Lemon Bars for a Lasting Mother’s Day Impression

Mother’s Day is coming up, and since so many of you brave souls will be attempting a celebratory brunch, I thought I’d post this much-requested lemon bars recipe, in case things don’t go as smoothly as anticipated. 

Preparing brunch can be tricky anytime, let alone under mom’s watchful (aka “extremely concerned”) eyes. Can someone please get her a mimosa and walk her into the garden?

So, even if a few poached eggs break, or the toast gets a little too golden-black, no worries! If you finish the meal with these gorgeous, and absolutely impossible to mess-up lemon bars, she'll be as proud as she will be impressed. Our moms may have taught us the importance of a good first impression, but its America’s restaurateurs who discovered the importance of a delicious last impression. There's nothing like a well made pastry to make one forgive a tough steak.

Other than a baking dish, there’s no special equipment or techniques required. Both the shortbread base and the lemon custard take only minutes, and are simply hand-mixed in a bowl. 

Basically, if you can move your arm in a circle, and effectively set a timer (there’s one on your phone), your lemon bars should look just as good as these (maybe better – see meringue note below). Anyway, whether you’re going to make these for Mother’s Day or not, I hope you give them a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 16 Small Lemon Bars:

For the shortbread crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup room temp unsalted butter (1 stick)

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

Bake crust at 350 degrees F. for 22 minutes

For the lemon layer:

2 large whole eggs

1 large egg yolk

1 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp grated lemon peel

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25 minutes

Garnish with powdered sugar; or top with *meringue (the extra egg white whipped with 1 tablespoon of sugar) and brown with torch.

*My Meringue
If you decide to turn these into lemon meringue bars, do yourself a favor and actually measure the sugar. I couldn’t be bothered to check a recipe, so I only tossed in a teaspoon of sugar, and it should be closer to a tablespoon. The technique is the same; beat the extra white to the ribbon stage (where drips of white stay on the surface for a few seconds), and then add the sugar and continue whipping until you have nice, glossy peaks. My “by eye” batch worked fine, but it was a little too dry, and not quite sticky enough. Be advised.

View the complete recipe

Mother’s Day is coming up, and since so many of you brave souls will be attempting a celebratory brunch, I thought I’d post this much-requested lemon bars recipe, in case things don’t go as smoothly as anticipated. 

Preparing brunch can be tricky anytime, let alone under mom’s watchful (aka “extremely concerned”) eyes. Can someone please get her a mimosa and walk her into the garden?

So, even if a few poached eggs break, or the toast gets a little too golden-black, no worries! If you finish the meal with these gorgeous, and absolutely impossible to mess-up lemon bars, she'll be as proud as she will be impressed. Our moms may have taught us the importance of a good first impression, but its America’s restaurateurs who discovered the importance of a delicious last impression. There's nothing like a well made pastry to make one forgive a tough steak.

Other than a baking dish, there’s no special equipment or techniques required. Both the shortbread base and the lemon custard take only minutes, and are simply hand-mixed in a bowl. 

Basically, if you can move your arm in a circle, and effectively set a timer (there’s one on your phone), your lemon bars should look just as good as these (maybe better – see meringue note below). Anyway, whether you’re going to make these for Mother’s Day or not, I hope you give them a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 16 Small Lemon Bars:

For the shortbread crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup room temp unsalted butter (1 stick)

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

Bake crust at 350 degrees F. for 22 minutes

For the lemon layer:

2 large whole eggs

1 large egg yolk

1 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp grated lemon peel

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25 minutes

Garnish with powdered sugar; or top with *meringue (the extra egg white whipped with 1 tablespoon of sugar) and brown with torch.

*My Meringue
If you decide to turn these into lemon meringue bars, do yourself a favor and actually measure the sugar. I couldn’t be bothered to check a recipe, so I only tossed in a teaspoon of sugar, and it should be closer to a tablespoon. The technique is the same; beat the extra white to the ribbon stage (where drips of white stay on the surface for a few seconds), and then add the sugar and continue whipping until you have nice, glossy peaks. My “by eye” batch worked fine, but it was a little too dry, and not quite sticky enough. Be advised.

View the complete recipe

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Those Other Tortillas

I know we've done flour tortillas on the blog, but I've not yet attempted the far more intimidating corn version. Why do they scare me so? I'm not sure, but it's a real problem. Anyway, one of these days I'll muster up the courage to give it a go, but in the meantime, here's a demo from my buddies at Allrecipes.com showing the basic method. Can it really be this easy? Enjoy!

