basil pasta salad

'Tis the season for barbecues and cookouts and carry-in gatherings with loved ones.  I don't have to wonder what to bring anymore.  It's this.  An old dish I love, but even more so, de-glutenized...

basil pasta salad

1 pound fusilli pasta (I use trader joe's brown rice pasta)

1/4 cup roasted red peppers, cut into strips

1/4 - 1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped 

1/2 cup cheese (feta, or grated asiago, or grated parmesan)

You could leave it as this, or improvise, depending on what you have:

1/2 cup spinach, chopped

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup hard salami, cut into strips

thin slices of red onion 

thin slices of green pepper

Dressing:

2 cups basil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup olive oil, approximately

Cook pasta according to package directions.  While pasta is cooking, make dressing:  Add all ingredients except the olive oil to the blender.  Blend well, then drizzle in olive oil, and mix until well-blended.  Toss cooked pasta with dressing.  Add desired amenities, and toss.  Enjoy a hearty, summer-savory gluten-free dish!  Make it a side dish, and if you have any leftovers (lucky you :), it makes a yummy lunch the next day (the rice pasta is best warmed a bit).

We feasted yesterday, in honor of the fathers.  (Not pictured: watermelon and chocolate cheesecake)

We were excited to have Andy's parents with us, all the way from Brazil.  

The night before, we were pulling out pictures of our dads, to place on the table (thanks to Ang for the idea!)  

Our boys are blessed with some great footsteps to follow in.  

Fathers who love and follow after Jesus.  

Fathers who cherish their families, working hard to provide for them.

Fathers who have so much else to do, yet choose to be with their kids.

Fathers who stick it out in hard times, reassuring his wife that we're a team, in this together....even 3 months of colic.

Fathers strengthened through the hard times, rejoicing in the good!

Fathers who adore their children, enjoying the opportunity for a Father's Day backyard soccer match.

It's a fallen world, and no father is perfect.
But I am so thankful our dads taught us very young that there is a Father who never fails.  We can trust Him, no matter what.   There is a Father whose character is flawless and whose name is love.  He is a Father to the father-less, and He will never leave or forsake you.  

The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save,

He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing.

Zephaniah 3.17

Thank you, dads, for loving us well, for pointing us to Him.  

basil mac and cheese

This dish came about with not much time to think about dinner.  We were getting family pictures taken, and needed to eat something quick, gluten-free, and using 2 bunches of basil before they went bad.  When I told the boys we were having mac and cheese for dinner, they were floored.  They kept asking me "JUST mac and cheese???  Nothing else???"  I didn't tell them there would be a ton of basil hidden in there, and they didn't seem to notice, or mind.  You could easily make this with regular flour and noodles, and I think you should :)

homemade mac and cheese

2 c. GF macaroni (I use tinkyada brown rice spirals)

3 T. butter

2 T. GF flour (I use a tapioca, potato,rice flour mix)

1/2 t. salt

pepper

2 c. milk

2 c. cheese (calls for sharp cheddar, but I used 1 c. parmesan and 1 c. monterey jack)

2 bunches of basil (I had some big bunches and chopped them in the food processor)

Preheat the oven to 350 and butter a 1 ½ quart casserole.  

Cook GF macaroni in salted water according to package directions.  

In a saucepan, melt 3 T butter.  On medium heat, blend in 2 T GF flour, salt and pepper.

Stirring constantly, slowly add 2 cups milk.  

Cook and stir until thick and bubbly.

Add the onions (optional) and cubed cheddar cheese.  Stir until melted.

Mix with the cooked macaroni and turn into the casserole dish. 

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 - 30 min.

Source: Adapted from gluten free mom

Also, I made pumpkin pie bars last night for Life Group, and they turned out well de-glutenized.  I substituted gluten-free oats for the regular oats and a rice flour-based blend for the flour.  

Did you catch that???  We had people over!!!  Which means, the kids are all better!!!  It's amazing how those times of sickness and isolation and weariness make the normal days seem all the sweeter :) 

pizza night!

Pizza has always been on my list of favorite foods.  In fact, in high school I thought marrying a youth pastor was just about the best idea ever because who eats more pizza than a youth pastor and his wife?  So, when a dr. looks at me and tells me I no longer can have any gluten – nothing with wheat, barley or rye – without it damaging my body, immediately my mind goes to pizza…what am I going to do about my affection for pizza?  I went to Border’s, collected all the gluten-free cookbooks with good pictures in them and scoured which had the best-sounding pizza recipe, bought the book, came home and made it.  Success on the first try.  So, the Royers can still have our pizza night even if my husband is no longer a youth pastor :)

 

This was my Pizza Crust recipe for years:

1 ½ c. warm water

2 T. olive oil

2 t. salt

3 c. flour

1 c. whole wheat flour

¼ c. ground flaxmeal

2 t. sugar

1 pkg. yeast

Dough setting in breadmaker.  Parbake the crust before adding toppings. Makes 2 large crusts.

