Super Easy Spaghetti Sauce

I don't really like store bought spaghetti sauces.  They are usually either too runny or too sweet or Andrew doesn't like them because there might be a hint on onion ;)  And, I hate having to buy a specialty thing when I can whip something up almost as quick with stuff in the cupboard.  Tonight, I threw this together over gluten-free pasta with turkey meatballs and got a hearty thumbs up from the men folk!

Super Easy Spaghetti Sauce

1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)

1 can tomato paste (6 oz)

1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)

splash of dry sherry, maybe a tablespoon or two

1 tsp. each of dried basil, dried oregano, and garlic powder

2 tsp. of Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. each of red pepper flakes and salt

Dump everything in a small saucepan.  Puree using an immersion blender and let simmer on low while you cook the pasta and the rest of your dinner.

Gluten-free Cornbread

Andrew told me repeatedly that he did not like cornbread when we got married.  We've been married for a little over 8 years and I think I honored the not liking cornbread crap until about a year or two ago.  I finally told him I like cornbread and he would just have to deal.  Well, guess what....he likes this cornbread.  Go figure ;)

Gluten-free Cornbread

2 c gluten-free flour blend

1/2 c white sugar

3 T baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 c shortening

4 eggs

2 c milk

2 c cornmeal

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum in a large bowl. 

Cut the shortening in the way you would when making a pie dough. You should end up with pea-size pieces in a sandy flour.

Combine the eggs and milk in a small bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid. Stir with a rubber spatula until everything is combined.

Stir in the cornmeal, whisking fast, until it is just combined. Do not overstir.

Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Slide it into the oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the sides of the cornbread are slightly shrinking from the pan and a toothpick comes out clean.

Chicken Meat Sauce

This was supposed to be meatballs but the meat didn't want to ball (and yes, I know that's just ripe for all kinds of jokes).  So, I threw lumps in there and let them cook for a bit before stirring it around ;)  Either way it tasted pretty darn good and Andrew and Dylan both liked it.

We get 40-lbs of chicken breast a couple of times a year.  We freeze most of them as individual boobs but I take about 10-lbs of them and the fat that I trim off of the others and run it through the meat grinder.  That's what I used for the meat in this sauce.  You could use any ground meat you have laying around and I'm sure it would be great.

Chicken Meat Sauce

Meat

1 lb ground chicken

1 egg

1/2 c mozarella, shredded (leave out if you have a dairy sensitivity, or if you don't have any on hand)

1 T ketchup

4 T dried parsley

Sauce

1 1/2 c chicken broth

1 6oz can tomato paste

1 T olive oil

1 tsp - 1 T garlic, chopped

1/2 tsp dried thyme and basil

dash of honey 

Add all of the meat ingredients to a bowl and mash together with your hand.

Add all of the sauce ingredients to a wide bottomed pan, bring to a simmer.  Drop the meat or meatballs (if yours will ball) in about 1-in "balls" into the sauce.  Let simmer, stirring periodically until they are cooked through.  Serve over quinoa or pasta or rice or whatever your family likes sprinkled with a little salt and fresh cracked pepper!

Cream of Broccoli Soup (GF, Can be Dairy-free)

This paired quite well with the flax seed "bran" bread and barbecued lamb chops.  If you don't have to keep it dairy-free, it also is pretty tasty with a bit of shredded cheddar on top!

Cream of Broccoli Soup

2 T butter, coconut oil, or olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1 small shallot

1/2 c or so potato diced (small to medium potato)*

~ 4 c broccoli chopped up*

6 c. broth

1/2 c full-fat coconut milk

2 T lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp chipotle sauce (Tabasco brand is tasty; so are others)

Melt butter in medium pot. Add diced garlic and shallot.  Saute on low for 2-5 minutes until it starts to carmelize.  Add potatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add broccoli and broth.  Bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer and cover with a lid.  Cook for 20 minutes or so until the potato and broccoli is soft.  Puree in batches (REMEMBER IT'S HOT) in a good blender.  Pour back into pot.  Add coconut milk, lemon juice, salt and chipotle sauce.  Stir to combine and serve.  Tastes especially yummy with shredded cheddar melted on top!

