tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79105218512528980762023-11-16T07:47:30.945-05:00Dinner Done YesterdaySaving time, money and aggravation by shopping, planning, prepping and cooking ahead.Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.comBlogger333125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-82609171976521931322016-02-15T21:58:00.000-05:002016-02-15T21:58:01.342-05:00Super-Simple Crockpot Asian ChickenThis is stupid simple.<br>
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I LOVE it.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_kF2EoueFv9GnEIRoqRdGEBQG7yaMiqpBpFGbsdQ5v6oKmHL4X2h4hDsk4L1cLKcXDEJRDfKlMRZYjlu1av7ReoYRHpeWPK-Xk1AKCW3-wbMY1cLQEEZE1fboGWzCHNBsvT6No7vz1Jr/s1600/2016-02-15+10.28.51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_kF2EoueFv9GnEIRoqRdGEBQG7yaMiqpBpFGbsdQ5v6oKmHL4X2h4hDsk4L1cLKcXDEJRDfKlMRZYjlu1av7ReoYRHpeWPK-Xk1AKCW3-wbMY1cLQEEZE1fboGWzCHNBsvT6No7vz1Jr/s320/2016-02-15+10.28.51.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
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An easy-to-put-together sauce/marinade that can be frozen with or without the accompanying chicken parts or put together night before or morning of Dinner Day. And it makes the house smell delicious and tastes yum. <br>
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I serve with rice (prepped ahead in a rice cooker on a delay timer) with steamed broccoli. Super fast, super easy.<br>
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The OR calls for chicken thighs, which I like especially in the crockpot. Use whatever you like (I get this since I'm still married to the Chicken Princess who usually prefers chicken breast over dark meat), but whatever cut you pick...bone-in, thigh, breast, whatever...I would remove the skin or buy skinless. There's no browning in this recipe, which is usually a bummer in a crockpot recipe anyway, and chicken skin will just be gross and flabby without that (troublesome) step.<br>
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Adapted from Blue Hill Slow Cooker & Family Recipes.<br>
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<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2016/02/super-simple-crockpot-asian-chicken.html#more">Read more »</a>Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-59430722977672456572016-02-01T17:12:00.003-05:002016-02-01T17:12:52.041-05:00Crockpot Braised Chicken & Red Cabbage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZIvMn0K9zSe9mAGlbKXYWrUhyphenhyphenK40QoDUVM3nuMIcfW6QpT1bgB03-CJrX6bgEcDOiHN0_tF-7oqcfr-1ETfj_tITg7BeYh2o64LrLZQewaiMA-0VfdR4ex3seGGI0MwVgxbqIe8LAX9c/s1600/20160131_183902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZIvMn0K9zSe9mAGlbKXYWrUhyphenhyphenK40QoDUVM3nuMIcfW6QpT1bgB03-CJrX6bgEcDOiHN0_tF-7oqcfr-1ETfj_tITg7BeYh2o64LrLZQewaiMA-0VfdR4ex3seGGI0MwVgxbqIe8LAX9c/s320/20160131_183902.jpg" width="180"></a></div>
It's been awhile since I've posted anything here, not because I haven't been cooking but because life has been busy, and I've mostly been retreading familiar recipes...the ones I've posted here! I've said before that the main reason I started this blog was for my own personal reference, and I've gotten some good mileage on that front in the last few whiles.<br>
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The kidlets get bigger and bigger, and they're doing more and more sports/homework/etc. during what used to be my cooking/prep time. I've been keeping up by using the crockpot, and I'm needing to expand our repertoire.<br>
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This is adapted from Blueberry Hill Slow Cooker & Family Recipes. I prepped it ahead and kept it in the fridge about 3 days before I made it for dinner. Freezing is always an option, though. I would definitely saute the veg before freezing it, but not the chicken. If you don't have a few minutes to brown the chicken before putting it in the crockpot, I think you'll be fine just putting it in unbrowned. For ease of packaging, <a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/p/anatomy-of-meal-kit.html" target="_blank">freeze extra wine in an ice cube tray and use the frozen cubes for a freezer kit</a>.<br>
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If you don't know what else to try juniper berries in, try adding them to <a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2011/12/sauerbraten.html" target="_blank">sauerbraten</a>. Or a gin martini.<br>
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<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2016/02/crockpot-braised-chicken-red-cabbage.html#more">Read more »</a>Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-26572044657919402992014-06-15T14:47:00.000-04:002014-06-15T14:47:31.326-04:00Bubble SolutionA non-edible, but I need to park this information somewhere before I forget it. <br />
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And lemme say, I hate bubbles. I hate how the solution feels slimy. I hate how store-bought solution smells. I hate how drippy and messy bubbles are, and all the I-WANT-TO-DO-IT-MYSELF-DO-IT-FOR-ME lunacy from the kids. I hate it when the kids put the wands right on their mouths and get sudsy and then gag on the suds while I'm trying to clean them up. Hate it, hate it, hate it.<br />
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The answer to all of the above is homemade bubble solution, self-serve bubble refills from a 2 gallon sun tea container and big round no-blow bubble wands from the dollar store. Homemade solution is less drippy, less slimy, and smells better. The kids got more "blows" out of each refill than they did out of the store-bought stuff, so it lasts longer too. Less mouth-sudsing too when they do get their lips on it. And of course, it's cheaper...about $2.50 for a homemade batch compared with $5 for the same amount of store-bought (which goes faster, as mentioned).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Empty spice jars work well for long skinny bubble wands</td></tr>
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I used the store-brand generic for regular ol' blue Dawn liquid detergent. Something cheaper that doesn't suds as well in the sink isn't going to make good bubbles either ya know? And I like the smell of Dawn.<br />
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I had to hunt down glycerin (which I also use to make <a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2011/06/aftershave.html" target="_blank">aftershave</a>). It's in the pharmacy section of one of our local grocery stores. I found it on the first aid aisle, but another store said they would carry it in the digestive remedy aisle if they had any in that day (they did not). Everybody offered to order it for me if I couldn't find anywhere with it in stock. So...ask if you don't see it.<br />
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2 24 oz. bottles Dawn (you'll need the "ultra concentrated" type)<br />
18 cups water (4 1/2 quarts)<br />
3 tbsp glycerin<br />
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Stir everything together in a large drink dispenser. Enjoy!Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-80275831401125734842014-05-07T22:26:00.000-04:002014-05-09T20:52:38.433-04:00Pineapple Grilled Mahi<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/106186503688846402/" target="_blank">Pin Win!</a><br />
