Lily amongst the violets and the rhubarb

I spent my weekend visiting my adorable new family member (Lily the puppy) in my charming home town (Louisville) in my beautiful home state (Colorado.) It was remarkable to see the changes that have transpired since I last visited, two years ago.

Lily and Mr. Bill

The town (voted the best place to raise a family by money magazine) has changed a lot since I grew up there. Downtown Louisville was pretty much unchanged in the 18 years I spent there. I knew Main Street like I knew the back of my hand. Spaghetti and meatballs from The Blue Parrot, cheese enchiladas from Senor T’s, egg drop soup from Double Happy (until I decided egg drop soup was disgusting and stopped eating it), cinnamon rolls from Karen’s Country Kitchen. These were the meals and the places I grew up on. It was strange and sad to see most of these places replaced with “hip” new restaurants and bars. It made me nostalgic for the simplicity and hominess that I took for granted all those years. Luckily, there is one place that never changes too much: my house.

I can still hear the train whistle and the endless drone of lawnmowers from my childhood bedroom. I can still count on the open door policy of my street; on any given day you will find neighbor visiting neighbor for a chat, a snack or mostly a request for or offer of a helping hand. This may sound cheesy and folksy but I can assure you, it’s the real deal. My semi-jaded L.A.-born sous chef was shocked to see the doors left unlocked and the casual drop-ins that happened all weekend and happen every day on the street where I am from. The most comforting thing of all about home is that I can still count on my dad to make endless pies from the sour cherries, apples and rhubarb he picks right from the trees and bushes in our yard.

This recipe is a little messy, you won’t get any picture perfect slices but you will get comfort and a taste of home, just like you remember it.

For Crust:
- 1 unbaked 10-inch pie crust (my dad used Gluten Free Pantry mix but you can also buy these in the gluten-free freezer section at Whole Foods)

For Filling:
- 4 cups diced rhubarb
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp gluten free all-purpose flour (optional)
- 3 eggs

- 1/4 cup whipping cream

For Topping
- 1 cup gluten free rolled oats
- 2 Tbsp gluten free all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup softened butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a bowl, combine rhubarb, granulated sugar, 3 Tbsp gluten free flour (optional), eggs and cream.

Pour into pie shell and bake 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce temperature to 350 degrees.

Prepare topping:
In a food processor first add brown sugar and process until lumps are gone.
Add butter and pulse until butter is distributed.
Add flour and cinnamon and pulse a few times to combine.
Add pecans and pulse until roughly chopped.
Add oats and pulse a few times to distribute and break up slightly but do not over process. The oats and pecans are meant to provide texture and crunch.

Sprinkle topping evenly over filling and return to the oven to bake 35-40 minutes until topping is browned and filling is set (will still be slightly jiggly.)

Place on cooling rack and cool to room temperature then serve with freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

To. Die. For.

I didn’t eat all that much Chinese food before going gluten free but we always want what we can’t have and since going gluten free, I often crave my favorite Chinese dishes like crispy spicy beef, crab rangoon and egg rolls. It’s nearly impossible to get gluten free Chinese food, at least the kind I’m talking about. P.F. Chang’s has a wonderful gluten free menu but if you want the down and dirty, greaseball stuff, you are generally out of luck. I finally broke down and decided to make my own beef and broccoli, and shockingly, it was even better than Panda Express!!! This recipe was absolutely delicious, cheap to make and the leftovers were even better the next day. Give it a try!

Beef Stir-Fry
Adapted from Dishing the Divine

Ingredients:
- 1 lb flank steak, cut into 2-inch-wide strips with the grain, then sliced across the grain in to 1/8-inch-thick slices
- 3 tbsp gluten free soy sauce (Tamari)
- 1 tbsp dry sherry
- 2 tbsp chicken broth
- 5 tbsp oyster-flavored sauce (see the pic for a great gluten free brand!)
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp corn starch
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 6 medium garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 piece (1 inch) ginger, minced
- 3 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil, divided
- 1 1/4 lb broccoli, florets cut into bite sized pieces, then sliced in half
- 1 cup chopped fresh pineapple
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 small red pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/4-1/2 inch strips

Combine beef and soy sauce in a sealable container and refrigerate at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour, shaking once.