* I am fond of potato skins.  I don't peel the darn things.  It takes too much time and you lose good vitamins and such.  In addition, go ahead and eat the leaves and such on the broccoli.  You're going to puree the hell out of everything anyway!

"Curry" Chicken Soup

Apparently, not everyone looks in the fridge in the fall/winter and thinks...I'm going to make a soup out of whatever is in there.  But, seriously, throwing together a soup doesn't have to be that hard!  With that in mind, the following recipe is a guideline.  Many of my recipes are guidelines.  I just don't take the time to measure things :)  

Remember, it's not worth it to take yourself or soup so seriously!

"Curry" Chicken Soup

2-4 T melted coconut oil

1 small head garlic

1/2-1 tsp cumin

1/2-1 tsp coriander seed ground to a powder in your dedicated spice grinder, i.e. coffee grinder dedicated to that type of stuff

1/2-1 tsp ginger

1/2-1 tsp chili pepper flakes

1/2-1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1/2-1 tsp salt, or to taste

 half of a leftover roasted chicken, diced

1 c diced cooked squash

1 c diced carrot

1/2 c white Zinfandel or other white wine you have on hand for cooking with

1 can full-fat coconut milk; and 1-2 cans of chicken broth or water, rinsing all the yummy stuff out of the coconut can

1 c cooked squash, not necessary to be diced

1/2-1 tsp turmeric

1. Melt coconut oil in medium soup pot.  Add garlic put through garlic press or well diced along with the spices and saute a bit on low heat.

2. Add the chicken, carrot and squash as you dice it up.

3. Deglaze a bit with the wine.

4. While you're doing that, puree the second set of squash with the coconut oil and water.  Add to the pot and let simmer for 20-30 minutes or longer.  Add the turmeric and stir.

5. Enjoy with your 14-month old...oh wait, that's just at the Jones Cottage.  But do find someone to enjoy your dinner with!

6. I made this a second time and used the 1 tsp of all the spices.  It was a little spicy (with the 1 tsp pepper flakes) but we thought it tasted better!

Tomorrow, I'll post the flax seed bread recipe I made to go with this.  Kind of like a bran flat bread without the wheat.

For more interesting ideas check out Monday Mania , Pennywise Platter and Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays!

German Potato Salad

I hate potato salad...this is not potato salad.  I think it's ridiculous that it's called potato salad.  No mayonnaise anywhere near it.  Bacon, vinegar and potatoes, what's there not to love!  Andrew still doesn't like it but I'm not sure he tried it.  He certainly won't try it with the onions in there :)

German Potato Salad (adapted from this recipe)

6 c diced potatoes, leave the skin on, it won't hurt you!

8 slices bacon, diced a bit before you cook them, mine was still slightly frozen which makes it easy

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 c rice vinegar

1/4 c water
3 T sugar

1/2 tsp salt, to taste (can depend on how salty your bacon is)

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

2 T fresh parsley

1. Place potatoes in a pot and fill with enough water to cover.  Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork.  Drain and set aside to cool a bit.

2. Place bacon in large, deep frying pan over med-hi heat.  Fry until browned and crisp.  Remove from pan with slotted spoon and set aside.

3.  Add the onion to the bacon grease and cook over medium heat until browned (or even carmelized but to carmelize turn the heat down a bit).  If there's too much grease drain a little bit.  Add the vinegar, water, salt and pepper to the pan.  Bring to a boil and then add the potatoes and parsley.

4.  Add about half of the bacon.  Heat through, then transfer to a serving dish.  Add remaining bacon over the top and serve warm.

Note: I made this for a potluck at work last week.  I made the dish the night before and then transferred it to my crock-pot.  The next day I just heated it up on low for a few hours before the potluck.  Seemed to work fine to me! 

Posted at Monday Mania and Grain-free Real Food!

Roasted Eggplant Soup

We get a weekly box of produce from Minto Island Growers.  Good stuff.  With the box, they include an electronic newsletter with information about the farm and some recipes to give folks ideas.  I used to make Andrew use the eggplant as eggplant Parmesan but I'm not eating the carbs or cheese like that.  So, what is a girl to do?  And, we've had lots of eggplant!

