pop up, I turn them, hit the egg/toast button, and watch my toaster do its magic. 

When the cycle is finished, I rinse my soft boiled eggs under cold water, and cook my English Muffin for another minute to make sure it's nice and hot.  I then add butter, a generous amount of orange marmalade, and a sprinkle of kosher salt to each half of my English muffin.  I peel my eggs, then cut them in half on top of the English muffins so all that lovely yolk oozes all over the place.  At this point, I sometimes up the calorie count with some bacon.  Two pieces for each half will do the trick.  Time to dig in!  Just a warning - this is a messy breakfast if you're willing to eat it with your hands and not use a knife and fork.  My girls love it!  I am partial to the fact that it's the perfect combo of salty and sweet.  

At Applewood, the chef poached the eggs, so the presentation was really beautiful.  We rarely poach our eggs, because it is just easier to soft boil them.  You have got to try this dish.  I know it sounds like an odd combination, but it is one of my favorite breakfasts, and I'm not much of an egg lover.  This is one of those rare breakfast dishes that my daughters, who are super fussy about about what they eat in the morning, ask me to make.  

Easter in July

I love the holidays, especially Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.  It's great to spend time with family,  and I love to eat the special meals we cook.  We have carried on family traditions while making them our own.  Today, I'm going to focus on our Easter meal, which we make about 2 or 3 times a year because we love it so much.   When my family was in town this past Easter, we served lamb roast, hummus, Easter Bread Buns, lemon risotto, and green beans.  Today, we will just be making lamb, Easter Bread, white bean hummus, and mini sweet peppers, because we tend not to serve as many courses when we don't have guests over. 

My family has always served lamb for Easter dinner, but they usually marinated cubes of lamb and grilled them on skewers, or bought racks of lamb that they seasoned with mustard, breadcrumbs, and rosemary before cooking them in the oven.  We prefer to make a lamb roast.  We buy a boneless leg of lamb roast and ask the butcher to butterfly it.  For 13 people, we made two 4 pound roasts this year.  When it's just the four of us, we purchase a 3 to 3 1/2 pound roast so we get two meals out of it.  I try to make big meals on Sundays, so we have leftovers for Monday.  It's an easy way to start the work week!  

Lamb Roast

Marinate a 3 to 4 pound boneless leg of lamb roast that has been butterflied, for 4 to 6 hours.  

Marinade - juice of 2 to 3 lemons, 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 4 cloves of garlic (cut in half), 3 or 4 sprigs of rosemary, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of coarse ground black pepper.  

We purchased the lamb at Whole Foods

We marinate our lamb in a bag in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Massage it and flip it over a couple of times while it marinates.  

My husband cooks the roast on his Big Green Egg (BGE).  He sears it on direct heat, then cooks it over indirect heat on 450 for about 30 minutes until medium.  My husband used to cook this on his Weber Charcoal Grill before he acquired his BGE.  

White Bean Hummus -- this recipe now has its own blog post.  You can view it here.  

Ingredients

1 can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas) -- rinsed

1 can of white cannellini beans -- rinsed
4 T extra virgin olive oil

2 T fresh lemon juice 

2 T tahini
3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp minced garlic

Directions

Use a NutriBullet, food processor, or stick blender to puree all the ingredients until smooth.

We serve this hummus right on top of the lamb.  The combination is so delicious!  

Lemon Rice -- This recipe now has its own blog post.  You can view it here.  

My family has been making lemon rice for as long as I can remember.  I changed the family recipe a bit with the the use of Arborio rice instead of long grain white rice.  

In a medium size pot, I sauté 2 cups of Lundberg White Arborio Rice with 2 tablespoons of butter for a couple of minutes on medium high heat, until the butter melts.  

Add 3 cups of gluten free chicken broth, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and the zest of 2 lemons.  Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.

Remove the pot from the burner and let it stand, still covered, for 10 minutes.

Fluff with a fork and add 2 pinches of kosher salt, and 1 or 2 tablespoons of butter.  

I buy Lundberg Rice almost exclusively.  Their short grain brown is so good!  We love to season it with a little kosher salt and butter, and serve it with steak.  I purchase it at Whole Foods and Publix.  

Green Beans

Green beans are one of my favorite vegetables, and my kids love them too.  I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Publix Microwave in Bag French Green Beans were really good.  After cooking them in the microwave for the minimum suggested time, I add a little butter and kosher salt.  I used to buy fresh green beans that we had to snip the ends off of before I steamed them in a frying pan with a little bit of water, but these beans are so much easier.  

