Easy Homemade Applesauce

Yes, we had hurricane Sandy here in Connecticut. 
Thankfully we never lost power at my house,
but family members did, so we were serving up dinners for a few days. 

After hurricane Sandy, we experienced winter storm Ari. 
Ari made a slippery mess!  It also gave me a delayed opening for work yesterday. 
It was so nice and cozy in the house, and I had a little extra time. 
There were four apples rolling around in a drawer of my refrigerator. 
I knew nobody was likely to pick up one to munch on at that point,
so I tried something "new."  I cut them up and put them in the crock pot! 
I layered:

4 large apples, peeled and cut into chunks,
a drizzle of honey,
a sprinkle of cinnamon,
a lighter sprinkle of nutmeg,
a handful of raisins, and
1 Tbs water.

I turned the crock pot to "low" and went off to work.
There was a cold drizzle as I headed there,
and more cold drizzle as I came home.
Yuck.

Once back in my humble abode, however, it was wonderful.
The contrast of my warm kitchen, with the delicious aroma of spiced apples,
to the dreariness outside, was delightful!

Sometimes we need this contrast to appreciate what we have. 

Anyway, it was a nice healthy ending to our dinner. 
I stirred it up, and divided it into three dessert cups. 

Served hot, it tasted spicy and comforting.
Served cold the next morning, it was sweet and addicting!

Next time I think I'll let it cool before serving. 

Regardless, it's all gone now. 

I'll have to do this again.

Maple Baked Ricotta

The trees in New England are looking great right now!

I love ricotta.  It isn't unusual for me to purchase ricotta, forget about using it, then decide I need to use it right away before it expires.  I need an EASY recipe for doing this!

The last time I had this problem, about a week ago, I researched and found a recipe for caramelized ricotta pudding.  Seemed easy enough.  Except that when I went to caramelize the sugar, something went wrong.  It didn't get caramel colored, and instead of being a nice gooey mass at the bottom of my custard cups, it was a solid brick of white. 

Enough of that.

The ricotta custard itself, however, was quite tasty. 

Hmmmm.....why not just bake the ricotta like a custard or pie filling, and leave it at that?  If I added a bit of flour, and used the right amount of eggs, it would be nice and firm to cut and serve in squares. 

The twist in this recipe comes with using maple syrup as the sweetener.  If you don't have real maple syrup, the kind from real maple trees, try substituting honey and call this Honey Baked Ricotta. 

I can see this as a dessert, but also a breakfast item, or a snack.

Maple Baked Ricotta


Preheat the oven to 350.
Spray an 8x8" square glass baking pan with GF cooking spray.

Take one 15-oz package of ricotta, and
place it in a mixing bowl with
1/4 cup of REAL maple syrup,
2 Tbs gluten free flour,
3 eggs, and
1 tsp vanilla.

Blend with a hand mixer until nice and smooth.

Pour the mixture into the pan.

Dust it with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Bake 30 minutes.

Cool.  Refrigerate.

Cut into 6-9 squares.

Serve drizzled with more maple syrup. 
(And maybe some whipped cream, like we used!)

Hubby really loved this.....we each had two helpings!

Travel Trailer dining with style!

The Hot Handle family has had a very busy spring and summer, as evidenced by the lack of posts from that time.  The summer culminated in a two week road trip from New England to Albuquerque and back, to bring our son to grad school at UNM.  We had already been thinking of purchasing a small travel trailer, and the idea of this trip got us to actually do it.  It's only 18 feet, but very comfortable inside.  It has a small propane stove which was perfect for quick skillet dinners.

We picked up local foods and used an all-purpose lid with my 10" cast iron skillet.  We carted along our own olive oil and an all-purpose mesquite spice mix.  It turned out to be a little spicier than I expected, but no one complained. 