This week's newsletter had a recipe adapted from Bon Appetit.  I adapted it further.  It was tasty!  And, nutritious.  Try it, even if you don't like eggplant you'll like this!

Roasted Eggplant Soup

3 medium tomatoes, cored and halved
3 medium sized eggplants, halved
6 cloves garlic
Olive oil
1 tsp or so chopped fresh thyme
4 c. chicken broth (make your own in your crockpot...if you don't know how contact me immediately!)
1/2 c. creamy part of canned coconut milk

Preheat oven to 400°F. 

Arrange tomatoes and eggplant in a  large baking pyrex, or two smaller ones if you like. Put the garlic in a separate dish with a lid (use the lid on the garlic to keep them from burning).  Drizzle all of the vegetables with olive oil (be generous!) then roast them for 20 minutes. Check the garlic, if they look like they are getting too done take them out (mine were fine).  Keep roasting  another 25 minutes, until the  vegetables are tender and brown in spots. Remove from oven and scoop eggplant from skin into a heavy, large saucepan or soup pot. Add the rest of the vegetables, the thyme and the chicken broth and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes or so. Cool slightly.

Working in batches, puree soup in blender until it is as smooth as you'd like it to be. (Or, if you have an immersion blender, you can do this in the pot.) Put the soup back in the pot, add the coconut milk and season with salt and pepper.

Find more yummies at the Fat Tuesday Forager Festival! or Pennywise Platter Thursday!

Cabbage Goulash

We have a bit of cabbage...and by a bit, I really mean a LOT!  So, I needed something to use it up.  This recipe takes care of that and tastes pretty darn good.  It's like cabbage rolls with out the rolling part.

Cabbage Goulash

1 lb ground pork or pork sausage

1 lb ground beef

1 T Italian seasoning

1 tsp fennel seed, ground up a bit in mortar and pestle

1 T chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2 14.5 oz cans of petite diced tomatoes

1  6 oz. can tomato paste

10-16 cups diced cabbage (I had one LARGE head that ended up being around 16 cups!, can do smaller ones too)

salt and pepper to taste

In large soup pot (and I mean large), brown the meats.  Add the spices and tomato products.  Stir around a bit.  Add the cabbage and cook on medium-low until the cabbage is cooked through.  

Be prepared to feed an army or freeze some for another meal!

Quick Sugar-Free Pan-Fried Carrots

There are a lot of recipes that I make that are made on the fly and thus I don't share them here; mostly because I don't measure anything.  This is a bit like that but I feel it's flexible enough that you (or I) can reasonably recreate it with the following "notes."  Also, this is truly sugar-free...it doesn't have a fake sugar or a white sugar substitute like honey or such.  I have a hard time when folks call something sugar-free and then use honey or splenda, etc.  I know, that's my personal beef, but still.

I cooked down some really ripe apricots we got this summer so I'm calling it apricot butter.  I've had a few store bought things that are basically just fruit without any sugar and they would work great in this recipe as well!

Quick Sugar-free Pan-fried Carrots

one bunch small carrots or about 1lb carrots cut up
coconut oil
cumin
salt
apricot butter (or possibly another mild flavored fruit butter)

Cook the carrots in a covered-dish until almost soft in the microwave.  Heat coconut oil in a pan until pretty hot.  Toss in carrots.  Sprinkle with salt and a few pinches of cumin.  Stir frequently and make sure the carrots are coated with oil and spices.  Add a few spoonfuls of the fruit butter, stir around and let caramelize.  Enjoy!

Zucchini and Corn Fritters

As I've said before, it's that time of year...the time of year when there are lots of zucchini!  And, I have a weakness for free food.  I'm growing some yellow zucchini but do I say no when others want to give me some...yeah, not so much.  Therefore, we are eating a lot of zucchini.  Beyond chocolate cake, Dylan and I made fritters tonight that were inspired by this recipe.  I had some leftover frozen corn so I thought I'd add it.  All in all, pretty darn good.  Dylan thought so too!


