Thanksgiving is just around the corner and if you still don’t know how you want to approach a gluten-free stuffing, please consider these unique stuffing recipes from Karen Morgan, of Blackbird Bakery in Austin, TX.
Rosemary Stuffing with Blood Orange Cranberries
Makes about 10 cups stuffing
The other day, I had my first real urge to bake something since Spring. Summer was H.O.T. this year and my kitchen is particularly stuffy even though there is a window and I just didn’t want to hang out in a hot kitchen to realize after all that, my cookies spread too much because of the heat. Then, the temperature dropped, and it began to feel like fall and baking seemed like an attractive option once again.
When I do bake, I tend to make a lot of cookies. I also love quick breads, but those don’t get eaten as fast, so I went almond butter cookies, similar to peanut butter cookies. My roommate has a peanut allergy. I’m used to peanut allergies. My sister, Lily, also has one, so until I was 18 I didn’t eat nuts. In college, I went crazy for nuts. I ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Reese’s and straight up spoonfuls of peanut butter. While the novelty wore off after a while, peanuts and nuts re-entered my diet as a staple. My roommate, Erin is only allergic to peanuts, so luckily for her and us we can all still enjoy a variety of nuts. Hence, the almond butter cookies. According to Alex, these cookies were my best textured to date. Enjoy.
Almond Butter Cookies
1 1/4 cup almond butter (I used raw creamy unsalted, but you can use your preferred type)
1 cup sugar
3 TBS maple syrup
2 TBS white rice flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two greased baking sheets with waxed paper and grease the waxed paper as well. The grease on the pans helps the paper stick. Combine the wet ingredients first (almond butter, egg, maple syrup, and sugar) and then add the flour and baking powder. I did this in a food processor, but you can do it by hand, it just takes some elbow grease with the dense almond butter. The dough should be sticky, but firm and maleable. If its too wet, add more flour. Roll tablespoon sized chunks into balls and then roll them in a plate of sugar. Place the balls onto the baking sheet and press a greased fork into the ball twice to make a checkered pattern and flatten them slightly. Bake for 12 minutes. Check on the cookies at 10 minutes to make sure they aren’t burning, because some ovens are different.
These cookies come out flat and crisp, if you want cakier, heartier cookies here is a modification:
1 cup almond butter
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup gluten-free oats
4 TBS flour
2 tps baking powder
1 egg
3 TBS maple syrup.
The only difference in this recipe is that you want to wait until everything is combined before you add the oats. I also used a food processor for this and it ended up chopping the oats into smaller pieces, making the end result less obviously oat-y. I also baked these at 350 for 12 minutes and they came out cakier and denser.
Markets just seem so French to me. Maybe it’s because I spent 5 months in Provence and one of the many new and different things there was the market. Le marche. In Aix, there were many markets. There was the Saturday market, where almost all of the city’s largest squares and streets were filled with vendors selling souvenirs, clothing, fabric, soap, and other treasures; there was the Sunday flea market, where I found a Longchamp purse for 10 euro and beautiful anchor buttons I had the intention of making into earrings; the Tuesday/Thursday flower market that I wish I had an excuse to buy from; and the weekday food markets, with fresh fruit, vegetables, sausages, and cheeses that made for perfect picnics.
One of the many things I admire about the French, is the way they eat, and markets are certainly part of that. Most French families (in Provence, at least) buy food more often and in smaller quantities. Not only does this allow for more inspirational cooking, but fresher ingredients. Instead of doing a weekly or biweekly, in some cases, shopping trip at the supermarket and being locked into whatever food they purchase, perhaps they’ll be inspired by that impossibly red tomato and make a ratatouille.
root veggies
strawberries
Living in New York City, we are very lucky to have access to many farmer’s markets. The largest farmer’s market program is Greenmarket, organized and managed by GrowNYC. They are responsible for the huge Union Square market, and the smaller neighborhood markets (like Tompkins and Stuyvesant Town, which are close to me). Full disclosure here, I wish I shopped at markets more often. Most of the time, I go to a grocery store or order from Fresh Direct, but every time I go to a market, I wonder to myself why I don’t do it more often. The food is fresh, local, and inexpensive.
This past weekend, while walking my dog with my fiance, we passed the Stuyvesant Town market and were drawn in by the prospect of wine tasting at 11 am. It was the start of a market-inspired dinner. We tasted wine, bought two bottles, and then wandered over to the fish stand. The wine guy said something about “going great with fish” and the wheels started turning. We looked at the fish: black sea bass, swordfish, cod, and were intrigued by the shellfish. The shellfish won, and we bought a bag of mussels for $6 (feeds 3-4) and 1/2 pound of scallops. The corn at the veggie stand looked good and so we picked up 5 ears for $2 (the price of three in a store). We returned to the apartment with our bounty and I started planning dinner: mussels and scallops in a wine sauce, with steamed broccoli, zucchini, and an ear of corn. Simple, summery, fresh, and local and the whole thing cost us $18 for everything. Not bad for a satisfying seafood meal for three. recipe below…
After a fantastic memorial day weekend where I returned to the suburbs to beach and grill, I have had no desire to cook. This is weird for me. Normally, when I get home, the first thing I think about is “when do I start dinner?” Now it’s, “what the heck am I going to eat?” Nothing is appealing to me (well, except for ice-cold gluten-free beer). I think its the weather. I don’t want to be in a hot kitchen or eat hot, and heavy foods.
Any suggestions on light, but satiating, summer meals?
These little balls are so easy to make and delicious that I made them twice in a week. The second time I used soy-nut butter instead of peanut butter because my sister is allergic (although I admit, the peanut-butter is tastier).
