random thoughts from yours truly

If you’re ever in Montreal and can only have one meal, this is where you should go.  Never mind the fact that we had dinner surrounded by Chuck Hughes, Edward Sharpe, and Billy Talent we should probably discuss this caesar:

it was basically a meal in itself, two crab legs, fresh horseradish, and celery in a giant glass.  No caesar will ever compare, ever.

Now, onto the second appetizer:

salmon on salmon on salmon.  Salmon sashimi with salmon jerky smothered in deliciousness (aka what I believe to have been butter and olive oil).  The sashimi melted in your mouth and the jerky had a perfect crisp to compliment it.  This dish was a win for me.

I’m not going to lie - by the time we got to the entree’s I was already at a point that was passed full but we were committed.  Not to mention that when someone places a lobster risotto like the the one below in front of my face its hard to know when to stop.

Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t finish it - I’m sorry Chuck, it was so amazing, I just needed two stomachs to fit it all in.  I did eat every lobster piece out of there in an attempt not to waste.

Dan’s meal: Ribs & onion rings, a meal fit for men.  There was cheese melted on the ribs and based on this, i probably don’t need to say much more.

I would fly back for dinner if I could.

Yes… It’s gluten-free!

“What the f***, this is gluten-free?” is the best compliment anyone can give you when you’re baking gluten-free.  That’s when you know you’ve done a good job.

And yes, that is the kind of compliment this pie gets but that’s likely because it was adapted from the one and only Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen.  Find the original pie here and original crust here.

Gluten-Free, All Butter Pie Crust
2 1/2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
1 heaping tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, very cold diced into 1.5 inch pieces

Fill a one cup liquid measuring cup with water, and drop in a few ice cubes; set it aside.  In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar and salt.

Sprinkle the butter cubes over the flour and begin working them in with a pastry blender.  When all of the butter pieces are the size of tiny peas — this won’t take long — stop.

Drizzle 1/2 cup of the ice-cold water (but not the cubes) over the butter and flour mixture.  Using a rubber or silicon spatula (or… your hands!), gather the dough together.  Slowly add additional cold water to bring it all together (use as little of the residual water as possible).  Gather the clumps together into one mound, kneading them gently together.

Divide the dough in half and wrap in saran wrap.

Refrigerate for minimally one hour - the longer you wait the easier your dough will be to work with.

Pie Filling
3 1/2 cups rhubarb, in 1/2-inch thick slices
3 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced if big
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca (I used cornstarch as that was all I had but I trust that Deb was on to something when she swore by tapioca… my pie did leak everywhere when I tried to transport it)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk beaten to blend with 1 teaspoon water (for glaze)

Gluten-free flour for rolling dough

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a well-floured counter, roll half of pie dough into a 12-inch circle and carefully transfer to a 9-inch pie plate (If you end up with holes in your crust just add left over dough to cover them up)

Stir together rhubarb, strawberries, sugars, lemon, salt and tapioca (or cornstarch) in a large bowl. Pour filling inside bottom pie crust and dot with bits of unsalted butter. Roll second half of pie dough into an 11-inch circle and cut decorative slits in it or cut it into strips and criss-cross it. Move the dough on top of the pie filling. Arrange edges of crust to be they way you want.

Transfer pie to a baking sheet and brush egg yolk mixture over dough. Bake for 20 minutes then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, until the pie is golden and the juices bubble visibly.

Transfer pie to wire rack to cool.

Adapted from Martha, obviously.

Yield: 12 small scones

Preheat oven to 400 degress

Ingredients:

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour, plus more for rolling
• 1 1/3 cups old-fashioned wheat-free rolled oats
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons light-brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 1/2 cups skinless diced Granny Smith apple (approximately 2 apples)
• 2/3 cup cold buttermilk

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Pat dough into a 6-by-8-inch rectangle, and cut into twelve 2-by-2-inch squares with a floured knife. Place about 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.  Bake until golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool on sheets for 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Adapted from food.com

Before I give you the recipe I’d like to point out that scones are dead easy and a delightful treat with your dinner (or for breakfast!).