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The only real notes here are that 1 large pineapple, quartered, then carefully skinned yields 2 pairs of 6" x 3" "slabs". So about 4 small servings' worth. Buy accordingly.<br />
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I cut the fish to fit the "planks" (making 1" thick pieces of fish), and had to grill it about 5 minutes more than I would have otherwise (15 minutes total for 1" of mahi, turning once).<br />
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The fish tastes slightly of pineapple, but not overwhelmingly. I made this in the morning to cook for dinner the same night; to prep ahead more in advance, I'd prep all the parts and assemble the fish-and-pineapple planks while the grill heated up.<br />
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<br />Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-69701892199376370782014-05-05T21:24:00.000-04:002014-05-05T21:24:38.277-04:00Apple almond mini muffins (GFCF, dye-free)These have become a breakfast favorite. <br>
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They're dead easy to make, but they do require spensy almond meal. Here's the neat thing...the recipe is basically a densely filled baked quiche. Predominantly an egg base with finely milled/grated stuff suspended heavily within. GF oatmeal can substitute for part of the almond meal if you so desire (Bob's Red Mill has certified GF oatmeal; <a href="http://www.mccanns.ie/pages/faq.html" target="_blank">McCann's</a>...my preferred oatmeal brand, gf or not, processes in dedicated facilities but does not have an official GF certification).<br>
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<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2014/05/apple-almond-mini-muffins-gfcf-dye-free.html#more">Read more »</a>Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-23155683397233462842014-04-21T13:35:00.001-04:002014-04-21T13:38:31.655-04:00GFCF/Dairy-free (vegan) ranch dressingMy kids have gone through dipping and non-dipping phases many times. We had a mercifully brief stretch where Boy #1 wanted ketchup at every meal and dunked everything from peas to strawberries in it. While the kids aren't (yet) interested in MY personal dipping fave (blue cheese dressing), they do occasionally want something like ranch dressing (also one of MY personal favorites).<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydrHYL1WU3N7ii7hUYMYZdmUUoDLQUujOXPeR8UT5eGSgCRmNQsuEDWZTd3XU1lUrr-NFslIBh2PekZoDwqpMWZ3yD5vJoBpc1QLM9n2vzVsz49Qc20LABLeFSaaK3YiM9Pw7bkTqC93k/s1600/IMG_2363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydrHYL1WU3N7ii7hUYMYZdmUUoDLQUujOXPeR8UT5eGSgCRmNQsuEDWZTd3XU1lUrr-NFslIBh2PekZoDwqpMWZ3yD5vJoBpc1QLM9n2vzVsz49Qc20LABLeFSaaK3YiM9Pw7bkTqC93k/s1600/IMG_2363.JPG" height="400" width="296"></a></div>
Since ranch dressing is buttermilk-based, I needed to find a substitute. While it doesn't have to be vegan for my household,<a href="http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2012/01/hidden-cashew-ranch-dressing-plus-tips-for-eating-salads-when-you-really-dont-want-to.html" target="_blank"> the recipe I decided to try </a>was nut-based and therefore vegan. My go-to homemade recipe for ranch dressing calls for mixing a blend of herbs and spices (given below) into equal parts mayonnaise and buttermilk. While you can mimic the acidity of buttermilk by adding a little lemon juice to a non-dairy milk, I thought the flavor might still fall flat and that the cashews might help return a bit of richness to the dressing flavor. <br>
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Also I have a bottomless bag of chia seeds that I need to use up.<br>
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My first attempt at following <a href="http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2012/01/hidden-cashew-ranch-dressing-plus-tips-for-eating-salads-when-you-really-dont-want-to.html" target="_blank">this recipe </a>exactly as written was underwhelming. My results were on the thin, runny side and rather bland for my taste. <br>
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The consistency issue is likely a two-pronged problem...I prefer a thicker, more commercial consistency (the better for dipping, yo) and also I'm using a food processor rather than a <a href="https://www.vitamix.com/" target="_blank">Bone Crusher 6000 blender</a>. I have a blender that makes a decent daquiri, but it can't reduce raw carrots to sub-atomic particles. The food processor does better, but it's also no <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/vitamix-alternatives-2013-12" target="_blank">cell-phone grinder</a>. I'd maybe get a thicker, creamier dressing with a higher-powered blender. <br>
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In lieu of heavier-duty equipment, I went with heavier-duty ingredients. I doubled the amount of nuts and chia seed, reduced the liquid and went with my personal tried-and-true blend of herbs and spices for what *I* think ranch dressing should taste like. It's a little heavy on the garlic and dill, but that's what I like and I'm not apologizing for it :)<br>
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I'd like to try this nut-and-chia recipe head-to-head with an acidified non-dairy milk plus mayo base to see if I prefer one to the other, but for now here's the nut-and-chia vegan version.<br>
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<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2014/04/gfcfdairy-free-vegan-ranch-dressing.html#more">Read more »</a>Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-46238170717445074712014-04-19T14:37:00.000-04:002014-04-19T14:37:01.853-04:00Natural Egg DyesThis is all over <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=natural%20egg%20dyes" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, but I'm so pleased with the results we had from our natural egg dying, that I want to jot down my notes for next year :)<br />
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I used the <a href="http://whatscookingamerica.net/Eggs/EasterEggDye.htm" target="_blank">What's Cooking America website</a> for ideas of materials to try dying with. We tried spinach, carrot tops, beet peels, paprika, espresso, red wine, red onion skins, yellow onion skins and red cabbage. Other possibilities include herbals teas (especially rooibos and hibiscus), other spices like cumin, saffron and turmeric and really, anything else you can think of that will turn cooking water a color when it's boiled.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow onion skins, red onion skins, red cabbage, beet peelings, espresso and spinach</td></tr>
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The day you decide to make the dye solutions, make sure you have LOTS of pots available and a couple of hours to spare. I've only got 4 burners on my stove, so I could only boil 4 dye materials at once and had to wash pots out in between batches. <br />
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Also when you go to dye the eggs, unless you're going to do a bunch of eggs in a single color, have lots of little containers handy (1/2 pint jars were a great size for a single egg) so your kids can concoct special color combinations for each egg.<br />
