Flourless Double Chocolate Nut Cookies

 

My sister has a celiac disease which means she cannot eat gluten. She becomes very ill if she ingests even the smallest amount. So when she visits, I am careful about what I cook, and what I add to dishes. 

I don't like having all the non-gluten flours and ingredients cluttering up my pantry, and prefer gluten-free things I can make from the ingredients I already have on hand. These cookies are so simple to make, and delicious! I've made them with either almonds or pecans, and other nuts could be used, too. 

3 cups icing sugar

3/4 cup cocoa powder, spooned and leveled

1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans or almonds, or another nut

4 large egg whites, at room temperature. 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans. Add egg whites and stir just until combined. Do not overmix. 

Drop dough by Tablespoonfuls onto parchment lined baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. They will spread a little.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes. The cookie tops should be dry and crackled. Let cool and remove from parchment paper. Makes about 30 cookies, depending on the size. 

Seedy Crackers

 

This is a good grain-free cracker that satisfies the crunch need for people eating low-carb diets. I no longer do so, but I still enjoy these crackers. They are great with cheese or peanut butter or whatever you like to put onto crackers. I believe the original recipe is from an Oh, She Glows book or post, but I've adapted it considerably. I got the original one from my daughter.

Seedy Crackers 

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (I use toasted and salted)

1/2 cup sunflower seeds (ditto)

1/2 cup raw sesame seeds

1/2 cup chia seeds

1/2 cup hemp hearts (optional)

2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon Xanthum Gum (this helps hold the crackers together a bit more. It can be left out, but the crackers are more fragile and you might want to make them thicker.)

2 Tablespoons soy sauce plus enough water to measure 1 cup

seasonings to taste - you can add garlic powder (about 1 teaspoon), or fresh garlic, minced, or other herbs

Stir everything together in a bowl and let sit for about 5 minutes. Stir thoroughly again, then spread on parchment lined baking sheets.

You'll notice that I spread mine on two baking sheets - I found it easier for turning them later. Use an offset spatula to press and spread out the mixture evenly. They should be about 1/8-inch thick. One pan is spread to about 12 x 9 inches and the other is smaller, about 10 x 8. 

Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Rotate the pans from top rack to bottom after 15 minutes, if you've used two pans. I then remove them from the oven and cut them into quarters and carefully flip them over. Bake another 10 - 15 minutes, until almost crisp. Cut them into squares and return them to the oven for 5--10 minutes until crisp through. Cool and store in a tightly sealed container. 

I use a bench scraper for cutting them and that works well. They are fragile, and there will be some breakage, but the seed crumbs are yummy on a salad or in soup. 

If you use gluten free soy sauce, you'll have a gluten free cracker for your friends that can't tolerate gluten. 

Meringue Chocolate Almond Cookies

Faced with a quantity of egg whites in the fridge, I made these meringue based cookies. They are light, but addictive. I think it has to do with the way they melt in your mouth, with the added flavors of almonds and chocolate. Easy to make, and they are gluten and dairy free (depending on the chocolate chips used.) 

Meringue Chocolate Almond Cookies

2 egg whites, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips or finely chopped chocolate (I used a combination of both)
1 cup sliced almonds, blanched or not

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Begin adding the sugar, two tablespoons at a time, and beat until the mixture is stiff and glossy. Beat in the vanilla. Fold in the chocolate and almonds with a silicone or wooden spatula. 

Drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto parchment lined baking sheets. Allow for some spreading. Bake 20 - 25 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the parchment, then carefully remove. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. 

Bacon and Date Snacks

These little morsels are sweet and salty at the same time. Easy to make, easy to eat. Barely a recipe with just two ingredients.

Dried Pitted Dates
Bacon Slices

Cut bacon slices so that they can be wrapped around the dates. I cut my slices in half, then ended up trimming a little of the fatty end off of the bacon before wrapping the dates. 

Wrap the dates, slightly overlapping the bacon ends, and fasten with a toothpick. 

Place on a parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the bacon is crisp. Use the top third of the oven so the bottoms don't burn. Turn the rolls over about halfway through. Cool slightly before eating so as not to burn your mouth.

