Any Kitchen Will Do

15 Sep 2012

Wheat Free Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Oh the sweet smell of autumn! The smell of wood fires. The way the whole world looks like sunset all day long with the changing leaves. The rush to do things in the daylight of shorter days. It is so close I can feel it – especially with the windows open and tree tops outside my kitchen window. The smell I most often associate with autumn is spiced pumpkin, whether it is coming from a dish for breakfast, dessert or a hot beverage. The smell wafting through the air is heavenly. Every evening this week I have set a pot simmering low on the stove with water, vanilla, cinnamon sticks and ginger. The whole house smells like freshly baked pumpkin pie. Little B is currently ‘helping’ me clean up while the muffins bake. It may sound odd, but Little B has not often been interested in licking the bowl after batter has gone into baking dishes. Unlike what I recall as a little kid, I was always wanting to savor those little bits in the bowl, teasing me about how the final product would taste. As I type she is going on fifteen minutes trying to get every speck of the batter out of the mixing bowl. Regardless of how the muffins turn out, my house smells delicious and the batter is a success!

Wheat Free Pumpkin Spice Muffins

6 eggs
6 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp unsweetened coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla
10 drops liquid stevia
5 ounces pureed pumpkin
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ground ginger
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 cup powdered erythritol

Preheat oven to 400F. Prepare muffin pan with liners. In mixing bowl blend together wet ingredients. In separate bowl combine dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir just until combined. Divide batter among the 12 muffin cups. Bake for about 15 minutes until tops begin to brown. Let cool for about ten minutes before serving.

Posted in baked, cinnamon, muffins, pumpkin, Silver Spring Kitchen, wheat free | Leave a Comment

10 Sep 2012

2 Comments

Oatmeal Vanilla No Bake Cookies

I know I know. This recipe is totally not in line with what I have been making lately, but I have a reason. I wanted to make a little something for people at work, and since 95% of them eat whatever comes there way, I decided to make something with a -little- bit of nutrition, but not exactly sugar free. I took some gluten free sugar free treats for the souls with more sensitive diets, but the majority happily scoffed down these cookies. The result was a big hit, and apparently addictive. I like that. I ate a crumb when I was slicing them up, and wow! One guy at work insisted he really liked the coconut, but I think it was oats, since there is not a speck of coconut in them. Maybe it was a texture thing? His insistence is ironic, considering all the coconut products I use these days. The good thing about this recipe is the fact you can make it from dry goods typically found in your pantry, and staples from the fridge. I would eventually like to try a gluten free sugar free version, but my hunt for sugar free pudding mix without aspartame has yet to be successful…oh well, maybe some day. In the meantime, you now have a recipe that is quick to whip up and will disappear in the blink of an eye!

Vanilla No Bake Cookies

2 cups white sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¾ cup butter
2/3 cup milk
1 (3.4 ounce) box vanilla pudding mix
3 ½ cups quick cooking oats
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a large pan mix together sugar, butter and milk. Bring to a boil. Boil for two minutes. Turn off the heat, add in the pudding mix, oats and vanilla. Let stand five minutes. Drop by tablespoon onto wax or parchment paper and let cool. You can also pour the mixture into a small cookie sheet or baking dish (9×11). Spread evenly and let cool completely before slicing up into desired serving size. Store in airtight container.

Inspired by: http://auntpegsrecipebox.blogspot.com/2012/04/vanilla-oatmeal-no-bake-cookies.html#.UEJBNZbAETA

Posted in cookies, oatmeal, Silver Spring Kitchen, snack, wheat free

08 Sep 2012

Another End of Summer Salad

Okay, so I had a little of this and a little of that in the fridge (some of which was left over from making pizza (add link)) and thought they would make a wonderful end of summer salad. Again. It is a bit different from my other End of Summer Salad (add link), but I am really trying to squeeze in the summer produce, so I decided to post it. I know it was recently, like, right below, but this one has a totally different taste. I have to say right now that I absolutely adore my daughter and love how her fine motor skills are improving exponentially while helping me in the kitchen. Now I must also say that I really enjoyed making this salad all by myself – not having to lean over a footstool, without a helper who is learning to use a knife, or a munchkin putting a little too much parsley in the bowl or an imp who insists on measuring and pouring the olive oil from the huge bottle on her own and spilling about half a cup on the counter. While she watched the last bit of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971 version, thank you very much) I snuck in the kitchen and whipped up the salad. I liked doing it by myself as much as I will like the next time she helps break a dozen eggs for a frittata – its just a different way of cooking. Here she comes!