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I <a href="http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_perfect_hard_boiled_eggs/" target="_blank">hard-cooked</a> the eggs first, made the dye solutions separately, and soaked the eggs overnight to color them. If you make your dye solutions, <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/267850/dyeing-eggs-naturally" target="_blank">then boil the eggs IN the dye solutions</a>, the colors will turn out much darker and richer. But then there's no mixing of colors for the kiddos. And that's no fun.<br />
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We dyed 23 eggs in individual cups (you always lose one when you boil a batch, dontcha?) in a total of 3 quarts of dye solution (and actually had some left over). Probably you'd use less dye solution to cover a bunch of eggs in one bowl than each egg individually ya know? That's just to give you an idea of what kind of volume of dye solution to shoot for. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 quarts total dye solutions</td></tr>
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To make the dye solutions, I didn't do a lot of measuring. For vegetal stuff, I put in enough to come about halfway up the sides of my pot (or as much as I had, in the case of the red onion skins and carrot tops), covered with water by about 1/2" and boiled. For spices, I could only get about 1 tsp to dissolve per cup of water.<br />
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So here's my materials rundown:<br />
<ul>
<li>Peels, tops and tails from 5 beets (<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2011/05/berry-good-smoothie.html" target="_blank">cooked </a>the <a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2011/07/microwaved-beet-chips.html" target="_blank">beets </a>for <a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2011/03/roasted-spring-vegetable-salad.html" target="_blank">dinner</a>) --> boil 30 minutes --> 1 quart dye solution</li>
<li>Skins from 4 yellow onions --> boil 30 minutes --> 1 quart dye solution</li>
<li>Skins from 1 red onion plus tops and tails --> boil 30 minutes --> 1 pint dye solution</li>
<li>4 cups chopped red cabbage --> boil 30 minutes --> 1 pint dye solution (I could have gotten more of this dye with the same amount of vegetable just by using a bigger pot and more water)</li>
<li>tops from 1 bunch carrots --> boil 30 minutes --> 1 1/2 pints dye solution</li>
<li>4 cups spinach leaves, finely chopped --> boil 1/2 the spinach for 30 minutes, add the remaining spinach and boil 30 more minutes --> 1 1/2 pints dye solution </li>
<li>2 tsp paprika --> dissolve in 2 cups boiling water --> 1 pint dye solution</li>
<li>leftovers from the coffeepot plus water to make 2 cups plus 1 tbsp espresso powder --> 1 pint dye solution</li>
<li>don't finish the red wine bottle --> 1/2 cup or so dye solution</li>
</ul>
Boil, strain, put in a jar. Fridge until needed.<br />
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Dying was a lot of fun. The kids each got a large measuring cup and requested mixtures of colors. We Grownups poured the colors into the measuring cups to order, then the kids put an egg in a container and poured the mixture over. No spills, no broken eggs...it was well-nigh an Easter miracle LOL We poured a bit of vinegar into each cup afterward (about 1 tsp per egg cup), mixed gently with a spoon and let them sit overnight in the fridge.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Mad Color Scientist at work<br /></td></tr>
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Getting the wet eggs out of the dye baths requires a bit of gentle handling. Some of the colors want to rub off very easily while wet (spinach and red cabbage particularly). Some were sturdier even while wet (beets and the onion skins). This is where one of those wire egg dippers could come in handy. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Color rubbed off the wet egg where my fingers slipped on it</td></tr>
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I put mine on a cooling rack under a ceiling fan for a few hours, turning them once *very* carefully.<br />
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Once the eggs are dry though, no more color rub-off. They will dry more mottled and speckledy than they look while wet, but they're still beautiful!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beet dye</td></tr>
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As far as final color results go, don't be surprised by what you get. The dye may not be the same color as the plant material (yellow dye from carrot tops, blue-purple dye from red cabbage), the color on the wet egg may not be the same as the dye color, and the dry finished color may be different as well. <br />
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The 3 reddish dyes all produced rather different final colors. The very intense beet dye solution gave a pale mottled pink. The red onion skin dye gave a deep orangey red. The yellow onion skin dye gave a solid yellow.<br />
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The red cabbage dye was not surprisingly the most striking dye. Definitely want more of that one next year. Since red cabbage liquid will turn <a href="http://www.webinnate.co.uk/science/week1.htm" target="_blank">different colors with acids/bases</a>, I'm curious to try adding baking soda to the dye bath in place of the vinegar (<a href="http://youtu.be/UkBOm4-MOUc" target="_blank">not in addition to!</a>) and see what we get.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Cabbage dye</td></tr>
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The red wine had an interesting effect...sediment fell out of the wine and crystallized on the eggs, leaving the eggs a surprising mixture of blue, green and wine-purple with sparkles.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red wine dye</td></tr>
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The spinach was fairly pale. I might try a greener green next year...kale or collards maybe? When we combined spinach and carrot top dyes, we got more vibrantly colored eggs than using either one alone...perhaps I'll do a mixed batch of spinach-carrot top as well.<br />
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Whatever else we think up to try, we will definitely be doing this again next year :) Happy Easter!Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-91307673036077621552014-04-17T20:33:00.001-04:002014-04-17T20:35:29.990-04:00Chocolate Peanut Butter Flourless GFCFDF muffinsIn our expedition into the world of GFCF cooking, I've been looking for recipes that don't try to mimic gluten-based baked goods. I've been looking for recipes that are natively gluten- and dairy-free, that don't use a ton of substitute ingredients. <br>
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This is one of them. Yay!<br>
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These are incredibly delicious. And sneaky with the veggies. You seriously would have no idea that there was a vegetable in these guys. <br>
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The only tricksy part here GFCF-wise is the chocolate chips...if you want a totally dairy-free recipe, you have to find specialty dairy-free vegan chocolate chips. Which exist. But not at my regular grocery store. I chose to use regular white chocolate chips because we still had some hanging around that needed to be used up, and our need for dairy-free foods is not as absolute as it might be with, say, a true food allergy. You could leave them out altogether (though you'll lose a muffin or two in terms of yield), or use something like chopped nuts instead.<br>
