Gluten-Free Goddess

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Crispy, crunchy tender goodness...
2007-08-22 02:48:00
Those of you cooking gluten-free for a family - and especially those of you with gluten-free kids of a certain age - will love this recipe posted by my son Alex ander at his blog Stir of the Moment. He waxes poetically about his recipe as "Cris py, crunchy, tender chicken... Your favorite sauce... a cold Redbridge in a tall frosty glass... Need I say more?"Nope!Gluten-Free Chicken Fingersgluten-free chicken
More About: Goodness , Tender

Crispy, crunchy tender goodness...
2007-08-22 02:48:00
Those of you cooking gluten-free for a family - and especially those of you with gluten-free kids of a certain age - will love this recipe posted by my son Alexander at his blog Stir of the Moment. He waxes poetically about his recipe as "Cris py, crunchy, tender chicken... Your favorite sauce... a cold Redbridge in a tall frosty glass... Need I say more?" Nope! Gluten-Free Chicken Fingers
More About: Goodness , Tender

The Passing of a Gluten-Free Goddess
2007-08-21 04:15:00
The celiac community got some sad news this week. Bette Hagman - cookbook author (The Gluten-Free Gourmet series) and a pioneering gluten-free goddess in the kitchen, has passed away.From the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America:If you would like to send a message to Bette Hagman's daughter Karol, send your condolences to:GIG (at) gluten.net and the message will be forwarded.This was shared by Cynthia Kupper, RD, CD, Executive Director of the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America in Auburn, Washington.We at Karina's Kitchen send heartfelt condolences and sympathy to Mrs. Hagman's family.bette hagman
More About: Gluten Free , Goddess , Passi , Passing

The Passing of a Gluten-Free Goddess
2007-08-21 04:15:00
The celiac community got some sad news this week. Bette Hagman - cookbook author (The Gluten-Free Gourmet series) and a pioneering gluten-free goddess in the kitchen, has passed away. From the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America: If you would like to send a message to Bette Hagman's daughter Karol, send your condolences to: GIG (at) gluten.net and the message will be forwarded. This was
More About: Gluten Free , Goddess , Passi , Passing

Breakfast Brownies
2007-08-19 20:02:00
It's been bright, hot and dry here by the mesa. We've been tossing salad greens in olive oil and balsamic vinegar and eating basmati rice and simple stir-fries. Nothing blog-worthy. The big news is we got to see a rough cut of The Canyon - no soundtrack yet or color correction, and still - it was amazing! Yvonne Strzechowski kicks ass (I am so proud of her - she embodies her character Lori with
More About: Breakfast , Brownies , Brea , Brownie

Breakfast Brownies
2007-08-19 20:02:00
It's been bright, hot and dry here by the mesa. We've been tossing salad greens in olive oil and balsamic vinegar and eating basmati rice and simple stir-fries. Nothing blog-worthy. The big news is we got to see a rough cut of The Canyon - no soundtrack yet or color correction, and still - it was amazing! Yvonne Strzechowski kicks ass (I am so proud of her - she embodies her character Lori with the heart of a lion). Not to mention, the deeply talented Will Patton - in a role unlike any you've seen him portray. I loved every minute he was on screen. And Eion Bailey handles the role of Nick with a sense of intimacy and urgency we haven't seen before.Steve and I kept looking at one another with a dizzying rush of emotions. Seeing his characters fleshed out and interpreted, hearing his words (and a few of my own) was at first surreal, then quickly, exhilarating. My hands shook. And I admit, I cried. This whole process has - honestly - been one of the highlights of my life.Brea kfast ...
More About: Brownies , Brownie

Food Allergy Madness
2007-08-14 19:51:00
Dear Gentle Readers,I finally got my Spectracell test results back as well as the extended food allergy panel (testing an additional ninety-five foods/spices/herbs). The good news is - I am only deficient in vitamin B 12, B 2, and the antioxidants selenium, vitamin C and E. Easy enough to take care of, I think. (I even managed to find a gluten-free milk-free soy-free egg-free vitamin E yesterday!
More About: Food , Madness

