Snicker Doodle Coffee Ice Cream Sandwiches-Gluten Free

After talking about one of my favorite desserts at a local restaurant, my friend (who eats gluten-free) and I went to Whole Foods looking for a snicker doodle mix with no luck. So we made these melt in your mouth cookies from scratch and stuck them on either side of our favorite coffee ice cream. The hardest part is waiting for the cookies to cool before making the sandwich. They are sweet, melt in your mouth, and are the perfect treat. Makes about 24 cookies- 12 sandwiches

Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
1 stick butter, softened
1 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp gluten-free all purpose flour
(we used King Arthur brand)
1 egg
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 pinch salt

Cinnamon sugar*
Combine 3 tbsp sugar and 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon in a bowl

Preheat oven to 400F
Combine sugar and butter in a mixer on medium
Once creamy, decrease speed to slow
Add the egg, then flour, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, and salt
Once combined, roll into 1 inch balls

Roll balls in cinnamon sugar
Place on a baking sheet

Cook for 8-10 minutes

Allow to cool, scoop on desired ice cream

Enjoy right away or stick in the freezer

Saturday Morning Chocolate Chip and Strawberry Pancakes with Almond Milk

This was my first time making pancakes without using a box mix, I was very worried about how they would turn out, but my critic and I agreed that they were quite yummy! I decided to use almond milk instead of regular milk, which didn't seem to change the taste or consistency. Pair these colorful flapjacks with a good Vermont Maple syrup. Enjoy!  Makes 12

Ingredients
2 tbsp good butter*
*1 tbsp extra for the pan
1/2 cup almond milk
1 egg
2/3 cup flour
1 pinch sugar
1 pinch salt
2 tsp baking powder
4 strawberries, quartered
3 tbsp semi sweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli)

Heat a pan over medium and add 1 tbsp butter
Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl
-flour, sugar, salt, baking powder
In the microwave, melt butter (about 15 seconds if you cut it up)
Then add almond milk and heat for 10 more seconds
Stir
In a large bowl, whisk egg
Slowly add milk mixture
Then add flour mixture
When butter bubbles on the pan, add 3 tbsp worth of batter
Allow to cook until bubbling through
Flip and cook for another 30 seconds
Note: dont press down on the pancakes, I am told that it lets out the much needed air.
Enjoy with warm maple syrup!

Sunday Stew: Ribollita

C. and I went to a cooking class at Pippin Hill (part of my Christmas present). The theme was soups and stews and we came out learning how to cook 4 amazing dishes. One of these dishes was chicken Ribollita. Ribollita is a Tuscan word meaning reboiled rightfully given to this soup which sometimes is made from left over minestrone soup. It is a typical peasant stew made with bread and beans. 
We added a few veggies and a less peasant (more hippie) item: kale! We are on night two of eating this and it is still mouth wateringly good! Serves 6

lots of chopping!

Ingredients
3/4 bottle of dry white wine (I used Chardonnay)
5 cups water
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 sprig rosemary, whole
1 sprig thyme, whole
2 bay leaves
5 cloves garlic, diced
8 chicken thighs, skin removed, bone in
1/2 cup canned cannellini beans, drained
Italian Bread, sliced into 6 thin(.5 inch) slives
1 leek, white and light green parts only, chopped and cleaned*
1 celery stalk, chopped

Soaking the leeks

1 carrot (or 12 baby carrots), chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 lb kale, chopped and stems removed

*to clean leek, fill a bowl with water, sprinkle leeks on it and let dirt settle for 15 minutes. Scoop out leeks

In a large thick bottomed pot, heat 3 tbsp oil at medium-high heat
Make sure it's hot before placing chicken thighs in
Brown both sides and remove and reserve on a plate
Add 1 tbsp oil, the leek, carrots, zucchini, onions, celery, and bay leaves

Adding the wine

Saute for 8 minutes until starting to get soft-I like to use a wooden spoon
Add the dry white wine (called deglaze) and add the herbs, mushrooms and garlic
Stir for about 5 minutes
Add the water and beans
Bring to a boil and add chicken thighs
Allow to cook on simmer and for about 2 hours, covered

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375F

Garlic rubbing the bread

Place sliced bread in the oven until toasted lightly
Remove and rub with a cut garlic clove (sounds crazy, but really works)
When soup has cooked, add kale and allow 15 minutes to wilt
Add bread and stir until well broken up
Serve with a kale chip on top (place a few pieces of kale in the oven for about 3 minutes while the bread is toasting)
or with parmesan cheese