I know we've done flour tortillas on the blog, but I've not yet attempted the far more intimidating corn version. Why do they scare me so? I'm not sure, but it's a real problem. Anyway, one of these days I'll muster up the courage to give it a go, but in the meantime, here's a demo from my buddies at Allrecipes.com showing the basic method. Can it really be this easy? Enjoy!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Carrot, Pineapple & Ginger Juice

As I get back on track with juicing, this is my favorite tropical juice. I have two juices that I make on a regular basis and hope to share the other soon. The other is my 'everything' juice and it's not as pretty as this one so I'm saving that one for later. I started juicing two years ago and stopped after six months or so. I can see a big difference in my outside appearance and overall feeling when I do it on the daily. It's so revitalizing in every way and I'm glad to be back in the swing of it. It feels good to feel good and juicing is a regime that is right in line with that feeling. I will make two large juices for the day when I'm away from home along with bringing some finger foods to munch on like veggies and hummus or pea shoot pesto as dip, an orange, grapefruit, etc...something healthy, easy and raw as possible. I always feel at my best when I take the time to put this together before heading out. It takes me about 20 minutes or so to prepare both juices with my Breville. I bought this one just to see if I would juice regularly before spending loads of money on a juicer, they can run upwards of $300 - 400. It works great although I do have to clean in between making two juices as this is a compact juicer, but it's easy to use and easy to clean. I think it's about time to upgrade to something like this Omega which I've heard great things about in taste, juicing ability and ease. It runs a little slower than the Breville but that is where the flavor and ability to extract the most juices comes in to play. I encourage everyone to do your best to add a juice to your daily routine. You will feel an overall difference in just a few days if you can replace a meal with a juice or two. And if you don't have a juicer...take a look at this post by Minimalist Baker on How to Juice without a Juicer. There's also a great recipe for an apple, carrot, beet & ginger juice. I'll be trying that one soon!

Lately I've been buying a 25 lb. bag of organic carrots. It only costs me $13.99 for this large amount and I go through one bag every other week on juicing alone for one person. I know not everyone has the room for this amount of carrots and I am lucky enough to have an extra refrigerator that I can store bulk items in. It comes in handy having them around and you can be sure that more carrot recipes will be coming soon! I love carrots with their sweet flavor, vibrant color and versatility. And if you like to buy carrots with the tops, by all means add those into the juicer too. It will change the color a bit but the carrot tops are full of their own nutrition and can be juiced without being thrown away. You may also like to add an orange if you have one on hand, it'll add a nice citrus flair.

This juice is a classic all around great drink. The pineapple and ginger pair so well with the carrots giving it a tropical feel that's so refreshing. I consider this my dessert juice. This recipe makes about two cups. I have this shown in the 3 cup mason jar and have added extra water. Feel free to dilute your juice with a little purified or clean water of choice.

Vibrant colors for a vibrant life! 

 Carrot, Pineapple & Ginger Juice

Ingredients (makes two cups)

• 7 - 9 large carrot stalks 
• 1/4 pineapple, flesh only
• 1 inch nob of ginger

Juice according to your equipment and enjoy. Juice will store nicely in an air tight container for up to 48 hours in the fridge but is best fresh within a few hours.

Enjoy...

Do you have a favorite juicer? I would love to hear your experiences and thoughts. :)

As I get back on track with juicing, this is my favorite tropical juice. I have two juices that I make on a regular basis and hope to share the other soon. The other is my 'everything' juice and it's not as pretty as this one so I'm saving that one for later. I started juicing two years ago and stopped after six months or so. I can see a big difference in my outside appearance and overall feeling when I do it on the daily. It's so revitalizing in every way and I'm glad to be back in the swing of it. It feels good to feel good and juicing is a regime that is right in line with that feeling. I will make two large juices for the day when I'm away from home along with bringing some finger foods to munch on like veggies and hummus or pea shoot pesto as dip, an orange, grapefruit, etc...something healthy, easy and raw as possible. I always feel at my best when I take the time to put this together before heading out. It takes me about 20 minutes or so to prepare both juices with my Breville. I bought this one just to see if I would juice regularly before spending loads of money on a juicer, they can run upwards of $300 - 400. It works great although I do have to clean in between making two juices as this is a compact juicer, but it's easy to use and easy to clean. I think it's about time to upgrade to something like this Omega which I've heard great things about in taste, juicing ability and ease. It runs a little slower than the Breville but that is where the flavor and ability to extract the most juices comes in to play. I encourage everyone to do your best to add a juice to your daily routine. You will feel an overall difference in just a few days if you can replace a meal with a juice or two. And if you don't have a juicer...take a look at this post by Minimalist Baker on How to Juice without a Juicer. There's also a great recipe for an apple, carrot, beet & ginger juice. I'll be trying that one soon!