Lastly, the pièce de résistance-- Easter Bread Buns!!!

This recipe now has its own blog post.  You can view it here.  

Easter Bread Buns

Ingredients 

1/3 C warm water

1 package of GF rapid rise yeast (I use Fleischmann's RapidRise)

1 tsp granulated sugar

4 C Jules GF All-Purpose Flour

3 T plus 2 tsp granulated sugar

1 1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp GF baking powder

1 C Lowfat Vanilla Stonyfield Farms Yogurt at room temperature

5 large egg yolks at room temperature

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/3 C canola oil (I purchase non-GMO canola oil from Whole Foods)

4T honey

Zest of one orange and one lemon

1 large egg, beaten

Preheat your warming drawer on low.  If you don't have a warming drawer, preheat your oven to 200 degrees, then turn it off.  

In a small bowl, mix together the first 3 ingredients.  I proof my yeast on the warming zone of my stove.  If your yeast mixture hasn't bubbled and grown after 5 to 10 minutes, throw it out and start all over again with another packet of yeast.  

Whisk the second set of ingredients, the dry ingredients, together in a large bowl.  

In the bowl of of your stand mixer, combine the third set of ingredients, the wet ingredients.  I like to use my dough hook.  Add your yeast mixture, mixing to combine on low speed.  Lastly, gradually add in your dry ingredients with the mixer on low speed.  I usually add a few spoonfuls, mix, turn off the mixer, add some more, etc.  When all the dry ingredients have been added, mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.  

Spray your muffin pan with cooking spray and scoop a generous amount of batter into each cup.  

Mix the extra egg and a splash of water together in a small bowl, and brush the egg mixture onto the top of each bun.  Place your muffin pan into your warming drawer or oven, cover with parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray, and allow your buns to rise for 30 minutes.  

After the buns have risen at least slightly, place them in an oven preheated to 350 degrees.  Cook for about 17 minutes on the top shelf until nicely browned.  

I drizzle them with a powdered sugar/water mixture before serving.  I love to eat my Easter Bread warm, with a little bit of butter.  

Dinner tonight was fabulous!  Instead of eating dessert, I had a second Easter Bread Bun!  

On Easter, my gluten eating family was doubting my Easter Bread was going to be any good.  They all loved them and were disappointed that everyone only got one!  My mom has even used my recipe, because it's easier than her Easter Bread recipe.  She does not need to eat gluten free, so she uses wheat flour.  

My Easter Bread recipe was inspired by a Jules Challah recipe.  

2014 Update - A picture of our Easter dinner.  We skipped the green beans on Easter Sunday, and made them with our leftovers the next day.  

Baked Oatmeal Recipes

I first saw a recipe for baked oatmeal on Lynn's Kitchen Adventures.  You can view all of her baked oatmeal recipes here.  Sometimes I tweak her recipes, sometimes I make up my own variations.  Here's a collection of our favorite baked oatmeal recipes.

Banana Triple Berry Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients

2 large eggs (beat with a fork)

3 C gluten free quick cook oats (if using old fashioned rolled oats, soak them in the milk for at least 30 minutes or overnight) 

1/3 cup light brown sugar  

1 C milk (I used non-fat)

2 T unsalted butter -- melted

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

3/4 tsp kosher salt
2 T flaxseed meal

Heaping 3/4 cup mashed banana -- about 3 small bananas (can substitute plain yogurt or use some of both-- if using yogurt, increase sugar to 1/2 cup)

Heaping cup of your favorite frozen berry blend -- I used a blend from Costco that has raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together, except the frozen fruit. Gently stir in the berries after you have mixed everything else well. 

Spread the mixture into a 9 x 13 pan sprayed with cooking spray.   Bake for 20 minutes.  

Peaches and Cream Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients

2 large eggs (beat with a fork)

3 C gluten free quick cook oats (if using regular oats, soak them in the milk for at least 30 minutes or overnight) 

1/2 cup light brown sugar 

1 C milk -- low fat or nonfat 

3/4 C whipping cream

2 T unsalted butter -- melted

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

3/4 tsp kosher salt

2 C fresh peaches -- chopped, without skin

1 T gluten free all-purpose flour -- I prefer Better Batter or Cup4Cup

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together, except the peaches, flour and cinnamon.  Chop the peaches, then add the GF flour and cinnamon.  Stir gently.  Add 1 to 2 tsp of brown sugar to taste if your peaches are not very sweet. 