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As always, do what works in your kitchen and household.<br>
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A note on butternut squash puree...I actually did see this in a can on the organic-and-other-oddments part of the canned vegetable aisle at my grocery store. I personally used 2 cups of boiled butternut squash, which was about 1/2 of a medium-sized squash. The main difference I suspect is the remaining moisture content of the two...the homemade puree will likely be moister than the canned, and will possibly take longer to bake (this was my experience).<br>
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<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2014/04/chocolate-peanut-butter-flourless.html#more">Read more »</a>Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-11309486090823790752014-04-14T14:30:00.002-04:002014-04-14T14:30:36.402-04:00Back to Basics: Sandwich Bread (GFCF)2014 has brought evolution to our family and to our kitchen. We're trying out a gluten-free, casein-free (read: pretty much dairy free) diet in addition to the dye-free efforts we've made over the last year or so. Between my daughter's dairy sensitivities and <a href="http://diyotx.wordpress.com/adhd/" target="_blank">my oldest son's ADHD/potential spectrum issues,</a> we're trying whatever might work.<br>
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Initially, when we decided to try this GFCF thing, I felt...well...overwhelmed. Like I might have to quit my part-time job (which I LOVE) and pull Boy #1 out of preschool (which we DID NOT want to do) to make it work. Because it means giving up my <a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2011/07/aglio-e-olio.html" target="_blank">easiest, no-work meals</a>, it means having practically no backup take-out options when I, say, forget to put dinner in the crockpot, it means cooking and providing every single bite my kid is going to eat whether he's at home, school, a birthday party, soccer practice, what have you.<br>
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<a href="http://www.sherv.net/"><img alt="Fainting" src="http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/shocked/fainting-smiley-emoticon.gif" height="46" width="43"></a> <--this was me thinking about all of that<br>
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Given a few weeks to plan however, I'm back on the prep-ahead, freeze-ahead horse with some new recipes in tow, confidence that we can make this work and hope that it helps my kids and their various *stuff*.<br>
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There are many, many, many blogs out there dedicated to GF/CF/Whatever-F cooking out there. I do not intend to duplicate those efforts. My focus, as ever, is the prep-ahead aspect. What works to make in advance. What works to prep in advance to finish later. How to plan and shop and work ahead to make dinner (and lunch and breakfast and snacktime) happen on time, healthfully (<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/endersmom08/gfcfdf/" target="_blank">as we now define it</a>), and without making your brain explode.<br>
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So here we are. In some ways, doing the same-old-same-old (there are an awful lot of natively GFCF/DF recipes, many on this very blog...if I get a chance to breathe, I'm going to try to go back and add appropriate tags/pins), and in some ways relearning the basics.<br>
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Like bread. The Holy Grail in many ways of GF baking. When you think of "bread" (yeast breads in particular), you probably have the sense-memory of the chew, the toothsome pull of each bite. That's the gluten. Even with a soft yeast bread like a Parker House roll, there's a particular flavor that comes from the wheat. Yes, wheat has a flavor...you don't realize it until you're eating a roll made without wheat, but wheat has its own distinctive flavor. Wheat is such an omnipresent grain in our cooking culture that it's like wallpaper...you don't notice it until it's gone. <br>
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So the downside to GF baking is that it's just not going to be the same. It might be close with a really good recipe and set of ingredients, but it's not going to be the same.<br>
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The upside, however, once you reset your expectations for the final product, is that there is no gluten to worry about. No need for extensive kneading or long double and triple rises to develop gluten in a bread, and no worries about overmixing causing too much gluten development (and therefore toughness) in quick breads and cakes. No pull-back when you shape dough. No need to let a pizza crust rest before rolling it out. It's really quite brilliant. <br>
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One of the "downsides" to GF bread--namely how quickly it dries out and gets stale at room temperature--is ideal for my purposes. The solution is to bake bread ahead and freeze it (although so far, the bread I've made is eaten up by my family of 5 so fast, it hasn't needed to last more than 24 hours fresh anyway).<br>
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As far as shopping for this goes, you do need some "unusual" flours and ingredients. Fortunately, it's not hard to find them. All the major grocery store chains near me carry these items. Bob's Red Mill is the brand that's most prevalent. Some stores carry them on the regular baking aisle and dairy case; some have them in a "specialty diet", "organic/natural foods" or "gluten free foods" area. If you don't see what you need, ASK. I bet they have it somewhere.<br>
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One last thought...the first rule of GF baking is You Don't Talk About... No, that's not it, just kidding. <br>
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The first rule of GF baking is Don't Change the Recipe. You can't just take a gluten-based recipe, sub in some GF flours and have it work. You need thickeners, binding agents, extra leaveners and a lot of trial-and-error to start generating a workable GF recipe out of thin air. You also need to be mindful about whether you inadvertently add gluten to a recipe by switching ingredients (there's a lot of hidden gluten in the world). <br>
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So I'm not changing anything about the GF baking recipes I try. I'm going to link to the original recipe found wherever it originally lives on the interwebs, and post my notes about how it worked for me. With pictures of course. <br>
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So off we go. Please join us :) And please point out my mistakes...I'm not new to allergen-sensitive cooking, but I am new to this particular (and rawther tricky) branch of food sensitivity. So I'll try not to screw up, but if I do...holler!<br>
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<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2014/04/back-to-basics-sandwich-bread-gfcf.html#more">Read more »</a>Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-17423341870301825252014-01-21T21:18:00.002-05:002014-01-21T21:18:19.455-05:00Scratch vs. Store-bought pie crustWe're ramping up (okay, more like dreaming of, for those of us in the path of the polar vortices) to bake sale, county fair and family picnic season. I spent a lot of time last year making scratch pie crusts. Here's my decision matrix for whether you need to make pie crust from scratch or not... Enjoy!<br />
