Any Kitchen Will Do

Give me a kitchen and I will cook.

Archive for the month “February, 2014”

27 Feb 2014

Chocolate Coconut No Bake Goodies

coconut treats 

When I was growing up my mom made what she called tangos – heat up sugar, chocolate, oatmeal and peanut butter in a pan, drop the hot stuff on wax paper, let it cool and you have instant treats. I have made them a lot myself – the chocolate and peanut butter with the chewiness of the oatmeal made for a great snack and had a richness that appeased the nibbling and snacking craving I get of an afternoon. I have been craving them lately and sought out a version that does not have sugar or oatmeal. I found what looked like a really close version with coconut. I relied on the traditional peanut butter instead of almond, and a few other tweaks, but the recipe made a great healthy snack for my family. Tall P really liked them to appease his sweet tooth cravings, too, but the guy that dips his strawberries in sugar said they were too sweet. Silly boy. Little B liked them so much she took them to her Valentine’s Day party to share with friends. Score!

Chocolate Coconut No Bake Goodies

3.5 oz bittersweet chocolate
1/3 cup coconut oil
2 Tbsp smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
2 Tbsp Stevita spoonable stevia
4 cups finely shredded coconut

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat combine the dark chocolate, butter and peanut butter. Cook until melted and thoroughly combine. Add the coconut milk, vanilla, salt, and sweetener and stir to combine. The heated mixture will thicken quickly, then needs to be taken off the heat. If it begins to separate it is okay, just keep stirring when off the heat. In a large bowl pour the chocolate mixture over the coconut. Stir to incorporate. Using a cookie scoop, scoop out the mixture onto a piece of parchment paper. Refrigerate until hardened.

Posted in chocolate, cookies, Douglas Kitchen, Uncategorized, wheat free | Leave a Comment
17 Feb 2014

Simple Chopped Cabbage Bake

baked cauliflourThe other day we had a busy stove top. Three of the four burners had things simmering or sauteing or boiling. I wanted to make cabbage, but the last, small burner was hidden among the pots and pans, willing to do the job, but just not roomy enough. I still wanted cabbage, so I looked around and spotted the oven. Of course! Usually I cook up cabbage on the stove top because the oven is busy, so I got a little chuckle about the reverse happening. Okay, so it is not funny, like a gag in a movie or a stand up comedian, but when I think of, say, Thanksgiving when four things need to be baked at once, including the turkey, there is always a wish to have a dish that can be done on the stove top. Okay, not actually chuckle worthy. It was so good I was surprised I had not thought of doing it sooner. Silly. Maybe it is silly. I will stop, because it actually does not matter. This dish is so simple I am not even doing an ingredients list.

Just take half a head of cabbage and chop it into one inch pieces. On a large cookie sheet toss the cabbage with 2 Tbsp of bacon grease or extra virgin olive oil (add some salt of you use olive oil). Tossing it is most effective with your hands. Place pan in unheated oven. Turn oven to 350 degrees. After about ten minutes toss the cabbage and bake for ten more. Some cabbage will be darker, beginning to caramelize, and the rest should be soft enough to eat. Serve immediately.

Posted in baked, cabbage, Douglas Kitchen, side dish, Uncategorized, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment
09 Feb 2014
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Cauliflower Mac Bake

cauli mac bake

Our foster son Tall P makes really good cheesy scrambled eggs. Somehow he cooks the eggs just right and puts in just enough cheese right at the end to make it taste like baked macaroni and cheese. I won’t try to duplicate it, for it is something he does for us, so why try? He is the master! I had a hankering for them the other day when he was busy at school, so I decided to try a baked cauliflower version of mac n cheese. I think I found a great way to do a veggie version, although I bet he would not agree. I have to reveal here that Tall P is not a vegetable lover. He likes corn on the cob and vegetables in soup, and only if they are an unrecognizable puree added as a thickener and he does not know they were added. Yes, Paul, you now know the veggie soup secret! This dish was inspired by the cheesy eggs, created with cheesy veggies.  Go figure. It definitely appeased my craving for baked mac and cheese (not so much the Kraft version I grew up eating, but the baked stuff I discovered later in life). The dish was easy to prepare and bake, allowing me to time it perfectly with the smoked pork Big D made. Add some chimichurri to the pork and what a meal!