In a small bowl, whisk sherry, chicken broth, oyster sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch.

In a separate bowl combine garlic, ginger, and 1 1/2 teaspoons peanut oil.

Drain beef and discard the liquid. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking.

Add half of beef to skillet separate the pieces and break up clumps; cook, without stirring, for 1 minute, then stir and cook until beef is browned around edges, about 30 seconds. Transfer the cooked beef to medium bowl. Heat the another 1 1/2 teaspoons peanut oil in skillet, and repeat with the remaining beef.

Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to now-empty skillet; heat until just smoking.

Add broccoli and cook for 30 seconds; add water, cover the pan, and lower heat to medium. Steam broccoli about 2 minutes; test to make sure it is crisp but tender then transfer to paper towel–lined plate.

Add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of peanut oil to skillet; increase heat to high and heat until just smoking.

Add bell pepper and pineapple and cook, stirring frequently, until spotty brown, about 1 1/2 minutes.
Use a spoon or spatula to move the peppers and pineapple to the edges of the skillet. In the center of skillet; add the garlic and ginger to the empty area and cook, mashing mixture with spoon, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds, then stir the mixture into peppers and pineapple.
Return the beef and broccoli to skillet and toss to combine. Whisk sauce to recombine, then add to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 30 seconds.
Serve over rice.

I, like many people out there, equate the sound of Rachael Ray’s voice with nails on a chalk board. Her expressions like “E.V.O.O. and Yum-O” being exclaimed in that raspy yell make me want to run, far, far away from my TV but even I have to admit that once in a long, long while, she makes a really good recipe. Being Rachael Ray, though, she still has to give it a name that makes me shudder (“That’s Shallota Flavor Spaghetti.”)

I saw this recipe on a food network show about a zillion years ago and thought it sounded completely nasty. At the time I was president of Onion Haters Anonymous and the idea of making a pasta sauce almost entirely out of an onion relative sounded absurd.  For some reason, though, the recipe shacked up in my brain and would not leave. I didn’t notice it in there, I think it was hibernating next to a latent love of onion rings. After my disdain for onions blossomed into a begrudged affection, that recipe woke up and starting calling my name. I looked it up online, adapted it to meet my personal tastes and made it. And loved it. And made it again and again and again. It’s got an almost indescribable flavor; buttery, savory, sweet and rich. Surprisingly complex considering the only flavor in it comes from shallots, a touch a of garlic and a pinch of fresh parsley. I am in love with this pasta dish.

Adapted (with a bit of shame) from Rachael Ray.

Serves 1 or 2 depending on how hungry you are
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoons butter
- 2 small cloves garlic, sliced paper thin
- 6 shallots, thinly sliced into rings
- 1/4 cup white wine
- Salt
- 1/4-1/2 cup of reserved pasta water, removed from spaghetti water before draining
- 4-6 oz Ancient Harvest Quinoa Spaghetti
- 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
Heat the oil with the butter over medium heat in a dutch oven. Add garlic and shallots and cook gently until caramelized about 20-30 minutes or more, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile heat a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add the pasta, salt the water very liberally then bring back to a boil. Cook to al dente. Reserve some water before draining the pasta.

not quite there

When the shallots are deep golden and caramelized, pour in the wine and deglaze the pan. Add 1/4 – 1/2 cup of pasta water to the shallots and stir.

perfection

Add pasta and to shallots and toss gently. Add salt to taste. Toss 1 to 2 minutes over low heat for liquid to absorb then serve.

Top with lots of grated parmesan and a bit of freshly chopped parsley. TO DIE FOR!