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<br />Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-76952226356672925932013-12-22T12:04:00.001-05:002013-12-22T12:04:55.274-05:00Cranberry jellyMy husband is a cranberry jelly fiend. It's not a holiday meal (*a*n*y* holiday) without cranberry jelly. I love homemade cooking (duh, right?) but it's one thing he will not get on board with me making homemade. Cuz nothing is as good as the slices of Ocean Spray canned cranberry jelly. Pthbthbthb.<br>
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This year, I found a game-changing recipe. It's dye-free (important at our house these days, though I don't know for sure whether canned cranberry jelly typically has artificial dyes...didn't buy any this year, didn't check), and uses honey instead of refined sugar. Everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE, loved it. The baby, the boys, my husband, even the especially picky eaters at my table. It does like strongly of honey, unlike commercial canned jelly which tastes like white sugar. So if honey's not your thing, you might try using a lighter-flavored sweetening syrup like agave or rice syrup.<br>
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I did not do this<a href="http://food52.com/recipes/25059-homemade-cranberry-jelly-in-a-can" target="_blank"> insanely genius thing</a> from Food52, but the next time I make this recipe, I totally will. It will make it an even better "copycat" of the store bought jelly. I'm curious to try Food52's pectin-based recipe vs. this gelatin-based recipe, but either way, molding the jelly in a recycling tin can is brilliant.<br>
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After you simmer the cranberries for their juice, you're left with a fair bit of cranberry squish. Use it again to flavor a simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar) for <a href="http://mixinwiththevixen.com/cranberry-orange-sage-martini/" target="_blank">cocktails</a>, or put the cranberry squish in with a bottle of vodka to make flavored vodka (also for cocktails). Or add some to your next <a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2011/05/berry-good-smoothie.html" target="_blank">smoothie</a>. Just be advised that cranberries have very little natural sweetness, so you'll have to compensate with your other flavors and ingredients.<br>
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Original recipe from: The Kid-Friendly ADHD & Autism Cookbook by Pamela Compart<br>
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</div><a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2013/12/cranberry-jelly.html#more">Read more »</a>Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-9051160765332872592013-11-18T20:07:00.000-05:002013-11-18T20:07:00.669-05:00On this day...Posted 2 years ago...<br />
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Chinese BBQ Pork<br />
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<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2011/11/chinese-bbq-pork.html">http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2011/11/chinese-bbq-pork.html</a>Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-15218434547327655952013-11-04T14:09:00.000-05:002013-11-04T14:09:00.311-05:00Mirepoix: Wild Rice Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another way to use the <a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2013/10/canned-mirepoix.html" target="_blank">Canned Mirepoix</a> soup starter I posted about <a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2013/10/canned-mirepoix.html" target="_blank">here</a>. If you don't want to put up mirepoix (and I totally respect that), saute a cup or so of chopped onions, carrots and celery before starting the recipe below.<br>
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This recipe was the actual OR I got the canned mirepoix base from in Julie Languille's <i>Meals in a Jar</i>. I held off on trying it because I have a hard time finding wild rice in any but the tiniest of packages at my grocery stores. You *could* substitute brown rice, barley or similar whole grain here (not white rice or any kind of quick-cooking grain), but for some reason, a creamy barley soup doesn't appeal to me.<br>
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Happily, I found wild rice in the bulk bins at my local natural foods store while shopping for <a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2013/10/dairy-free-mac-and-cheese-take-1.html" target="_blank">nutritional yeast</a>. Not only was it bulk-stored, it was bulk-priced. This makes it one of the 3 things I can get cheaper at the natural foods store than I can at the regular grocery (shelf-stable almond milk and yogurt-covered pretzels being the others) LOL<br>
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I have no pictures of the finished product because I made it one night when I was the solo-parent-on-duty with the 3 kiddos and also making dinner for my in-laws. Not enough hands for picture-taking, and also no leftovers.<br>
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This soup will take some time to cook on Dinner Day because of the cooking time on the wild rice, but it requires virtually no attention.<br>
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<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2013/11/mirepoix-wild-rice-soup.html#more">Read more »</a>Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-28330884107483824312013-11-01T13:49:00.000-04:002013-11-01T13:49:00.306-04:00Crockpot Black Beans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I loves a good bean recipe. I served this the first night as our main dish with salad and bread (cornbread would have been an excellent accompaniment, but alas was not meant to be that night). I served the leftovers (and there will be a lot unless you're feeding a small army or a couple of teenage boys) as taco filling the next night. <br />
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Even though these beans cook all day in a crockpot, you still need to presoak them. Depending on what kind of schedule you have, that might mean soaking overnight (to put in the crockpot in the morning), through a whole day (to prep in the evening for the next day's crockpotting) or doing the boil-two-minutes-then-cover-and-soak-one-hour thing.<br />
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Crockpots keep food very moist, so be sure not to add too much stock, otherwise you'll have bean soup instead of beans. Add stock until just before the beans would be totally covered; you should still see little lumpy-bumps of beanage peeking through the surface of the liquid.<br />
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Crockpot Black Beans<br />
Makes 8-10 servings<br />
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1 lb. black beans, soaked several hours or quick-soaked and drained<br />
2 tbsp oil<br />
2 onions, chopped<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1 mild pepper such as anaheim or poblano, chopped<br />
1 red bell pepper, chopped<br />
1 tsp seasoning salt<br />
1 bay leaf<br />
1 14 oz can crushed tomatoes<br />
2 tbsp lime juice<br />
4-5 cups <a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2011/03/mushroom-stock.html" target="_blank">vegetable </a>or chicken broth<br />