Zucchini and Corn Fritters


2-3 zucchini shredded, didn't measure but it was probably around 3-4 c.
2 tsp salt
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp dried dill
fresh ground pepper to taste
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 to 1/2 c frozen or fresh corn kernels
2/3 c gluten-free flour blend


For pan frying:
2 T olive oil


Shred the zucchini and put into a colander.  Sprinkle salt on top and let set in the sink or over a bowl for approx. 10 min.  After the 10 min. squeeze as much of the excess liquid out as possible.  Combine with the remaining ingredients in a medium sized bowl.  Drop by spoonfuls in a pan heated with the olive oil.  Flatten slightly and cook approximately 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown (I did ours on a nonstick electric griddle at around 300 degrees).  Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Citrus Pork Roast

Make this immediately!  It is yummy.  Love citrus and pork.  Serve this with baked potatoes...the "gravy" is awesome on them too. (Adapted from this recipe.)

Slow Cooker Citrus Pork Roast

pork roast - medium size
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons coconut aminos or soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup orange juice

In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, thyme, ginger and pepper; rub over roast. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown roast on all sides in oil.

Place roast in slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the broth, sugar, lemon juice, coconut aminos/soy sauce and orange peel; pour over roast. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160º.  Our roast had a bone so we cooked it a bit longer.

Remove roast and keep warm. In a saucepan, combine the cornstarch and orange juice until smooth; stir in cooking juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with the roast. 

PS. If your roast has a bone, save it for making stock!

For more good ideas visit Pennywise Platter Thursday!

Italian Turkey Meatballs

Now that I'm not pregnant and the holidays are over, it's time to focus on my health again.  I've been having a hard time feeling good about myself since Dylan was born and really having a hard time getting back to eating well.  Eating well for me means limiting my grains, dairy and sugar.  Ha!  That's been quite the joke.  

So, for the month of January, I'm not eating any sugar, grains, or dairy.  We are nine days in and besides a little bit that I couldn't control, I've done extremely well.  I also feel my mood picking up.  I've been eating a ton of veggies and fruits and good meats.  It's not a bad way to be.  Today, I made turkey meatballs that were delicious.  Not sure what I'm going to use them for...so far we've just been snacking on them as is but I thought I'd share them with you.

Italian Turkey Meatballs

2 lbs ground turkey (I used the 7% fat turkey)

1 tsp fennel seed (ground into a powder in a coffee grinder I use as a spice grinder)

1 tsp each onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp each cumin, nutmeg and ginger

1 1/2 tsp each oregano, basil, thyme, salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Throw everything in a bowl and mix together like crazy.  Don't be afraid to get you hands in there.  Yes, it feels gross but it works great!  If you can, let the mixture sit in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.  Form into small balls and put on a broiler pan sprayed with cooking spray.  Spray the top of the meatballs and bake in oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

For more yummy ideas check out Pennywise Platter Thursday!

Potato-Greens Frittata

I probably shouldn't be the one to write this recipe since Andrew makes this dish but I'll take a stab (I am bugging him for input).  I would share more recipes but so much of the cooking we do is pretty loose...doesn't follow the recipe or anything too closely.  We started out with the recipe from Allrecipes.com and have adapted it to our tastes and whatever is in the house.  Maybe between the two, you can figure out a dish that your family loves!

Potato-Greens Frittata

2 T olive oil

4-6 yellow potatoes, sliced thin

2 -4 c. torn swiss chard, or spinach, or kale - they are all good!

2-4 cloves garlic (smoked garlic is good too)

6-10 eggs

1/3 to 1/2 c. milk, enough to be about the same as for scrambled eggs

2-3 cubes pesto (I freeze my pesto in ice cube trays so probably about 1 T. each)

mushrooms (optional, we used chantrelles we froze this Fall)

1/2-1 c. shredded cheddar

Heat oil in oven-proof pan and saute potatoes until they are cooked through and golden.  Stir in the garlic and greens.  Cook the greens down for 3-4 minutes.  Then add the pesto stirring well and cook about 1 minute.  Meanwhile, scramble the eggs and milk together.  Pour into pan with potatoes and greens and cook on medium-low until the eggs are pretty much set (just a little runny on top).  Then, put in the oven and broil to finish cooking.  Once the eggs are cooked through, sprinkle mushrooms and cheese on top.  Return to oven to melt cheese. 

