Pavlova - Southern Style

The first time I tried a pavlova was in my single days living in Chicago, and my dear Australian friend made this for my birthday.  I couldn't get enough, and I wasn't even gluten-free at the time!  I just thought it was the greatest thing ever and wished my friend would make it for me on a regular basis.  The pavlova originated as a dessert from Australian and New Zealand, and is traditionally topped with cream, strawberries, kiwi and passionfruit.

And the best thing of all about this wondrous thing called a pavlova, it is naturally gluten-free!! Yippee, don't you just love when some of your favorite foods are safe for you just the way they are? Score!

For my "big" birthday last year, I requested from my mom, who was visiting from Florida, to make me one, and she didn't disappoint. I saw the cover of the April 2012 issue of Southern Living and knew I had to have it!  I had this issue saved since April on my coffee table, just because I couldn't get enough of the cover.  She did not follow the recipe exactly, but it was our inspiration.

And it came out looking just as beautiful.  Thank you mom!

This past weekend, I was lucky enough to ring in another year with my family.  And while I love my family more than anything, I know them, and I knew I wasn't getting a homemade birthday dessert from my husband or daughter, so I had to take matters into my own hands.

As my very good friend, Julie, in Chicago once told me....I will set myself up for disappointment if I wait for something to be done, so I need to do it myself and just enjoy the occasion.  And that is what I did.  I made my own birthday dessert.  Of course, M had to clean up the kitchen, but hey, I cook, I don't do the messy stuff.  It's the least fun part of the whole cooking experience.

Since, I picked up fresh Georgia peaches that morning from the Grant Park Farmers Market, I decided to whip up a pavlova (just one layer this time) with a Southern twist as this year's birthday treat.

A pavlova looks and sounds a lot more intimidating than it is.  It is simple....meringue, cream and fruit, and viola! There you have it.  The fact that it is simple is what makes it so good!  It also keeps easily in the fridge if you can't finish it, but it will be difficult not to go back for second, thirds......

The most crucial step in the whole pavlova-making process is to get good, clean egg whites.  My suggestion...seperate them one egg at a time, so if you do mess up, you will not ruin all the eggs at once, and need to run out to buy more in a frenzy of panic.  Trust me on this one.

We went out for an amazing birthday dinner with my family, to Wisteria, which had a delicious gluten-free menu, and then came home to this:

I may have made my own birthday dessert, and received funny looks from my friends, but hey, I wasn't disappointed. Thank you Julie for that wise tip!

It is important to make sure you have parchment paper before you start this recipe.  It is also important to note, that you don't want to assemble the meringue, cream and fruit until just before serving, so it is at its freshest.

Pavlova with Fresh Peaches

Meringue

4 egg whites

1/2 cup fine, white sugar

1/2 teaspoon creme of tartar

parchment paper 

Cream topping

1 cup of heavy cream

1/2 cup of mascarpone or ricotta (different textures, but equally as delicious)

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

fresh fruit for topping - sliced strawberries, blueberries, or sliced ripe peaches.  Any fruit will do. If using sliced fruit, you can slice ahead of time and toss in a bowl with a teaspoon of sugar and let sit for an hour, which will make them juicy and saucy.

Preheat oven to 250'

In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and the cream of tartar at high speed with an electric hand-mixture until foamy.  Gradually add the sugar until it dissolves.  Continue mixing until the egg whites become firm, stiff and spoonable, about 4 or 5 minutes;

Place parchment paper on a large cookie sheet.  Place a dinner plate upside down on the parchment paper and use a pen to trace around it.  Remove the plate.

Gently spoon the egg white mixture into the traced circle, and spread evenly;

Place in the oven, and bake for one hour, turning tray after 30 minutes;

Turn the oven off, and let the meringue sit in the oven with the door closed, but oven light on for 2 hours, or until meringue is completely dry.

For the cream topping, combine the 4 ingredients in a mixing bowl, and use an electric hand-mixer until it becomes stiff, and spoonable.