If you like, stuff an almond into the date before wrapping it in bacon. I prefer them without the almond - the crunch of the bacon and the melting sweetness of the dates are enough for me.   

Brie, Bacon and Onion on Polenta Squares

One of the things I enjoy most about planning a party or event is deciding what food to make. Our third grandchild's baby shower recently was a morning event, so savoury things appealed to me more than sweets. These polenta squares, based on a photo, were easy to make with much prep done in advance, and they tasted so good. The softly caramelized onions, the melting Brie, the crunchy salty bacon and the cornmeal base all melded together wonderfully. 

The polenta can be made the day before and chilled, covered with plastic wrap. Caramelize the onions ahead of time, too, and keep them in the fridge. I also baked the bacon, cut it into pieces and refrigerated it (stuck waaay back in the fridge so I wouldn't sneak bits.) The topping recipe follows the polenta square recipe.

Brie, Bacon and Onion on Polenta Squares

polenta:
4 cups of chicken broth, or vegetable broth
2 cups of polenta corn
2 teaspoons of pizza spice or herbes de Provence, optional
1/2 teaspoon salt


olive oil for greasing baking sheet and brushing on top

Bring the broth to a boil over high heat in a large saucepan. Slowly stir in the polenta corn. Add the spice/herbs and salt. Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer until very thick, about 15-20 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent sticking. 

While the mixture is cooking, oil a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. When the mixture is thick, pour it into the prepared baking sheet. Level out the mixture with a flat metal spatula. I found an off-set spatula very useful. Spread the mixture 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. You want the squares to be able to hold the toppings without being floppy when picked up. 

Let the polenta cool. Brush the top with olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled.

When ready to serve, cut the polenta into squares, about 1 1/2 inches square. Top each with a spoonful of caramelized onions, a small wedge of Brie cheese, and a few pieces of crisp bacon.

Bake the squares at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through and the Brie is softened and slightly melting. Serve hot or warm.

toppings:
2 large yellow onions, peeled, halved and sliced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
coarse salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and gently saute them until softened. Add salt to taste and the thyme. Continue stirring and cooking the onions until they are very soft and just beginning to caramelize. Remove from heat and set aside to cool, or make ahead and refrigerate until needed.

Brie cheese (one small wheel), cut into small wedges

Bacon, about 8 slices, baked until crisp at 350 degrees, drained, and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces
 
 

Eggnog Panna Cotta

Many European cultures claim variations on milk desserts. Crème Brulée for the French, Custard for the English, Flan for the Spanish. The Italians have Panna Cotta, which I'd never made or tried until recently. It's been on my mind to try recently, but I wanted to get past the sugar glut of Christmas. 

When I saw the carton of eggnog in the fridge, I had an aha moment. What if I used eggnog for the panna cotta. Well, I wasn't the first to come up with the idea, when I did a search on the internet. So I carried on, adapting this and that until I came up with this dessert. It's refreshing, surprisingly light, and carried just the right post-festive flavour with the eggnog. I'll be making this again with regular milk, or maybe coconut or almond milk. Hmmm. More possibilities.

Eggnog Panna Cotta

1/2 cup cream
1 envelope (2 teaspoons) unflavoured gelatin
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 cups eggnog
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Sprinkle the gelatin over the cream in a small saucepan. Heat gently and stir until the gelatin is completed dissolved. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Stir in the eggnog, vanilla and freshly grated nutmeg. Strain through a wire mesh strainer to remove any possible lumps.

Pour into individual dishes and chill until set, at least 4 hours. Serve with fresh fruit or a fruit sauce. Here, I've added a dollop of Blueberry Sauce that I canned last summer. 

Chocolate Pecan Brownie Kisses

 

It seems that more and more people are eating gluten-free (not me!) for medical or other reasons. I like to offer something gluten free, but I'm not prepared to fill my pantry with all kinds of different flours that I'll use infrequently. So I look for things that are naturally gluten-free. I was going through my recipe box and found this recipe. I have no idea where it came from.