Spread mixture into a 9 x 13 pan sprayed with cooking spray.   

Bake at 350 for 22-23 minutes.

My peaches and cream baked oatmeal ready to go in the oven.  

This recipe was inspired by a recipe for Strawberries and Cream Baked Oatmeal from Lynn's Kitchen Adventures, another great recipe that I've made several times.  I prefer my baked oatmeal at room temperature or right out of the fridge. It will keep in the refrigerator for several days.  

Here are some pictures of Strawberries and Cream Baked Oatmeal.  

You can view the recipe here.  

Banana Raspberry Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients

2 large eggs (beat with a fork)

3 C gluten free quick cook oats (if using regular oats, soak them in the milk overnight) 

1/3 cup light brown sugar  

1 C milk (I used non-fat)

2 T unsalted butter -- melted

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

3/4 tsp kosher salt
2 T flaxseed meal 

Heaping 3/4 cup mashed banana -- about 3 small bananas (can substitute plain yogurt or use some of both-- if using yogurt, increase sugar to 1/2 cup)

1/2 C frozen blueberries
1/2 C frozen raspberries

Directions

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together, except the frozen fruit. Gently stir in the blueberries and raspberries after you have mixed everything else well. 

Spread mixture into a 9 x 13 pan sprayed with cooking spray. 

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

If using a muffin pan, fill all 12 cups and bake for 22 minutes.  

I love when I can prep everything for a recipe in one bowl.  

January 4, 2014 Update -- Cinnamon Roll Baked Oatmeal

You can view my recipe for Cinnamon Roll Baked Oatmeal here.  My daughters, who are very picky breakfast eaters, both love this one.  

I use Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Quick Cooking Oats in all of my baked oatmeal recipes.  

I buy them at Whole Foods or subscribe and save them from amazon.  

My Mexican Chocolate Banana Baked Oatmeal has its own blog post.  You can view it here.  

Pizza Experiments with Chebe

For months, I've been admiring a variety of pizzas made with Chebe on my Facebook home page.  After a shopping trip to Chamberlin's in Winter Park last night, I was finally in possession of the key ingredient I needed - Chebe Pizza Crust Mix!

After a trip to Publix for Boar's Head mozzarella and provolone, and San Marzano tomatoes, I was ready to get started.  

I preheated my oven to 450 degrees, and prepared the mix as directed.  I blended 2 T of extra virgin olive oil, 2 large eggs (beaten), and 1 cup of Organic Valley Mild Cheddar Cheese (packed well) with the Chebe mix.  

I then added 1/4 C of water.  After kneading the dough until smooth, I pressed it onto my 14" Williams-Sonoma cast iron pizza pan with my hands.  We like to rub a little olive oil onto our cast iron pan with a paper towel before we use it and after we clean it.  

Next, I par baked the crust for 12 minutes without toppings on the bottom shelf of my oven.  While the crust was cooking, I minced one large clove of garlic in my garlic press, then added it to a bowl containing 1 1/2 T of extra virgin olive oil.  

The par baked crust emerged from the oven with a big bubble in the middle!  I then spread the mix of oil and garlic on the pizza, before adding a generous sprinkle of Romano, followed by mozzarella and provolone.  Next up, San Marzano tomatoes I had cut into thirds and removed most of the seeds from.  Lastly, I added some chopped basil, another sprinkle of Romano cheese on each tomato, and kosher salt.   

I put the pizza with toppings on the bottom shelf of the oven to bake for 10 more minutes.  

I love a thin crust pizza, and this certainly fit the bill.  It was so good, my husband and I ate the whole thing for lunch!  This pizza was the best gluten free pizza that I've ever made, and it was so easy to make!  

Chebe pizza experiment #2 -- I will be using the Chebe Original Cheese Bread Mix instead of the Pizza Crust, because it doesn't have oregano, onion, and garlic in the mix.  We prefer our crust to be free of seasonings.  According to several blogs I've read, you can also make pizza crust with Chebe Focaccia Mix or Chebe All-Purpose Bread Mix.  

I will probably make some simple pesto out of basil, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and Romano for experiment #2.  I'll keep you posted!  

Chebe is free of gluten, soy, corn, rice, potato, yeast, peanuts/tree nuts, and sugar.  It is also non GMO.  The Pizza Crust Mix is lactose/casein free, but the Original Cheese Bread Mix contains dry milk.   "So what is in Chebe?" you might ask.  The main ingredient is tapioca flour.  