Lately I've been buying a 25 lb. bag of organic carrots. It only costs me $13.99 for this large amount and I go through one bag every other week on juicing alone for one person. I know not everyone has the room for this amount of carrots and I am lucky enough to have an extra refrigerator that I can store bulk items in. It comes in handy having them around and you can be sure that more carrot recipes will be coming soon! I love carrots with their sweet flavor, vibrant color and versatility. And if you like to buy carrots with the tops, by all means add those into the juicer too. It will change the color a bit but the carrot tops are full of their own nutrition and can be juiced without being thrown away. You may also like to add an orange if you have one on hand, it'll add a nice citrus flair.

This juice is a classic all around great drink. The pineapple and ginger pair so well with the carrots giving it a tropical feel that's so refreshing. I consider this my dessert juice. This recipe makes about two cups. I have this shown in the 3 cup mason jar and have added extra water. Feel free to dilute your juice with a little purified or clean water of choice.

Vibrant colors for a vibrant life! 

 Carrot, Pineapple & Ginger Juice

Ingredients (makes two cups)

• 7 - 9 large carrot stalks 
• 1/4 pineapple, flesh only
• 1 inch nob of ginger

Juice according to your equipment and enjoy. Juice will store nicely in an air tight container for up to 48 hours in the fridge but is best fresh within a few hours.

Enjoy...

Do you have a favorite juicer? I would love to hear your experiences and thoughts. :)

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Living Without Our Daily Bread: How to Go Gluten-Free- for Celiac Awareness Month

May is celiac disease awareness month.

Living Without Our Daily Bread

by Karina Allrich

Since the birth of agriculture- when our ancestors began to cultivate and harvest grains- human beings have cherished bread. It was a minor miracle, this almost magical transformation of grain into dough. Bread became the staff of life, a daily source of nourishment, symbolic of spiritual renewal.

But what if bread was suddenly poison? What if wheat was toxic, and every bite of a toasted bagel, slice of pizza or forkful of penne inflicted damage to your body?

This scenario is a daily reality for those carrying the gene of an autoimmune disorder known as celiac disease.

Little did I know as I wrote my second cookbook, happily creating recipes for lemon infused pasta primavera and olive-rosemary focaccia, that a hidden twist in my own eclectic heritage would soon disrupt my life. After years of subtle symptoms, an acute phase produced a twenty pound weight loss, joint pain, skin rash, and malabsorption. By December, 2001, I knew I had celiac disease.

According to the Mayo Clinic, celiac disease (also known as celiac sprue or gluten sensitive enteropathy) is on the rise, and more common than previously believed, affecting 1 in 100 Americans.

Triggered by the protein gliadin found in wheat, barley and rye, celiac disease causes the body to attack the villi, those hairy little nutrient grabbers that line the small intestine. Eventually, those intolerant to gluten become malnourished, unable to digest foods and absorb nourishment. 

And new evidence suggests that an even broader spectrum of gluten intolerance- dubbed non-celiac gluten sensitivity- may affect an ever widening swath of the U.S. population. Those wrestling with weight gain, pre-diabetes, allergies, and thyroid issues might do well to ask a medical professional about the deepening evidence of gluten sensitivity. 

Once known as ‘wasting disease’ or ‘failure to thrive’ in infants and children, adult onset celiac is frequently misdiagnosed, most often mistaken for lactose intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), anorexia, and colitis. Unexplained anemia, osteoporosis, blistery skin rashes, migraines, neuropathy, or vitamin B deficiencies are often the tip-off to this disease known as The Great Masquerader. Left to its own destructive bent, undiagnosed celiac disease can lead to severe nutritional deficiencies, brain lesions, ataxia, and non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Prolonged exposure to gluten may also trigger additional autoimmune diseases (AI’s like company). 

The cure? A gluten-free diet for life. 

That’s the good news. 

