Baked Brown Rice Risotto

It's one of those Tuesdays when I have leftovers, again. And as the saying goes- she lives twice who lives well. I happen to think it's fun and challenging to use up leftovers in a creative way; and besides, Bubula, who likes to waste food?

I had a scant serving of Vegetarian Mulligatawny left over. And it started me to thinking, what if...

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Mexican Pumpkin Soup

A kicked up Mexican twist on pumpkin soup.

My blogging amiga Susan at Fatfree Vegan Kitchen posted this beautiful pumpkin soup recipe a few days ago, and I knew instantly I had to try it. I love soup with a pumpkin flavored base, and this one is a little bit different; it's not thick like my usual go-to pumpkin soup recipe. It's more brothy and textured with chunks of red potato, beans, and spicy green peppers. Pure comfort food with a kick.

I hope you like it.

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Easy Green Chile Cornbread- from a gluten-free mix

Green Chile Cornbread

I happened to have a Gluten Free Pantry Yankee Cornbread Mix on hand, so I thought I would try it, and add my favorite cornbread additions - chopped green chiles, cheese and spices. I also added plain yogurt, lime juice and honey to make it moist, and spices to liven up the flavor. It turned out well. We grilled halved squares of it in a little bit of olive oil to accompany our Mexican Pumpkin Soup last night. Babycakes - this was too easy!


1 package Gluten Free Pantry Yankee Cornbread Mix
1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
2/3 cup milk
1 squeeze fresh lime juice or lemon juice
1/4 cup light olive oil
3 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped green chiles
2 large organic free-range eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup grated Parmesan or Cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Pinch or two of cayenne pepper or chili powder, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with foil and lightly oil the bottom and sides.

Dump the contents of the cornbread mix into a large mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well by hand. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake in the center of the oven for 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center emerges clean. Cool on a wire rack. 

 

Serve warm.

A Handful of Tempting Recipes

It's Friday. Sunny, but cold. The bird baths are full of ice. The week is winding down to a chilly conclusion. My husband just walked through the door with some flowers [scoring serious points] so I thought I'd brew myself a mug of green tea, and take a little time out to browse my favorite food blogs and share some mighty tempting recipes that caught my eye recently. No theme. No agenda. I just wanted to have a little fun.

First stop is Simply Recipes. Elise posted a wonderful bit on Roasted Garlic this week, with photographs so appetizing you can almost smell the rustic delicious scent of all those papery-clad heads baking themselves into sweet oblivion. There's just nothing like roasted garlic. I'm a huge fan. [note to self: this weekend - buy several heads of fresh garlic for roasting] And speaking of roasting, When the Chicken Comes Home to Roast over at Weekly Dish looks like the quintessential choice for a winter weekend menu. I loved Culinary Bookworm's story about the aunts, and most of all, her husband's cooking instructions.

And what to do with leftover chicken? Make the tasty Chicken Salad with Basil and Parmesan I just discovered at Kalyn's Kitchen, a naturally gluten-free recipe. I must be on a pesto kick this week because fresh basil is so hard to come by [which only enhances my craving for it, but let's not get Freudian now, shall we?]. My husband found some basil recently (that obviously endured air travel), and made Ilsa's tantalizing recipe for Lasagna con Pomodorini, Mozzarella e Pesto (at Lucullian Delights) a distinct possibility, if I use gluten-free noodles.

The photograph of Susan's Mexican Pumpkin Soup over at Fatfree Vegan Kitchen had my taste buds at Hello. [This Southwestern inspired recipe is on my Must Make Soon short list.] And I also liked Sweetnicks' take on a Cooking Light dish - Pasta with Smoked Salmon; also doable using brown rice pasta [thank goddess for Tinkyada].

For cravings [and goddess knows, we all get them], there's no better stop on this mini blog tour than The Domestic Goddess - and her No Bake Cheesecake looks totally doable gluten-free, if you use a gluten-free cookie like Pamela's for the chocolate crust. And Brendon at Something in Season has a Dark Chocolate- Dipped Ginger Cake that's gluten-free [ginger + chocolate - how bad could that be?].

And last but never least, my biggest smile came from Maddie the Snow Bunny at Rubber Slippers in Italy. I have fallen in love with Westies this year [our neighbor has a new Westie puppy named Whiskey that I have a total, huge crush on] and Rowena's photo just says it all. Well darlings. Tea is cold. That's it for now. Off to make sure we have corn tortillas for supper. It's Taco Night at Casa Allrich!

gluten free cooking recipes food blogs

Ten Things You Never Knew About Me: My 1 st Meme

My new comfort food. No, I'm not kidding.

Kalyn at Kalyn's Kitchen tagged me for a meme - my first - and I've been thinking about it off and on for a week or so. What ten things to reveal? I visualize Benicio del Toro in my head, "Bubbi, I probably know a lot you don't...".

Hmmm...where to start?

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Frosted Banana Spice Cake and Cupcakes

Banana spice cake goodness.

We felt like baking our basic almond flour based Banana Snacking Cake yesterday. Usually we don't frost it but after a moment of not-so-deep reflection, the inspired idea of an apple cider icing got the better of both of us. We beat up a one pound box of powdered sugar with a dab of sweet butter, a splash of natural apple cider and pinches of nutmeg.

