Rock To Wind A String Around

Father’s Day, while heartbreakingly difficult in many ways, was also surprisingly lovely.  The day started with brunch.  I whipped up Karina’s fabulous eggs diablo over polenta, served it with a minted trio of fresh berries, and at the last minute, added a sample of some freshly made gluten free granola (Bob’s Red Mill offers gf safe oats) from the NY Times’ Mark Bittman.   This was the wind-down from the weekend spent in the kitchen (more on that later–I’ve got dishes to dish about).  I couldn’t seem to stop cooking, so I went with it, and nobody seemed to mind.

Add a trip to the movies, a fencing camp meeting, dinner and an episode of True Blood, and really, there isn’t room for much more, but we squeezed in a few gifts anyway.  A lovely new grill, an even lovelier new ice cream maker, and loveliest of all:   new pictures of the charm tots.

Behold!

and, well…

Every single one of youse will refrain from telling me how grown up the boy looks.  Really…

3 in a row, it’s like a Christmas miracle or something…

So, my mom has been steadily replacing furniture since my dad died on the 8th.  She bought an entertainment center on the day she made funeral arrangements and saw chairs  she liked while she was there, so the day after I arrived, we went out to buy those too, and we added the end tables she liked as well.  A couch and additional end tables soon followed (and there is talk of a new area rug and new lampshades).  This is all shopping she and my dad have been talking about, but the time is NOW, which is good.   Couch shopping is apparently suggested for the bereaved and really, anything that removes my dad’s empty chair from the living room is an excellent idea.  As a disabled person, my dad spent a great deal of time in his recliner and it is so. incredibly. empty. right now.

Anyway, I’ve distracted myself from the recipe portion of today’s entertainment.  The current end tables all sport wide drawers or other storage, the new tables do not, so we’ve been working to find new storage space.  My dad inherited his mother’s secretary after she died in1985.  It is a beautiful piece of furniture, but it’s been more or less a shrine–my parent’s have added a bit to the things it holds, but nothing was removed.  Tonight I suggested we sort Nellie’s things, box the remainder and use the secretary as replacement storage.  We’re still negotiating this, but in the meantime have begun to declutter the secretary’s drawers.  My mother often claims that I am a good deal like Nellie (ok, maybe she complains).  We are both fairly meticulous, we like to iron, and apparently, we shared a mutual love of office supplies and kitschy cookbooks.  How ducky of us both!  The recipe I share is from a book called  “Unusual Old World and American recipes.”  It was produced by Nordic Ware, you know, the pots and pans company?

Anyway, this is a gem, and so worth sharing.  I present to you,  “Sausage Cake!”

• 1 pound pork sausage
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup cold, strong, brewed coffee
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Tell me that doesn’t sound tasty and direct from the Old World?

Bon Apetit!

Saturday night rolled around and it was time for dinner.  Albert took Elliott to a fencing lesson, so that left the ladies at home to chat and cook.  Astrid Meklit usually cooks in her kitchen while I prep dinner in the big one, but on Saturday, she helped to make our sweet and sour curry.  While I made the sauce and chopped tomatoes, Astrid readied the beans:

a quick ‘how-to’ from mama and she was ready to chop

good idea, close your eyes so you can’t witness the imminent digit removal.

Much better form–the curry will remain meat-free

46 long minutes later, the beans were trimmed and snapped, and my girl beamed with obvious pride.  She was SO proud to share the delicious dinner she made with Elliott and Albert.

If you would like to draft your own small fry to make this meal, it can be found in Simple Suppers:  fresh ideas for the weeknight table.

In a few short hours, my dashing spouse will meet me for a hot rendezvous at The Fencing Alliance of Ohio (ooh la la!).  After, we’ll caper home for a late supper.  Lark’s tongues and ambrosia seemed fitting, but so predictable, so instead, we’ll tuck into a frittata with a side of spinach:

sauteed with a little olive oil and fresh garlic, dressed with some raisins, it brightens a January day or evening.  So, inevitably, will the children who will come along for this fencing journey followed by late supper

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the cookies that will follow for dessert.  I tweaked a favorite recipe to make it gluten free–yummy!