And now, GF Pizza Crust (AKA, "Mama Johns" Pizza)

1 ½ c. warm water

2 T. honey

2 pkg. yeast

2 T. olive oil

2 t. xanthan gum

2 t. dried basil (I've been using our fresh herbs: oregano, thyme and basil)

1 t. dried oregano

1 t. garlic powder (I use 1 T. fresh minced garlic)

2 t. salt

2 1/3 c. artisan GF flour mix (see below)

1/3 c. ground flax meal

Oven to 400.  Combine water, honey and yeast in large bowl and let stand until mixture bubbles, about 5 min.  Stir in olive oil, xanthan gum, herbs, garlic and salt.  Mix in flour to firm dough that is soft, but not sticky to touch.  Drizzle 1 T. olive oil into mixing bowl, and roll dough to coat it.  Cover, set in warm location and let rise 20 min.  Grease fingers with olive oil and spread on 2 pizza pans.  Par-bake dough 10 min.  Add toppings and bake until desired doneness.

Artisan GF Flour Mix

1 ¼ c. brown rice flour

¾ c. sorghum flour

2/3 c. cornstarch

¼ c. potato starch

1 T. + 1 t. potato flour

1 t. xanthan gum

This crust freezes well if you bake it 8 minutes, cool, then wrap in plastic and foil.  I double this recipe and freeze half for a quick gluten-free meal.

Source: Adapted from Artisinal Gluten-Free Cooking by Kelli and Peter Bronski

I spent this afternoon at a friend's learning how to make Indian dosa and sambar.  Oh man, am I excited to make those rice pancakes more of a staple in our home.  I first tasted them a few months ago and have craved them ever since!  

I came home to a combine in our backyard.  Jack's dream come true!  I imagine he will be out there as long as the farmer will...


There is just something about waking up to roosters crowing, the sunrise and sunset over an open field, watching the harvest in our backyard, feeding horses in a pasture nearby apples every night that fills my heart.  I love it out here in the country.

baked eggplant parmesan

Well, thank you all!  You have been so encouraging.  I was a little hesitant to start this up, mostly because I don't have a lot extra time on my hands to devote to figuring out how to move that "We" down lower on the last post.  In fact, I haven't figured out at all how to correct a post.  But, we have better things to do for now, like give you my new favorite eggplant parmesan recipe.  This happens to be one of Andy's favorite meals, but the "old way" just seemed to take forever: letting the eggplant sit with kosher salt on to let the bitter juices weep, then battering and deep-frying.  AND, this recipe has less dishes, which is a huge plus for me.  Here's for you, Kari :)



Baked Eggplant Parmesan
2-3 small eggplants, cut into 1/4" slices 
olive oil
1 t. kosher salt
Sauce: (Or just use your favorite pasta sauce)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 lb. roma tomatoes or 28 oz. canned tomatoes, chopped
20 fresh basil leaves
1/2 t. black  pepper
3/4 c. freshly grated parmesan
Heat oven to 375.  Generously oil 2 nonstick baking sheets.  Put eggplant on pans and brush tops with olive oil.  Turn over, and brush with more oil, and sprinkle with kosher salt. (put baby back in bed, answer a question about scorpions)  Bake 15 minutes or until softened.  (I check mine every 5 min. so they don't burn.) 
For Sauce: Open up a can of Trader Joe's marinara sauce, which I love to stock up on for times like these.  OR, heat 11/2 t. olive oil in medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently.  Add tomatoes, basil, pepper, and 3/4 t. salt and cook until sauce is thickened and reduced to about 2 cups, about 15 min.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer tomato mixture to food processor and puree until nearly smooth (or use immersion blender).  Coat bottom of 8x8" baking pan with 1/2 c. of sauce.  Add 1/3rd of eggplant, top with another 1/2 c. of sauce and 3 T. cheese.  Repeat twice (eggplant, sauce, cheese), ending with 6 T. cheese.  Bake until browned, 20-30 min.  Let rest 10 min. before serving, just enough time to take some pictures...
Serve with gluten free noodles.  (My favorite are Tinkyada Brown Rice Spirals, but the ones in the picture are Quinoa Harvest Noodles)