As soon as gluten is removed from the diet, the body begins to heal. In children, this healing process can be dramatic, often within six months. In adults, the healing takes time. According to the Celiac Sprue Association, celiacs may require up to a year to heal, sometimes two, depending on the severity of the damage. 

BECOMING GLUTEN-FREE

After the initial shock and adjustment to the daily reality of gluten-free living, the celiac’s ongoing challenge lies in searching hidden gluten in ingredients and recognizing its myriad sources. English muffins and frosted donuts are obvious no-no’s. But gluten may hide in such unlikely places as soy sauce, veggie burgers and herbal tea. It is a common additive in broth, bouillon, spice blends and prepared soups. It may also lurk in vitamins, medications and wheat germ laden lip balm.

Those of us with celiac disease must become vigilant, reading every label like a true detective. 

Kitchens must be scoured for sticky gluten residue lingering on cutting boards and non-stick cookware. Toasters full of crumbs and old wooden spoons can become a source of gluten contamination. Old baking sheets and sponges can hide invisible gluten.

Sharing butter or grape jelly with greasy crumbs from your teenager’s toasted bagel is suddenly scary (we kept two jars of Vegenaise, jam, almond butter, etc in our refrigerator- mine sported Mom’s GF on the lids).  When we kept a mixed kitchen, we had a designated gluten cupboard for non-GF breakfast cereals, snacks and sandwich bread. The rest of the pantry was labeled The Gluten-Free Zone.

It took a good 12 weeks for me to truly eradicate every trace of gluten from my diet. Overcoming each setback from unintended exposure took all the determination I could muster. How much gluten is safe for a celiac? Zero was the answer given by the Celiac Sprue Association of America back when I was first diagnosed. I continue to agree. 

Even a speck of gluten the size of a crumb is enough to trigger the body’s immune system to attack itself. Which means eating out is very, very risky- a topic worthy of its own post.

WHEAT ALTERNATIVES

There is, indeed, life after rice cakes- the first food turned to by newly minted celiacs. Naturally gluten-free alternatives to wheat such as quinoa, polenta, rice, Thai rice noodles and Mexican white corn tortillas have become favorite staples in our pantry. Potatoes are thankfully gluten-free. Brown rice, corn and quinoa pastas offer nutritious alternatives to standard semolina spaghetti, cous cous and macaroni.

Local markets often carry a variety of gluten-free flours, from classic alternatives such as potato starch and brown rice flour to lovely new choices in baking such as almond flour, sorghum flour, coconut flour, teff and millet flour, and flaxseed meal.

Boxed GF mixes make gluten-free baking a breeze for the beginner, and are increasingly available in most grocery stores. Being the intuitive cook that I am, however, I ended up experimenting, sifting together my own mixtures of gluten-free flours (I prefer a more whole grain, flavorful blend than most commercial mixes offer; most GF mixes feature cheap white rice flour and starches, or occasionally,  bean flour- which is difficult to digest).

Baking with gluten-free flours is an art that requires an open, beginner’s mind and a sense of humor. 

I’ve made many a brick door stop, and winged more than my share of inedible hockey pucks into the trash bin. Gluten-free flours do not behave in the same manner as wheat flour, and the old rules do not apply. For instance, gluten-free bread dough and pizza dough are not kneaded. Dough is simply beaten like muffin batter and scooped into a pan. I’m still not used to it.

As the champions say, however, practice, practice, practice. 

I am happy to report that deliciousness does ensue. We celiacs do not suffer a bland life. Take a gander at my Dark Chocolate Brownies, Coconut Layer Cake, Gluten-Free Pizza Crust, Gluten-Free Whole Grain Olive Bread, and Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies, if you don’t believe me.

An earlier version of this article appeared in the Cape Cod Times Food Section, June 12, 2002. Author Karri Allrich retains the rights to this article ©2013. All rights reserved in all media.

All images & content are copyright protected, all rights reserved. Please do not use our images or content without prior permission. Thank you. 

May is celiac disease awareness month.

Living Without Our Daily Bread

by Karina Allrich

Since the birth of agriculture- when our ancestors began to cultivate and harvest grains- human beings have cherished bread. It was a minor miracle, this almost magical transformation of grain into dough. Bread became the staff of life, a daily source of nourishment, symbolic of spiritual renewal.

But what if bread was suddenly poison? What if wheat was toxic, and every bite of a toasted bagel, slice of pizza or forkful of penne inflicted damage to your body?

This scenario is a daily reality for those carrying the gene of an autoimmune disorder known as celiac disease.

