Easy No Knead Peasant Bread from Alexandracooks.com and Egg Salad

I’ve been craving egg salad and I’ve been meaning to try no knead peasant bread.  Today was the day.

I boiled eggs and activated the yeast  simultaneously.

As you can see, some were super easy to peel, others not so much!  They were all cooked using the same method and peeled using the same method, so I got to wondering why some were easy and others not.  Apparently, the fresher the egg, the harder to peel.  Who knew?  They say to use eggs you’ve had in the fridge for a week or more and to store them on their sides if you are going to hard boil them.  The most recommended method is:  Bring water to a boil.  Turn off heat and cover and let sit 11 minutes.  After boiling, pour off the hot water, shake pan back and forth to crack the shells. Cover eggs in cold water and let set for a couple of minutes. Leave water and eggs in pan and peel, using water to rinse away excess shells.

Peasant Bread was according to a recipe on a website called alexandracooks.com

https://alexandracooks.com/2012/11/07/my-mothers-peasant-bread-the-best-easiest-bread-you-will-ever-make/

Follow the link to a great video and printable recipe.  I wasn’t intimidated because her instructions are so specific.  I made one loaf in a larger bowl than she uses.  You could easily use gluten free flour blends for this!  Everyone loved it.   This is a picture of my dough after the first proof.

This is how it looked when done.

I like a simple egg salad, similar in flavor to deviled eggs.  You can certainly add celery or onion in yours, but I love it like this:

I made a huge batch using 18 eggs.  I’ve scaled the recipe down for a smaller batch.

6 eggs, hardboiled

1 heaping Tbsp. mayonnaise or salad dressing

1 Tbsp. yellow mustard

1/8 tsp. lemon juice

2 Tbsp. pickle relish

Salt and pepper to taste.  I used seasoned salt and a pepper blend.

The brunch was such a success, I will do this again and soon.  So easy and inexpensive!

 

 

 

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Vegetarian Green Bean Main Dish Casserole

This is a super easy for a weeknight meal.  Ingredients on hand, ready to go.  Variations are endless.

2 packages frozen crumbles

1 onion, chopped

Oil to soften onion

1 tsp. seasoned salt

1 tsp.  garlic powder

(variations available based on seasoning choices!)

2 cans french style green beans, drained

1 can garbanzo beans, drained

1 pouch Imagine non-dairy cream of mushroom soup

1 pouch vegan cheddar shredds

1 package tater tots (I used Ore Ida mini tots)

Chop onion – I used a sweet red onion

Put tater tots in oven to cook according to directions.

Cook onion in large skillet in oil with seasonings until translucent.

Drain beans and add in to onion.

Stir in soup and heat through.

Keep warm until tater tots are ready.  I cooked them on parchment and made them extra crispy.

Pour skillet ingredients into prepared baking dish.

Top with cooked tater tots.  I could have used sweet potato tots to eliminate nightshades.,

Sprinkle with vegan cheddar shredds.

Pop into the oven at 400-425F for 15 minutes or until shredds melt.

Variations – veggie tater tots or sweet potato tots, other varieties of soup, other vegetables besides green beans, real ground meat instead of crumbles.  Mexican style?  Indian style?  Italian style?  Yum, Yum, Yum.

 

 

Risotto Casserole with Chicken Skewers

I had leftover risotto from the Waiting for Dorian meal.  The local market had some chicken tenders on sale. Inspiration kicked-in!

Risotto casserole:

4 C. Leftover risotto

1 C.  Leftover chard and cannellini beans chopped up in the food processor. Any leftover cooked vegetables will do.

1 egg

1 C. Vegan mozzarella shredded

1/2 C.  Crumbs from seasoned chips or crackers. I used some organic multigrain crackers.

3 Tbsp. butter

Combine leftover risotto, chard, egg, shredds and crumbs.  Place in 13 x 9 baking dish sprayed with coconut oil.  I refrigerated it overnight. This is not a necessary step. I just did it so dinner will be easy tonight. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Top with little pieces of butter turn heat up to 450 and cook for another 15 minutes to make golden brown across the top.

For the chicken skewers:

Weave chicken tenders on to skewers. Marinade overnight in marinade of choice. I combined 1/2 C. pineapple jalapeno jam and 1/4 C. balsamic glaze. It was amazing! Bake in the oven side by side with the risotto casserole. After 30 minutes at 350 take the chicken out and cover with foil tossing around first to make sure it all has plenty of the juices on it. Finish cooking the risotto casserole with the butter on it.

This was a huge hit!

 

Waiting on Dorian Dinner

Having lived in Florida, I have been fortunate to have avoided a direct hit by a hurricane.  Trees down.  Crushed tool shed .  Tonight the anticipation of what Hurricane Dorian may bring got to me, so I did some culinary therapy!

Boneless skinless chicken thighs, risotto, chard and cannelini sauce!

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 bottle marinade of choice (or better yet homemade)

For the risotto:

1 1/2 c aborio rice

5 c.  Broth

3 Tbsp. Butter

1/2 c. Wine

4 Tbsp. Vegan cream cheese

1 c. Vegan cheese shredds

Seasonings of choice

For the chard:

1 pouch frozen chopped chard

1 can cannelini beans

2 Tbsp oil

Seasonings of choice.

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.

2.  Marinade chicken in 13 x 9 baking dish.

3.  Combine rice and 4 x. Broth in Dutch oven.

4.  Place chicken and risotto in oven on low rack.  The need to cook 45 to 50 minutes.

5.  Heat oil in skillet.  Place chard, beans and seasonings over low heat with lid.  Saute until chicken and risotto come out of the oven.