The basic recipe (no measuring!) goes like this:  Heat up a glop (probably two tablespoons) of olive oil.  Add about 3/4 pound of meat and an onion.  Cook and stir it up a bit.  Add vegetables.  Add a little of your spice mix, until it "looks right" to you.  Cover pan and let it steam until it's all cooked through.  Uncover and cook until any excess liquids have evaporated, if necessary.  Serve.  Sprinkle with parmesan, if desired.   

I had a rule:  no leftovers were allowed.  This proved to be no problem.

In Virginia, our dinner consisted of chicken tenders, an onion, a green pepper, and snow peas.

In Tennessee, we had beef, onion, potatoes, and sugar peas.

In Arkansas, we whipped up smoked pork with onion, potato, and black-eyed peas.  (This is what the guys are enjoying in the above photo!)

In Oklahoma, we stirred together kielbasa, onion, potato, and cabbage (just a pre-shredded package of cole slaw mix). 


Once in Albuquerque, we dined three nights at a wonderful Italian restaurant that serves excellent gluten free food:  Paisano's.  I can't thank this place enough.  It was awesome. 


Now home, we are continuing the travel trailer skillet dinners, since they were so delicious.  Below is a photo of one I recently made, with chicken sausage, onion, potato and a package of frozen chopped spinach. 

If you want to find out more about our travels and life at UNM in Albuquerque, please check out John's blog:  http://hdhijinks.blogspot.com/

Oh, one last thing to tell you:  we stopped - twice - at a Lodge Logic factory outlet along route 40 in Tennessee.  Couldn't resist.  I splurged and got myself the clear tempered glass lids for the 10 and 12-inch skillets.  Hey, how often am I in Tennessee?

Happy cooking!

White Sauce, Gravy, and Condensed Soups

I have been doing a little research on making white sauce.

It's not any harder than making gravy!

For gravy on Thanksgiving, I have used the technique set forth by
"GlutenFreeGirl," here. 

I used her proportions of
1/4 cup butter,
1/4 cup sweet rice flour, and
2 cups of turkey stock.

I don't like my gravy too light in color, so I add Gravy Master to this.
(I understand that Gravy Master is GF.)


What do you do when you need
a "can of condensed cream of mushroom soup" for a recipe?
Those certainly are not gluten free, for the most part.

This week I made a dish that called for just that. 

I did it this way:

I melted 2 Tbs of butter in a saucepan.
I stirred in 4 Tbs of rice flour.
I let it cook a while, stirring often,
until it started looking light tan in color.
(It's my understanding that this will
improve the flavor over uncooked flour.)

Then I took a 12-oz can of lowfat (2%) evaporated milk.
I -very slowly- mixed in 8-10 oz of this, stirring constantly.
(I did have a few lumps, but I smooshed them out with a spoon.
Next time I will use a wire whisk!)
I finally added 1/2 tsp of salt.
(You may decide to add more, to taste.)

My recipe called for "cream of mushroom soup."
I could have taken a can or jar of sliced mushrooms
and stirred it into the white sauce concoction, above.
Since it was all getting mixed together, anyway,
I just put it in with the rest of my ingredients. 

If you need a cheese sauce, you can stir 4 oz of shredded cheese into this mix,
along with some paprika and a pinch of dry mustard, if desired. 

If you want a thinner sauce, not the condensed soup version,
just add more liquid.

Not too difficult!
Give it a try!

Ketchup!

I did it yesterday.....I made ketchup!

When I researched making my own ketchup, I found that there are two ways:

1.  The quick and easy way with tomato paste, or

2.  The real old-fashioned way with fresh tomatoes.


I rather favored the quick and easy method.
I started with a recipe, but then
I adjusted the ingredients and method to my own desires.

The original recipe is here.

I put all this in a small saucepan:

1 6-oz can tomato paste,
2 Tbs apple cider vinegar,
1/4 cup brown sugar,
1 tsp garlic powder,
1/4 tsp freshly-ground allspice,
  (I only had whole allspice, so I used a mortar and pestle to grind it.)
1 tsp salt,
1 tsp molasses, and
~1/2 cup water.

