A GOOD Shabbat Cake

Shabbat desserts can be tricky if you're looking for something outside of fresh fruit and So Delicious ice cream. I had a hankering for cake, and on a whim bought a boxed brand. I made Glutino's Old Fashioned Cake and Cookie Mix, and added frosting from Silvana Nardone's cook book. Both my mother, who is not GF, and I loved it. This recipe is dairy-free and kosher-parve.
The one thing that I would suggest, if at all possible, is keeping the cake WARM if you want it to be moist all over. Unfortunately, the bottom of the cake became somewhat dry. To solve this problem, when I was having a piece of cake post-Shabbat, I melted chocolate on a plate, then put a piece of cake on top of it! 

Frosting (pg. 207) from "Cooking for Isaiah" by Silvana Nardone.
3 cups of semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup of water

In a large microwavable bowl, melt together the chocolate chips and water on high power, about 2 minutes, stir until smooth, and let cool to room temperature. With a hand-held electric mixer, beat the chocolate mixture on medium-high speed until light and whipped, about 12 minutes.
One of the BEST parts about this frosting recipe is that it is SUPER-cheap: it costs as much as a bag of chocolate chips. 
(Disclosure: I did not have a kosher mixer, and did this by hand. The frosting wasn't exactly super-light and whipped, but it definitely worked.)

For more of Glutino's kashrut information, or to buy their products, check out their website: http://www.glutino.com/our-products/gluten-free-pantry/old-fashioned-cake-cookie-mix/

Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour

All Purpose Flour

There are many replacements for all-purpose flour. Most of them are a combination of types of gf-flour, here is Silvana Nardone's recipe, from her book "Cooking for Isaiah: Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Recipes for Easy, Delicious Meals."

6 cups white rice flour, preferably Bob's Red Mill
3 cups tapioca flour,*
1 1/2 cups potato starch, prferably Bob's Red Mill
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons xanthum gum, preferably Bob's Red Mill

Directions: In a large bowl, whisk together the rice flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, salt, and xanthum gum. Transfer into an airtight storage container and store in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator. This recipe makes approximately 4 pounds of all-purpose flour.
Prep Time: 15 minutes

*The type of tapioca flour listed in Nardone's book is not kosher. I have heard that some ravs hold that flour does not need to have a hekscher, but that one should just sift it before using it if there is no hekscher to check for bugs. However, I have no certain knowledge of this--you should check with your kashrus posek before buying a non-kosher brand of flour.

About Silvana Nardone: "I was the founding editor-in-chief of Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine, where I was also the “No-Recipe Zone” and “Sweet Spot” columnist. A writer, editor, cooking instructor and food consultant, I coauthored Saveur Cooks Authentic Italian. I was an editor at Food & Wine magazine before opening my Italian bakery, Fanciulla. I’ve appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America, NBC’s Weekend Today, CBS’s News This Morning, ABC’s Eyewitness News This Morning and the Food Network’s Roker on the Road. I’ve also been featured in The New York Times, New York, TimeOut New York, The Associated Press and on many websites, including AOL Health, iVillageFood and Babble. I live in Brooklyn, New York, with my husband Stephen, and my children, Isaiah, 14, and Chiara, 4" 


Silvana's Website: http://silvanaskitchen.com/
About the Book: I found this book to be a helpful resource. Unfortunately, I think that there is one gluten-free cookbook on the market today in the kosher-variety, so I had to venture out of my comfort sphere and buy non-kosher cookbooks. Yes, some of her recipes feature shellfish and pork, but the vast majority do not and are VERY easy and quick!

A Yom-Tov Alternative to Matzah Ball Soup

Vegetable Minestrone Soup 

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 stalks of celery, including the leaves, finely chopped*#1
2 carrots, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon of chopped garlic
1 potato, finely chopped (you can always try a sweet potato)
3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary needles, crushed
1 (14-16 oz) can tomatoes, with their juice, chopped
1 cup of water
4 cups of vegetable broth (If you aren't having vegan or vegetarian guests, you can always use chicken broth--but, in my opinion, it's always best to stay on the safe, i.e. parve, side)*#2
1 (20 oz) can of kidney beans, drained
1/2 cup of gluten-free noodles (try Ancient Grain's Quinoa noodles)

Directions:
1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and potato, stirring until the mixture begins to brown. This takes about 5 minutes. Add rosemary and cook, stirring for 10 seconds.
2. Add tomatoes and their juice, and the water, and bring the liquid to a boil. Simmer the mixture for 10 minutes. Add the broth and beans, bring the mixture to a rolling boil, and sprinkle the gf-pasta over the surface.
3. Lower the heat, and simmer the soup for, partially covered, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes.