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Prepare beans. Heat oil in a skillet and saute onions, garlic, peppers and seasonings 5-10 minutes until soft. Stir in remaining ingredients, except for broth. Fridge or freeze, if desired (as a scheduling note, you could do the sauteing the night before Crockpot Day and start soaking the beans at the same time; the next morning mix it all together in the crockpot).<br />
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On Crockpot Day, put the onion-bean-tomato mix in the crockpot (still frozen is OK). Add stock to barely cover the beans. Cook on low 8-10 hours.<br />
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<br />Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-41360505990775906922013-10-30T16:25:00.000-04:002013-10-30T16:25:00.036-04:00Aloha Salad (kidney diet)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I found this recipe in a cookbook for renal patients. A lot of fruits and veggies are actually off-limits for people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) because they're high in potassium (a good thing for the rest of us but with impaired kidney function, potassium will build up to dangerous levels in the body). So finding CKD-friendly side dishes can be tricky. Especially since I also have to balance a number of food allergies, sensitivities and preferences within my family. One serving of this salad (pay attention to serving sizes!) is 112 mg potassium and 26 mg phosphorus.<br>
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This "salad" proved to be quite a hit (and about the only way I've found to get my 3 year old to eat carrots without squawking). I am not a fan of describing anything with Jello as a "salad" but it seems to be a thing here in the Heartland (and also in many 1970's era cookbooks...but I digress). However, this "salad" was more fruit/veggie and less Jello so I'll let it ride.<br>
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Since it's a gelatin "salad", you <b>need </b>to make it in advance so it can set up. My favorite thing ;) You can also prep this in stages if you need to, like if your baby is teething and NEEDS you to hold her CONSTANTLY except for when she dozes off for a few minutes at a time. Just a hypothetical example. Grate the carrots, measure and mix the dry ingredients, measure the liquid ingredients, and fridge each part until you're ready to put it together.<br>
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We are avoiding artificial dyes at my house (in addition to all the aforementioned food restrictions...I told you it gets tricky to plan menus), so I got to experiment with substituting a homemade, dye-free mix for the box o' Yellow 6, er, Lemon Jello. It turned out very well. <br>
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The tricky bit about applying this substitute widely in recipes calling for a box of Jello is figuring out what to use for flavoring that doesn't skew the liquid ratio but still gives a punch of flavor, especially if you try to create flavors other than citrus. In this recipe, I used a bit of lemon juice in place of some of the water called for in the OR as well as a lot of lemon zest. To substitute for other flavors, I'd look into dye-free flavoring oils over juices or extracts...you'll get more flavor without adding liquids. If your recipe calls for water, you can swap some or all for a juice or puree but you might need to pay attention to how the acid from your flavoring liquid impacts leavening reactions.<br>
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<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2013/10/aloha-salad-kidney-diet.html#more">Read more »</a>Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-21127339771765727932013-10-28T16:04:00.000-04:002013-10-29T08:01:52.056-04:00Cheeseless Pizza<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4ZbsWW-Np1C2M2UN2xhyphenhyphenweLiwL2sHefKWPZNRYxbDoL-HrQZOoU7dDJhWrcWz9y0PpuIHG_PD71bz8uSuuUCzeMxz5AlfQJJifq9tCVaUfxyY-RWAI4p9xMveuM_N8VByHagCHhOK0Ef/w737-h553-no/IMG_1672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4ZbsWW-Np1C2M2UN2xhyphenhyphenweLiwL2sHefKWPZNRYxbDoL-HrQZOoU7dDJhWrcWz9y0PpuIHG_PD71bz8uSuuUCzeMxz5AlfQJJifq9tCVaUfxyY-RWAI4p9xMveuM_N8VByHagCHhOK0Ef/w737-h553-no/IMG_1672.JPG" width="320"></a>It sounds like pure heresy, no?<br>
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Unfortunately, my little girl is dairy-intolerant. She's also a little iffy with soy foods and I'm not a fan of pretend foods, so a store-bought cheese substitute (which is usually soy-based) is out. And that soy cheeze stuff doesn't melt well anyway.<br>
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So I went looking for *something* that would give that rich, mouth-round texture and flavor to a cheese-less pizza and found this sauce <a href="http://adaptivecooking.blogspot.com/2013/03/garlic-herb-white-sauce-for-pizza.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I have made this sauce a couple of different ways now, and I have to say, each way was worked wonderfully. <br>
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You really do not miss the cheese. I mean, I am highly motivated to find alternatives to my favorite cheesy foods because of my daughter, but my other two kids will spit out anything they don't find up to snuff, and this pizza sauce passed muster with them. <br>
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Even though we don't need to be tomato-free at our house, I did not use any tomato sauce with this pizza. The garlic sauce is, well, a sauce after all, not a firm cheese-like product and two sauces just seemed too much. You could absolutely use some sliced tomatoes as a topping though.<br>
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Extra bonus, as a way to enjoy a cheese-loaded favorite without the cheese (and also can be tomato-free), it's a boon for the dialysis diet. Feeding two birds with one stone, if you will ;)<br>
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As far as the garlic goes, I like this sauce both with roasted garlic and sauteed garlic. The flavors *are* different, so I'd say use whichever you prefer. To roast a head of garlic, slice the top third or so off the whole head, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, wrap in foil and bake an hour or more at 350F. Or if you're grilling, put the foil-wrapped garlic on the top rack in your grill and leave it there while the grill cools.<br>
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<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2013/10/cheeseless-pizza.html#more">Read more »</a>Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-86727456282433684172013-10-23T14:24:00.000-04:002013-10-23T14:24:00.381-04:00Dairy-free mac and cheese, Take 1<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9nUAl1sA0NeBhSzUbiJcet_E1gqziuhIllyYIfEVobANJiq_VREmUBUkUb8NQWqBzuXb0xyCYdN6rZ8m8F1XqyCFrruCp2ONLdMKLRBqDVz8yXkP-RK-mNifLMvZL_knURxCxv1HNcBU1/w737-h553-no/IMG_1478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9nUAl1sA0NeBhSzUbiJcet_E1gqziuhIllyYIfEVobANJiq_VREmUBUkUb8NQWqBzuXb0xyCYdN6rZ8m8F1XqyCFrruCp2ONLdMKLRBqDVz8yXkP-RK-mNifLMvZL_knURxCxv1HNcBU1/w737-h553-no/IMG_1478.JPG" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This cheese-free mixture combines with almond milk to make <br>the mac-sans-cheese sauce</td></tr>