Once ready to serve, spoon the cream onto the finished meringue, top with the fresh fruit and serve.  To save leftovers (if there are any), carefully cover in plastic wrap, and the pavlova will be equally enjoyable the next day.

Bon Appetit mate!

American Pie, part 1 & 2

"One time at band camp...."

Mmmm......pie. So tasty, so simple. I love baking when having friends over, but I don't like to do the same thing over, and over and over again. Not that I don't love my strawberry (oat)short cakes or peach cobbler, because I do! I just love trying something new. And the great thing I learned about pie is how easy it is. You make whatever goodness goes inside and just pour it into a pie crust. Viola! And while I love making my baked goods from scratch, I cheat with the crust. I admit it. I buy frozen. I need to get motivated and make my own, but for now, this is how I roll.

I was a huge fan of Whole Foods Gluten-Free Bakehouse gluten-free crusts...until I went to buy some for Father's Day the other week...and they were out! I kept staring at the freezer shelf in desperation, hoping one would magically appear. Next, I looked behind everything in that section, hoping I would find one. Thankfully, as I was walking away in sulking defeat, I saw Gillian's had a pie crust in a different part of the freezer section - score! I was skeptical, but in the end, I really liked Gillian's crust and may go for that one first next time. Rich buttery flavor.

And when you buys crusts they come in sets of two, so of course I couldn't use just one!

So what was I going to put in my pies...well, I had a desire to work with rhubarb, which I had never done before. I never even touched it, so this would be a total first. I decided to do a strawberry rhubarb pie, and as I was picking up blueberries on sale, Whole Foods had a recipe for blueberry sour cream pie next to the blueberries (how clever you are WF!), so that decided it!

I admit, it is pretty risky to try something new on guests, but I decided to go for it. And thankfully it resulted in some mighty tasty pies!! Two very distinct flavors, but equally as delicious. I kept asking which one my guests like best, but no one could decide.

I posted my strawberry rhubarb pie on the celiac-disease web site. Below is a fabulous photo of the pie in progress before the crumble topping was put on and it was baked.

The blueberry sour cream pie was not a recipe I put together myself, so I have Whole Foods to thank for it. I will copy it below with my change of using a gluten-free pie crust, and leaving out the powdered sugar sprinkled on top, which I just felt it didn't need.

Blueberry sour cream pie

1 cup sour cream

½ cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 pint blueberries

1 frozen gluten-free pie shell, thawed

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Gently stir in blueberries.

Pour mixture into pie crust and bake 55 to 65 minutes or until custard is slightly puffed and just set in the middle. Allow pie to cool to room temperature. If desired, chill before sprinkling with powdered sugar and serving.

Enjoy, and get ready to feel the love!

Strawberry (oat)shortcake

With summer here and friends coming over for weekend BBQs, one of my absolute favorite, refreshing things is strawberry shortcake. I mean, is there anyone out there that does not like strawberry shortcake....well except for my sister, who oddly got sick after eating them when she was little and still stays away from them to this day some 20 years later.

June in the midwest is the time to go strawberry picking and what better way to celebrate this delicious berry than by making decadent biscuits to go with it. I used to make it all the time before being gluten-free, but realized there is no reason this would not work gluten-free, just as I still enjoy all of my other favorite desserts. But I decided to put a twist on it this time, I decided to use some oat flour and flax seed meal in it. I thought some fiber wouldn't be bad, and I love the flavor of oats. These biscuits tasted like oat shortcakes, and I couldn't get enough, and hopefully you can't either. And of course, you must top it with real homemade whipped cream for the ultimate finishing touch.

Biscuits

1 cup gluten-free flour mix (I use Whole Foods 365 GF All-Purpose Baking Mix)

1/2 cup gluten-free oat flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)

1 tablespoon flax seed meal (I use Bob's Red Mill)

3 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon cream or buttermilk for brushing the tops of the biscuits

Fruit

2 pints of strawberries, hulled and cut in quarters (sometimes I like to add some blueberries as well, you can't have too much fruit here)

1 tablespoon strawberry preserves

1/2 tablespoon sugar

Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon sugar

Preheat oven to 425'

Combine the fruit in a large bowl with the preserves and sugar, stir well and let sit, covered, in the fridge.