This dish is really adaptable which you quickly figure out if you do a Google search for frittata recipes.  If you don't have pesto, go ahead and used dried basil or Italian seasoning.  We've added sausage too but it's a great meal without the meat.  I like it with a nice salad and perhaps a bread.  It's also a great meal to serve when you have friends over! 

The recipe is fudgy on the amounts because it kind of depends on the size of your pan and how thick you want the frittata.  Pretty much you can't screw it up as long as you don't cook it at too high a heat.  Remember, you don't want to burn the bottom!  

See more yummies at Pennywise Platter Thursday and Vegetarian Foodie Fridays!

Easy Recipes: Sneaky or Frugal

We had leftover butternut squash fries from the other night and I don't really care for them as leftovers. We also had some white beans from our produce box I cooked up last week and an open can of re-fried beans. Smoky bean soup to the rescue!  Used chicken stock that I made to puree the squash and added it to the bean soup.  I also added a can of tomatoes and left the corn out.  Put everything in the crock-pot and let it cook all day.  Made for a tasty, quick dinner after we got home from our evening walk. So was it sneaky or frugal...or maybe both :)

Check out more yummies at Vegetarian Foodie Fridays #27!

Lasagna Soup

I adapted this recipe from $5 Dinners.  It can be as fancy or simple as you like.

Lasagna Soup

2 tsp olive oil

2 c chopped mushrooms (optional)
4 cloves garlic finely minced 

choice of meat (ground beef, Italian sausage, meatballs…) (I used 1 lb ground pork and a package of Italian sausage)

4 tsp dried oregano

4 teaspoons dried basil or 2-4 cubes frozen pesto (I freeze my pesto in ice cube trays and then pop them out and store in the freezer in a ziploc)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp red pepper flakes
4 c jarred spaghetti sauce (I used some from in the freezer that I made this summer)

8 c chicken broth
8 oz pasta (use quinoa/corn pasta for gluten-free)
shredded Mozzarella cheese

In a large stockpot, heat oil to medium heat and saute mushrooms.  Add garlic and continue cooking approximately 1 minute. Add your choice of meat and brown. Add spices, salt, pepper flakes, spaghetti sauce and chicken broth. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Add pasta and increase heat to bring to a boil and cook for recommended time on pasta box for “al dente”. Serve with a sprinkling of shredded Mozzarella cheese.

 

2020 Edit:  I did this with a large onion, a couple small zucchinis, some chantrelles, and egg noodles.  We also put Parmesan on top instead of mozzarella.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This recipe was so easy.  I hate making enchiladas with corn tortillas...even if I dip the tortillas in the sauce they seem to tear.  So, I cheat and just layer them!  I based this recipe on one I found at $5 Dinners.  Not sure why I've never thought of making my own enchilada sauce.  It was definitely an "Oh duh" moment.


Chicken Enchilada Casserole


2 T butter
1 poblano chile, finely chopped
1 anaheim chile, finely chopped
1 clove garlic

2-3 pre-cooked chicken breasts - I used leftover fried chicken breasts

1/2 c quinoa cooked in 1 c. water

6 oz. tomato paste

18 oz water (three cans of water from the empty tomato paste can)

1 T chili powder

1 tsp each of cumin, garlic powder, salt and chipotle powder

1-2 c. corn (I used frozen, canned or fresh would be fine too)

18 small tortillas

1-2 c shredded cheddar (would be totally fine without it though)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring water to a boil and add quinoa.  Turn heat down and cook for 15 minutes.
3. Melt butter and saute garlic and peppers over medium heat in large pan. In separate pan, mix tomato paste, water and spices; bring to a simmer.
4. Add chicken; cook until heated through.
5. Add cooked quinoa and corn and 1 c. of sauce.
6. Spray 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray.  Put thin layer of sauce in bottom.  Layer with 6 tortillas.  Spread with another thin layer of sauce.
7. Spread half of chicken mixture.  Sprinkle a bit of the cheddar.
8. Layer another 6 tortillas and sauce.
9. Spread remaining chicken mixture.
10. Layer remaining tortillas, sauce and cheese.
11. Cover with foil and cook for 20 minutes.

NOTE: This was not spicy...it was flavorful.  Add more spice or poblanos if you want it spicy. 