Little did I know as I wrote my second cookbook, happily creating recipes for lemon infused pasta primavera and olive-rosemary focaccia, that a hidden twist in my own eclectic heritage would soon disrupt my life. After years of subtle symptoms, an acute phase produced a twenty pound weight loss, joint pain, skin rash, and malabsorption. By December, 2001, I knew I had celiac disease.

According to the Mayo Clinic, celiac disease (also known as celiac sprue or gluten sensitive enteropathy) is on the rise, and more common than previously believed, affecting 1 in 100 Americans.

Triggered by the protein gliadin found in wheat, barley and rye, celiac disease causes the body to attack the villi, those hairy little nutrient grabbers that line the small intestine. Eventually, those intolerant to gluten become malnourished, unable to digest foods and absorb nourishment. 

And new evidence suggests that an even broader spectrum of gluten intolerance- dubbed non-celiac gluten sensitivity- may affect an ever widening swath of the U.S. population. Those wrestling with weight gain, pre-diabetes, allergies, and thyroid issues might do well to ask a medical professional about the deepening evidence of gluten sensitivity. 

Once known as ‘wasting disease’ or ‘failure to thrive’ in infants and children, adult onset celiac is frequently misdiagnosed, most often mistaken for lactose intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), anorexia, and colitis. Unexplained anemia, osteoporosis, blistery skin rashes, migraines, neuropathy, or vitamin B deficiencies are often the tip-off to this disease known as The Great Masquerader. Left to its own destructive bent, undiagnosed celiac disease can lead to severe nutritional deficiencies, brain lesions, ataxia, and non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Prolonged exposure to gluten may also trigger additional autoimmune diseases (AI’s like company). 

The cure? A gluten-free diet for life. 

That’s the good news. 

As soon as gluten is removed from the diet, the body begins to heal. In children, this healing process can be dramatic, often within six months. In adults, the healing takes time. According to the Celiac Sprue Association, celiacs may require up to a year to heal, sometimes two, depending on the severity of the damage. 

BECOMING GLUTEN-FREE

After the initial shock and adjustment to the daily reality of gluten-free living, the celiac’s ongoing challenge lies in searching hidden gluten in ingredients and recognizing its myriad sources. English muffins and frosted donuts are obvious no-no’s. But gluten may hide in such unlikely places as soy sauce, veggie burgers and herbal tea. It is a common additive in broth, bouillon, spice blends and prepared soups. It may also lurk in vitamins, medications and wheat germ laden lip balm.

Those of us with celiac disease must become vigilant, reading every label like a true detective. 

Kitchens must be scoured for sticky gluten residue lingering on cutting boards and non-stick cookware. Toasters full of crumbs and old wooden spoons can become a source of gluten contamination. Old baking sheets and sponges can hide invisible gluten.

Sharing butter or grape jelly with greasy crumbs from your teenager’s toasted bagel is suddenly scary (we kept two jars of Vegenaise, jam, almond butter, etc in our refrigerator- mine sported Mom’s GF on the lids).  When we kept a mixed kitchen, we had a designated gluten cupboard for non-GF breakfast cereals, snacks and sandwich bread. The rest of the pantry was labeled The Gluten-Free Zone.

It took a good 12 weeks for me to truly eradicate every trace of gluten from my diet. Overcoming each setback from unintended exposure took all the determination I could muster. How much gluten is safe for a celiac? Zero was the answer given by the Celiac Sprue Association of America back when I was first diagnosed. I continue to agree. 

Even a speck of gluten the size of a crumb is enough to trigger the body’s immune system to attack itself. Which means eating out is very, very risky- a topic worthy of its own post.

WHEAT ALTERNATIVES

There is, indeed, life after rice cakes- the first food turned to by newly minted celiacs. Naturally gluten-free alternatives to wheat such as quinoa, polenta, rice, Thai rice noodles and Mexican white corn tortillas have become favorite staples in our pantry. Potatoes are thankfully gluten-free. Brown rice, corn and quinoa pastas offer nutritious alternatives to standard semolina spaghetti, cous cous and macaroni.

Local markets often carry a variety of gluten-free flours, from classic alternatives such as potato starch and brown rice flour to lovely new choices in baking such as almond flour, sorghum flour, coconut flour, teff and millet flour, and flaxseed meal.

