Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

 Adapted from the America's Test Kitchen How Can it Be Gluten Free Cookbook.  

Ingredients:

1 cup vegetable oil

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 

2 oz (2/3 cup) cocoa powder

7 oz ATK all-purpose gluten free flour blend*

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

10.5 oz (1 1/2 cups) sugar

1 cup whole milk

4 cups frosting/filling

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees, making sure oven rack is in the middle.  Line four 6-inch rounds with parchment and spray with nonstick spray.  (Note you can also use 2 nine-inch round pans).

2.  Microwave the oil, chopped chocolate, and cocoa powder on 50% power in 1-minute intervals stirring in-between until melted.  Whisk together until smooth.  Set aside.

3.  In a separate bowl combine the flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt with a clean whisk.

4.  In the mixer whisk the eggs and vanilla together and then add the sugar until well combined.  Pour the chocolate mixture and the whole milk and combine.  Then slowly add the flour blend mixture until the batter is smooth.  

5.  Divide batter evenly between pans (I use my kitchen scale for this).  Then bake for 22-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  For the 9-inch size increase baking time to 28-32 minutes.

6.  Let cakes cook on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Loosen the sides with a knife and then turn out to finish cooling completely.  Level, frost, and fill as desired.

*Can also sub 7oz King Arthur gluten-free multi-purpose flour, but may be more starchy.

Charred Cauliflower Quesadillas with Taco Slaw

So flavorful and filling.  Yield: 6 quesadillas, serves 6

INGREDIENTS

2 small or 1 large fresh poblano chiles
1 small head cauliflower, cored and cut into rough 1-inch chunks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for cooking quesadillas
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 cups (about 8 ounces) coarsely grated Monterey jack cheese
12 small (7-inch) flour tortillas (to make gluten-free, use corn or almond tortillas)

1.  Char peppers: Over a gas burner turned to high, hold the poblanos over the flame with tongs and char them until they are black and blistered all over.  (Or you can use the broiler, turning often).  Put the poblano chiles in a bowl and cover tightly with foil. Set aside to steam and let their skins loosen while you cook the cauliflower.

2. Char cauliflower: In a large bowl, toss cauliflower with 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Heat heavy 12-inch pan over high heat until almost smoking.  Add cauliflower cook until each piece has a few black spots but is not mushy, turning and moving it frequently to ensure even cooking for 8-10 minutes. Set aside.

3. Mix filling: When poblanos are cool enough to handle, peel the charred skin (with your fingers or paring knife).   Pull out and discard stems and seed clusters, and slice peppers into 1/4-inch wide strips. Add to cauliflower on board and give both a rough chop together, reducing the cauliflower to no bigger than 1/2-inch chunks. Return cauliflower and peppers to the large bowl, add scallions, lime juice and salt to taste. You should have about 2 cups of cauliflower filling.

4. Assemble and cook quesadillas: Put a 1/3 cup cauliflower filling and 1/3 cup shredded cheese on each tortilla. Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat.  Cook quesadillas until lightly browned about 3-4 minutes on each side. Cut quesadillas into wedges and serve with your choice of fixings. 

Cumin-Lime Crema

1/2 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
A few gratings fresh lime zest
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients together, adjust seasonings to taste, and serve alongside quesadillas.

Lazy Taco Slaw

1 bag coleslaw mix or (as used here) 3 cups finely shredded red cabbage and 1 coarsely grated carrot
Coarse salt
Juice of half a lime
2 scallions, sliced thin
A dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt
A dash of hot sauce (optional)
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley leaves

Mix cabbage salt and lime together in a large bowl.  Set aside for 5 minutes (it will shrink a bit).Then toss together with scallions, then yogurt and hot sauce. Adjust seasonings/ingredients to taste, add cilantro.  

Citrus and Soy Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin

 Super moist, easy, and delicious grilled pork recipe.  Family favorite!  Adapted from Mels Kitchen Cafe.

CITRUS AND SOY-MARINATED GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN

YIELD:  6 SERVINGS  PREP TIME:  10 MINUTES  COOK TIME:  20 MINUTES ADDITIONAL TIME:  7 HOURS 55 MINUTES  TOTAL TIME:  8 HOURS 25 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

 2-3 pounds pork tenderloin
 3/4 cup olive oil
 1/3 cup soy sauce (to make gluten-free use gluten-free soy sauce)
 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (check brand for gluten-free, French's is gluten-free)
 1 tablespoon dry mustard
 1 teaspoon salt
 1 teaspoon black pepper
 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine all the ingredients except the pork and mix well. Pour the marinade into a ziploc bag or baking dish and add the pork tenderloin, making sure the marinade completely covers the pork. Marinade for 8-10 hours.

Preheat an outdoor grill (charcoal or gas). Grill the pork tenderloin about 3-4 minutes on each of its four sides (the exact time will depend on the temperature of your grill) or the internal temperature is about 150 to 155 degrees. Remove from the grill, tent with foil, and allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Sheet Pan Chicken Tzatziki Wraps

One (two) pan meal that comes together quickly and is a crowd-pleaser.  The tzatziki sauce is delicious!  Slightly adapted from Mels Kitchen Cafe.

CHICKEN:

 3 tablespoons olive oil
 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
 1 teaspoon minced garlic, about 2 medium cloves
 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
 1/2 teaspoon salt (I use coarse, kosher salt)
 1/4 teaspoon pepper
 1 1/2 to 2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into thin slices (see note)

VEGETABLES:

 2 bell peppers (any color), cored and sliced thinly
 1 medium zucchini, sliced into strips (no need to peel)
 1 medium red onion, sliced thinly
 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
 Salt and pepper

TZATZIKI:

 1/2 to 1 cup grated English cucumber
 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
 1/2 cup crumbled feta (optional, but super tasty)
 Salt and pepper, to taste

EXTRAS:

 Naan, flatbread, or other wrap bread (omit if making gluten-free or try making gluten free naan)
 Diced cucumbers
 Chopped tomatoes
 Spring mix lettuce (or other lettuce or spinach)

INSTRUCTIONS

For the chicken and marinade, in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Place the chicken strips in a shallow dish or ziploc bag.