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Butter

Note: I did not make my own gnocchi because pasta is an item I refuse to waste time making :) I bought this gnocchi hand made at a market, which made it cheap and easy! I paid $3 for a half pound which was the perfect amount for two people as a side. C and I had this with short ribs and a salad. Sage is an herb that i rarely use, but it surprises me every time that I do. Enjoy this recipe, it's one of my new favorites. Serves 2 as a big side

Ingredients
1/2 lb sweet potato gnocchi
1/4 cup good butter
7 large pieces of fresh sage
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped into 4ths
1 tsp olive oil

In a large pot, bring water to a boil
Add the gnocchi in batches, cooking for 5-6 minutes
Drain and place in a bowl

While the gnocchi is cooking, create the buttery goodness
In a medium pan, melt butter over medium heat
Stir for 5 minutes with a whisk
The milk fat will separate and that's okay
Add 5 pieces of sage and walnuts
Stir for about 5 more minutes

In another pan (sorry lots of pans!), heat oil over medium high heat
Add sage and cook for 1 minute per side to crisp
Remove with tongs and lay on a napkin to drain

When all gnocchi is cooked, pour sauce over it and toss
Crush the crispy sage over the dish and serve!

Black Truffle Butter Popcorn

My market has a large vat of black truffle salt and after smelling and sampling it, I decided to buy some and concoct something. I also was in the mood for popcorn and have greatly enjoyed truffle popcorn at a restaurant near by. I knew Barefoot Contessa had a recipe for truffle popcorn, but it called for truffle butter and I could not find any. This was a great/cheaper substitute as long as you get upscale butter (still only costs about $3 per stick). With only three ingredients, this recipe is easy, simple, and very yummy! Serves 4

Ingredients

Microwave popcorn with no butter or salt added

1 tbsp truffle salt

1/2 tbsp butter

Cook popcorn in the microwave as directed

Meanwhile in a pan, heat butter over medium low heat

Once all butter is melted, but not boiling, add salt

Whisk together

In a large bowl pour a little of the truffle butter

Add half of the popcorn and stir with a large spoon

Add remaining popcorn and top with remaining butter

Stir the popcorn and enjoy for up to two days!

Gluten Free Friday-Creamy Dill Salmon over Quinoa

I find myself buying salmon because I know it's healthy, but I never get excited to actually eat it. This recipe was made for me by a good friend (shout out to Jessica) and now I cannot wait to make it for my guests. It's easy, beautiful, and a great way to dress up boring salmon filets!!! Serves 2

Ingredients
2/3 lb salmon filet, skin removed and cut into four pieces
A hand full of dill, chopped
5 spring onions, finely chopped
3 tbps creme fraiche
1/2 cup dried quinoa, cooked


Put dill and onions on a plate and roll salmon in it
Place salmon in a pan over medium heat
Cook for 10-15 minutes
Meanwhile cook quinoa
Place quinoa on two plates
Cover with salmon
In a pan, heat remaining onions and dill over low heat along with creme fraiche
Stir until all creme fraiche has melted
Pour over salmon and enjoy!

Israeli CousCous and Chicken Curry Soup

 I was given a great cookbook for Christmas called 365 Days of Soup. It has great recipes for each day of the year based on the produce in season. I saw a recipe for Israeli couscous (bigger than normal couscous) with chicken and decided to try it with some twists. This soup is aromatic, easy, and tastes great. Serves 4

Ingredients
1 cup Israeli couscous
5 cups chicken broth
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cooked chicken breasts*, chopped
*from a rotisserie chicken or you can cook it yourself
2 cups baby spinach with stems removed
1 tsp tumeric powder, 1 tsp curry powder, 1/2 tsp cumin


In a pot, bring 1 1/4 cup water to a boil
Add 1 cup Israeli couscous and bring back to a boil
Once boiling, put heat to simmer and cover for 8-10 minutes
Until water is absorbed

Meanwhile, in a large pot heat oil on medium
Add onions and garlic, cooking for 5 minutes
Add spices and stir for 2 minutes
Pour in broth and bring to a boil
Add chicken and couscous
Simmer for 10 minutes then add spinach

Eat up!