Meanwhile the biscuits, combine the dry ingredients (saving 1/2 tablespoon of the sugar until later) in a large mixing bowl.

Add the butter and combine using clean, dry hands until it becomes the consistency of coarse meal.

Slowly add the buttermilk and stir with a rubber scraper until a dough forms.

Using damp hands form 3" balls and place on a parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Flatten slightly. Should make about 6 biscuits.

Brush the tops with the cream or buttermilk and then sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of sugar.

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until done. You can check with a toothpick through the middle of a biscuit.

Biscuits can be made ahead of time, up to 24 hours and kept at room temperature and covered until ready to use. Keep the fruit in the fridge until ready to use.

Before serving, combine the heavy cream, vanilla and sugar in a mixing bowl and using a hand-mixer at high-speed, beat until stiff peaks form.

When ready to serve, pour the fruit over a biscuit cut in half, and add a heaping spoonful of whipped cream.

Enjoy!

Oatmeal buttermilk pancakes with balsamic strawberries or juicy peaches

A weekend tradition in our house is to have pancakes for brunch. Even before being gluten-free I worked weekly at perfecting the ultimate pancake recipe, and currently this is my favorite, the key being oatmeal. Our little family gobbles these up.

I like to serve them with fresh fruit and I tend use what I happen to have in my kitchen. Last week, I made these with juicy peaches. I sliced up 4 peaches and then added a tablespoon of brown sugar and a 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and let these sit while I was making the pancakes. This resulted in very juicy peaches in their own syrup, so yummy!

Today, I sliced up a pint of strawberries and added a teaspoon of white balsamic vinegar and 2 teaspoons of raw sugar. The result was like having strawberry shortcake for breakfast.

In the winter sometimes I slice up bananas and then sauté them with some butter and brown sugar for a thick warm banana sauce to add on top.


And if you want to make these and you don't eat gluten-free, just use regular oats and whatever flour you would normally use to make pancakes.

For my basic oatmeal buttermilk pancakes that I use weekly:

1 cup gluten-free oats

1 1/2 cup buttermilk

----------------------------

1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons vegetable oil (I use grapeseed oil)
2 eggs

----------------------------

1 cup gluten-free flour (I used Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix)
2 tablespoon raw sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Combine the oats with the buttermilk and let sit for at least an hour, or do the night before and leave overnight.

After sitting, blend in the eggs, vanilla and oil.

Add the sugar, flour, baking soda and baking powder. Mix until combined.

Let batter sit for 15 minutes.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Ladle the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Lightly brown on both sides and serve warm.

I like to keep the pancakes warm in the oven at 150' while I am finishing the batter.

Happy breakfast!

Watermelon cups with feta & mint

In anticipation of warmer weather, and because I just happened to have all the ingredients on hand for this unique recipe, I just had to try it. However, I can not take credit for it, I took the recipe from the current issue of Rachael Ray's Everyday magazine.

I love the way it presents, but next time I may just make it as a salad and mix all of the ingredients together rather than spend the time scooping the watermelon and stuffing with cheese. I think the colors would look great together in either form, though perhaps the salad would make the watermelon a bit watery.

These were extremely tasty, and difficult to walk by and not grab one.

Grazie Rachael!

Grilled apple and gorgonzola sandwich

Autumn is in full swing with the leaves changing and crunching beneath our feet as we take weekend jaunts to pick apples and pumpkins. Once we return home we realize, what are we going to do with all of these apples?!

Eating them plain is an excellent treat, especially the early season Honey Crisp apples, but sometimes it is necessary to get more creative and break the routine. This recipe was originally found in Southern Living, and has become a fall favorite of mine. It was not originally printed as a "gluten-free" recipe, but easily became one with a couple of modifications. This sandwich quickly becomes a satisfying and impressive meal.