I covered it and simmered it for 30-40 minutes on LOW.

Then I put it into a glass container and refrigerated it to make it cold.

The reviews?  Everyone liked it!
No one asked for the plastic bottle in the fridge, anyway.

Here is a photo with my iron skillet potatoes (from August 5, 2010, here.).

I didn't find any specific recommendations for refrigerator life,

but I suggest using this up within a week to be on the safe side.

Off the Handle: Cake Mix Cookies

Hubby actually moved his hot rod today! 
He took it out of the garage and turned it around. 
A big step to road-readiness!
Congrats, Peter!  :)

Last weekend I made cookies from a Betty Crocker gluten free cake mix. 
The recipe is found here.

It is super easy.

I used vanilla cake mix instead of chocolate.  I added about 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of slivered almonds.  As always, I used parchment paper to bake them on.  My technique made two dozen cookies instead of the four listed on the recipe....I guess I made them "big."  I baked them for 12 minutes. 

They were very tasty, but next time I will add more chocolate chips. 

They didn't brown, however, so I can see why the original recipe is with the devil's food cake mix.  Regardless, it was a quick and easy way to make a GF treat!

Pancakes and Sausage for Dinner

I know, I haven't been posting like I used to.  Let's just say "I have a lot on my plate" lately.  

John is home for the summer.  I am blessed with an awesome family. 

He suggested pancakes for dinner tonight.  Naturally, I cooked them in the 12" cast iron skillet.  Since I keep my skillets gluten free at all times, they are the safest.  My electric griddle is used to make other items not suited for a GF person.....and little crumbs can easily get caught up in it. 

I started by putting these frozen sausages into the pan as it pre-heated:

Low-fat as well as gluten free!

I used this pancake mix:

We always liked King Arthur.....

I didn't even bother to add oil to the mix.  I eyeballed it for whatever amount of mix was left in the box.  By the time my eggs and milk were mixed in, it didn't look like it needed any more liquid. 

Here's how they came out:

They tasted GREAT. 

We like to top pancakes with applesauce and then a touch of real maple syrup from Vermont. 

There were two pancakes left in the end, which John will have for breakfast tomorrow morning. 

Easy Skillet Dinner for One (using leftovers)

Above is just another photo from the flower show....spring is coming!

Recently I came home from my Zumba class and needed to whip up something for myself for dinner.  I'm amazed at how easily one can use leftovers from the refrigerator to make a dinner in a cast iron skillet.  I previously made an omelette for one person with the 6" skillet (see post of 12/19/2010), and the other night I made this for myself in the 8" skillet:

Easy Skillet Dinner for One (using leftovers)

I heated up a tablespoon of lemon-pepper flavored olive oil,
added 1/3 of a red onion, chopped,
3/4 cup of cooked green beans, and
2 slices of deli ham, torn into pieces. 

I sauteed that together a bit, then
put on a sprinkling of garlic-pepper seasoning
(but I probably didn't need it due to the flavored oil I used...).

I beat up one egg with a Tbs of water
and put that in to cook.
It didn't make an omelette, it just coated the mixture somewhat.
(No, I wasn't looking for an omelette's effect....)

I sprinkled it all with parmesan to serve.
(I obviously have some Italian roots....)

When hubby came home, I told him,
"You missed a great dinner!"
(even though I probably wouldn't have made it if I was cooking for both of us....).

Hmmm....although it would be easy to double a recipe like this and use a larger skillet....

Off the Handle: Graham Cracker Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies

This is a little counted cross stitch piece that a client of mine made for me when I was a grad student.  She was an elderly lady.  I was honored that she took the time to make this and give it to me.  It has been hanging in my kitchen ever since I got married and moved in.

I'm sure she would be happy to know I have treasured it so much.