Summer Vegetable Love
2007-08-11 23:45:00
It's dead obvious I have a few passions. Color is a big one. I search for color with an appetite that rivals my hunger for fresh vegetables. And they happen to be my number two. Passion that is. At least when it comes to cooking.Roaming farmer's markets and organic produce aisles is my idea of a good time. It's as sexy to me as a candlelit date on Saturday night. Seriously. I'm that easy. Perusing stacks of ripe and voluptuous veggies - caressing peppers in ruby, orange and yellow, inhaling bunches of basil leaves and mint between hefting gorgeous heads of violet cabbage and tender crimson tomatoes leaves me giddy with inspiration. It's hard to be anything but thankful in the presence of such abundance. I feel alive. Engaged. And come to think of it, simply damn lucky to be alive and breathing.So it's no wonder my mood perks up in spring and blossoms into downright happiness come the dog days of summer. The harvest is in full swing. And I am in love again.And the best part is:...
More About: Love , Summer , Vegetable

Summer Vegetable Love
2007-08-11 23:45:00
It's dead obvious I have a few passions. Color is a big one. I search for color with an appetite that rivals my hunger for fresh vegetables. And they happen to be my number two. Passion that is. At least when it comes to cooking. Roaming farmer's markets and organic produce aisles is my idea of a good time. It's as sexy to me as a candlelit date on Saturday night. Seriously. I'm that easy.
More About: Love , Summer , Vegetable

A Healing Curry
2007-07-24 22:42:00
Certain individuals use their Crock Pot year round. Especially when they crave a soothing curry stirred with coconut milk and don't feel like sweating over a hot stove when the Kokopelli thermometer hanging under the portal reads 98 degrees in the shade.A Healing Curry Dust off the Crock Pot early in the day and slow-simmer a vegan curry brimming with healing ingredients - shredded cabbage, garlic, onion, apples, fennel and coconut milk. The kitchen - and you - stay cool. And dinner is done.You'll need::2 tablespoons light olive oil5-6 cloves fresh garlic, minced1 red onion, diced2-3 teaspoons gluten-free red curry powder, or to taste1 teaspoon cumin1/2 teaspoon fennel seed2 stalks of celery, chopped1/2 head white or purple cabbage, shredded2 large carrots, peeled, sliced or chopped1 large potato - gold or sweet, diced2 apples - 1 tart, 1 sweet - cored, peeled and chopped1/4 cup golden raisins1 14-oz. can chick peas, rinsed and drained3 cups vegan broth, more if neededTo add in lat...
More About: Gluten Free , Vegan , Cabbage

Peach Crisp
2007-07-18 01:20:00
First things first. If you haven't checked out Gluten-Free By the Bay's recipe round-up for her hypoallergenic-friendly blogging festival: Cooking For Karina, buzz on over and savor the flavors [not to mention a fabulous cooking video from Freshtopia featuring marinated spagini - yes, you heard me right. And Darling, I have to get one of those julienne peelers, uh, like, yesterday!].So here comes a great big goddess SMOOCH to Isaiah and everyone who shared their wonderful recipes. Thank you all. You're the best. You know that, right?In the meantime your intrepid GF Goddess at large has been conjuring egg-free sugar-free drek in the tiny blue-tiled cocina and tossing said drek into the trash left and right [developing quite an aim despite her gloomy disposition]. She shoots - she scores!In fact, the cabbage spent on the alternative flours, gluten-free casein-free mixes, allergen-free chocolate chips, organic bananas [don't believe what they tell you about subbing eggs with banana...
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Roasted Vegetable Salsa
2007-07-15 15:59:00
The best therapy a gloomy goddess can get is a warm and breezy convivial afternoon spent under the portal of Will and Joey's spacious and fabulous new house tucked away in the quiet treed hills north of Santa Fe. Friends Kevin and Tim joined in the house warming celebration. I brought a mild roasted veggie salsa, red pepper hummus and some freshly baked rice chips to munch on. Joey made his famous Kicked Up Rockin' Guac - off limits for me now, but don't worry, there was plenty of movie talk, champagne and laughter. Good medicine. These men sure know how to lift a girl's spirits. It's all about love, Babycakes.Roast ed Vegetable Salsa This is a mild and flavorful salsa perfect for those who find fiery fare a tad too harsh. It's great on grilled fish - or grilled anything, for that matter. And did I mention it's gluten/soy/citrus/milk/egg/nut/sugar free? And if you love more heat, Dear Reader, simply add it. Or check out my spicier Roasted Tomato Salsa. Keep your taste buds ha...