Boxed GF mixes make gluten-free baking a breeze for the beginner, and are increasingly available in most grocery stores. Being the intuitive cook that I am, however, I ended up experimenting, sifting together my own mixtures of gluten-free flours (I prefer a more whole grain, flavorful blend than most commercial mixes offer; most GF mixes feature cheap white rice flour and starches, or occasionally,  bean flour- which is difficult to digest).

Baking with gluten-free flours is an art that requires an open, beginner’s mind and a sense of humor. 

I’ve made many a brick door stop, and winged more than my share of inedible hockey pucks into the trash bin. Gluten-free flours do not behave in the same manner as wheat flour, and the old rules do not apply. For instance, gluten-free bread dough and pizza dough are not kneaded. Dough is simply beaten like muffin batter and scooped into a pan. I’m still not used to it.

As the champions say, however, practice, practice, practice. 

I am happy to report that deliciousness does ensue. We celiacs do not suffer a bland life. Take a gander at my Dark Chocolate Brownies, Coconut Layer Cake, Gluten-Free Pizza Crust, Gluten-Free Whole Grain Olive Bread, and Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies, if you don’t believe me.

An earlier version of this article appeared in the Cape Cod Times Food Section, June 12, 2002. Author Karri Allrich retains the rights to this article ©2013. All rights reserved in all media.

All images & content are copyright protected, all rights reserved. Please do not use our images or content without prior permission. Thank you. 

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Best Gluten-Free Pizza Crust, Gluten-Free Goddess Style

The best gluten-free pizza crust to date.

Gluten-Free Pizza Crust, Goddess Style

For years I've missed pizza. Not because there isn't gluten-free pizza available. It's out there. You can find it if you look hard enough. Take a gander in the frozen food aisle of your favorite natural market. Snoop around in the dairy case, next to the gluten-free bagels. You might even hit pay dirt at your local pizza joint (if they understand the ins and outs of cross contamination). So yeah. There are some choices out there.

Problem is, most gluten-free pizza sucks.

It's usually heavy on the chewy aspect. Or dry as dirt. With zero flavor. Yawningly bland. Certainly nothing to brag about. I mean, you wouldn't eat it if you didn't have to. You know what I'm sayin'? It's okay in a pinch. If you're famished on a Friday night. But it's not exactly inspiring.

And it's not from lack of trying, this pizza deprivation.

I've been rustling up g-free versions our nation's most cherished Italian import since week one of going gluten-free twelve years ago. I've made pizza crust from cookbooks (bready and yeasty). I've tried gluten-free mixes (and tortured my loyal little body with bean flour bloat). I've rolled out yeast-free biscuit dough (not bad, actually, but not real pizza). I've topped Italian style flatbread with roasted vegetables. I tried the whole Chebe thing (gum city). While some attempts proved passable, they never hit that elusive sweet spot. They failed to quell the longing. I used to make my own pizza dough, you see, before I discovered I harbored a faulty gene predisposing me to celiac disease. I was never a frozen pizza kind of gal.

I used to knead pillows of dough on my antique bread board, humming along to Crowded House. Ignorance was bliss. For awhile. And Friday night was always homemade Pizza Night.

So I've been a tad bereft on pizza-deprived Fridays.

But last week I started experimenting with a gluten-free dinner roll recipe. And as I tore a warm roll in half, golden and crusty and tender in the middle, it hit me.

This would make a fabulous pizza crust! I murmured to my husband through a mouthful of fresh baked loveliness. I tore him off a piece. He munched. And nodded.

So I tweaked and baked.

And lo and behold. A new gluten-free pizza crust was born.

And this one doesn't suck.


Read more + get the recipe >>

The best gluten-free pizza crust to date.

Gluten-Free Pizza Crust, Goddess Style

For years I've missed pizza. Not because there isn't gluten-free pizza available. It's out there. You can find it if you look hard enough. Take a gander in the frozen food aisle of your favorite natural market. Snoop around in the dairy case, next to the gluten-free bagels. You might even hit pay dirt at your local pizza joint (if they understand the ins and outs of cross contamination). So yeah. There are some choices out there.

Problem is, most gluten-free pizza sucks.

It's usually heavy on the chewy aspect. Or dry as dirt. With zero flavor. Yawningly bland. Certainly nothing to brag about. I mean, you wouldn't eat it if you didn't have to. You know what I'm sayin'? It's okay in a pinch. If you're famished on a Friday night. But it's not exactly inspiring.

And it's not from lack of trying, this pizza deprivation.