Too bad the food we create gets eaten and you can't look at it 30 years later.  I guess that's where photos, blogs, and memories come in handy. 

These cookies, however, were really quick to put together.  Not like counted cross stitch!!

Graham Cracker Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies
(Makes 18)

Preheat your oven to 350.

Grease a 8x8 square baking pan. 

In a mixing bowl, combine:

One 10.5-oz box of Kinnikinnick gluten free graham style crumbs
          (about 2 1/4 cups),
1 cup (or a little more) gf chocolate chips,
1 tsp. baking powder, and
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional). 

I had hazelnuts handy, for some reason. 
(I store nuts in my freezer, fyi.)

After the dry stuff is mixed together, add:

1 14-oz can of sweetened condensed milk, and
1 tsp vanilla.

I had to use my [clean] hands to mix it a little toward the end. 
The mixture is extremely thick!
Put the mixture in your pan, using wet fingers to smooth it down.

Bake 30-35 minutes.  A toothpick inserted near the center should come out clean.
Let cool *completely* before cutting.

This is nice alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 
I also liked it drizzled with a little bit of that chocolate sauce from the last post.

Just plain is good, too!

Off the Handle: Garlicky Spinach and Bean Soup

This picture shows a promise of nicer weather....it was taken off the Connecticut coastline on Sheffield Island, from last summer.  It was a really beautiful place if you didn't care about the goose droppings or the vicious mosquitoes.  Just goes to show....there's usually good and bad in everything!

Last week I made a delicious soup to use up leftover beef broth.  It came out really nice.  There was nothing bad about it.  An exception to the statement above!!

Garlicky Spinach and Bean Soup

Put in a crock pot:

2 - 2 1/2 cups gluten free beef broth,
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes,
1 15.5-oz. can white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed,
6-8 cloves of garlic, run through a press, and
1 10-oz. package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted. 

Cook 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.

Serve topped with GF bacon bits and parmesan....
OR....if you have some of that leftover cooked chicken sausage that I discussed in my last post, cut that up and spoon the soup over it!

Easy Unwind Ahh-melet

Brrr!  Baby, it's cold outside!

And it's busy these days!

Recently I got home from my Zumba class to an empty house. 
I wanted a nice dinner but no fuss.  It was just me that night.  Hmmm....

I took out my 6-inch cast iron skillet and whipped up a nice omelet right on the spot. 
It was easy, fast, and satisfying. 
The 6-inch size turned out to be perfect for a one-egg omelet. 
(BTW, the 8-inch was perfect for a two-egg omelet when I made one earlier.)
 

Easy Unwind Ahh-melet

In a 6-inch skillet, heat up 1/2 Tbs oil on medium heat.

Scramble up an egg with 1 Tbs water. 
(This is a trick we learned years ago at a food show.  It makes the egg fluffier.)

Add the egg-water mixture to your pan. 

Sprinkle the egg with garlic powder and your seasonings of choice. 
(I like Italian seasoning.)

Once it's looking kind of set, layer on your filling. 
Check your refrigerator....what do you have? 
I cut up a mozzarella stick and sprinkled it all with parmesan to make a cheese omelet. 

Carefully fold the omelet over and let it cook a minute or so.

Flip it over and cook it a little more.

Light a candle.  Serve with your favorite relaxing music. 
I turned on Josh Groban. 
I also recommend a nice cup of decaffeinated tea. 

Flying Off the Handle: Take-Along Kielbasa and Sauerkraut

In Manchester, Connecticut, there is a local icon known as "Shady Glen."  They have fabulous ice cream....my all-time favorite brand.  UConn ice cream is a close runner-up, to me.   This is understandable, since Shady Glen learned to make ice cream from UConn. 

This little elf reminds me of the holidays.  At each of the two Shady Glen locations, elves are painted on a mural on the wall.  Time stands still in these soda fountains.  The waitresses wear old-fashioned waitress dresses.  Soda is made with syrup and soda water.  The real thing. 