Blueberry Smoothie - Veganluscious
2007-06-29 19:55:00
As the charming and talented Russell Crowe likes to say, *Blank* me swingin'.Here's the deal. The professional deluxe set of food allergies is as follows:Cow's milk/cheese/whey/casein/goat's milk, egg whites/yokes, chicken/turkey, gluten, peanuts, almonds/walnuts, sunflower seeds, soybeans, lemon, avocado, pineapple, papaya, green beans, kidney beans.So I ask you, Gentle Reader, what does a brave and spunky-flirtatious girl do when she is suddenly starving and her devoted husband is grilling gluten-free bread for his herbed turkey and wasabi mayo sandwich? You reach for your power tools. You haul out the Waring blender and thank your twinkling stars you have a bag of frozen blueberries in the freezer. You check the rice milk label for sunflower oil [now ubiquitous in gluten-free foods]. You dip into the rice protein powder. You smile slyly. You sprinkle in some stevia. You switch the button to HIGH and sigh. You froth with pleasure.Blueberry Smooth ieGet your protein fix the vega...
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Savory Grain-Free Crackers
2007-05-27 00:02:00
As promised, here is how I made the grain-free gluten-free crackers I took with me to the set of The Canyon. This is an uber-easy recipe. Enjoy!Savory Grain -Free Crackers These crackers are mighty tasty - especially if you're generous with the seasonings. I used Trader Joe's Roasted Garlic and Organic Italian Herbs to create kick-ass flavor.2 cups fine almond meal1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon - or so - minced roasted garlic, to taste2-3 teaspoons - or so - dried Italian Herbs, to tastePinch or two of turmeric for colorPinch of fine sea salt1 cup very finely grated aged Cheddar or Parmesan [I used a microplane grater]2 tablespoons olive oil4 tablespoons spring or filtered water, as neededPreheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard baking sheet with parchment paper.Combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until a moist, moderately sticky dough forms. Add more water or oil if you need it. Taste test. Adjust seasonings to your taste buds.Using wet hands place the mou...
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Warning: Toxic Metal "Testing"
2007-05-24 19:51:00
After researching chelation [and feeling just plain awful on it] I decided to write to my local Department of Health to find out if the urine toxic metals test I was given by my ND-CNP as a "diagnostic test" was, indeed, the proper protocol. I was suspicious.Here is the response. As always, Babycakes, we have to do our own homework. I am not a happy GFG.Dear Ms. Allrich,Capromet is a chelating agent (a substance that binds to certain metals so they can be eliminated by the body) whose basic ingredient is a chemical called DMSA. Chelation therapy is approved for heavy exposure to lead.A blood test for lead is the standard of practice to obtain lead levels.The Department of Health does not administer blood test for lead, but any practicing physician, physician's assistant, or nurse practioner should be able to order a blood lead level test for you.Administration of chelating agents to detoxify the body (provoke the body into releasing metals) without prior evidence of an excessive ex...
More About: Metal , Testing , Warning , Meta , Toxic

Life may well be a bowl of cherries. So eat, already!
2007-05-22 21:32:00
This may be my most honest post to date.Not that I am prone to deception, Babycakes [such an art doesn't interest me]. No. If anything, I fall into the glass is half full camp of intentional optimism. I'm a tad more, um, enthusiastic in my blog persona, you might say. For the blog's sake. But I've shared the truth. What you see is what you get.And I've done so willingly, in an effort to help others knocked on their ass by celiac disease. It's been educational. Entertaining. Even fun. Most of the time.But in all honesty, lately I've just been... Well , how do I say it? Bored by it all. You know, the whole gluten-free lifestyle thing. The gluten-free food thing. The gluten-free cooking thing. Blogging about GF has slowly morphed into a task to postpone. An obligation. Like homework or house cleaning, or having to kiss your odd, elderly aunts Edna and Daisy when you are eight and shy [and besides, they smell funny].Unlike some bloggers I'm simply not that ambitious. I'm not out...
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Dinner Out - Is It Worth It?
2007-05-16 17:11:00
First, thank you all for the support, comments, hints, suggestions and e-mails regarding my heavy metal detox process. I'm in my nine-day-off cycle now and starting to feel [somewhat] human again.To clarify [and reassure] I am detoxing in a medically standard manner, with a safe oral chelating agent, under supervision. I am replenishing minerals. I am not removing my fillings. My ND is also medically trained and is a certified nurse practitioner who combines both eastern and western modalities in his practice.The largest burden, for me, is lead [off the charts]. The other metals are "very elevated", well beyond the suggested high limits. It will take some time to get rid of all this junk. In the meantime, I am being careful with further exposure. I will have to give up painting [I'm not interested in painting with respirators and gloves]. I have used non-toxic cleaners and household/personal care brands for years. Decades. [I'm glad I did, or I'd be in worse shape, I'm sure.] S...
More About: Dinner , Worth , Wort