I've been rustling up g-free versions our nation's most cherished Italian import since week one of going gluten-free twelve years ago. I've made pizza crust from cookbooks (bready and yeasty). I've tried gluten-free mixes (and tortured my loyal little body with bean flour bloat). I've rolled out yeast-free biscuit dough (not bad, actually, but not real pizza). I've topped Italian style flatbread with roasted vegetables. I tried the whole Chebe thing (gum city). While some attempts proved passable, they never hit that elusive sweet spot. They failed to quell the longing. I used to make my own pizza dough, you see, before I discovered I harbored a faulty gene predisposing me to celiac disease. I was never a frozen pizza kind of gal.

I used to knead pillows of dough on my antique bread board, humming along to Crowded House. Ignorance was bliss. For awhile. And Friday night was always homemade Pizza Night.

So I've been a tad bereft on pizza-deprived Fridays.

But last week I started experimenting with a gluten-free dinner roll recipe. And as I tore a warm roll in half, golden and crusty and tender in the middle, it hit me.

This would make a fabulous pizza crust! I murmured to my husband through a mouthful of fresh baked loveliness. I tore him off a piece. He munched. And nodded.

So I tweaked and baked.

And lo and behold. A new gluten-free pizza crust was born.

And this one doesn't suck.


Read more + get the recipe >>

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Shrimp & Jalapeno Nachos for Cinco de Mayo or Cinco de Anytime

These simple and addictive shrimp and jalapeno nachos are not only a nice alternative to more common versions, but a great reminder of how this iconic snack was actually intended to be served. Contrary to current fashion, nachos didn’t start out as a giant pile of chips drenched in ladles of florescent gold cheese sauce.

The earliest versions were made by simply broiling a single layer of cheese-topped chips, which were then garnished with jalapeno peppers – simple and elegant, with every chip genetically identical to the next. Over time we’ve added hundreds of toppings, as well as replaced the broiled (real) cheese with something that you can also use to grease an axel.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the aforementioned version just as much as the next guy wearing pajama jeans, but once in a while it’s good to revisit a simpler time in American snacking. If you’re planning to party, I wish you a fun and safe Cinco de Mayo, and hope you give these very tasty chips a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Portions:

1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp (I used 50-60 per pounds size, which are ideal for this)

1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil

pinch of cayenne

1/4 tsp ground chipotle pepper

salt and pepper to taste

50-60 large tortilla chips, or as needed
2 jalapeno peppers, sliced very thin

about 3 1/2 cups of shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese

avocado creama (1 avocado, 1 cup sour cream, and juice of 1 lemon or 2 limes; liquefied in a blender)

sliced cherry tomatoes and freshly chopped cilantro to garnish

View the complete recipe

These simple and addictive shrimp and jalapeno nachos are not only a nice alternative to more common versions, but a great reminder of how this iconic snack was actually intended to be served. Contrary to current fashion, nachos didn’t start out as a giant pile of chips drenched in ladles of florescent gold cheese sauce.

The earliest versions were made by simply broiling a single layer of cheese-topped chips, which were then garnished with jalapeno peppers – simple and elegant, with every chip genetically identical to the next. Over time we’ve added hundreds of toppings, as well as replaced the broiled (real) cheese with something that you can also use to grease an axel.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the aforementioned version just as much as the next guy wearing pajama jeans, but once in a while it’s good to revisit a simpler time in American snacking. If you’re planning to party, I wish you a fun and safe Cinco de Mayo, and hope you give these very tasty chips a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Portions:

1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp (I used 50-60 per pounds size, which are ideal for this)

1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil

pinch of cayenne

1/4 tsp ground chipotle pepper

salt and pepper to taste

50-60 large tortilla chips, or as needed
2 jalapeno peppers, sliced very thin

about 3 1/2 cups of shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese

avocado creama (1 avocado, 1 cup sour cream, and juice of 1 lemon or 2 limes; liquefied in a blender)

sliced cherry tomatoes and freshly chopped cilantro to garnish

View the complete recipe

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How to Clean Commercial Kitchens (David Stainberg)

The dream of many, one of the most common all over the world is to own a restaurant or a bar. Such establishment is usually associated with good times, smiley people and good money. However, owning a restaurant and making money out of it is a hard job. It needs a lot of maintenance. Only this will give any chance for your clients to be well satisfied and therefore to come back again.

