Month: April 2020

Hello Everyone! Spring is here, and so are th0se “April Showers.” I don’t know a better way to enjoy a rainy day than in the kitchen. A few years ago my family and I took a magnificent trip to Europe. Throughout our journey we ended up spending a morning wandering around on the beautiful island of Capri, Italy. There I saw the biggest lemons I have ever seen to date. From then on, whenever I see a lemon I always think of that morning. Lately I have been perusing around social media for some recipe inspiration, a few days ago I saw about seven or eight recipes with lemon as the star of the show. I made up my mind that the next dessert I would make would be lemon tarts. Added bonus was that then I could use the leftover dough in the freezer from my floral spring tarts I made a couple weeks ago.

All Recipes’ Lemon Butter Tart recipe was the inspiration for my Lil’ Lemon Tartlets, I did of course make a few alterations of my own to the recipe. Here’s how I made them:

First off my Grandma gave me these super cute little tartlet molds, so rather than a traditional tart mold I used those. Then I of course used the leftover gluten free pie crust dough that had been in my freezer. I rolled it out and placed it in my little molds, that I had sprayed generously with non-stick spray. From here I par-baked them at 350 degrees fahrenheit until they were just lightly tanned (about 9-ish minutes).

While those were in the oven I got as much of the lemon curd done as possible. I whisked three eggs and two egg yolks thoroughly. I combined them in a saucepan with 1/2 cup butter, 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, 3 teaspoons lemon zest, and 1 1/4 cup sugar. I put this all on low heat and stirred constantly until it was thick. After the curd was finished I set it in the fridge to cool, while it cooled I took the tartlet crusts out of the molds. I then placed them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. After this I made the meringue topping. For this I whipped up 3 egg whites, 1/4 cup white sugar, and a generous dash of cream of tartar. I use cream of tartar in my meringues to make sure they have stiff peaks that can withstand piping.

Once the lemon curd had chilled I piped the curd into the individual tartlets. Next I piped the meringue on top of each tartlet covering them completely. I then put them in the oven and baked them at 350 degrees until the meringues were a very light brown (about 7 min). Once they cooled completely I brought some over to my neighbors who share a love of lemon desserts. These turned out great, and I am so excited to make them again. If you have any questions, as always, please feel free to reach out.

Until next time,

Brynn

We may not be Arby’s but when it comes to meatloaf i’d say we got it going on. Meatloaf has always been one of my favorite dinners (and lunch leftovers). You can’t beat a good meatloaf, potato, and carrot trio. I personally have been making meatloaf since I was about seven or eight. I remember using the Molly’s Cooking Studio by American Girl cookbook for the meatloaf and “Volcano Mashed Potato” recipes. My new favorite meatloaf recipe comes from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Foolproof cookbook. This is our family’s go to recipe, it makes enough for leftovers and is oh so delicious. Mom always seems to get it just right so there’s a little crust on the outside and the inside is juicy and flavorful. I can’t forget the garlic sauce to pour over the meatloaf. The garlic sauce is also in Ina’s book, Barefoot Contessa Foolproof. It is the perfect finishing touch to the meatloaf, and elevates the flavor of the meatloaf even more. Here is a link to a online version of the recipe: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/meat-loaf-recipe-1921718. Enjoy the images below and check back soon for some more updates.

Until next time,

Brynn

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Think of your mom’s chocolate chip cookies, can you smell them coming out of the oven? Can you taste the warm chocolate? Mmmmm. Oh i’m sorry, am I making you hungry for cookies? Teehee my bad, my sweet tooth tends to take over these dessert posts. I know everyone says that their mom has the best chocolate chip cookies, but in my family three generations have been able to say that about the same recipe. My great grandmother, on my mom’s side, Evelyn Odegaard-Howard passed down her recipe and it has been used ever since. It’s important to note that I have no clue where Great Grandma Evelyn got her chocolate chip cookie recipe. My Grandma, Evelyn’s daughter, doesn’t even know, but if you ask anyone in the family we all agree her recipe is by far the best. Now I am not saying drop all that you know about chocolate chip cookies and immediately convert to my family’s recipe, but if you ever want to branch out and try a new one I am the first to say: “Give this one a try.”

Like many recipes in our family this one was not originally gluten free. As we do with most recipes, we simply made a few conversions to make this recipe gluten free. These cookies are incredible! They get a little crunch on the outside, but are soft and gooey on the inside. To make them gluten free, all you have to do is substitute the regular flour for gluten free flour. An added bonus is that instead of butter we use Crisco in our cookies. If you substitute dark chocolate chips for the semi-sweet on the recipe, then the cookies are 100% gluten free and dairy free. These cookies are a great example that through a couple easy substitutions anything can be made gluten free. As Mom always says: “Don’t mourn what you can’t have, just find a way to make what you love gluten free.” By doing so you will be able to live your best gluten free lifestyle.