Peanut Butter Banana Cake
2007-05-10 23:30:00
Thanks, everyone for your kind wishes and suggestions regarding the heavy metal detox thang. It is day three of my Captomer-provoked detox and I'm feeling a tad better; fever is down, headaches and body pain have lessened. I even ventured into the cocina and cooked today - a Crock-Pot full of root and sea vegetables; simmering as we speak.Before I started the detox protocol, I made an absolutely scrumptious little cake, and since cake and brownie recipes are the top-searched recipes on GFG ten-to-one, maybe even 20-to-one, I knew I'd better share this sweet but sugar-free confection. It's too good to keep to myself.And not only is it gluten-free [natch!] and sugar-free, Babycakes, it's grain-free. So those of you on sugar and yeast-free diets [who also watch your grains] can indulge.Karina's Peanut Butte r Banana Cake I'm snubbing sugar of late, and decided to experiment with a recipe that would be naturally sweet. Bananas came to mind. Then peanut butter. The classic combo make...
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Buttermilk Flatbread
2007-05-07 21:53:00
Thank you for your kind wishes, all. It's been a better week.We are back from the set [Moab, Utah, this time] and settling into our New Mexico routine again. East coast friends of Steve were here for the weekend. I cooked up a storm. And yesterday, Dear Reader, this newly sugar-free GFG had a casita full of men to feed [including those handsome amigos of mine, Joey and Will].As the flannel grey sky spit snow at us, Joey and I collaborated in my tiny blue tiled cocina and whipped up some tasty gluten-free comestibles. He made his uber-fabulous Rockin' Guac. I made some hummus spiked with cilantro pesto. We served up an array of crudities, organic blue corn chips and salsa, chicken salad [from Will] and pecan crackers, jalapeno-stuffed olives, and my freshly made basil-pecan pesto with a spur-of-the-moment improv I'll call: Butt e rmilk Flatbread.Butter milk FlatbreadIt doesn't get any easier than this - especially if you keep a package of Gluten Free Pantry's Quick Mix on hand. Don...
More About: Bread , Term

Cilantro Pesto [de Esteban]
2007-04-29 00:09:00
It's been quiet on the GFG blog but not-quite-so-quiet here in our little casita by the wind dusted mesa. You see, a certain gluten-free goddess has been wrestling bare handed with some nagging health issues that living gluten-free hasn't squashed so far [what's up with that?].I'm contemplating a post about it because I suspect what I'm going through isn't exactly unheard of. In fact, I'm willing to bet many gluten-free readers will be able to relate. And Babycakes, you know I'm always one to share.But I'm not quite ready to write about it. I'm still in the thick of it - but finding some help, at last. And the past two days have been better. And so, I thought I'd grab my camera and share a new pesto Steve just whipped up after a quick trip to Wild Oats in Santa Fe today.Cilantro Pest o [de Este ban]Cilantro, it turns out, is not only a citrus-cool accompaniment to hot and spicy dishes and coconut milk sauces, it's good for you. Cilantro helps the body to detoxify. What's ...
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Lasagna Vegetariana
2007-04-10 19:24:00
It is wild and windy here by the mesa. Spring has sprung. The skies are thick with sideways rain and spitting hail that hammers our flat casita roof then disappears as quickly as it came. Low churning clouds obscure the distant hills this morning. The young jackrabbits are hiding. Even the ravens are tucked away from sight today.We have been kindling fires in the kiva to warm us. And I have been layering lasagna noodles with sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers and spinach with nutmeg and garlic.Lasagna Vegetarian aThis a hearty, savory lasagna spiked with a touch of hot pepper heat and unexpected dots of sweetness from the golden raisins. And the best part? It tastes even better the next day.Start with:1 box brown rice lasagna noodles [10 to 12 noodles]For the veggie filling:2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil6 cloves garlic, chopped5-6 portobello mushrooms, trimmed, sliced2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar1 lb. chopped spinach - fresh, or frozen, thawed1/2 teaspoon nutmegSea salt and f...
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What's killing pets? Tainted gluten.
2007-04-02 00:39:00
The FDA won't identify the US supplier of tainted Chinese wheat gluten responsible for killing hundreds of pets. Why not? Maybe because the same supplier is used for human food, too. It's the first salvo in the Homeland Security war over food safety. [I always knew gluten was evil.]read more | digg story
More About: Pets , What , Hat , Lute , Kill