Yield: 16 small scones

2 1/4 cups all-purpose gluten free flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1 cup old cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4 cup chopped chives
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

-In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cayenne pepper and salt.
-Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
-Stir in the cheese and chives.
-Add the buttermilk all at once, stirring with a fork to make a soft, sticky dough.
-With lightly floured hands, press the dough into a ball.
-On a lightly floured surface, knead gently 5 times.
-Pat out the dough into a 3/4-inch thick rectangle.
-Using a floured knife cut scones into desired shapes and size.
- Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (no clean up mess!).
-Bake in a 425 degree F oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden.

This passed weekend I really wanted to bake everything and anything. So I did just that.  I forget, too easily, how much I love it.  I think I fell out of it a bit when I discovered that I was allergic to wheat; I mean baking without flour? How is that possible?  I’ve since realized, it’s all by trial and error.  I’ve stopped looking up gluten free or wheat free recipes. People tend to believe that if you’re looking for gluten free you automatically want it to be healthy… Seriously, I’m baking, load up on the sugars and butter.

So here’s what I made:

Cheddar Cheese & Chive Scones, Apple and Oat Scones, Banana Bread, and Salted Caramel Brownies.  Recipes to follow.

Are a rarity thus, I take full advantage when they arrive!

I’ve already done a good amount of hiking and tried my first (definitely not my last!) outdoor rock climbing experience!

Looking over the edge on the top of the Chief in Squamish, BC

Taking in the views.

Seriously. BC is hard to beat.

Seriously. The best workout.

Henry David Thoreau is on to something here…

Beauty.

Calm.

Happy earth day everyone, take a moment to appreciate what mother nature gives you!

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen’s Multigrain Apple Crisp

Makes 8 small crisps ( I halved the recipe )

4 large or 5 small-medium apples (about 2 pounds)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 3/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or a mix; see Note up top)
A dash of vanilla
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Two pinches sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup olive oil                                                                                                           

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange eight ramekins on a baking tray. Peel, halve and core apples, then chop them into a small pieces. Toss apples with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 3 tablespoons brown sugar until evenly coated, then divide apples between ramekins.

Grind 1/4 cup oats with almonds in a food processor until powdery. In a medium bowl, mix oat/almond mixture with remaining rolled oats, wheat flour, remaining brown sugar, cinnamon, sea salt and baking powder. Melt butter in a small saucepan (or in microwave), then stir in olive oil and add vanilla. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir until crumbly. Divide crumbs over each dish of apples, packing them on with your palms if needed to get them all on (don’t worry, the apples will deflate a bit when they bake).

Bake apple crisps for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until you can see the juices from the apples bubbling around the crumbs. If tops brown too quickly, put a sheet of foil over the whole tray for remaining baking time. Let cool on rack and serve when lukewarm.

Enjoy.

Online Job Hunting.

Perfecting Resumes.

Personalizing Cover Letters.

Repeat.

Why did I want to grow up so fast again? Mom, take me back as a 5 year old :) !  Or I could win the infamous tax on the poor, the Lottery! Easy peasy.

Yet, I don’t know if I’d actually be able to claim the money with the though of what a mess it could make.  Donate most of it, give some to family and friends {but where does the line get drawn?}. Go on a big trip with all of your closet friends {wait, since when did you have 500 close friends?}. Everyone who gets left out doesn’t like you anymore, everyone expects you to pay for everything, always.  When does it end? When you’re worse off than before? Hmm… ya I’d have an anxiety attack if I won. Then when I got over than shock, maybe buy a puppy, give some to close family and those friends I know who truly need it, put some away for a few years and, give the rest to a sustainable cause.

I’d like to think I’d be that good with it but most of me knows I’d go take off on a big fat adventure…{before I bought the dog, obviously} !