Grilled apple and gorgonzola sandwich recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 package 1/3-less fat cream cheese
• 4 oz. gorgonzola or blue cheese*
• 1 T honey
• 1 thinly sliced apple
• arugula
• gluten-free sliced bread
• roasted chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Combine the cream cheese, gorgonzola and honey in a bowl and season with fresh-ground pepper. Add the walnuts at this time, if using. Spread a tablespoon on each slice of bread, add sliced apples and a handful of arugula. Grill on a griddle or a pan.

The cheese mixture also makes a great dip for apples, if you want to forgo the sandwich.

* Most blue cheese and gorgonzola produced the USA are gluten-free, and not started on bread. BelGioioso is one brand that is verified gluten-free, as is Rosenborg blue cheese and Point Reyes blue cheese.

Yummy apple dip

Super simple and yet super yummy. I have this daily for breakfast Stir well. Dip apples.

1/2 cup plain greek yogurt

1 T creamy peanut butter

1 sweet apple, sliced, my favorite is Honey Crisp when they are in season

Blend the yogurt with the peanut butter, and serve with sliced apples.

Yummy!!!

Buttermilk biscuit peach cobbler

One of my passions in life is baking, but once I learned I had to go gluten-free, I felt I had lost this ability. Not only was I horribly mistaken, but gluten-free baking can actually taste better than baking with wheat flour, yes, even better!

My favorite magazine for the last 15 years has been Food & Wine. Every month when I receive it in the mail, I cannot wait to open it to the index to see what recipes await. The dessert section is the first category I explore, and try. I was so disappointed when I thought I would no longer be able to create the wonderful baked goods published in this bible of mine. Then I saw this recipe, by New York's Bobby Flay, and decided I have to give it a try.

This recipe is a slightly different variation than the typical fruit cobbler, in that it uses biscuits. The recipe is very similar to the original, but with changes made to make it gluten-free and delicious. I replace the flour with Pamela's baking mix, and Bob's Red Mill corn bread mix, but any gluten-free baking mix can be used. I felt that the corn meal gave the biscuits a nice grittiness and texture. Personally, I decided to make it nut-free, and omitted the pecans.

Biscuits

1 cup Pamela's baking mix

1 cup Bob's Red Mill gluten-free cornbread mix

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

7 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 tablespoon raw sugar

Cobbler

1 cup pecans (optional)

10 peaches, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch slices

1/4 cup light brown sugar

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract*

Whipped Cream

1 1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract*

2 tablespoons confectioners sugar

* Always confirm that the vanilla used is gluten-free, some are grain alcohol-based and are therefore not considered gluten-free.

Recipe

1. Make the biscuits. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, cornbread mix, granulated sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Using clean hands, two knives or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the mix until the mix is the texture of peas, or coarse sand. Gently stir in the buttermilk until the dough just comes together.

2. Using clean hands, create 5 biscuits, about 2 1/2-inches round, and 3/4-inch thick disks. Place biscuits on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Brush tops with the heavy cream and sprinkle with the raw sugar. Refrigerate the biscuits until chilled, about 30 minutes.

3. Preheat the over to 450'. Bake the biscuits for about 15 minutes, until lightly golden; transfer to a rack to cool. Reduce oven to 375'.

(Optional) Spread the pecans in a pie plate and toast in the over for 8 minutes, until fragrant; let cool, then coarsely chop.

4. Make the cobbler. Lightly butter a 8 1/2-by-11-inch baking dish. In a bowl toss the peaches, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and vanilla. Fold in the pecans if you wish to use them.

5. Spread the peaches in the prepared baking dish and cover with foil. Set on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until peaches begin to release their juices. Remove the foil and bake for about 30 minutes longer, stirring once, until the peaches are bubbling. Arrange the biscuits over the fruit. Bake the cobbler for 5 minutes longer. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly. Once cooled, I choose to cut the biscuits into smaller pieces, on top of the cobbler.

6. Meanwhile, make the whipped cream. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream at medium speed until softly whipped. Spoon the cobbler into shallow bowls, top with a dollop of whip cream, and serve.

The cobbler can be baked up to 6 hours ahead. Rewarm before serving.