Brisket Magic

This recipe for a dry rub and braising liquid is pure magic on a slow cooked BBQ brisket.  Thanks Alton Brown!

DRY RUB
8 TBL light brown sugar, tightly packed
3 TBL kosher salt
1 TBL chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. jalapeno pepper seasoning
1/2 tsp. crab boil seasoning (Old Bay)*
1/2 tsp. rubbed thyme
1/2 tsp. onion powder

BRAISING LIQUID
Not so good for brisket but lovely with the rub when added to ribs of any kind
1 cup white wine
2 TBL white wine vinegar
2 TBL worcestershire sauce
1 TBL honey
2 cloves of garlic chopped


*Seems weird to me but I can't seem to find Old Bay in the stores anymore. So if you can't either this is a good substitution:

• 1 tablespoon ground dried bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons celery salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground celery seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/ teaspoon ground cloves

Source

Tummy Rescue Smoothie

You may have good results with the tummy rescue smoothie recipe below, which I developed in response to a “gluten emergency” of my own. The healing properties of each ingredient are also listed. Puree in blender until smooth, and slightly thickened. It is most soothing when consumed while still warm from the hot tea

1 cup hot freshly brewed nettle leaf tea (anti-histamine, anti-spasmodic)
¼ Cup Santa-Cruz pear juice (flavoring/sweetener - pears are the least allergenic of fruits)
¼ - ½ teaspoon whole fennel seed (reduces gas & bloating)
2 Tablespoons slippery elm powder (healing & soothing to mucous membranes and the gut)
1 Tablespoon flax seed oil (soothing, anti-inflammatory)
¼ - ½ cup rice milk (hypo allergenic, use to thin to desired consistency)

This smoothie is best consumed in small sips over an hour or so. Magnesium also helps with pain and relaxes muscle spasms, so taking a little extra magnesium may be of benefit. For severe symptoms, drink the smoothie while reclining in bed, with a warm castor oil pack over the abdomen, covered by a heating pad set on low. Do not leave the pack in place for more than an hour.
~ WENDY COHAN RN

Chicken Jumble

This is a non-traditional version of jambalaya made one night when I hadn't done any grocery shopping but seemed to have most of the ingredients on hand.

2 TBL olive oil
4-6 chicken thighs (breasts would work too)
8 chicken mango sausage with jalapeno cut in 1" slants (or a spicy sausage if you have it)
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
3 cloves of garlic
1 TBL Arizona Dreamin' (Penzey's Spice Blend) or any sort of spice blend that will work with the flavor of your sausage. A Jerk blend would also be great with this dish.
14oz can of chopped tomatoes
2 cups of uncooked rice
3 cups chicken broth
3 TBL lime juice

Preheat oven to 350*

Heat oil in a dutch oven on the stove top. Brown both sides of chicken thighs and remove to a plate. Add chopped sausage to oil and brown as well. Once done, remove to a separate plate.

Poor off excess oil till only about a tablespoon remains. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to pot. Scrape up browned bits as onion cooks to translucency. Add garlic and spice blend stir with onion mix until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add can of tomatoes and rice to heat, a minute or so. Then stir in chicken broth and lime juice. Bring to a boil. Turn off stove top and give the whole thing one last good stir so the rice won't stick to the bottom of the pot.

Nestle chicken down into rice mixture. Cover and put in the oven for about 35 minutes until rice and chicken are cooked.

Slow Cooker Bacon Jam

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1" pieces
2 medium yellow onions, diced small
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3/4 cup brewed coffee

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium high, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is lightly browned, about 20 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon from skillet (reserve for another use); add onions and garlic and cook until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Add vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup and coffee and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up browned bits from skillet with a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes. Add bacon and stir to combine.

Transfer mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker and cook on high, uncovered until liquid is syrupy, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. (Or leave in the skillet on very low for about half that time, stirring occasionally). Transfer to a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped. Let cool, then refrigerate in airtight containers, up to 4 weeks.

Makes 3 cups
Active time: 30 minutes / Total time: 4 hours
Original recipe: Everyday Food Magazine

GF DF EF SUGAR COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:

10 TBL Earth Balance Butter
3/4 cup sugar

1 cup Wendy Warks Flour Blend
1/3 cup potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca starch
1/3 cup coconut flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 pack (about 2 tsp) unflavored gelatin
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp powdered egg replacer

1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp powdered vanilla extract
3 TBL Silk vanilla soy creamer
3 TBL Dairy free sour cream

DIRECTIONS:

preheat oven to 375*F

Cream butter and sugar.
In a separate bowl blend the following: Wendy Warks flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, coconut flour, xanthan gum, gelatin, baking powder and egg replacer.
Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter until a "sand" like consistency forms.
Turn off beater and add in all at once the vanilla extract, powdered extract, creamer and sour cream.  Mix until dough forms.