For more yummy recipes, check out Pennywise Platter Thursday at The Nourishing Gourmet or Slightly Indulgent Tuesday at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free.

Easy Recipes: Lamb and Spaghetti Sauce over Quinoa

With a new baby in the house, we are trying to eat well.  However, we don't always have the time for things we used to.  Thus, "easy recipes."  I had purchased a cheaper package of lamb...not sure now what it was.  Perhaps a lamb chop.  Either way, it was a couple chunks of lamb without bones.  I threw that in the crock-pot frozen and covered it with about half a jar of spaghetti sauce.  Cooked on high for 3 hours and turned it down to low until dinner time.  Andrew cooked up a batch of quinoa, we shredded the meat in the sauce and served it over the quinoa with sauteed green beans on the side.  It was tasty, easy and relatively healthy.  This would work with any meat.  It would be good over pasta, rice or a baked potato as well.

Check out more great recipes at: Pennywise Platter Thursday at the Nourishing Gourmet and the Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap!

Christmas Day and Smoky Black Bean Soup

Well Christmas Day has come and gone...as have my folks.  It was a pretty low key day.  Gluten-free apple cake for breakfast, a hike at the ever great Shellburg Falls, and Smoky Black Bean Soup and Cornbread for dinner.  Tonight is Christmas with the Jones side.  Smoked roasted chicken, smoked beef ribs, pumpkin biscuits, roasted carrots and cherry sorbet.  Can we say, "Don't need to eat for a week!"

Smoky Bean Soup (adapted from here)

olive oil
6-8 cloves garlic, minced (smoked garlic is yummy here too)
1 T smoked paprika
2 tsp cumin
1-2 tsp chipotle powder (depending on how hot you like it)

2 cans petite diced tomatoes (14-15 oz)
2 cans black bean refried beans
2 cans black beans
2 c. frozen corn
salt to taste
(water or chicken broth as needed)


Saute the garlic in the olive oil 1-2 min on medium until cooked.  Add the spices and stir around, letting the spices heat up a bit.  Add the canned and frozen goods, including liquids.  Stir well to get the refried beans to break up.  Add additional water/chicken broth as needed.  Cook on medium, watching to be sure it doesn't scorch for 20-30 minutes.  Serve with any or all of sliced avocado, cheese, sour cream/yogurt, green onion, lime juice, and cilantro.


Alternative: Cook garlic and spices as directed above.  Transfer to crockpot.  Add the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for 6-8 hrs.  This works the best really!

GF Pumpkin Biscuits

Not bad for a first try. I might try a little less sweet rice flour or no xanthan gum next time but otherwise these were pretty good.  I adapted the Spiced Pumpkin Biscuits recipe from Cooking Light.

GF/CF Pumpkin Biscuits

1/3 c rice flour

1/3 c white teff flour

1/3 c tapioca starch flour 

1/3 c sweet rice flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 c shortening

1/3 c coconut milk, full fat

3/4 c canned pumpkin

3 T honey (I actually did about 1 T honey and 2 T agave syrup since I ran out of honey)

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, spices, and salt in a large bowl; cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Chill 10 minutes.

3. Combine coconut milk and honey, stirring with a whisk until well blended; add canned pumpkin. Add coconut milk mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moist and all of the flour has been incorporated.

4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface (tapioca starch flour); knead lightly 4 times or until you can pat it out to about 3/4" thick. Cut into biscuits.  Place biscuits, 1 inch apart, on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake at 400° for 14 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan; cool 2 minutes on wire racks. Serve warm.

Submitted to Slightly Indulgent Mondays at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free.

Seriously...I don't think so!

I love all things food...how it's grown, how it's processed, cooking, reading recipes...if it's about food I'm all over it. I'm even fairly willing to try a lot of things...but we all have to draw the line. I think I could have made it had I not seen this picture. Yes, your are reading that right! It's goat penis. Apparently it's the cause of a recent food safety scare in Vietnam. And, the peni (plural for penis?) had been imported from Australia. So, what we have here is an international goat penis trade. Sorry, this just has fascinated me since I heard about it earlier this week!
Picture from: http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/uploads/image/GoatPenis_JPG.jpeg