Gluten Free Lemon Meringue Pie

I made this with the previous Meringue recipe...so good and really not that hard.

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 lemons, juiced and zested

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
• 4 egg whites
• 6 tablespoons white sugar
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot sugar mixture. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.
3. To Make Meringue: In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Add sugar gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.

Meringue

I was convinced to make a lemon meringue pie this year.  I used this meringue instead of the simpler one with the recipe. 

This meringue is sooooo good.

Meringue

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3 egg whites

• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, combine water, 2 tablespoons sugar, and cornstarch. Cook over low heat until clear, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
2. In a large glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt until mixture is foamy. Mix in vanilla, then gradually add the 6 tablespoons sugar, beating constantly until meringue forms soft peaks. Gradually pour in cornstarch mixture, beating until stiff. Spread over top of pie and seal to the crust. Brown in oven if desired.

Never-Fail Gluten-Free Pie Crust

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend
• 2 tablespoons tapioca or brown rice flour (i bet regular gluten free flour would still work)
• 1 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

• 1/4 cup ice cold water
• 2 cold eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Directions

1. Place brown rice flour in a resealable plastic bag. Add butter to the bag one cube at a time, shaking to coat each cube evenly with flour. Seal bag and place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
2. Whisk eggs and vinegar together in a small bowl. Place in the refrigerator.
3. Pour gluten-free flour into a large bowl. Cut in butter with your fingers until mixture resembles pebbles with some large lumps of butter remaining.***nope...I put on the whisk feature on my mixer and mixed it together until it was crumbly the***...Stir in egg and vinegar mixture. Mix in water one tablespoon at a time until dough is no longer sticky and forms a ball.  I formed the ball by dumping onto parchment.
4. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
5. Divide dough into 2 pieces and roll out to desired thickness on a lightly floured work surface.

I cut in half because I needed only one crust and it worked out great.  I rolled out on a parchment using flour sparingly then turned the pie plate upside down and flipped and then carefully removed the parchment and voila!

Gluten Free Cornbread

I usually double this recipe so we will have leftovers.

Ingredients

1/4 cup softened butter
3 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 cup gluten free flour
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 425*

Combine soften butter and sugar.  Beat in the eggs.  Add the sour cream and milk until smooth. 

In separate dish combine the dry ingredients.  Add to wet mixture until blended ...do not over blend. 

Pour into GREASED 4x4 square or 9 inch round pan.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean and the edges are browned.

Potato Soup

I've made Potato Soup in the past but with plenty of milk.  This receip, while not completely lactose free, cuts out 3.5 cups of milk,  It can be made on the stove just as easily as in a crock pot.  The stove might even be a bit quicker.

Ingredients

• 3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 4 red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks (I put in a lot more since they were small with skins on)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup cold water mixed with 2 tablespoons of corn starch
• 1Q chicken bone broth (or any kind of stock will work.
• 1 cup sour cream

• 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoons seasoned salt
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (I had to use dried)
• 1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more or less if you like it really spicy)
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 
  

Directions

1. Preheat a large slow cooker by turning it to the High setting and covering with the lid.
2. 
   
3. Place the cut-up potatoes in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave on High for about 8 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked and steaming hot.
4. 
   
5. While the potatoes are cooking, place the butter in the preheated slow cooker, and cook and stir the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes, until the onions turn golden. Stir in 1/2 cup of water/starch mixture until smooth. Stir in the bone broth, and let the mixture come to a simmer in the slow cooker. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until the soup begins to thicken.
6. 
   
7. Stir in the hot cooked potatoes, crumbled bacon, sour cream, Cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, seasoned salt, parsley, red pepper flakes, celery salt, and dried basil. Stir to mix the soup well, reduce the slow cooker setting to Low, cover, and cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with chives and serve.

Notes: you can do this on stove top or just cook for an hour and it's just as good.  I don't like it too think, but if you want the soup thinker you can smash some of the potatoes.  I do my potatoes with skins on.  Option to put onions, garlic, potatoes and bone broth in slow cooker until the potatoes are cooked...then dump in the rest and cook until combined.

Chilly Day Chili

Chili 

Ingredients

• 1 pounds ground beef
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
• 1 can rotel
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 3 (15 ounce) can chili beans with liquid
• 2 cups bone broth
• salt to taste (usually about 1 teaspoon)

Directions

1. Combine ground beef, onion, and garlic in large stockpot. Cook and stir over medium heat until beef is brown. Drain.
2. Stir in chili powder, salt, oregano, tomatoes, and tomato sauce; break up tomatoes while stirring. Heat to boiling, reduce heat to simmer, and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

I've made chili twice this season so far.  It's great to eat all week and take some to freeze for later.  It's also good with pasta noodles for Cincinnati chili.  

It's been a LONG LONG winter.

As I awoke this morning (and again it was only 3 degrees) I felt extremely grateful for the warm cozy house.  I awoke a little after 4, way before my alarm.  I wasn't sleepy so I popped out of bed, fed the animals and made some coffee.  The house was quiet, all but the humming of the furnace and the squawk of the girl cat, who was ready to be fed.

As I ventured to put the news on with coffee in hand. I reflected that today is the beginning of Lent.  I had pondered recently that I've been purchasing a lot online and without much thought and perhaps a hold on un-necessary purchases might be what I should give up.  Would that be too difficult?  Who's to say...I think it might.  Feeling already grateful for being so cozy and feeling a longing for springtime I thought maybe I'd just try to be more grateful for what I already have and often take for granted.

As the sun began to flood the sky, and hearing the news we may have another 3 to 5 inches of snow tomorrow; I became extremely grateful for the blinding sun and the little warmth it was giving off through the window as I was getting ready to leave for work.  Well, at least it's sunny!  Rushing about and trying to get moving out the door, my husband and I decided that carpooling today didn't make sense.  I jumped in my car, which I hadn't driven in a while, and realized it had a full tank of gas!  So grateful to have a full tank of gas on this cold winter day.

When did I become so happy to have these things that I usually probably don't even notice?  Well, maybe it's what I should do for lent?  I don't know.  As I am driving to work, I -again for the 100th time this winter- thank the stars for the wonderful gloves I am wearing.  The steering wheel is very cold even though we are lucky enough to park in a garage.  How long have I had these gloves?  I think maybe I got them for Christmas two years ago.  I really should make a point of telling my in-laws how much I appreciate these wonderful leather gloves, lined with cashmere for warmth but useful with tech touch fingers.  I'm getting so much use out of them this winter.

Can I actually keep this up?  The gratefulness?  47 days of lent if you count Sundays.  Maybe being happy with what I have will keep me from making mindless purchases after all.