Gluten-Free Noodle Recipe Round-Up
2007-03-30 22:17:00
It's the end of March - and that means it's time for the Gluten-Free Noodle Recipe Round-Up. A few weeks back, certain individuals saucily tossed out an invitation to fellow gluten-free bloggers: Show off your gluten-free noodle love!So grab a fork, some chopsticks, and a good sized spoon. These recipes are not only gluten-free, they're twirl and slurp worthy.GF Momma [aka Jean Layton] of Gluten-Free Organics sent in Brown Rice Spaghetti in Walnut Cream Sauce - a dreamy little number that sounds so elegant, and looks so easy. Don't miss it.Gluten-Free By The Bay created a Savory Noodle Kugel [just in time for Passover] that looks positively delicious - and unusual for this holiday, because noodles are usually made of grain. Not these babies, it turns out. These Passover noodles are crafted from egg and potato. Who knew?Book lover Rachel Jagareski of Wheat-Free, Meat-Free declared her White Clam Sauce recipe to be her all-time pasta fave. With red pepper flakes, garlic and olive ...
More About: Round Up , Gluten Free , Lute

Purple Potato Quiche
2007-03-29 17:53:00
A small brown bunny hopped by the casita early this morning. Fruit trees by the Chama River are blooming, laced with soft pinks and cream. Spring is arriving in tiny steps. I found some young purple potatoes at the market in town this week. Slim crisp carrots. Organic eggs. Perfect for an easy spring supper.Purple Potato QuicheAfter five years of making flourless quiche, I no longer miss the pie crust I used to love. This surprises me, but I'm not unhappy about it. Quiches filled with roasted vegetables are beautiful. Every slice reveals its own mosaic of edible jewels imbedded in a creamy custard.First, roast your veggies::3 baby or smallish purple potatoes2 small gold potatoes1 medium carrot, peeled, cut into thin sticksA handful of small broccoli floretsHalf a medium zucchini, chopped1-2 cloves of garlic, mincedToss the veggies and garlic in a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper; roast in a 375 degree F oven until fork tender,...

Flourless Apple Cake
2007-03-27 23:52:00
Tis the season for flourless cakes, so I thought I might reprise one of my first gluten-free recipes, based on a traditional apple cake recipe I had used for years. Using nut meal instead of flour is a baking tradition in Eastern Europe, and a favorite way to make a cake during the season of Passover. Almond meal makes this cake a dense, chewy and delicious dessert or a perfect snack with tea. Karina's Flour less Apple Cake Almond meal gives this apple cake a satisfying chewy texture. Both blanched and regular almond meal works. Blanched almonds produce a slightly softer flour. For the cake::5 apples, peeled, cored [I use a mix of both tart and sweet apples]1 lemon, halved Wet ingredients:4 large organic free-range eggs - separated into 4 egg whites, save 2 yolks 1-1/2 cups packed light brown sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract [or use Kosher vanilla powder, to taste]3 tablespoons safflower oil or extra light olive1/4 cup sour cream [or vegan mayo to keep it dairy-free]Dry ingredi...
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Enchiladas Griegos for Two
2007-03-24 17:56:00
Today is our anniversary. It is raining here in the high desert. Cloud cover blankets the mesa in a soft dove gray. We married in this weather twelve years ago, sprinting through Cape Cod wind and mist to reach the door of our local Justice of the Peace without getting wet, the four of us stepping over the threshold to become a family. Me and my three men. Steve and my two sons.I look at the photographs taken by the Justice's husband, our single witness. We are so young, all of us. Arms linking. There is palpable tenderness.The boys are now men. They stand taller than my five-foot-eight. Steve and I, well. We are wiser. And weathered. And remain expectant. This has been a year of change. We have moved our home cross country. From the shore to the desert. From what was predictable and safe to what is possible. What might be. What could be.We are still moving, still traveling, still on our way to somewhere. We are painting less and writing more. We are listening to each other with de...
More About: Lada