My cast iron pizza pan might play a role in the success I have making this pizza.  Pans do make a difference.  My husband's grandmother makes the most amazing pizza on pans a family member made for her in the steel mills of Pittsburgh decades ago.  My husband and I learned to make her pizza, but could never replicate her crispy crust on our aluminum pizza pans.  Amazon sells cast iron pizza pans at a very reasonable price and the reviews are great.  

7/2/13 Update

We made pizza tonight with Chebe Original Cheese Bread Mix and added some feta, in addition to the other cheeses.  Because the feta is a bit salty, I did not sprinkle this pizza with kosher salt.   It was amazing!  

Ready to go in the oven for its final bake

The finished product!  

7/4/13 Update

Pizza Experiment #3 - I used oil/garlic, Romano, fresh mozzarella balls (sliced), San Marzano tomatoes, basil, and feta.  We had to put the pizza under the broiler for a few minutes to brown the top.  The crust was much soggier using fresh mozzarella balls.  My husband said it was his favorite pizza, but I still prefer #2.  

Our 4th of July pizza ready for its final bake.

It was good, but I think I will stick with my Boar's Head mozzarella/provolone combo instead of using fresh mozzarella balls.  They make the pizza a little too soggy for my taste.  

8/10/13 Update - I did some research on using fresh mozzarella on pizza.  It is important to slice it at least 15 minutes before adding it to the pizza.  Place the mozzarella slices between paper towels to remove moisture.  

We had some leftover homemade pesto that I added to the crust after I parbaked it for 12 minutes.

I then added San Marzano tomatoes that I cut the tops off, squeezed the seeds out of, and cut in thirds.  Finally, I added fresh mozzarella and a generous sprinkle of Romano.  

It doesn't look like much, but it was delicious! 

9/17/13 Update - Pesto Chicken Pizza

Tonight, we made a pesto chicken pizza using a rotisserie chicken from Costco.  

After par baking the crust for 12 minutes, I brushed it with pesto before adding San Marzano tomatoes (sliced and seeds squeezed out), chicken (cut into small cubes or shredded), fresh mozzarella, feta, and Romano/Parmesan.  I baked it with the toppings for 11 minutes, then turned the oven on broil for another minute or two until the mozzarella started to brown.  Everyone loved it!  Pesto Chicken Pizza now has its own blog post.  You can view it here.  

Chebe pizza is great left over.  I like to eat it right out of the fridge, or if I have patience, I will let it sit out until it gets to room temperature.  

Pesto Recipe

Ingredients

1 C fresh basil - packed

2 T pine nuts

1 clove garlic - minced

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/8 tsp coarse ground black pepper 

1/3 C extra-virgin olive oil 

1/4 C grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

Directions

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a food processor, and pulse until they are well combined.  Add the oil and cheese.  Pulse until smooth.  

This recipe makes enough pesto for 2 pizzas.  

October 20, 2013 Update

Yesterday, I purchased some jalapeno pork sausage from Whole Foods after sampling it at the meat counter.  My husband removed them from their casings and partially cooked the sausage before we put it on the pizza.  

Today, I decided to use BelGioioso Fresh Mozzarella Pearls (8 ounces) on our pizza.  It saved me the trouble of slicing the mozzarella.  I did separate them and lay them between paper towels to remove any moisture before I made the pizza crust. 

This spinach sausage pizza was inspired by a pizza my husband's grandmother makes.  It was always a favorite of mine in my gluten-eating days. 

My husband declared this spinach & sausage pizza to be his favorite Chebe pizza to date.

I used Chebe Original Cheese Bread Mix for the crust, prepared according to package directions.  I par baked my crust for 12 minutes on the bottom shelf of my oven before brushing on an olive oil/garlic mixture (1 1/2 T olive oil, 1 large clove of minced garlic) and adding a single layer of fresh baby spinach.   Next, I sprinkled on a generous amount of jalapeno pork sausage, the mozzarella balls, Parmesan/Romano, and feta cheese.  I baked the pizza on the bottom shelf for 11 minutes before moving it to the upper shelf and putting it under the broiler for a minute or two, until the cheese browned.  You can view my post about our Chebe Sausage & Spinach Pizza here.  It has detailed instructions for how I made my Chebe pizza dough.

Here are some other Chebe pizzas we make with links to their blog posts:

Pesto Pizza with a Balsamic Glaze



BBQ Chicken Pizza