Another End of Summer Salad

3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp sea salt*
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp dried parsley leaves
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
Dash of dried red pepper flakes
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 medium tomatoes, rough chopped
½ large cucumber, rough chopped
1 cup artichoke hearts, rough chopped
½ cup chopped black olives
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack, Feta or Parmesan cheese

Add first seven ingredients in small bowl. While whisking the vinegar mixture gradually add olive oil until well combined. In medium bowl add tomatoes, cucumber, artichoke hearts, olives and cheese. Drizzle dressing over vegetables and stir until evenly distributed. Chill for at least 20 minutes. Toss again before serving.

*If you use Feta or Parmesan cheese you may need less than 1 tsp of sea salt, since they tend to be stronger flavored cheeses.

Posted in artichoke, cheese, cucumber, salad, seasonal, side dish, Silver Spring Kitchen, tomato, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment

04 Sep 2012

End of Summer Salad

As the temperatures gently creep lower I tend to linger over the fresh, seasonal summer produce at the markets. I know some of it, although sadder looking, will be around pretty much year round. Some will have faded colors or less flavor. Others will just get more expensive. I look forward to the squash and root vegetables that are already becoming more prevalent, but I currently plan on cherishing the last of the bright tomatoes, abundant cucumber and perfect avocados that have become a habit over the past few months. Here is a wonderful, simple, soft salad that fully appreciates some of the summer fruits that we often call vegetables. Enjoy!

End of Summer Salad

4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 small bunch basil leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
½ lime, juiced with pulp
2 ripe Hass avocados, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 roma tomatoes, cut into about 20 pieces each
½ large cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped

In a small bowl combine the first six ingredients. Set aside. In a large bowl combine the avocado, tomato and cucumber. Add dressing and stir gently, trying not to smash tomatoes or avocado too much. Chill covered for about an hour before serving.

Posted in avocado, cucumber, lime, side dish, tomato, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment

31 Aug 2012

2 Comments

Zucchini Lasagna

Here is another low carb dish! We are really enjoying the increased level of energy we are experiencing with our current diet, which includes avoiding grains, sugars and processed foods. I am not a die hard fan of most pasta dishes, but I am a lasagna lover. When we traveled in Italy eight years ago I was all about the meat, fish and vegetables – the pasta was, surprisingly to me, not my go to dish while there. Probably because I was corrupted by American knock offs, or because I did not go to Northern Italy, where there is supposedly ‘better’ pasta. I do not really feel like I missed out. Especially in Rome there were almost as many places to get a skewer of roasted meat as there were pizza slices. Go figure. The time we spent renting a villa in Tuscany was sprinkled with visits to the local co-op for freshly butchered meat and freshly picked produce. The cheeses and cured meats were quite an experience, too. Of course, the evil alcoholic concoction we came up with while relaxing the nights away made the eating at the villa a pleasant blur. We would take Coca Cola light (the Italian version of diet Coke) and mix it with some quite horrible tasting Grappa. We did find what I consider very good Grappa before we left, but that first bottle was nasty. Not to waste alcohol, we combined it with the soda and boom! We dubbed our creation Crappa. We got schnockered and did some skinny dipping in the pool. To make a long story short, and totally disconnected to our libation, this recipe takes care of my lasagna craving while keeping me away from the processed carbs found in pasta

Zucchini Lasagna

2 large, narrow zucchini
2 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
2 tsp dried oregano leaves
2 tsp dried parsley leaves
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Splenda or ¼ tsp sugar
12-15 ounces ricotta cheese
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 ½ pounds ground Italian sausage, broken up and cooked thoroughly
1 cup sliced mushrooms
4 cups mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350F. In small sauce pan combine the diced tomatoes, paste, oregano, parsley, onion powder, salt and Splenda or sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, turn down flame and simmer for about 15 minutes, then remove from flame and let sit. While it is cooking prepare the rest of the dish. In a medium bowl mix the ricotta cheese, spinach and nutmeg and set aside – trust me – it sounds odd, but the nutmeg enhances the ricotta flavor. Slice ends off of zucchini. With a vegetable peeler peel off long strips of zucchini. If you don’t have a peeler, instead make zucchini coins as thin as you can with a knife. To build the lasagna begin with a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Add a layer of zucchini strips/coins overlapping generously to make a solid layer, followed by the ricotta mixture, sauce, mushrooms, sausage and 1 cup of mozzarella. Repeat the layers again. Top with a third layer of zucchini and the last of the mozzarella. Bake lasagna until heated through and cheese on top begins to brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for about ten minutes, allowing the lasagna to set.