Here's what we did yesterday- please note: there are some from the original recipe (tweaking, always tweaking).

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Chicken Enchilada Casserole - New Mexico Style

Baked enchilada casserole recipe- gluten-free, New Mexico style.

This easy make-and-bake casserole recipe is perfect for a weeknight supper. or a pot luck dinner. Especially during all the pre-holiday mishegas. Make it as spicy or as mild as your taste buds prefer.

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Baked Chicken Chili Brown Rice Casserole

Easy chicken rice casserole- gluten-free comfort food on a budget..

Need to use up leftover chili in a creative way? Toss this easy, budget-friendly recipe together- and transform leftover chicken chili into a cozy casserole.

By Monday or Tuesday I usually have one or two containers of leftovers kicking around. Too small to serve as a meal, but just too darn good to throw out. What to do? Make up a recipe. I've had some curiously palatable combos arise from this impulse to transform leftovers into something savory and fun. Here's the latest.

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Santa Fe Chicken Chili

An easy chili recipe that features torn pieces of chicken, white beans and roasted green chiles for a Santa Fe twist. Lime adds a bright, fresh accent.

Santa Fe Chicken Chili Recipe

You can easily make this recipe in your favorite slow cooker or Crock Pot, following manufacturer's instructions for chili or soup using cooked (canned) beans. Add the cooked chicken and lime juice near the end of cooking time, to keep it tender and fresh tasting. Vegans take note: make this vegan with your favorite veggie "sausage" or crumbled "burger" instead of chicken.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-1 teaspoon ground cumin, to taste
1/4-1 teaspoon ground cayenne or chipotle pepper, to taste
1 sweet potato, peeled, diced
2 15-oz. cans pinto or white beans, rinsed, drained
1 28-oz. can Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Tomatoes, with juice
8-oz. (1 cup) chopped roasted green chilies- mild or hot
2 cups chicken broth, more if needed
1 tablespoon balsamic or apple cider vinegar
A small drizzle of agave
2 heaping cups cooked chicken pieces- hand torn looks nice
Juice of 1 lime, or to taste

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and warm the olive oil; cook the onions until they are soft and translucent. Add the garlic and spices and stir for a minute.

Add the diced sweet potato, beans, tomatoes, green chiles, broth, balsamic vinegar, and agave. Stir gently to combine it all.

Bring it to a simmer and lower the heat; cover and cook the chili for 30 minutes or so until the sweet potatoes are tender. Add a touch more liquid if you need to. Add the cooked chicken and some lime juice.

Taste test and adjust the seasonings - more heat? More lime? A tad more sweetness? Good chili has a balance of these flavors.

Warm through and serve when you are ready.

If the chili thickens too much thin it with broth; if the chili becomes too thin cook it longer with the lid off to reduce the liquid.

Serve with a wedge of lime.

My Pumpkin Corn Muffins would be a tasty addition.

Makes 4 servings.

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Roasted Vegetable Cheddar Quiche

Gluten-free crustless quiche with roasted vegetables.

Roasted Vegetable Cheddar Quiche Recipe

I know what you're thinking. What do I do with a bowl of leftover roasted vegetables? Make a flourless gluten-free quiche, Darling. Forget the crust. You won't miss it. This little lovely is savory and perky all on its own. It's low in carbs. So what's not to love?

2 cups roasted vegetables (I used a medley of broccoli, zucchini, carrots, garlic, sweet potato, peppers)

4 oz. aged Cheddar cheese, grated

4 organic free-range eggs, beaten

1/2 cup light cream, Half and Half Cream (or non-dairy sub)

A pinch of nutmeg

A pinch of Old Bay Seasoning

10 sweet grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Chopped basil or parsley

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9-inch glass pie plate.

Layer the roasted vegetables in the bottom of the pie plate (I layer the potatoes first.) Scatter most of the shredded cheese over the vegetables.

In a large 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup, or mixing bowl, use a fork to beat the eggs with the cream, and add a pinch of nutmeg. Pour the egg mixture all over the veggies and cheese, allowing it to seep in. (I lightly press down a bit with a thin silicone spatula to make sure the custard mixture sneaks in to all the nooks and crannies.)

Press the cute little halved tomatoes all over the top; sprinkle a tad more of the remaining cheese; dust lightly with basil or parsley.

Bake the pie in the center of a pre-heated oven for 30 minutes, or until the center of the pie is set, and the edges are turning golden brown.

Set on a wire rack to cool for five minutes before serving. This allows the pie to settle, and makes it easier to slice and serve.

Serves 4 for dinner; 5-6 for lunch - light and tasty with a side of crisp greens or fruit salad drizzled in a raspberry vinaigrette.

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Karina's Notes:

Light cream has fewer carbs and almost no lactose, and makes a smooth and rich custard.

If you must be dairy-free, try using plain non-dairy yogurt and shredded vegan cheese.

Pineapple Salmon Brown Rice Bake

A simple brown rice bake with salmon and pineapple.

My favorite food writer Jim Harrison once mentioned in passing (was it in Wolf?) his baked brown rice casserole with roasted green chiles and sour cream. It's not really a recipe- more like an idea, an imagining so simple, so brilliant, so appetizing, you think, Why haven't I done this before?

And so I did.

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