*#1: Some kashrut experts caution that celery leaves cannot be properly cleaned for bugs. Check with your own kashrus Rav)
*#2: You may want to use a low-sodium broth, as MANY broths are very high in sodium--which can transform a healthy recipe into an unhealthy recipe.

Six Servings
Source: "Ok, So Now You're A Vegetarian: Advice & 100 Recipes from One Vegetarian to Another." By Lauren Butts

A Cool Product For the Uber-Foodie

Need to carry along your spices? Going somewhere spice-less, or without access to kosher spices?

From Uncommon Goods: 

"For foodies, nothing is scarier than being in a strange place where you're subject to sub-par food. The horror! With this handy Mobile Foodie Survival Kit, you can doctor up even the most repulsive meal. Stocked with organic herbs and spices, plus indispensable extras like wasabi. Containers are unlabeled so they can be re-used for your favorite spices (seperate key included).
Kit includes: Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Cayenne, Onion, Basil, Conventional Wasabi, Nutmeg, Oregano, Garlic, Thyme, Curry, Ginger, Dill. Each pot holds about 1.5 tablespoons. Made in the USA and India" 



Website: http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/mobile-foodie-survival-kit

For the last days of grilling--chicken lovers, please!

  Grilled Chicken and Orange Skewers With Zucchini Rice

 

Serves 4
Hands-on Time: 30m
Total Time: 45m

Ingredients

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 medium zucchini, coarsely grated
• 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (6 to 7), cut into 1 1⁄2-inch pieces
• 1 small red onion, cut into 1 1⁄2-inch pieces
• 1 navel orange, cut into 16 pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for the grill
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• kosher salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Soak 8 small wooden skewers in water for at least 15 minutes.

2. Cook the rice according to the package directions. Remove from heat, sprinkle the zucchini over the rice, cover, and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and fold in the zucchini.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the chicken, onion, and orange with the oil, cumin, cayenne, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper; thread onto the skewers. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium, lightly oil the grate, and grill the skewers, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the onion is just tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve with the rice. 

Tip: Play up the citrus flavor of the kebabs by adding a teaspoon of finely grated orange zest to the rice along with the zucchini.

Nutritional Information

Calories 473; Fat 17g; Sat Fat 4g; Cholesterol 93mg; Sodium 454mg; Protein 30g; Carbohydrate 48g; Sugar 5g; Fiber 2g; Iron 3mg; Calcium 55mg

Website: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/grilled-chicken-orange-skewers-00000000056528/index.html?xid=dailyrecnews-09-05-2011

Another Treat from 'Real Simple'

Poached Salmon Salad With Beets

Serves 4
Hands-on Time: 20m
Total Time: 35m

Ingredients

• 1 pound salmon fillet, skin removed
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup sour cream (*GF Kosher Chef's Tip: Try Tofutti if you're Sephardi, or dairy-free)
• 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
• 2 bunches watercress, thick stems removed (about 6 cups)
• 3 medium beets, peeled and very thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
•  

Directions

1. Place salmon in a skillet and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add ¼ cup vinegar and enough water to half cover the fish.

2. Cover and simmer over medium heat until salmon is opaque and beginning to flake, 12 to 15 minutes.

3. Transfer to a plate and refrigerate until cool, 15 to 20 minutes. Using a fork, flake the salmon into bite-size pieces.

4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sour cream, horseradish, remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

5. In individual bowls, combine watercress, salmon, and beets. Drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle with the dill.

Tip

Beets are delicious raw, but they should be sliced very thinly. The easiest way is with a Japanese mandoline. You can also use a vegetable peeler, or try grating them on a box grater.

Nutritional Information

Calories 280; Calories From Fat 43%; Protein 29g; Carbohydrate 9g; Sugar 6g; Fiber 2g; Fat 13g; Sat Fat 5g; Sodium 645mg; Cholesterol 92mg

Website: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/poached-salmon-salad-beets-00000000000658/index.html

Quinoa Appreciation-Quinoa Breakfast Porridge

Quinoa Breakfast Porridge

A twist on the traditional oatmeal breakfast, this will keep you full for hours. Makes 4 serving
 2 cups water 
1 cup quinoa, rinsed 
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup whole dried apricots
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Bring the water to a boil, and add the quinoa. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Add the cinnamon and apricots, and simmer until water is absorbed. Add the almonds. Serve with milk, soy milk or cream, and sweeten to taste with honey or brown sugar.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15749697