An Earthy Spring Dinner
2007-03-22 17:35:00
Thank goodness the days are getting longer. And just in the nick of time for this winter weary goddess. We've finally reached the turning point in the year where daylight equals night - the Spring Equinox. It's all about balance, Babycakes. Bring it on. So in the spirit of balance, this week I prepared a vegan meal that was both light and earthy, green and nutty, bitter and sweet. You know, that whole yin yang thing - food to feed you, body and soul, as the March winds blow and scatter the remnants of winter into memory.An Earth y Spring Dinner I love butter beans, and I was lucky enough to have a can of these melt-in-your-mouth organic babies on hand. I decided to make them into refried beans to complement the chewy short grain brown rice and crunchy spring vegetables. The combo was, shall we say, scrumptious. A little plate of vegan heaven.Hungry? Prepare a pot of organic short grain brown rice.Meanwhile...For the spring vegetables:1 sack of organic Brussels sprouts [about two hea...
More About: Ring

Gypsy Soda Bread
2007-03-15 21:18:00
By the time I graduated art school I had moved ten times and attended nine different schools in four different states. Not all that unusual, I imagine, for many Americans. And for those of us with nomadic ancestry it simply feels natural to do so, to gather up and move in sync with the wheel of the seasons, aligned with winged migrations and turning stars. I have always kept a gypsy heart, even when it wasn't easy. Even when I let her out only in my deepest dreams, or inside a brushstroke, or as I stirred makeshift dough with one of my young sons, improvising ingredients on a budget so small every dollar bill mattered.I am part Irish, part Scott, with a dash of Lithuanian, and a maternal grandmother who hid our true heritage all her life. Her twenty-year-old mother arrived in Philadelphia at the turn of a new century with nothing but a suitcase. She was a single woman, a Russian-Polish Jew, speaking only Yiddish and Polish in her adopted new country, America. I wish I had known her...
More About: Read , Bread , Soda , Brea , Gypsy

Butternut Bliss
2006-12-05 14:27:00
It's been cold and quiet here by the mesa. Joey joined us for some simple soup and bread. The bread turned out gummy [so I'll spare you the recipe], but the soup was soul-warming. Not to mention, lip-smacking tasty. Simple and good. A bowl of bliss on a frosty day.Butt e rnut BlissYou won't believe how simple and good this is. How fresh tasting. You'll be tempted to add to the recipe, Darling, but don't. Try it this way first, and if you don't find bliss, toss in your additions till your heart's content.2 medium butternut squash, peeled, cubedfresh cold watersea salt and fresh ground pepper1 to 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, to taste1/2 cup cream or Half and Half or coconut milkToss the cubed squash into a soup pot and fill with enough cold fresh water to cover the squash with an extra inch or so. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Simmer until the squash is soft and fork tender - maybe 30 minutes. Add more water if you need it [I didn't, but you never know.]Puree the cooked ...
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Kicked Up Baked Mac and Cheese
2006-11-30 22:29:00
Steve asked for comfort food last night as snow fell softly on the mesa. For him that means only one thing - baked mac and cheese. I was craving something spicy. So I decided to please us both. I kicked up my tried and true creamy cheesey recipe with chopped jalapenos and lots of grape tomatoes, and Hola! Was it tasty. Usually I make this dish in a casserole, last night I spooned it into smaller gratin dishes.Kick ed Up Baked Mac & Cheese My mother taught me how to make a basic cheese sauce for mac and cheese when I was in grade school. I've been riffing on it ever since. So here's a shout-out to my Mom for teaching me her version of this classic white sauce recipe. Don't reach for the Velveeta, Babycakes. This is way beyond better.For the casserole:12 oz. dry penne or macaroni pasta, pre-cooked* - see below; we used Tinkyada Brown Rice Penne2-4 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapenos, to taste [we used 4 - we like it spicy]For the sauce:2 tablespoons light olive oil or butter2 table...