So often I find myself searching for new dish inspirations, and I come across these gluten free recipes with so many random ingredients that can only be found in niche grocery markets. I see these ingredients and think to myself about when I would ever use them again, unless to remake the recipe. I think this is wasteful of energy, time, money, and at the end of the day the other 3/4 of that random ingredient you bought and never used again. Simplicity is key, work smarter not harder. You don’t always need that one crazy ingredient the gluten free version of your favorite food calls for. If you have a recipe you really love and want to convert it to gluten free, use it! Just look for places substitutions can occur. Cooking and baking, like art, requires creativity and heart no matter the recipe. Have fun in the kitchen remaking what you love, gluten free. This is how my family knows that everything can be made gluten free. Enjoy the pictures of our cookies below, and if you have questions about getting the recipe please feel free to reach out.

Until next time,

Brynn

Hello Everyone! I am so excited to write about this soup. Mom found this recipe while I was away at school before COVID-19 brought me home for the school year. I have been home now for about five weeks, and so far we’ve made this soup three times. Mom found the recipe for this “Creamy Chicken Poblano Soup” in Joanna Gaines’ cookbook, Magnolia Table, the recipe can also be found online. Here is the link: https://magnolia.com/creamy-chicken-poblano-soup-recipe/. It is by far one of my all time favorite soup recipes. It is full of vegetables, and it’s not too heavy. We make it most often for lunches, and can usually spread it out a couple days. This soup definitely beats lunch at the school dining hall, and is my favorite way to break up online learning. I hope you all stay well and healthy.

Until next time,

Brynn

Hello Everyone! My apologies for being pretty inactive this week. Our dishwasher broke, so as a family we have been cooking meals that require minimal dishes. This week Mom made “Million Dollar Chicken” for dinner. This recipe is inspired by Food Network’s Dan Silverman. This is a favorite family dinner no matter the time of year, and an added bonus is that it requires about five dishes. The chicken is full of flavor and very juicy. For sides we like to have roasted carrots and mashed potatoes. Using a whole chicken ensures leftovers for our family; and Dad loves to use the leftovers to make a chicken salad sandwich for lunch the day after. I would absolutely recommend this recipe for a cozy night in, this chicken is the ultimate comfort dish. Here is the link to the recipe: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/the-standard-grill-million-dollar-chicken-2145489

Until next time,

Brynn

Hello Everybody! The snow finally melted, and I am hoping it doesn’t come back until November. The sun is shining, the grass is getting green, buds are popping out all over the yard, and my allergies are in full swing. It’s a friendly reminder that although COVID-19 is ravaging throughout every Country, the World still spins. The fear of COVID-19 has united the entire World, and through the disaster many displays of human spirit have prevailed. COVID-19 is a uniting force that has affected everyone in one way or another. As a family we are so grateful to the heros on the front lines doing their best everyday. A very close family friend of ours, Susan, is an Emergency Room doctor. She battles COVID-19 every shift. To thank her for the hard work she is doing, I decided to make her and her family some spring tarts using what we had around the house.

Usually I don’t bake with apples until the fall, but we had so many apples at the house I wanted to use them up before they went bad. I love making pies for my family, but this time I changed things up. I made individual spring apple tarts. My favorite gluten free crust for pies and tarts can be found at Williams-Sonoma, just ask about their gluten free pie crust.

The tarts turned out great! Here is how I made them: while the dough was chilling in the freezer, I peeled and cut five apples (one per tart), tossed them in the juice of two fresh lemons, added a splash of maple syrup, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup white sugar, and a generous dash of cinnamon and nutmeg. I rolled out the dough and placed it into the individual tins. I then filled each tin with the apple mixture, leaving the excess liquid in the bowl. For the top crust, I rolled the dough thin, shaped my flowers, placed them on each tart, and gave them an egg wash. I baked them for 25 minutes in an oven that was 425 degrees fahrenheit. The only thing I would change is baking them for 18-20 minutes so they wouldn’t get as dark. Enjoy the pictures below. If you have further questions, as always, feel free to reach out. Stay safe and healthy.

Until next time,

Brynn

Ever since quarantine began about a month ago Stephanie (mother) has began incorporating Brooke and I into the making dinner rotation. Tonight was my night for dinner. Since I was a little girl my favorite dinner that mom would make us was her light Fettuccini Alfredo with chicken and broccoli, so that was the clear choice to make tonight. It is creamy without being overpowering, and we always make enough for leftovers. As far as converting it to gluten free, a simple pasta substitution and a little gluten free flour for the sauce is all that is necessary. I have always loved Italian food and this Fettuccini is a staple on our table. Feel free to comment with questions about the recipe.

Until next time,

Brynn