Posted in baked, casserole, cheese, sausage, Silver Spring Kitchen, squash, tomato, vegetables, wheat free

26 Aug 2012

Stuffed Burgers

If it can all go on top, why can’t some go in the middle, too? In the world of hamburgers there is a limitless number of topping combinations and I have tried a lot of them. My go to combinations are usually the traditional bacon and cheddar, or bleu cheese with mushrooms. I am not a fan of Hawaiian themed burgers – it is my opinion that pineapple is for dessert, not for pizza or burgers. The more exotic burgers with truffles and seafood are okay, but such toppings seem to pair better with pasta. Sometimes I go for a couple of onion rings with barbeque sauce, but the sauce has to be just right. Although messy, cover my burger anytime with spicy queso dip and guacamole. I will be on it like a bee on honey. As often wont to do, I lean towards a more Tex-Mex theme for this latest dish. I have not made these in a while, so I figured it was time to do so again. These can be pretty messy if eaten on a bun, but that is okay. A good burger is always messy.

Stuffed Burgers

2 pounds ground beef
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp cumin
Dash dried red pepper flakes
1 Hass avocado
8 – 12 ounces shredded co-jack cheese
Salsa for serving
Fresh spinach and/or buns for serving

Combine beef, salt, pepper, cumin and pepper flakes together. Remove avocado meat from skin and roughly chop into small pieces. Divide beef into eight portions, then form portions into thin, equal sized patties. On four of the patties add 1/3 of the cheese, avocado and then 1/3 more of the cheese, leaving about ½ inch of meat around the edges. Place the other four patties over the loaded ones, then press together the edges so there is no seam. In a frying pan over medium heat add the olive oil. When oil is hot add the burgers. Cook for 5 – 7 minutes on each side, until cooked to desired doneness. The burgers will not take as long as regular burgers to cook because the cheese and avocado will heat up quickly in the middle. At the last minute add a bit more cheese to the top and cover until melted. Top with salsa on a bed of spinach (or buns) and serve immediately.

Posted in avocado, beef, cheese, Silver Spring Kitchen, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment

22 Aug 2012

Chicken Tomatillo

What the heck do you do when you have chicken and some leftovers in the fridge? Come up with something for dinner using them! Duh! After a long day at work I really needed to cook something so I could relax and totally enjoy my family. Cooking, Little B and Big D are what I rely on to balance out the chaos at work. It is a necessity for me to focus on those three things when I get home. It definitely works. I don’t think about work again until the next morning when they are sleeping and I am on the way out the door on the way to the office. I love that it works so well for me. There is nothing better than being able to escape at home. One of my constant challenges is to do something creative and simple with chicken. We are dark meat people, which means packages of legs and/or thighs cooked up for dinner. Recently we had a package of thighs, so I poked around in the fridge and came up with something luscious and amazing for dinner and a couple of lunches at work, which, of course, reminded me of home and let me escape for a bit in the middle of the work day. Yay!

Tomatillo Chicken

3 – 4 pound package chicken thighs, with bone and skin

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp sea salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

2 cups salsa verde with tomatillos sauce

2 cups mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Get your hands dirty and cover chicken with combined spices. Place chicken in 9×13 glass baking dish. Pour tomatillo sauce over chicken, then top with cheese. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Let sit for about ten minutes before serving.

Posted in avocado, chicken, sauces, Silver Spring Kitchen, wheat free | Leave a Comment

16 Aug 2012

Chocolate Chia Pudding

This stuff is quick, sugar free, dairy free and wheat free, but sooo chocolaty and satisfying! We tried a few different combinations of spices and flavors, but this is our favorite. It is kind of the texture of tapioca, and makes for a satisfying, light dessert, taking care of any sweet tooth or chocolate cravings. And go ahead – sing the commercial song while you make it – ch ch ch chia! I always imagine the chia plants you can buy that are grown in different shaped planters – chia plants! The seeds are actually from the same kind of plant. Whip it up in the blender before dinner, stick it in the fridge, then it is cold and ready to eat after the meal. It is just enough for three servings, so double or triple accordingly.

Chocolate Chia Pudding

1 cup coconut milk
4 Tbsp chia seeds
1 Tbsp flaxseeds
3 Tbsp erythritol/stevia (Truvia) powder
4 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Fresh berries (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and pulse until everything is combined – you may need to scrape down the sides to make sure the cocoa is fully incorporated. Let sit for a minute, then blend for about five more seconds. You will see it thicken as it blends. Let chill for about 20 minutes before serving – top with fresh berries if you like. If there are leftovers and you chill them overnight you may need to add more coconut milk and stir it up to thin out before partaking.