Pour the marinade over the chicken, toss to combine, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours).

For the tzatziki sauce, squeeze excess liquid from the grated cucumber (can use a kitchen towel or lightly wring out with hands). Combine the cucumber with the remaining tzatziki ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Lightly grease 2 half sheet pans.  Place the chicken pieces on one pan in a single layer (leave excess marinade in dish or bag).

On a second sheet pan, toss the bell peppers and zucchini with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer.

Place both sheet pans in the oven on separate racks and cook for 5-6 minutes. Rotate sheet pans. (At this point, if there is a lot of liquid on the chicken sheet pan, drain it off). Continue cooking until the chicken and veggies are tender (they may finish cooking at different times so watch closely).

Serve the chicken and veggies on flatbread with tzatziki sauce and other toppings.

NOTES

Vegetables: if you don't have zucchini or want to change up the vegetables, feel free to sub in a favorite roasted veggie combo.

Broiling vs Roasting: for more golden color on the chicken or veggies, you can cook one sheet pan at a time on the broil setting (watch closely!).

Za'atar Chicken Thighs and Roasted Green Beans

Adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe this is one of our family's FAVORITE dinners.  Nice enough to serve company, but simple enough to make on a weekday.  The chicken is super moist, and the green beans are delicious.  We don't always do the roasted pita, but that is a nice extra touch!

INGREDIENTS:
1 lemon, quartered
3 lbs bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, (about 4-6 thighs)
2 1/2 Tablespoons of Za'atar spice
3 T olive oil
2 t salt
1/2 t pepper

1 lb green beans
1 clove of garlic minced or 1/4 t garlic powder
2 T olive oil
1/2 t salt and pepper
3-4 pitas (optional, omit for gluten-free)

1.  Preheat oven to 450 with rack in the upper third of the oven.  Place baking sheet in the oven to preheat.
2.  Quarter lemon.  Pat chicken thighs dry, then transfer to a large bowl.  Toss and coat with 2 1/2 T of za'atar, lemon quarters, 3 T olive oil, 2 t salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
3.  Place lemon quarters and chicken on preheated baking sheet, skin side up.  Roast until chicken is cooked through 18-20 minutes.
4.  While the chicken is cooking, trim ends of green beans.  Toss the green beans with 2 T olive oil, 1/2 t salt and pepper and garlic.  (Optional) cut pitas into 1-inch pieces.
5.  When chicken is cooked through, add green beans to baking sheet around the chicken (remove lemon wedges if more room is needed).  Roast until green beans are barely tender about 5 minutes.  Then switch the oven to broiler.  Broil on the top oven rack until the chicken is crisp and the green beans are cooked about 2-3 more minutes.  Watch closely. Transfer chicken thighs to a plate to rest.
6.  Add pitas to baking sheet if using, stir to coat in the pan juices.  Broil on the top oven rack until lightly toasted with the green beans for 1-2 minutes.  Stir then broil again for 1-2 more minutes.  Watch closely.

*NOTE: In a pinch, I've used a half of an orange instead of lemon and still tasted great.

Puppy Chow (aka Muddy Buddies)

A favorite treat, that's easy to make and naturally gluten free!  Adapted from The Very Best Puppy Chow {Muddy Buddies} - Mel's Kitchen Cafe (melskitchencafe.com)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups (340 g) semisweet chocolate chips (see note)
• 1 ¼ cups (320 g) peanut butter (see note)
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) salted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 10 ½ to 11 cups (352 g) rice or corn Chex cereal (a 12-ounce box)
• 2 ½ cups (285 g) powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons (11 g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder (see note)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pour the cereal into a large bowl.
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter and cook for 1-minute intervals, stirring in between, until the mixture is smooth and fully melted. Don't overheat. Stir in the vanilla extract.
3. Drizzle the chocolate mixture over the cereal and using a flat rubber spatula gently fold the mixture until the cereal is evenly coated with the warm mixture.
4. Place the powdered sugar* in a large bag and add the chocolate-covered cereal (you may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your bag). Close the bag and shake like your life depends on it until the cereal is coated with the dry mixture.  
5. Let the cereal rest until it goes from wet and shiny to looking a bit sticky, 5 to 10 minutes (this is an important step – If it is too wet, the powdered sugar soaks into the runny chocolate instead of forming a powdery coating on the outside).
6. In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder (see note).
7. Spoon about half of the powdered sugar mixture in the bottom of two 1-gallon ziploc bags or one 2-gallon ziploc bag (I keep these larger bags on hand just for this recipe – makes it so easy to mix!).
8. Add the cereal mixture to the bag(s). This step can be a bit messy. It helps to fold down the top of the bag a few inches and pile the cereal in.
9. Add the remaining powdered sugar mixture. Close the bag and shake, turning the bag over as you go, until the cereal is mostly coated with the powdered sugar mixture and has formed clusters here and there.
10. (You can continue adding powdered sugar a little at a time and shaking to coat if you'd like a thicker powdery coating on the puppy chow, but be warned that this may result in less clusters.)
11. Spread the puppy chow out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. At this point, you can easily sprinkle on a bit more powdered sugar and toss by hand if there are extra gooey spots that need it. Let the puppy chow sit for 20 to 30 minutes to cool and set.
12. Store the puppy chow in the fridge or the freezer and experience how good life can be when munching on chilled clusters of this magnificent stuff.