Boeuf Bourguignon Soup (GF!)

Photo and recipe (adapted) courtesy Martha Stewart.

This is one of those recipes that actually looks like it does in the picture.  Nothing like a Sunday supper full of warmth and comfort.  Makes a lot - perfect to make dinner one night, with leftovers; and freeze the other half for another night.

• 4 bone-in short ribs (2 inches thick, 2 pounds total)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 ounces white button mushrooms, quartered or sliced
• 3 carrots, 2 finely chopped and 1 cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 2 or 3 shallots, minced
• 2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
• 2 strips bacon, thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• Dash of thyme, or to taste
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 cup dry red wine, such as Burgundy
• 2 boxes veggie stock
• 2 cups water
• Noodles, rice or potatoes to serve over (opt)
• Garlic bread or baguette with butter for dipping (opt)

Directions:

1. Season ribs with 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Coat with cornstarch. Heat oil in a large heavy pot (preferably enameled cast iron) over medium-high heat. Lightly brown ribs on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add mushrooms to pot. Cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; add cubed carrot to bowl.
3. Add shallots, celery, bacon, and chopped carrots to pot. Cook until caramelized, about 6 minutes. Stir in tomato paste.
4. Return ribs with plate juices to pot. Add thyme and bay leaf. Raise heat to high. Add wine. Cook, scraping up brown bits with a wooden spoon, until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Add stock and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until beef is tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
5. Remove ribs. Separate meat from bones; discard. Cut meat into bite-size pieces; return to pot. Add reserved mushroom-carrot mixture. Bring to a simmer; cook until cubed carrots are tender. Season with salt. Ladle soup over bowls of noodles/rice/potatoes and serve with bread on the side.

Fruit and Veggie Wash

For Hard-skinned Fruits and Vegetables:

1. Fill a spray bottle with equal parts white vinegar and water.

2. Then, spray the solution onto your fruits and vegetables; rub it in/scrub it in with a vegetable scrubber; and rinse.

For Soft-skinned Fruits and Vegetables:

1. Fill a bowl with equal parts white vinegar and water.

2. Then, soak your fruits and vegetables in the solution for a minute or two, and rinse.

GF Fudgy Brownies

Soft, fudgy and chewy (or not, depending how long you cook them), these brownies will help any gluten-free person enjoy their chocolate cravings.

Ingredients:
6 T unsalted butter
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp fine salt
12 oz (or less) mini semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 large eggs
opt: up to 1 cup chopped, toasted nuts (pecans, hazelnuts or walnuts)

Preheat oven to 350.  Line 8-in square baking pan with parchment paper.  whisk together dry ingredients.  In microwave safe bowl, zap butter and chocolate in 30-second increments until smooth, about 3 times. Stir in sugar and vanilla, then eggs one at a time until all combined.  Add dry mix and stir until all is smooth.  Stir in nuts if desired.  Pour into pan, bake about 35-45 minutes (longer at higher altitude), until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.  Let cool and cut into squares.  Store in airtight container or ziploc bag.

Adapted from: Everyday food

GF Waffles

Delicious, light and fluffy. A saturday staple.  The frozen banana helps thicken it up and adds a nice hit of potassium.  It will seem runnier than "normal" waffle batter, but the trick is to keep the waffle iron super hot and they'll crisp up very nicely.

Ingredients:

1 cup    brown rice flour

1/2 cup potato starch

1/4 cup tapioca flour

2 tsp     baking powder

1 tsp     salt

1 tsp     sugar

1/4 cup oil

2 eggs

1 1/2 cup whole milk

1 frozen banana, defrosted

cinnamon (to taste)

opt: blueberries

Mix all with stick blender.  Spray waffle iron with pam.  Drop by 1/4 cups into piping-hot waffle iron.  Add blueberries if desired.  Top off with a little more batter and quickly close waffle iron.  Cook 5 minutes et voila!