You can see this guy is enjoying an ice cream treat as well as a "crispy cheeseburger."  The recipe for the crispy cheese is a carefully guarded secret.  Some day I will have to figure out how to do this.  I will put it in a gluten free bun. 

The ice cream, purchased in a pre-packed half gallon container, in appropriate flavors like vanilla and pumpkin, worked out fine for my GF family member.  I definitely recommend them.  Pumpkin is my personal favorite. 


Anyway, do you know what smart elves make to bring to Christmas parties?

They are quite busy getting ready for the holidays.  There are cards to write, presents to wrap, decorations to assemble, and menus to prepare.  They need something easy to bring to a potluck gathering.

Enter:  the delicious but simple Kielbasa and Sauerkraut!!!

Peter knows this is an easy dish.  "Honey, we're going to -----'s for their annual Christmas party!  I told them we'll bring kielbasa and sauerkraut."

This is good. 

The last party we went to, I had no leftovers to bring home.  If you use a brand of kielbasa that is gluten free (I happened to use John Morrell), you have a gluten free dish until the rest of the group descends on it.  Before we left for the party, I set aside a plate for John to have when he was home the next day.  He appeared to be eternally grateful.  We have yet another party to attend in a few days, and I will do the same then.

HH's Take-Along Kielbasa and Sauerkraut

Take 3 14-oz gluten free kielbasas.

Slice them into 3/4" slices.

Take one 2-lb package of refrigerated sauerkraut.  Cut a corner off the bag and drain it.  Fill the bag once with water and drain it again to reduce the salt content. 

In a crock pot, layer:

1 cut-up kielbasa,
1/2 the bag of sauerkraut,
another cut-up kielbasa,
the rest of the sauerkraut, and
the last cut-up kielbasa.

Cover.  Cook 4-5 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.

Bring to your holiday party!

Quick and Easy Vegetable Rice Medley

I have been getting a lot of Christmas shopping done.  I also started wrapping, placing the finished items in Katie's old room.  Today Peter is putting up the outdoor decorations; I will place the candles in the windows and the wreaths on the doors.

Here is a quick and easy recipe that I devised when the kids were small.  Easy to ensure it's gluten free, reheats like a charm, tastes delicious.  Try it during this busy time of year!

HH's Quick and Easy Rice Vegetable Rice Medley

Take your 12-inch skillet.
Cook 1 chopped onion in 1 Tbs olive oil.
Add 1 cup of rice.  I used "Royal Blend".  Cook and stir to let it brown slightly.

Look at your rice container's directions.  How much liquid does it recommend for one cup of rice?  Mine recommended 1 1/2 cups of liquid, so I used 1 cup of GF chicken broth, 1/2 cup of water, and one GF chicken bouillon cube.  When I have used "converted rice," I used 2 1/2 cups of water and two of the bouillon cubes.  What you use depends on what you have on hand....but I always use either bouillon cubes with water, and/or chicken broth.  (You want a flavorful dish!)

Add your liquid stuff to your pan.  It will immediately bubble...be careful!!!  (Go slowly and step back!)

Add some parsley for color.  About a tablespoon.

Cover and simmer 10 min.

Add 2 cups of frozen vegetables.  I used peas with mushrooms.

Add 1-2 cups of cut up cooked chicken or ham, if desired.  For today's version I cut up 12 oz. of little ham steaks.  Other times I have used a 9-oz package of Purdue "Short Cuts." 

Cover again and simmer 10-20 min more on low, or until the liquid is absorbed.  You need to keep an eye on it to make sure the temperature is right and you stop cooking when it's done.

Add 1/4 cup parmesan; mix well and serve.

 

Summertime Sausage Frittata

On Monday I took a fun class on making pinch pots.  We learned about the art form of "wabi-sabi," which involves an appreciation of things that are imperfect.  Like me. 