Cauliflower Mac Bake

1 large head cauliflower
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 eggs
1 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp red chile flakes
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 pound sharp white cheddar cheese, sliced into thin pieces
3 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop cauliflower head into bite-sized pieces, making sure stem pieces are a little smaller. Place white cheddar cheeses slices in the bottom of a 9×9 or 9-11 baking dish. Spread cauliflower evenly over cheese. In a medium bowl combine cream, eggs, garlic, salt, mustard and chile flakes. Whisk until well combined. Add cheese and stir until well coated. Pour cheese mixture over cauliflower, spreading it evenly. Make thin slices over butter and place them on top of cheese mixture. Place in preheated oven for 60 – 75 minutes. The thicker the cauliflower the longer the baking time to make sure the middle is baked soft. Remove from oven and let sit for five minutes before serving. Slice into six or nine pieces for side dishes – it should come out intact, but if it doesn’t, it will still taste awesome.

Posted in baked, cauliflower, Douglas Kitchen, eggs, garlic, parsley, side dish, Uncategorized, vegetables, wheat free
04 Feb 2014

Chicken Faux Fried Rice

faux fried rice

Chopsticks are fun. Whenever there is bite-sized food I like using them. Little B likes using them, too, and is still working on mastering their use. I do use a bit of rolled paper and a rubber band to connect them on tip, then she can practice the squeezing and picking up of food, knowing that free range chop stick use is in her near future. I don’t eat rice anymore, which makes ordering in Chinese restaurants a little challenging, but I enjoy the flavors and textures of the dishes, including fried rice. As I continue to explore the many and varied uses of cauliflower, I did some research about using it instead of rice. In the end, using it as a rice substitute, especially in a fried rice type dish, is a lot faster than using traditional rice. The saute part of this one-dish wonder is just enough time to cook it and keep it at a firmness similar to rice. The cauliflower, combined with using gluten free soy sauce made it fun to make and eat. I’m thinking next time I will make a beef and broccoli concoction on top of some faux rice. I bet it will turn out great!

Chicken Faux Fried Rice

1 large head cauliflower
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground mustard
3/4 cup gluten free soy sauce
1 Tbsp coconut oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 medium white onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery
3 eggs, whisked
2 cups mini portabello mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 cups fresh spinach, finely chopped
1 cup mixed vegetables (peas, corn, carrots), optional
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut chicken into small, bite-sized pieces. In a medium bowl place 1/2 cup soy sauce, ground mustard and ground ginger. Whisk together, then add half the mixture to the chicken, making sure it is coated. Place in refrigerator to marinate for about 30 minutes. Cut cauliflower into pieces small enough to fit in food processor. Fill processor with cauliflower and pulse until at least 3/4 of it is the size of rice grains – having some slightly larger pieces remaining is fine, for they will break down a bit during the cooking process. When all the cauliflower is chopped set it aside. Cut celery into rough pieces and pulse in processor until very fine, almost a paste. Pull the chicken from the fridge and separate the chicken from the marinade, discarding the liquid. Add the chicken to the pan and toss until cooked through, about five minutes for small pieces. In a large skillet or wok over medium high heat add the coconut oil. When hot add the celery, garlic and onion. Toss in the oil until it all begins to brown. Add the cauliflower to the pan, turning up the heat slightly to make sure the cauliflower sears. Toss the whole mixture every minute for five minutes. Add mixed vegetables if you are including them. In a bowl stir together the egg and remaining 1/4 cup soy sauce. Make a ‘bowl’ in the middle of the skillet/wok, all the way to the bottom. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and let it cook for a few seconds. Start stirring it with the chicken and cauliflower mixture until it is all coated. Continue tossing the pan contents until the egg is no longer runny. Add the spinach and toss, letting everything cook for another minute until the spinach starts to wilt. Serve immediately with salt, pepper and more soy sauce as desired.

 

Posted in cauliflower, chicken, Douglas Kitchen, eggs, garlic, onion, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment

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