6. Meanwhile, combine cheeses, butter, remaining broth, wine, and seasonings.

7.  Stir cheese mixture into risotto and stir vigorously until creamy.

All in all a successful culinary therapy session!

 

Gluten Free Vegetarian Sloppy Joe Casserole

I cooked this for the boys, but didn’t have any because of the nightshades.  They loved it.  Super easy weeknight meal.

1 large onion chopped.

1 c. chopped bell peppers.

1 package Gardein crumbles

2 cans store bought sloppy Joe sauce

1 recipe gluten free biscuit or corn bread, loose and wet enough to spoon over Sloppy Joe.

Cook onion in a little oil till translucent.   I seasoned with some seasoned salt.  Optional.  Add in crumbles.

Meanwhile, make batter for topping.  I used gluten free Bisquick.

Add sauce into crumbles and heat through.

Pour into 13 x 9 baking dish sprayed with coconut oil.  Top with batter.  Bake 350F 40 – 45 minutes.

Amazing Gluten Free Lactose Free Mac and Cheese

This is hands down the best yet!

2 packages Modern Table noodles

16 oz.  Lactose Free cottage cheese

8 oz. Vegan cream cheese

8 oz.  Vegan cheese

Seasoned salt and garlic powder to taste.   I used about 1/2 to 1 tsp. each.

Cook noodles according to directions.

Meanwhile heat cream cheese, cottage cheese and seasonings in small saucepan to melt cream cheese.

Pour drained, hot noodles into 13 x 9 baking dish.  Pour sauce over and mix.

Top with vegan cheese and bake 25 minutes at 400F.   Yummy.

I cooked it alongside Garden turk’y cutlets.  Yumm.

Gluten Free Lactose Free Breakfast Casserole – With Sausage or Vegan Sausage

In an attempt to make a breakfast with items on hand, I came across a recipe from Crazy for Crust.  I adapted it for dietary restrictions.

10 eggs

1/4 C gluten free flour

16 oz.  Lactose Free cottage cheese

1/2 C melted butter

1 tsp. Baking powder

1 lb. Sausage, cooked and crumbled.

1 tsp. Seasoned salt

1 tsp. Garlic powder

1 package vegan cheddar like shredds

Combine cottage cheese, eggs, butter, flour, and baking soda.  Mix in sausage and shredds.

Pour into greased/sprayed 13 x 9 baking dish.  Bake at 400 F for 35 minutes.

Easy Ginger Miso Chicken Stir Fry

Some days dinner just comes together and is perfection.  My picture doesn’t do it justice, but you will thank me!!!  Yummmmm.

All convenience foods, so easy.

2 to 3 lbs. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs.

1 bottle Organicville Miso Ginger Vinaigrette

1 pouch Kame Thai Stir Fry Noodles

1 bag Eat Smart Stir Fry Noodles

Cook thighs in slow cooker on low 7 hours.

Cook noodles and vegetables in microwave.

Cut up thighs into bite- size pieces using kitchen shears.  Stir in noidles and veggies. It sat on warm for 30 to 45 minutes and held up well.

Gluten Free Non Dairy Grilled Cheese and Sheet Pan Potato Skins

0These were soooo good.  Creamy, stringy vegan cheese,  amazing gluten free rye bread, and tofutti sour cream.

Canyon Bakehouse Gluten Free Rye Bread

Daiya Dairy Free Cheddar Style Slices

Vegan Butter for outside of sandwich

Russet Potatoes

Vegan Cheese Shredds

Vegan bacon (optional)

Grapeseed oil for brushing.

1.  Bake and cool potatoes.  Cut in half and scooped-out potato leaving just a little white and the skins. Reserve the stuff you scoop out for mashed potatoes another night!

2.  Brush skins with oil, top with shredds, and place on sheet pan.  Season as desired.

3.  Assemble grilled cheese sandwiches and prepare to bake on sheet pan or cook in large skillet.

4.  Bake 425 for 15 minutes.  Sandwiches need to be flipped halfway through.

Top the skins with chives mod sour cream if desired.  Yummmm.

The Canyon Bakehouse rye bread was the best! We used it when we had Beyond Burger patty melts. Recipe to be posted soon!

 

Gluten Free, Non Dairy, Vegetarian Burritos

My niece is in town for a visit adding yet another set of food allergies to cook around!  We all loved these burritos!  I was glad to find a taco sauce with no black pepper that she could eat.

We are lucky here in Florida to have so many great allergen free foods.

1 onion, chopped

3- 4 Tbsp. Grapeseed oil

2 tsp. The Spice Hunter coriander lime rub

1/2 cup Brazilian spinach, torn

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. salt

4 cups cooked brown rice

1 package Gardein crumbles

1 pouch Frontera Texas skillet taco sauce

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 pouch vegan cheese shreds

Large tortillas.  Recipe makes approximately 12- 14 burritos.

Start by softening onion in a little oil, reserving some to brush the burritos prior to baking.  Season with salt and coriander lime seasoning.

Add in spinach, garlic, and crumbled, cooking till spinach is softened.

In a large bowl, combine rice, beans, taco sauce, shredded vegan cheese and crumbles.

I used a standard ice cream scoop and put 2 scoops on each tortilla, wrapping envelope style.

I placed them on a sheet pan and brush them with oil and bake at 350 F for 20 minutes or until golden.