I made three little pinch pots as we listened to a story about wabi-sabi with our eyes closed.  I was pretty happy with the way they came out, asymmetry and all: 

They will get fired, and next week I can paint them.

It is another busy week.  Today I took off from the onions and peppers idea in my last post, and I created another quick dinner from leftovers!  Knowing it doesn't have to be "perfect" is quite a relief sometimes....

Summertime Sausage Frittata  (serves 3-4) 

Heat a 10" skillet on medium.

Add 1-2 Tbs olive oil.

Add 1/2 onion, chopped;

1 pepper, chopped; and

some garlic pepper seasoning (to taste).

Cook and stir for a while, until the colors of the pepper look bright and shiny. 

Add 2 cooked sausages, sliced.

Simmer it all together a little. 

Meanwhile, beat four eggs.

Pour the eggs over the mixture in the skillet.

Let it cook a little while.  Turn on the broiler.

Turn off the stove (that's the part I forgot to do today....).

Place your cast iron skillet under the broiler (not too close!) until the top looks "done."

Take two pieces of sliced Cabot cheddar cheese.

Break it into little pieces.

Scatter the pieces on top of the egg mixture.

Broil a little more....watching closely so it doesn't burn.

Remove.  Cut into four pieces.  Remember to turn off your broiler.  Serve!

 

One nice bonus of the cast iron skillet is that it is perfect for under the broiler.  :)

Skillet Onions and Peppers

We have a birdhouse.  Peter got it for me last year as an anniversary gift.  We were happy when house wrens moved in.  They are cute and have a pleasant song.  Here is a house wren:  http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/House_Wren/id 

About a month after the house wrens established their home, we heard a big ruckus outside.  After a brief fight, house sparrows moved in.  Here is a house sparrow:  http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/House_Sparrow/id 

The house sparrows tend to be those birds you find everywhere, like at McDonald's, or living above store entrances.  They have an annoying "cheep."  No song.  But I am biased at this point.....

I didn't like the way they just took over. 

John and I tried to drive them away by spraying them with water (using a super soaker), but we soon found that these guys are *very* persistent.  When I saw them procreating in my tomato plants, I decided that was too much.  On the fourth of July, 2009, we took down the house and made a smaller hole (exactly one inch in diameter) of metal, so they couldn't enlarge it.  Here is the house:

The house sparrows could not get in, but they don't give up easily.  It took weeks before they finally left.  The wrens were back in business.

This year, a similar situation ensued, although the sparrows attempted to set up house earlier.  Beats me why they continue like this.  They positively can't get in.   On the day in early July that we visited Old Sturbridge Village, a full battle was raging.  The wrens were dive-bombing the sparrows, who sat on the house like it was their own.  Sometimes they were fighting on the ground.  It wasn't pretty.  I came home and looked outside for any carcasses.  Thankfully, none were found. 

The wrens won.  They have been nesting peacefully for a number of weeks now.  The cool thing is that the babies are hatched.  If you sit outside and listen, every so often you will hear a lot of noise coming from the house.  When you look up, you will see a parent at the door, bringing food to their cherubs.  It makes me happy. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Here is a recipe that makes us happy.  It's easy to cook up some onions and peppers in the 8-inch cast iron skillet, then throw them on pasta.  Yum!  Eat and smile!

Skillet Onions and Peppers

Heat 1-2 Tbs Oil in a skillet on medium-low.

Add:  1 cut up green pepper, and one cut up onion.

Increase heat to medium.

Add salt-free garlic and pepper blend to taste (I used McCormick).

Cook and stir every so often, about 15 min. total.

Top your cooked pasta with these veggies, then put on some sauce and cheese.  Smile!

Flying Off the Handle: Blueberry Sauce

John went to an open mic night last night.  He played guitar while his friend, Steph, sang.  After them, another friend of his, Laura, played keyboard and sang.  For one of these songs, John joined her, playing his new melodica.  Here is what a melodica looks like:

Tonight my parents will be coming over for pizza.  We often invite them for this.  It's a nice way to see each other, and they enjoy it. 