Posted in chocolate, cinnamon, flaxseed, Silver Spring Kitchen, Uncategorized, wheat free | Leave a Comment

13 Aug 2012

Hero Sandwich

Hero, hoagie, sub…whatever you call it, it is a sandwich with sub-stance of hero-ic size. Heh. I love hero sandwiches, which come and all shapes and sizes, depending on where you are in the country. Personally like my bread/filling ratio about 1:1, but often I find bready versions with a sad amount of filling, so I would feel inclined to pass on such a sad sandwich. For this one I wanted to make sure it was hearty. My friend hurt herself and was laid up for a while. With three hungry sons I felt the need to take over a pile of food. One thing I thought her men (and she) might like was a sandwich piled with meat and cheese. Here is what I came up with, inspired a bit by the muffaletta sandwiches I adore in New Orleans. Yes. They make more than Po’ boys down there. These are quick to make and great for parties and picnics. Have fun at the end of summer and make one for your clan!

Hero Sandwich

1 loaf French bread (white or whole wheat)
1 ½ cups black olives
1 ½ cups green olives with pimentos
3 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
8 ounces thin sliced salami
8 ounces thin sliced ham, honey or smoked
8 ounces thin sliced roast beef
8 ounces thin sliced turkey, smoked or roasted
6 ounces thin sliced Provolone cheese
6 ounces thin sliced cheddar cheese
6 ounces thin sliced Swiss cheese
6 – 8 long toothpicks

In food processor or blender add olives, garlic and olive oil. Pulse until it is a rough paste, adding a bit more oil if needed. Cut loaf in half lengthwise, leaving one long edge uncut, like a hinge. On the bottom and top halves of the loaf spread half the olive paste, making sure it gets spread all the way to the edges. Begin layering meats and cheeses, starting with meat – beef, cheddar, ham, Swiss, turkey, provolone, salami. Don’t be afraid to pile it on – you can smoosh it down later. If you are ready to serve, add any optional ingredients you like*. Close the sandwich and press down. Add toothpicks so they will be in the middle of each slice (about eight pieces). With a sharp knife or bread knife cut slices 1 – 2 inches thick. If you are not going to serve immediately, wrap the sandwich tightly in cling wrap and refrigerate, then when ready to serve, unwrap, add the toothpicks and slice.

*Optional ingredients (added right before cutting and serving) can include tomato slices, onion slices pickle slices and lettuce. Do not add these ingredients until right before serving, or offer them separately. They can make the sandwich soggy of they sit around in the sandwich for too long, and nobody likes a soggy hero.

Posted in bread, cheese, sandwich, Silver Spring Kitchen | Leave a Comment

11 Aug 2012

Blueberry Coconut Flour Muffins

Little B used to not like blueberries at all. We stopped even offering them to her, then suddenly, they were the best thing since sliced bread! They still come after blackberries, but they rank pretty high with her these days. When we celebrated Lammas a couple of weeks ago we wanted to honor the day with what is typically use of traditional first harvest items, and the recognition that days are getting shorter and cooler. Well, not cooler yet, but linger in the anticipation. First harvest is usually grains; more specifically, wheat. Since we are avoiding wheat there was a need to focus on a more creative symbolic dish. We mixed up some grain free muffins with a different seasonal harvest item – blueberries! They were wonderful accompaniments to the other harvest items on which we feasted: apples, zucchini, pork and wine. We had a lovely evening releasing regrets and looking towards autumn – what I consider my favorite time of year. I used coconut flour again, which has become a favored ingredient in my baking lately – it does not take much to go a long way and it is good for you! I hope you enjoy the muffins, for we did, in all their bluberry-ness.

Coconut Flour Blueberry Muffins

6 eggs
4 Tbsp plus 2 Tbsp (or 12 1/2 tsp) butter
2 Tbsp heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 drops liquid stevia
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup powdered erythritol
1/2 tsp baking powder
8 ounces blueberries

Preheat oven to 400F. Prepare muffin pan with liners. In mixing bowl blend together wet ingredients. In separate bowl combine dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir just until combined. Gently fold in blueberries. Divide batter among the 12 muffin cups. Bake for about 15 minutes until tops begin to brown. Let cool for about ten minutes before serving.

Update 11/26/12: Little B and I made a batch of these muffins tonight. A tweak made some doubly delicious muffins! We threw all the wet ingredients, along with the blueberries into a blender and whipped them all up together before combining with wet ingredients. We also added juice from half a very juicy lime – about 1/5 cup (very juicy lime). The tweaks made them more moist and the sweet and tang of the berries and juice worked great together. Everything else remained the same in the recipe.

Posted in baked, blueberries, breakfast, eggs, fruit, muffins, Silver Spring Kitchen, wheat free | Leave a Comment