Bev’s Oatmeal Cookie of Deliciousness (adapted for gluten free cookie snatchers)

3/4 cup softened butter or margarine  (Bev swears by butter flavored Crisco, but I can’t do it, so I use gf Earth Balance)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar (For gf cooking, I switched to all brown sugar, Sugar!)
1/4 cup milk (Almond milk seems fine here)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour (ahh, my special blend of 1/3 c gf baking mix, 1/3 c coconut flour, and 1/3 c corn starch add 1/4 t of xanthan gum if desired)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats (I use Bob’s Red Mill gf oats)
1 cup raisins
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (optional)

Mix the wet ingredients, add the flour, salt & baking soda, and then the oatmeal.  Stir in raisins and nuts.  Bake at 60 degrees for 12-15 minutes.  Makes about 3.5 dozen

So, back in the dark ages, my parents, who were both born in Philadelphia (or ’round those parts) moved the five of us to Florida.  Although we missed a good many things about our suburban Philadephian lifestyle–our relatives, good schools, sidewalks, what we missed most often was the food.  A whole world of food was left behind when we moved south.  A few years after we moved, my mother found a recipe for Philadelphia-style sticky buns.  These buns are a slightly sweetened yeast roll, filled with a cinnamon swirl,  topped with a sticky brown sugar syrup, and studded with nuts and raisins.   This is not a roll to be confused with a Cinnabon.

My mom began to bake these each year for Christmas morning.  A once-a-year treat, we all loved them and looked forward to our annual taste of Philadelphia.  Once I was married and began celebrating Christmas morning under my own Christmas tree, the recipe appeared in my mailbox so I could continue the tradition, and I have, since 1996.

This year, things looked a little doubtful.  Yeasty sweet rolls are pretty incompatible with a gluten free life, but I was determined to give it a try.   Behold!  the majesty:

(okay, I threw her in for good measure)

and the tradition:

May your holiday be full of the same.

T errific weather here in the Oldest City–the Turkey Day engorgement was followed by a rousing neighborhood game of Capture the Flag, tricycle riding, or trampoline gaiety.  We’ll waddle a bit less tomorrow

H appy.  This was our happiest T day yet.  The 6 cousins get along splendidly, everyone played nicely, and the day was a joy from start to finish.

A lbert ran a half-marathon this morning with his baby brother.  They both ran well.  Albert ran weller (his best half marathon time yet–bring on the pie!)

N oise–along with the happiness of 6 cousins and 7 grownups, there is noise, lots of noise…

K ids–in a relatively childless neighborhood, my bil and sil live in a row of three houses teeming with children, mostly boys Elliott’s age.  Since Elliott spends so much time in the Oldest City when he stays with Pops, he knows these kids well, and is happy to see them.

S ailing–we go tomorrow, out on the boat of Pops.  We’ll be sure to search for both the owl and the pussycat.

G ames–we all love them, so once the kids are settled for the night, we usually play a card game I learned in college.  Tonight we shared Bananagrams andQuiddler instead. The Scrabble lovers in the family adored the new diversions.

I nertia has not reared its ugly head.  Despite my fears, I’ve managed to work out most days.

V ery relaxing–happy children and delicious food =Rancho Relaxo

I nteresting trip to the Lightner Museum earlier this week.  Despite not visiting for 15 years, the stuffed lion and Regina music boxes seemed like old friends.

N ew dress code for the feast–totally casual.  With the Capture the Flag game planned for after the meal, everyone dressed for sport.  Nobody cared, and really gravy stains on tshirts, not a big deal; gravy stains on tafetta dresses?  much bigger issue

G ratitude–filled with it after such a terrific day

D essert–in charge of dessert today, I chose to make a gorgeous gluten free pumpkin cheesecake with praline topping.  Sounds good in theory, except that I forgot to add the pumpkin to the pumpkin cheesecake.  I whipped up a pumpkin custard at the last minute and served it as a topping for the pumpkinless cheesecake–a new and better dessert was born, I am crowned queen of all desserts both floury and gluten free!

A strid (who keeps the seatbelt buckled, thank you very much) has been a champ despite missing several naps and hanging out in the cousins’ house with all of their stuff and littleof hers.  Today, when Albert’s 97 year old grandmother came over for dinner, AM said, “hi grandma–I’ve always wanted to meet a grown up who is little.  nice to meet you.”  Grandma, who was 4′10″ in her youth is a good bit smaller at 97.  She thought it  funny. We thought it pretty funny too–that Astrid Meklit, she’s such a charmer!