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My darling nearly 1-year-old daughter (Miss H) has an apparent dairy protein sensitivity. It's not a true allergy, thankfully. She can eat small amounts of "hidden" dairy products (like the amount of milk in a single pancake is OK), but yogurt, cheese, a cup of milk and we are in Digestive Distress Central. Unfortunately that means that dishes are that are basic food groups at my house are off limits for her :( Like mac and cheese. <br>
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So I am exploring the world of cheese-free mac and cheese. As best I can tell, dairy-free mac and cheese recipes fall into 4 main categories...those that use processed faux cheese and plant-based milk for the sauce, those that use miso paste and plant-based milk, those that use some kind of nut puree and plant-based milk and those that use a product called nutritional yeast and plant-based milk.<br>
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I'm starting with the last one. <br>
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You might remember that I said I wasn't going to make a special trip to get nutritional yeast to make<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2013/05/pepperoni-spiced-seitan-veg-packets.html" target="_blank"> this recipe</a> awhile back...I apparently shoulda gone ahead and done it. So off to my local natural foods store I went. $4.50 for half a pound and it looks like it might last forever. <br>
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I've also had to try plant-based milks...we've settled on almond milk mostly because she doesn't barf it back up and that's good enough for us. I was surprised to see that most plant milks have added sweetener. When I compared the nutritional information on these milks with cow's milk though, I realized that without the additional sugar, most of these milks (the ones made from protein sources like nuts anyway) are far lower in calories and natural sugar than cow's milk. Great for adults who want to cut calories, not so great for growing babies. There are flavored versions of most non-dairy milks, and those have LOTS more added sugar which we *will* be avoiding. Just a tidbit for you. Back to the recipe.<br>
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I tried <a href="http://www.badmamagenny.com/2009/05/28/dairy-free-and-soy-free-and-vegan-and-sooooo-easy-macaroni-and-cheese/#axzz2hFS06ipG" target="_blank">this recipe</a> from the Bad Mama Genny blog. I liked that it was easy, fast and could sit on the shelf like the boxes of mac and cheese do. Nice and easy for me or my Dear Husband to throw together for a quick kid-friendly meal. And it absolutely was. And Miss H LOVED her cheese-free mac.<br>
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Full disclosure...the boys did not like this. They were 100% rock-solid prepared for Kraft and were disappointed. I thought it needed a little acidity from, say, some white wine vinegar or tomato paste, but otherwise I'd absolutely eat it again.<br>
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Full disclosure...I'll probably make up a few small jars of this mix (as recommended <a href="http://www.badmamagenny.com/2011/12/05/homemade-gift-idea-dairy-free-soy-free-vegan-macaroni-and-cheese-kits-or-lets-discuss-human-sacrifice-on-a-mountaintop/#axzz2hFS06ipG" target="_blank">here</a>, though I prefer the sauce-to-pasta proportions of the above-linked version) and make it just for Miss H while continuing to keep the boxed stuff, the "real" stuff for the boys. And I'll keep trying other recipes too.<br>
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<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2013/10/dairy-free-mac-and-cheese-take-1.html#more">Read more »</a>Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-59404210711649239532013-10-21T15:05:00.000-04:002013-10-21T15:05:00.247-04:00Honey Oatmeal PieWarning: big fat brag to come.<br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The honey pie is the one dead center on the table</td></tr>
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I won a blue ribbon at the State Fair for this pie this year ::pop my collar:: I'm quite pleased with that fact alone, but even better is that the honey pie category was the one of the few in which this year's Grand Champion pie maker (and one of the top ribbon winners for DECADES at the State Fair) entered and did not take 1st place. So good on me :-D.<br>
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Bragging done now.<br>
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I think the "secret" to this pie is three-fold...<br>
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1) Use very flavorful honey. The best is going to be a locally harvested honey rather than a commercially-available national brand. I use a wildflower honey from a producer two counties south of where I live. You can use <a href="http://www.honeylocator.com/locator/find/" target="_blank">this locator</a> to find local producers in your area.<br>
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2) Use quick-cooking steel oats instead of conventional rolled oats. Rolled oats will come out, well, mushy-feeling. You know, like oatmeal. The steel-cut oats will be chewy and a bit like finely chopped nuts.<br>
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3) Use bourbon in your pie crust. Oh yeah. Trust me. <br>
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I totally understand using a prepared crust (in fact, I have posted several times about using those guys without *any* shame *at all*), but I have sworn off store-bought crusts personally. <br>
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Not because I am a crust snob though. I am a homemade crust convert because a) as a competitive baker, it seemed appropriate to learn how to make them and because b) I found a recipe I cannot screw up and because c) all brands of store-bought crusts I have found have artificial dyes in them which we have cut out of my son's/our diet. <br>
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So use whatever you like, but really, the homemade crust will make a difference...not so much because of the homemade-ness of it, but because you can put bourbon in it. <br>
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And really, the pie itself is so freaking easy to make that you have plenty of energy for making homemade crust.<br>
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Finally, you may not, absolutely not, make this pie on the bottom shelf with something else baking away above it. I didn't have a fancy scientific convection-current-tracking setup in my oven, but I'm *pretty* sure that having something on the top shelf forces heat back down into the pie that would otherwise move and circulate more freely. I am *completely* sure that if you try this, you will wind up with a pie volcano. I screw up so you don't have to.<br>
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<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2013/10/honey-oatmeal-pie.html#more">Read more »</a>Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-6517303800414135032013-10-18T16:30:00.000-04:002013-10-18T16:30:00.175-04:00Zucchini "pizza" slicesOh my goodness, these were tasty! They were the "light entree" at our meal with hearty grain and veggie side dishes, or I could see making these as snacks for the kids too (and yes, the kids ate them up!). I can also imagine using other pizza toppings like mini pepperoni, sliced olives and other veggies as well as the tomatoes.<br>