Restaurant Cleaning Tips

For the proper cleaning and maintenance of commercial ovens and whole kitchens, different techniques are often applied. If you have just started a new business and you are using commercial oven, here are some cleaning and maintenance tips which you will find really helpful:

1. Clean the inside of the oven on a daily basis - you must do so because the cleaner the oven interior is the better the machine will perform. Therefore, clean from the inside regularly by using a mild cleaning detergent. Take extra care of the bottom part of the oven as it will accumulate a lot of crumbs and other food residue.
2. Always clean the racks separately - remove each and clean it well. This way your chore will be much more efficient.
3. Clean spills instantly - if a spill occurs while you're cooking do not wait until the end of the day to clean it. Instead clean it immediately because if it dries it'll be almost impossible to remove.
4. Hire professional cleaners on a monthly basis - at the end of each month contact and hire an oven cleaning company to come and execute a deep cleaning of your oven or kitchen as a whole. You can find one off cleaning companies that work at affordable prices by reading the London oven cleaning company section in the yellow pages.

5. Clean the exterior of the ovens on a weekly basis - although dirty exteriors cannot affect the performance of your oven they can affect your reputation. Therefore every weekend take your time to clean the exterior of your ovens meticulously. Use a soft bristled brush on which you have applied mild soap. Avoid using abrasive cleaning products because they can damage the stainless steel surface of the oven.
6. Do not leave heavy items on the oven doors - or they may compromise the integrity of the door hinges which can lead to several problems some of which are unfixable.
7. Check the door gasket regularly - oven door gaskets tend to wear off with time and when this happens the ovens do not function efficiently. Therefore check the oven doors seals regularly and if you feel any escaping heat do not waste time and replace the gaskets.
8. Check the temperature for accuracy - once a month check the calibration of your oven to see if they are heating properly.

Hopefully with these tips and cleaning steps you will be able to maintain a clean kitchen and your clients will stay satisfied every time.

I'm a freelance writer ready to give tips to anyone who wants to achieve better looking and working establishment. I'm a professional cleaner in one off cleaners london company and i'm ready to share knowledge with anyone who's ready to accept it.

The dream of many, one of the most common all over the world is to own a restaurant or a bar. Such establishment is usually associated with good times, smiley people and good money. However, owning a restaurant and making money out of it is a hard job. It needs a lot of maintenance. Only this will give any chance for your clients to be well satisfied and therefore to come back again.

Restaurant Cleaning Tips

For the proper cleaning and maintenance of commercial ovens and whole kitchens, different techniques are often applied. If you have just started a new business and you are using commercial oven, here are some cleaning and maintenance tips which you will find really helpful:

1. Clean the inside of the oven on a daily basis - you must do so because the cleaner the oven interior is the better the machine will perform. Therefore, clean from the inside regularly by using a mild cleaning detergent. Take extra care of the bottom part of the oven as it will accumulate a lot of crumbs and other food residue.
2. Always clean the racks separately - remove each and clean it well. This way your chore will be much more efficient.
3. Clean spills instantly - if a spill occurs while you're cooking do not wait until the end of the day to clean it. Instead clean it immediately because if it dries it'll be almost impossible to remove.
4. Hire professional cleaners on a monthly basis - at the end of each month contact and hire an oven cleaning company to come and execute a deep cleaning of your oven or kitchen as a whole. You can find one off cleaning companies that work at affordable prices by reading the London oven cleaning company section in the yellow pages.

5. Clean the exterior of the ovens on a weekly basis - although dirty exteriors cannot affect the performance of your oven they can affect your reputation. Therefore every weekend take your time to clean the exterior of your ovens meticulously. Use a soft bristled brush on which you have applied mild soap. Avoid using abrasive cleaning products because they can damage the stainless steel surface of the oven.
6. Do not leave heavy items on the oven doors - or they may compromise the integrity of the door hinges which can lead to several problems some of which are unfixable.
7. Check the door gasket regularly - oven door gaskets tend to wear off with time and when this happens the ovens do not function efficiently. Therefore check the oven doors seals regularly and if you feel any escaping heat do not waste time and replace the gaskets.
8. Check the temperature for accuracy - once a month check the calibration of your oven to see if they are heating properly.

Hopefully with these tips and cleaning steps you will be able to maintain a clean kitchen and your clients will stay satisfied every time.

I'm a freelance writer ready to give tips to anyone who wants to achieve better looking and working establishment. I'm a professional cleaner in one off cleaners london company and i'm ready to share knowledge with anyone who's ready to accept it.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad