A Few of Our Favorite Things…..

As we navigate a very different Holiday Season than most of us have ever had to navigate we are reaching out to share some of our experiences, memories, favorite and poignant moments of holidays pre-pandemic.

With wishes from our family to yours for gentle and heart filled moments during the coming weeks.

from Anne………Coit Road Farmer’s Market

http://www.coitmarket.org/

among the vendors – No Wheat, No Worries

gf baked goods by Chandra Morgan-Henley

from Mariann……..PAMELA’S PIE CRUST

https://www.pamelasproducts.com/recipes/gluten-free-pie-crust-with-artisan-flour-blend

see our posts for using your pie crust to make: Cranberry Lemon Curd Pie and Potato, Scallion and Gruyere Galette

…… White Winters

CITY FRESH…..local CSA

We promote sustainable farming and deliver food that is locally grown, nutritious, fresh, and delicious.

https://cityfresh.org/

One week of City Fresh produce

HOLIDAY LIGHT SHOW – PUBLIC SQUARE 

https://www.downtowncleveland.com/events/2020-winterfest

Nov. 28 – Jan. 3, 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. 

from Mary Lou……..MEMORIES and LOSS

My most favorite thing is packing the car the night before, getting up by 6:00, picking up my neighbor & drive to my daughter’s every year to be there as my grandchildren wake up. My son in law puts on coffee & all gather around their tree & watch the girls open their presents. After- wards, we have a brunch. This year will be very different as my son in law passed away 3 days before last Christmas. 

from Diane……. Check out The Repair Shop on

Netflix. https://www.netflix.com/title/81224128. 

The show highlights the history of family heirlooms and antiques and the expert artisans who bring them back to life.  Try it if you like the stories told on Antiques Roadshow and the geniality of the Great British Baking Show.  

More NEO Holiday Light Displays

Medina Fairgrounds light show:https://www.cleveland.com/community/2020/12/brighten-your-night-with-a-driving-tour-of-holiday-lights-at-the-medina-county-fairgrounds.html

And Cuyahoga County:https://www.cleveland.com/community/2020/11/brighten-up-your-holiday-season-with-magic-of-lights-at-the-cuyahoga-county-fairgrounds.html

Stan Hywet:https://www.stanhywet.org/

Cleveland Botanical Gardens:https://cbgarden.org/

Cleveland Zoo:https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/zoo/programs-events/2020/special-events/wild-winter-lights-presented-by-nopec

Nela Park:https://www.cleveland.com/news/2020/12/nela-park-holiday-lights-shine-bright-in-east-cleveland-2020-photos.html

Nela Park

Cranberry & Lemon Curd Pie with Meringue

Ingredients

you will need 1 single crust, unbaked, pie shell

Filling

4 c cranberries, fresh or frozen

1/2 c confectioners sugar

2 T lemon juice

¼ t salt

1 T lemon zest

Lemon Curd

6 T butter – unsalted, softened at room temperature

1 c sugar

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

2/3 c fresh lemon juice

1 t grated lemon zest

Meringue

4 large egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/4 cup sugar

Process

Preheat oven to 425

Filling

In a medium bowl combine the filling ingredients

Transfer the filling to the unbaked pie shell and bake for 15 minutes.

Reduce temperature to 350 and continue to bake 30 minutes until filling is bubbling and crust is golden

Curd

In a medium saucepan, on low heat, whisk together the sugar and lemon juice.

Quickly begin to whisk in the eggs, one at a time, as the mixture continues to heat (take care that the eggs are added before the mixture becomes too hot so as to not cook the eggs)

Once all the eggs are incorporated increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes.

The mixture should not boil.

Begin adding the butter a single tablespoon at a time as it incorporates to the mixture.

Remove the curd from the heat; stir in the lemon zest.

Place a small screen strainer over a bowl and pour the curd into the strainer stirring with a rubber scraper to separate the solids.

Press plastic wrap on the surface of the lemon curd to keep a skin from forming.

Allow the curd to set until it is cool enough to top the cranberry filling.

Meringue

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In the CLEAN bowl of stand mixer whip the egg whites to glossy and smooth

Add the cream of tartar

While continuing to beat the egg whites add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until the sugar is incorporated.

Continue beating until stiff peaks form.

Spread or pipe meringue on top of pie

Bake until top is golden, about 7 – 10 minutes.

Holiday Cooking Extravaganza!

Recently when traveling I picked up a copy of Southern Living Magazine -attracted by the cover photo of mini pies. Given the potential for smaller numbers at the Holiday Table this year I was intrigued by ideas for managing our food options. We will be sharing our holidays this year only with our adult daughter so the menu will be nothing traditional. We will have some pumpkin pie paired with a brined/spatchcocked turkey, potato galette, fresh cranberry coulis, cornbread dressing and a vegetable – looking to be roasted carrots at this point. Everything but the turkey will be vegetarian as that comports with our daughter’s vegetarian diet. Everything gluten-free as they suits my dietary needs! Here’s the pie! Keep posted for more recipes! And Happy Thanksgiving All!

PUMPKIN PIE MINIS

You will need: prepared piecrust (I used the Minus-G mix), a large round cookie cutter – approx. 3.5 to 4 inches, large parchment style muffin papers, muffin baking pan, bowl for the filling…….

16 oz pumpkin (I used fresh pumpkin – roasted and pureed)

1/3* – 1/2 c dark brown sugar

*I found the 1/2 c combined with the granulated sugar to be a bit too sweet for my taste so am amending the measure to decrease the amount of brown sugar to 1/3 c

1/4 c granulated sugar

2/3 c heavy cream

3 eggs

1/2 t salt

2 t cinnamon

dash of allspice**

dash of ground cloves**

**alternatively you can use pumpkin pie spice or nutmeg – personally I do not like either so hence the allspice and cloves**

In the filling bowl combine the pumpkin puree, sugars, cream, eggs, salt, cinnamon, allspice and clove.

Whisk to blend well and set aside.

Roll the dough and cut round disks with the cookie cutter.

Place a disk of dough on the center of the muffin paper and work it to create a well with sides of dough.

Fit the pastry filled muffin paper into a well of a standard sized muffin baking pan working to fill all the wells of the pan.

Measure some of the filling into a glass measuring cup for easy pouring and fill the pastry lined muffin papers with the pumpkin filling.

You will have enough dough and enough filling to fill 24 muffin wells and possibly enough to bake off some filling without pastry – I got three 4 inch cake pan fulls. Butter the cake pans and use the rest of the filling to bake off crustless pumpkin ‘pies’.

Bake about 11 minutes, turn pan and bake an additional 9 – 11 minutes.

Use a knife to test filling for doneness – filling should separate without running back together.

By baking the minis you can freeze the pies for eating over the next few weeks.

One thing I really like to use to top off a pumpkin pie is walnuts or pecans simmered in maple syrup (whole or chopped – let the nuts cool before topping) and use fresh whipped cream sweetened with a bit of sugar or maple syrup and with a bit of vanilla!

Chocolate Chip Cookies – gfJules

Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from gfjules

Ingredients

½ c butter (Earth Balance alternative)

½ c shortening (or all butter)

1 c firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 c granulated cane sugar

¾ t sea salt

1 t baking soda

1/2 t baking powder

2 1/2 c All-purpose gf flour (GF Jules)

2 t pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs OR 1/2 cup applesauce OR reconstituted Ener-G egg replacer

12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Optional add ins: white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, toffee chips, m&m candies, shredded coconut, chopped walnuts or pecans ……

Instructions

Bring the butter and shortening to room temperature, then beat together with sugars until light and fluffy – several minutes.

Mix in the vanilla extract and eggs until combined.

In another bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.

Gradually stir these dry ingredients into the sugar mixture.

Stir in chips and nuts, if so desired.

You may bake this dough immediately or scoop dough into a container (metal, if possible) and cover tightly.

Refrigerate or freeze until very cold.

Preheat oven to 350° F (static) or 325° F (convection).

Drop by measured tablespoonfuls onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, at least 1 inch apart.

Bake for 8-9 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned.

Let them stand 5 minutes before removing them to cooling racks.

Makes approximately 60 cookies.

To bake cookie dough as gluten free chocolate chip cookie bars …

Spread the chocolate chip cookie dough into an oiled pan.

If you’ve already baked out a batch of cookies, you will probably only have enough dough left for an 8×8 pan, but you could use a jelly roll pan or 9×13 if you have a full batch of dough.

Spread evenly & bake at 375°F for about 20 minutes.

Remember, just like baking cookies, take these out of the oven just BEFORE they look totally done.

They’ll keep baking a bit longer when you remove them, and this way they’ll still be nice & chewy in the middles.

White Wine Cake

White Wine Cake

¼ cup chopped pecans
1 box yellow cake mix ( Betty Crocker Gluten Free)
3 oz. instant vanilla pudding *
¾ cup water
¾ cup oil
2 tsp cinnamon
4 eggs
¼ c brown sugar
¼ c white sugar
½ c white wine

Glaze
½ c margarine
1 c sugar
¼ c water
¼ c white wine

Grease and flour 10”bundt pan. (I used sugar instead of flour.)
Sprinkle nuts in the bottom of pan. Mix remaining cake ingredients with an electric mixer until well blended, about 3 minutes. Pour into pan and bake at 350 degrees. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes***. About 10 minutes before cake is done, begin glaze. Boil margarine, sugar, and water for 2 minutes. **** Remove from heat and then add wine. Pour half of glaze over hot cake. Let stand 10 minutes. Turn onto serving platter and pour other half of glaze over top of the cake.
Serves 10
Refrigerate it tastes better the 2nd day.
*You could use a pumpkin instant pudding in place of the vanilla and skip the cinnamon since it’s in the pudding.