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You could preroast the veggies and prep the "pizza" in advance and only have to do the final stage of baking at dinnertime. You might need to bake a few minutes longer if you have a straight-from-the-fridge, cold, prepped baking sheet to get the cheese good and melty.<br>
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<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2013/10/zucchini-pizza-slices.html#more">Read more »</a>Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-8673770008109713642013-10-16T16:02:00.000-04:002013-10-16T16:02:00.531-04:00Mirepoix: Beef Pot PieHere's another way to use the wild rice soup starter from Julie Languille's <i>Meals in Jars</i>.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lu4A6eIlrhrUYxgOlFsctTv-SxoXhGPVaRagFF6tK3vLahJ6rH-zEY27WwSDH4gBoXoM1d6jsgDfxeYoNgVJC4lu3uJerKwVWW6G6SBnv1mOtMTmGw_OPChNuXVJNTU4-SoxijiMWKyw/w415-h553-no/IMG_1473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lu4A6eIlrhrUYxgOlFsctTv-SxoXhGPVaRagFF6tK3vLahJ6rH-zEY27WwSDH4gBoXoM1d6jsgDfxeYoNgVJC4lu3uJerKwVWW6G6SBnv1mOtMTmGw_OPChNuXVJNTU4-SoxijiMWKyw/w415-h553-no/IMG_1473.JPG" width="240"></a></div>
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<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2013/10/mirepoix-beef-pot-pie.html#more">Read more »</a>Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-86074251471060913122013-10-14T16:14:00.000-04:002016-03-09T14:45:34.852-05:00Pie Crust<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3nxjx2O1P-LqJzNQJIdxw5qd1-nVxJNkZvjWHyaJDVheL7ubB9qOHSnW54lJx6wmgihwkUgMXOoRs7z1RcoLxiWxJs8LMraZ_wKFbA3MSD3jfy2LXgvJZTg-zjcWaj-KrSuOwv0VDrDWG/w507-h553-no/IMG_1128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3nxjx2O1P-LqJzNQJIdxw5qd1-nVxJNkZvjWHyaJDVheL7ubB9qOHSnW54lJx6wmgihwkUgMXOoRs7z1RcoLxiWxJs8LMraZ_wKFbA3MSD3jfy2LXgvJZTg-zjcWaj-KrSuOwv0VDrDWG/w507-h553-no/IMG_1128.JPG" height="320" width="292"></a></div>
I made a lot of pies for the State Fair this year (20, to be exact). I took ribbons for half of them. This is the pie crust I used for all the pastry pies. It's an adaptation of the America's Test Kitchen Foolproof Pie Crust...they call for vodka, I use bourbon because I like the flavor it gives the crust.<br>
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This is a much wetter recipe than you may be used to. It works. Don't fiddle with it. Don't skimp on the liquid or add more flour. Trust me...20 pies' worth of experience talking here (plus all the test pies that came before Pie Day). Believe in the Test Kitchen. They never disappoint.<br>
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<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2013/10/pie-crust.html#more">Read more »</a>Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-37568556600582892802013-10-11T20:35:00.000-04:002013-10-11T20:35:00.843-04:00Chicken/Turkey Noodle/Rice Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58Zkyu2v3Hd-5jWXvXn7v19pBWi96LLwC8bZWsauY7dwimfN3PB2xBVK3sCQT3zoqbIMI0YLdz2PFXjH-PHo204zFO7qnYbdcmPeuFgPQgwTSxNRBVrsohJKYAQXsVhhBfw7XKJOjQnUd/w415-h553-no/IMG_1467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58Zkyu2v3Hd-5jWXvXn7v19pBWi96LLwC8bZWsauY7dwimfN3PB2xBVK3sCQT3zoqbIMI0YLdz2PFXjH-PHo204zFO7qnYbdcmPeuFgPQgwTSxNRBVrsohJKYAQXsVhhBfw7XKJOjQnUd/w415-h553-no/IMG_1467.JPG" width="240"></a></div>
Another one from Julie Languille's Meals in Jars. Another one involving pressure canning. Again, if you have the freezer space, you can absolutely package this up as a freezer kit using vacu-seal bags. I really, really recommend vacu-seal bags instead of ziptop bags when dealing with cooked chicken to ward off freezer burn. <br>
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If you prefer not to use bouillon or soup base, omit it and plan to substitute broth for water in the same amount when you cook the kit. You could freeze homemade broth, can homemade broth or keep shelf-stable store bought broth on hand to finish the meal prep.<br>
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<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2013/10/chickenturkey-noodlerice-soup.html#more">Read more »</a>Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-45542212402734887652013-10-09T20:18:00.000-04:002013-10-09T20:18:00.094-04:00Canned Mirepoix<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4138kTKlsk-B_Ch3pNFWard_NusoyDyReq0VVVaaNV6zb0vmLasytvcOnczXO6Mc61ZGGc43g2ZEz5nKZBOc5dtoGod_gJ03inwdwEL9LX4sIDb9hNVBbFQLUqfPKTsTQSN9dBvQX6APc/w415-h553-no/IMG_1285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4138kTKlsk-B_Ch3pNFWard_NusoyDyReq0VVVaaNV6zb0vmLasytvcOnczXO6Mc61ZGGc43g2ZEz5nKZBOc5dtoGod_gJ03inwdwEL9LX4sIDb9hNVBbFQLUqfPKTsTQSN9dBvQX6APc/w415-h553-no/IMG_1285.JPG" width="240"></a></div>
Our garden has produced very well this year and since I am not spending my autumn pregnant or caring for an infant for the first time in a few years, I am really committed to harvesting, using and putting up what's out there.<br>
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Hence the canning.<br>
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We harvested 5 gallons of carrots, something I would want in the bleak midwinter for making delicious soups and stews. So I've canned them and dehydrated them as elements for starters for soups and stews. This involves pressure canning which I know is not everyone's thing, and these recipes could be preserved by freezing if you prefer. I personally am running out of freezer space, egads. <br>
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The first thing I tried was the starter for a wild rice soup from Meals in Jars by Julie Languille. It's a good basic mirepoix, although I choose to can it with regular strength chicken stock instead of concentrated soup base as the OR calls for. That way, it's more versatile and can be used to start soup, pot pie or chicken and dumplings equally well (recipes to come...stay tuned).<br>
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<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2013/10/canned-mirepoix.html#more">Read more »</a>Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-11763523949145512032013-10-07T20:04:00.000-04:002013-10-07T20:04:00.382-04:00On this day...Honey Beer Chicken<br />
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<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2012/10/honey-beer-chicken.html">http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2012/10/honey-beer-chicken.html</a>Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910521851252898076.post-66086519066007679702013-10-05T15:57:00.002-04:002013-10-05T15:57:40.423-04:00Roast Beef RoundupA collection of roast beef recipes...these recipes let you cook once for two meals by making enough for dinner with leftovers to use in other recipes.<br />
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<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2011/05/lewd-crockpot-beef.html" target="_blank">Looed Crockpot Beef</a><br />
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<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2013/03/baltimore-pit-beef.html" target="_blank">Baltimore Pit Beef</a><br />
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<a href="http://dinnerdoneyesterday.blogspot.com/2013/06/beef-roast-beef-manhattan.html" target="_blank">Russian Dressing Beef</a>Jessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157036020691327139noreply@blogger.com0