Roll half of the dough at a time between two pieces of parchment paper, to 1/8” thick. Cut into desired shapes on one of the parchment papers and pull away the excess negative space dough leaving the cookies in place so they don't become misshapen by moving them. Place the parchment paper on a cookie sheet and bake at 375*F for 8-10 minutes  or until the edges and bottoms are very lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.


BBC's EGG FREE ROYAL ICING

INGREDIENTS:

500g / 1lb 2 oz icing (confectioner's) sugar
2 lemons
3 - 4 teaspoons glycerine

Sift the sugar into a the bowl of a mixer.
Juice and strain the lemons.
Beating continously, gradually add the juice and glyercine to the sugar

Originally sourced at:
www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/eggfreeroyalicing_77309.shtml

Vegan Royal Icing:

3 tbsp water
2 tbsp egg replacer powder
3 1/2 cups icing sugar
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
Add water to egg replacer and whip with electric beaters until it's thick. Add cream of tartar and 1/2 a cup of the icing sugar and mix until thick. Add another 1/2 cup of icing sugar and whip until thick again. Finally add the last 3/4 of a cup icing sugar and beat until a thick icing forms. If it's too thick (which mine was) add another 1/8-1/4 cup water slowly while beating until it softens a little (I added too much! Disaster area, seriously!!)

Originally sourced at:
http://vegetationramblings.blogspot.com/2007/05/molasses-cookies.html

GLUTEN FREE SUGAR COOKIES using EGG

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup butter (room temp)
1/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg*
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup potato starch
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp unflavoured gelatin
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt (scant)
1 tbsp milk

DIRECTIONS:

preheat oven to 375*F

In a large bowl, beat margarine and shortening until creamy. Add sugar to cream.
In a seperate bowl whisk egg and vanilla. Add to creamed butter mixture.
Add rice flour, xanthan gum, gelatin, baking powder and salt. Beat well.
Add tapioca starch and potato starch. Beat until well combined.
Add milk if needed.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least three hours.
Divide the dough in half and chill the unused portion of the dough until needed.
On a lightly rice-floured surface, roll half of the dough at a time, to 1/8” thick. Cut into desired shapes and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. (if the dough becomes sticky, return to the fridge to chill again.)
Bake at 375*F for 7-8 minutes (for 2 ½ inch cookies; less for smaller ones, more for larger ones) or until the edges are firm and bottoms are very lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

From Sheri L. Sanderson's "Incredible Edible Gluten-Free Food for Kids" cookbook.
*I've tried making this without eggs... doesn't convert. The cookies melt out of shape too much.

ROYAL ICING

INGREDIENTS:

Royal Icing Using Egg Whites:

2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups (330 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

Royal Icing Using Meringue Powder:

4 cups (440 grams) confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar
3 tablespoons (30 grams) meringue powder
1/2 teaspoon extract (vanilla, lemon, almond)
1/2 - 3/4 cup (120 - 180 ml) warm water

DIRECTIONS:

For Royal Icing with Egg Whites: In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the egg whites with the lemon juice. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined and smooth. The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when exposed to air. Cover with plastic wrap when not in use.

For Royal Icing with Meringue Powder: In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder until combined. Add the water and beat on medium to high speed until very glossy and stiff peaks form (5 to 7 minutes). If necessary, to get the right consistency, add more powdered sugar or water. The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when exposed to air. Cover with plastic wrap when not in use.

NOTE:
To cover or 'flood' the entire surface of the cookie with icing, the proper consistency is when you lift the beater, the ribbon of icing that falls back into the bowl remains on the surface of the icing for a few seconds before disappearing.

Makes about 3 cups (Enough for a double batch of the sugar cookie recipe listed above)

Homemade Chicken Stock

A savory stock perfect for soups, stews and a variety of other dishes, brought to you by The Barefoot Contessa.

Ingredients:
3 (5-pound) chickens
3 large onions, unpeeled and quartered
6 carrots, unpeeled and halved
4 celery stalks with leaves, cut in thirds
4 parsnips, unpeeled and cut in 1/2, optional
20 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
15 sprigs fresh thyme
20 sprigs fresh dill
1 head garlic, unpeeled and cut in 1/2 crosswise
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

Place the chickens, onions, carrots, celery, parsnips, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, salt, and peppercorns in a 16 to 20-quart stockpot with 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Skim the surface as needed. Simmer uncovered for 4 hours. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander, discarding the chicken and vegetables, and chill. Discard the hardened fat, and then pack the broth in quart containers.

Yield: 6 quarts