Oreo Cheesecake

I can't get enough of this cheesecake recipe. This time the crust was made out of crushed Trader Joe's Gluten Free Jo Jo's. I mixed in another heaping cup to the cheesecake batter and it was perfect.

Phuong Vietnamese

I want to go back to this place. Immediately. My work friends and I have been adventuring out for exotic cuisine, and this place has been on my radar for a while. Phuong had lots of gluten free options, and I got the Shrimp Friend Noodle with rice noodles. Some extra fish sauce added the right amount of salt and vinegary flavor...must...go...back...soon...

Against All Grain Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mine did not end up with the same beautiful texture as AAG's, but I think it has to do with the almond flour I used. Will give them another try soon!

http://againstallgrain.com/2012/08/29/real-deal-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Box of Sunshine

One of the kids I coached for years has had a history of kidney problems and was recently suffering a health setback that required not-so-fun time at the hospital. I packed up a 'box of sunshine' (thank you, Pinterest!) for the patient and her sister and mailed it for them to receive when they got home. Hoping it brightened their day during a tough time.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

For our neighbor Kristen's birthday, I made a chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake (that could easily be adapted to be gluten free). I followed the basic cheesecake recipe, and for the crust used a package of store bought cookies that went through the food processor. The cake itself is filled with chunks of refrigerated cookie dough. The last ten minutes I sprinkled mini chocolate chips on top for a little extra sweetness.

PBR Bane Cake

My lucky husband got not one, but two cakes for his birthday last month. This one was made of PBRs and topped with a Bane action figure. I left it on the counter for him to find in the morning :).

Chocolate Stripper Cake

Alright, so that title sounded really dirty :). This is a way late post from my husband's birthday. I wanted to try a chocolate gluten free recipe and decided to spice it up a bit with Stripper Barbie coming out of the center. Needless to say, it was a big hit.

Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
1 1/2 cups coconut flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
8 large eggs, separated into yolks and whites (room temp)
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1. Preheat oven to 325. Mix dry ingredients, setting aside 1/4 cup of sugar. In a separate bowl mix yolks, buttermilk, and vanilla. Combine.

2. In mixer bowl, whisk egg whites and cream of tartar to soft peaks, then add remaining sugar and mix until glossy, firm peaks form. Fold 1/4 of the whites into the mixture, then the rest.

3. Transfer to a greased bundt pan (I used two 8 inch rounds) and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes (I tested with toothpicks frequently after the 40 minute mark).

Peach Crumble

Peeled and diced peaches + brown sugar + cinnamon + gluten free granola = awesomeness! Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until peaches are softened.

Warrior Dash Charlotte

Tough day but I finished! And my husband was nice enough to hang back and finish with me :).

Manicotti Crepes with Pesto Cream Sauce

Same egg crepe recipe, different filling. Stuffed them with leftover ravioli filling (ricotta, sauteed spinach, garlic, Parmesan, and nutmeg), then heated heavy cream and store bought pesto with a little salt to put on top. Finished with a little more Parmesan and baked at 400 for about 20 minutes.

Caprese Salad

One of my favorite summer salads. Sliced tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, chopped basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a few pinches of salt.

Truffle Potato Soup

We've had lots of potatoes in the CSA bag lately so it was time to make some soup! I peeled and boiled potatoes in salt water until they were soft, then drained and mashed them up with a potato masher. Then I turned the heat back on and stirred in heavy cream, lots of salt, garlic paste, and fresh chopped parsley, hitting it with the immersion blender once it was combined. Once it tasted good on its own I swirled in some truffle oil to taste. Sometimes the simple things are SO FREAKING DELICIOUS!

I Got Your Rooster

Better late than never, right? Went to see Alice in Chains for my hubby's birthday back in May. Good seats and good show!

Gluten Free Pasta Noodles

Out of all the things I miss with gluten, homemade pasta is pretty high up there. Luckily I got this amazing recipe from a cooking class, and while it has a bunch of expensive ingredients, the end result is pretty stellar. I made this with some lemon cream sauce and a huge pan of roasted veggies (broccoli, carrots, zucchini, onions, snap peas), and cut the pasta using the Kitchen Aid attachment.

Gluten Free Pasta
3/4 cup arrowroot starch
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup sweet rice flour
1/4 cup millet flour
3 Tbsp dry milk powder
1 Tbsp guar gum
1 tsp xanthan gum (I used corn starch when we ran out)
1/2 tsp fine salt
3 large eggs
3-4 Tbsp water (add more as needed to help dough form)

Add dry ingredients to mixer with dough hook attachment. Stir eggs and water in and mix until dough ball forms. Take out and knead with additional flour then portion out and run through pasta roller.

Easy Tostadas

Hard corn tostada shells topped with refried beans, queso fresco, salsa and cheddar. Bake until warm and cheese is melted, about 15-20 minutes at 350.

Triple Chocolate Nutella Cookies

I went a step further with my Nutella cookie recipe by using all Nutella (no peanut butter) and adding chocolate chunks, white chocolate chips, and chopped Macadamia nuts. Sooooo tasty.

Enchiladas with Lemon Cream Sauce

A little bite of heaven if there ever was :). These are a take on my favorite enchiladas from Basico, a fun little Mexican joint down the road from work. Theirs have pickled onions on top, which I haven't figured out how to do yet, but I think I got the sauce pretty close!

Lemon Cream Sauce
1 small carton of heavy cream
Zest from two small lemons
1/2 cup cheddar or Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste

Enchiladas
Corn tortillas
Cheddar cheese
Queso fresco cheese
Sauteed veggies (I used carrot, zucchini, and greens)
Smashed black beans

Assemble enchiladas and top with sauce and additional cheese. Bake until bubbling (about 25 minutes) at 400 degrees. I topped mine with diced radish for a little extra crunch!

Beet Salad

Got some lovely beets in our CSA bag so I roasted them at 425 for about 45 minutes (tossed in some olive oil and salt), the added them to a store bought salad with goat cheese. Yum!

Eggs and Salsa

Love me some farm fresh eggs, mixed with heavy cream/salt/pepper and topped with cheddar and salsa!

CSA Flowers

It's flower time and I'm in love!

Salt Pig

I've been searching high and low for a proper salt pig, and couldn't find one I liked for under $40 (which seems ridiculous, I mean it's a salt holder!). I did find these cute little bamboo boxes though, and the lid swivels open and has magnets to snap it shut. You can operate it with one hand, which I like. No more shaking out salt, now I just grab a pinch and go!

Creamy Salad Dressing

My lovely husband decided to whip up some homemade salad dressings, which I'm totally digging. Here's our favorite so far:

Creamy Italian Dressing
Blend 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons each sour cream and olive oil, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 garlic clove and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a blender. Stir in 1 tablespoon chopped parsley.

Here is the original recipe:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/50-salad-dressing-recipes.html

Breakup Basket

My little sister just broke things off with her long-term boyfriend and when I came over to help her unpack at her new place I brought along a 'breakup basket' full of comforts that I relied on in my younger years. The only thing missing was a copy of 'Someone Like You' with Ashley Judd, but I'm bringing that next time!

Cabbage, Mon Petit Chouchou

If you had told me ten years ago that I would be devouring cabbage like there's no tomorrow I would have called you a big fat liar. But here we are with mon petit chouchou, the best of friends. I am digging it in savory pancakes, braised with carrots, and sauteed up with some scrambled eggs...just can't get enough!