These are easy to make and quite delectable, with a brownie-ish texture in the center. I think they could be frozen, too. 

Chocolate Pecan Brownie Kisses (makes about 36)

6 oz semisweet chocolate (I used Baker's chocolate squares)
2 egg whites, at room temperature
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line three cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Melt the chocolate squares (6 oz) in a double boiler or microwave. Cool slightly. 

Whip the egg whites with the salt, vinegar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, keep beating until stiff peaks form. 

Pour the melted chocolate over top, then the chocolate chips and pecans. Fold in as lightly as possible. A few white streaks will remain. The batter will be very sticky.

Use two spoons to drop blobs of batter onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake in the middle of the oven, for 8-12 minutes, until cookies lose their wet look, and hold their shape when you gently lift them. Let rest on cookie sheets for 1-2 minutes. (You can transfer them to wire racks for further cooling, but I just let mine cool on the parchment lined cookie sheets. 

Store in airtight containers in fridge for up to 5 days. 

Cranberry Sauce

I love cranberry sauce with turkey and chicken throughout the year, so when cranberries come into season in the fall, I buy several bag fulls and preserve enough for the year. It's easy to do and the result tastes so much better, in my opinion, than anything commercial. 

Cranberry Sauce

4 cups fresh cranberries, washed and drained
2 cups water
1 stick of cinnamon, 3-4 inches
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest

Bring the cranberries, water, and cinnamon stick to boil in a large pot over high heat. When boiling, reduce to medium low and simmer 20 minutes. You will hear the cranberries go pop, pop, pop - a lovely sound. 

Add the sugar and simmer another 5 minutes. Stir in the orange zest for the last minute or so.

Pour into hot, sterilized jars and seal with lids that have been boiled for 5 minutes. Screw on the lids finger tight and leave the jars to cool. You'll hear the lids pop as they seal.

Yields about 4 half-pints of cranberry sauce.

The cinnamon stick and orange zest could certainly be left out if you prefer a sauce with pure cranberry flavour. 

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Cooler nights mean cooler days which means soup is so appealing. I could eat soup every day. This is almost a non-recipe, consisting of just 5 ingredients (plus seasoning.) It's similar to the Ginger-Warmed Butternut Squash Soup recipe posted in January, but without the ginger and pear. It's filling, homey, and warming - and with some grilled cheese sandwiches - makes a lovely supper. 

 Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-2 inch cubes
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1 Tablespoon olive oil
4 cups chicken broth
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 F. Toss the squash cubes and onion quarters with the olive oil. Spread on rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 40 minutes, or until tender and browning.

Place the vegetables in a large pot, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Cool slightly, then puree. Add more broth or water if the mixture is too thick. Adjust seasonings, Just before serving stir in the cream. 

For a fun presentation, drizzle a bit of cream on top of each soup bowl and sprinkle with a few sunflower seeds. 

Roasted Red Peppers with Olives and Parsley

Red bell peppers were plentiful at the market one day in the spring and I bought a lot of them. Then comes the question of how to serve them - one can only eat so many red peppers raw. I often make a mixture of roasted vegetables - zucchini, onions, peppers, mushrooms - and decided to try just the peppers. Roasting them at a high temperature makes them soft, juicy and caramelized on the edges. The leftovers are good cold, in a salad.

Roasted Red Peppers with Olives and Parsley

Red bell peppers, at least one per person (for the two of us I did 4, so as to have leftovers)
olive oil
coarse kosher salt
2 Tablespoons sliced olives (Kalamata or olive-cured)
2 Tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
1/4 cup soft goat cheese (chèvre)

Seed the peppers and cut into long strips, about 1/2 - 3/4 inch wide. Toss on a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil, just enough to coat each strip. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Roast at 425 degrees for 40-50 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the peppers are soft and beginning to brown on the edges. Place on a serving plate, sprinkle with the olives and goat cheese. Toss the parsley on top just before serving.

Adding a sliced onion to the peppers before roasting is also delicious. Substitute whatever type of fresh cheese you like - I've used a sheep's milk feta for friends with dairy allergies.