Remember the blueberries?  My Dad loves blueberries.  Mom doesn't.  I can't figure out how anyone can not love blueberries, but there is no accounting for taste....

So for dessert, I made this lemon cake, purchased from my local Whole Foods Market.

I know Mom likes lemon cake. 

I will top this cake with a blueberry sauce, from a recipe that I have been using for years.  We put it on pancakes, ice cream, or cake.  Mom can skip the sauce if she chooses.  This cake is delicious without it.  To me, the blueberries will harmonize with the lemon in the cake.   Here is the recipe for.....

Blueberry Sauce

In a small saucepan, combine

1/4 cup sugar

1Tbs cornstarch

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1tsp lemon juice

Gradually stir in 1/2 c. water

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil.  Add:

2 cups blueberries, rinsed  (either fresh or frozen)

Continue stirring until sauce reaches a boil again. 

Reduce heat; simmer 5 min.

Serve warm. 

No-time quick dinner

It is a busy week.  On Sunday, I had a shower for Katie.  The tables looked beautiful with the flowers that Phyllis, Andy's mom, provided. 

Everything went great.   Our local Hilton Garden Inn did a wonderful job.  Katie looked absolutely radiant. 

I also have been taking a bunch of classes provided by my employer during the summer months for teachers.  I love to learn, so I signed up for eight.  Yup, eight.  How can you go wrong when they are free? 

The only downside is that most are packed into this week and next.  Add to that the fact that I am trying to do some decluttering, and we have company coming tomorrow, and there are wedding tasks.....well, yesterday there weren't many minutes available for cooking. 

I threw a small ham steak on the 8" pan, and heated that up.  Add a salad with cheese, dried cranberries, etc.  It was pretty good!

I have been heating up some water to boiling in a separate pan as the cast iron skillet is active on the stove.  When I am done with the skillet, I pour some hot water in....then, after dinner, it is still warm and seems to make for an easy clean-up!

Grilled Sandwiches

Okay, I have to fess up.  Last night, John politely asked,

             "Mom, what was in that potato pie?"

Uh-oh.

He felt signs of having been "glutened" both after our dinner on Tuesday, and after having leftovers for lunch the next day.  It wasn't really severe or long-lasting; he estimated it was about a 5 on a scale of 1-10. 

After wracking our brains, I decided the only thing could be my pan. 

My 10" pan is the only cast iron skillet that I have been using which I did not purchase new just for gluten-free cooking.  I figured that I probably used wheat flour in the skillet once, perhaps twice.  Ever.

Even with that, when John needed to go gluten free I did scrub it out with soap.  We have since had potatoes and gluten-free flatbread from that pan with no ill effects.  But nothing that I made filled the sides of the pan.

Until now.

So, today I took a Brillo pad, and scrubbed it twice, especially up the sides.  I don't think I got quite down to bare metal, but the soapy stuff looked pretty brown from the residue I got off.  I will re-season and try again.

If it doesn't work, you will know!

The moral of this story?  Get new pans if you must be gluten free.  Either that or really strip it down and re-season.

*****************************

Last night I looked in the fridge and it was pretty bare except for some Cabot Cheddar slices and some leftover red onion.  I decided to make "panini." 

Our sandwiches, not needing to be gluten-free, go on my panini press.  John's, however, can't be next to ours.  Which is precisely why I bought this little thing when I saw it in my nearby TJ Maxx:

It fits perfectly into my 8" skillet!

I was able to nicely grill a sandwich on Aleia's GF bread, with cheddar cheese, red onion, and some jarred roasted red peppers.  I just used some olive oil to grease the pan a little, and put the stove on medium.  It did a good job.  We had that with baked beans on the side. 

I was kind of upset about the night before and didn't remember to take a picture of his sandwich. 

And - for the record, he was fine after that meal!