Y ear.  We switch off on alternate years.  Next year we’re in charge, I hope we can be such fabulous hosts;  this is a Thanksgiving for the record books.

By now most of you know that I worship the face of Martha.   She’s shared many fabulous recipes with me over the years, most of them wheat-filled baked treats.  One of the sadder aspects of gluten free living is being on rocky ground in the baking world.  Saying goodbye to old favorite recipes has been a challenge but so has losing a deft hand when it comes to combining ingredients for maximum deliciousness.  I bought a new bag of gf rolled oats yesterday and hoped that my favorite Martha cookie would rise up to meet the challenge…the result?  These cookies are better than the original, I can honestly say.  Here is Martha’s fabulous recipe with my gluten free tweaks.  Yea baby–there’s a new sheriff in town!

Martha’s toffee oatmeal cookies (with help from me):

Makes about 2 dozen 3-inch cookies

• 1 1/2 cups gf flour:  i used 2/3 of a cup of Bob’s Red Mill gf biscuit & baking mix, and 2/3 of a cup of coconut flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup light-brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups oatmeal (gluten free)
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup toffee pieces, (5 1/2 ounces)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour and baking soda, and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice during mixing. Add egg, and mix on high speed to combine. Add vanilla extract; mix to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
2. Add the sifted flour a bit at a time on a low speed until well combined. Add oatmeal, cherries, chocolate, and toffee pieces; mix to combine.
3. Divide dough into three equal portions, and roll into logs using plastic wrap, approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter. To bake, cut logs into 3/4-inch pieces. Bake on parchment-lined baking sheets, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and transfer to a baking rack to cool. Or, be like me and just drop spoonfuls of dough on the tray, flatten them with the back of the spoon before baking.  Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet for 3-5 minutes before transferring to baking rack.

Voila!

We woke to the rainiest day in months.  The maple leaves are falling so quickly, my deck now glows a burnished yellow.  Knowing Albert would be gone today (again this week), I planned a zoo trip to occupy our time, but instead we are home, and not too unhappy about it.

My friend Lori, and her son Alex (who is very old now–15!  we’ve known him since he was younger than Astrid Meklit) are coming to visit for the weekend.  I planned our zoo trip to keep the house clean, but instead, there are scattered remnants of a big duplo build, dress up, and lunch to tidy up.  It’s fine though, we have hours to clean.  This  weather also lends itself to cooking–I have two types of potato soup on the stove, an apple cake in the oven, and I’m working on some cookie dough, so we’ll all eat like gluten free royalty this weekend.  Elliott is happily ensconced in his fort downstairs–he built it from our treadmill box last summer with his friend Emily, and it’s been his fondest wish to sleep in it.  He tried it last night, braving potential visits from spiders to enjoy the cozy space.  Suitably unscary, he’s spent the day inside, building, drawing and doing schoolwork.

We have fun plans for the weekend, so we hope the rain ends before tomorrow.  For now, it is rainy, and we’re happy about it.

Happy cozy Friday to you!

Fall is in the air, which means it’s soup-making time.  Last week, I made a terrific butternut squash soup.  Here’s the recipe, with my tweaks:

2 tablespoons (25 mL) olive oil
2 onions, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon (15 mL) minced gingerroot
1 tablespoon (15 mL) curry powder or paste
4 cups (1 L) water,  can substitute chicken broth or vegetable broth (I did, and was quite hapy with the result)
7 to 8 cups (1.8 to 2 L) diced butternut squash (1 large 3-pound/1.4-kg squash)
2 teaspoons (10 mL) sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons (6 mL) salt  ( use less if you opt to use broth rather than water)
One 14-ounce (398-mL) can unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons (25 mL) lime juice

In a large soup pot, saute the onions in oil  until they soften and begin to brown.    Turn heat to medium low and add spices, making sure to coat the onions with the spice mixture before adding the squash.  Add the squash, and let it saute for approximately 7-10 minutes before adding the water.  Add the remaining ingredients, minus the lime juice, and allow to simmer for another hour or so.  Run soup through immersion blender or food processor to smooth.  Add lime and cilantro if desired