The Most Delicious Homemade Salsa

This is a fabulous homemade salsa recipe provided to me by my wonderful PEI friend, Pat.  Every time I've made it (with or without my talented canning friend Julie) it has been a success.  Yes, you can modify the type of hot peppers to adjust how spicy your salsa ends up!  Whatever peppers you choose to use, you want end up with about 1 cup of hot peppers.  Remove seeds from hot peppers if you want to remove some of the spiciness.  And make sure they're diced finely.  I like to use a food processor for that part, which gets them nice and small.  It's such a wonderful salsa recipe, and I'm so glad Pat shared it with me! Enjoy!

Fresh jars of salsa, perfect for fall and winter (if it lasts that long)

Delicious Homemade Salsa
Makes ~9 250ml jars + a bowl of extra

Dice and set aside:
8 cups fresh tomatoes, diced by hand

In a large pot combine:
1 cup onions, diced
2 bell peppers, diced
1 cup jalapeno peppers, finely diced (about 3-4 large - keep seeds for a spicier salsa, remove for mild salsa)
1 Tbsp salt (can adjust, to taste, towards the end)
1-2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
1 Tbsp ground cumin 
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp minced garlic
6 oz tomato paste
1/2 cup tomato sauce

Bring to a boil, lower heat to simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the fresh diced tomatoes.  Increase heat to return to a boil, lower heat and simmer an additional 10 minutes.

Put in hot, prepared canning jars and water bath jars for 10-15 minutes. (adjust a bit longer for bigger jars - I usually do 10 minutes for a 250 ml jar)

This recipe makes about 10 cups worth of salsa, so plan accordingly for your canning.  If eating fresh and not canning, you can cool and keep in the refrigerator for a week or so.

Enjoy!!! 

Apple & Ginger Sour Cream Cake

Apple season is upon us!  This is a lovely, rich cake filled with apple, ginger, and just a hint of lemon.  It's best served warm, and perfect for a chilly day. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Apple and Ginger Sour Cream Cake! 

Apple & Ginger Sour Cream Cake
Based on a recipe by Donna Hay

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper.

Beat until light and fluffy:
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp grated lemon rind

Add and beat well:
1 egg

Add and mix in, just until combined:
1 1/2 cup Kristin's Gluten-Free Flour Mix
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/3 cup sour cream

Spread the batter in the prepared pan.

Toss together:
2 apples, peeled and sliced thinly
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 Tbsp honey

Layer apples on top of the batter.

Ready to bake! 

Bake at 350 F for ~55 minutes.   Cool ~ 10 minutes.  Serve warm, drizzled with extra honey, if desired.  Leftovers can be sliced and frozen or refrigerated. Just reheat to serve. Enjoy!

Fresh out of the oven - drizzled with just a touch of honey

Hawaiian Themed Book Club Luncheon

I've enjoyed being part of a book-club that rotates houses, giving everyone a chance to cook.  We recently read a book based in Hawaii, and since it was my turn to host, I was able to make a Hawaiian-themed lunch.  The following dishes would be great for any event - family dinner, luncheon, birthday party, etc.  We enjoyed the following: fresh fruit kebabs, Hawaiian-slider sandwiches, pineapple fried rice, pineapple-coconut-banana smoothies, and hummingbird cupcakes with a toffee glaze.  All recipes provided below! Make some or all for a fun, themed meal! Enjoy! 

Fruit kebabs with toffee-glazed hummingbird cupcakes in the background

Hawaiian Themed Book Club Luncheon - Recipes and instructions below! 

Fruit kebabs - I prepared fruit skewers the evening before the luncheon, covered and refrigerated until serving.

On wooden skewers, arrange in a nice rainbow order:
purple grapes (2 or 3)
blueberries (2 or 3)
honeydew melon (1 or 2 pieces)
pineapple chunk (1 or 2 pieces)
canteloupe melon (1 or 2 pieces)
watermelon chunks (1 or 2 pieces)
strawberry (1 for the end) (optional, since you already have the watermelon)

Delicious fruit kebabs with hummingbird cupcakes in the background.

Easy-cheesy Hawaiian sliders - place on a foil-lined pan:
Bottoms of rolls (Hawaiian rolls - for those not needing gluten-free and homemade gluten-free rolls for those with allergies)
Top with:
1 slice of sharp cheddar cheese
slice or two of honey ham
1 pineapple ring

Heat in the oven at 350 F for 15-20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and put the on the tops of the rolls.
Brush each roll with melted butter (make sure to start with the gluten-free rolls to avoid contamination. ***Make GF and non-GF completely separately (or just make all GF) when cooking for those with severe allergies.

Heat sandwiches at 350 F for an additional 5-10 minutes. Then serve!

Hawaiian sliders, prepped and ready for the first round of baking.  

Pineapple Fried Rice
This is one part of the meal you'll want to make last minute, so it's fresh and delicious. Luckily, provided you've prepped all the ingredients in advance, it cooks up quickly!

Cook your plain rice a day in advance so it's ready. You can also have the vegetables and pineapple prepped the night before. Combined with the Hawaiian sliders, I don't add in chicken, only the eggs. When serving on it's own, you can add ham or chicken or shrimp to the pineapple fried rice for a full meal! The fresh pineapple diced and tossed in after cooking adds a taste of sweetness.

Pineapple Fried Rice, ready for eating! 

Toffee-glazed Pineapple Cupcakes (hummingbird cake cupcakes)

Make a 1/2 batch of hummingbird cake batter. Fill cupcake liners ~1/2 - 2/3 full and baked 15-20 minutes. (Makes ~2 dozen, I believe, but it really depends how full you make them).
Glaze cupcakes while still warm with toffee glaze from toffee donuts recipe. (Or, just make donuts - everyone will be happy!)

This makes a lovely, light dessert accompaniment to this luncheon.

Pineapple-coconut-banana smoothies

In a blender, combine:
1 cup unsweetened vanilla coconut yogurt
pineapple juice left in can from using pineapple rings + a couple extra pineapple rings
1-3 cups orange-pineapple juice (this tends to vary depending how thick/thin you want your smoothie, and how much pineapple juice/pineapple rings you had left from the sandwiches)
1 cup ice (or more, to taste)
1 frozen banana (not overripe, for smoothies, I freeze them when they are nice and yellow - just peel and freeze)
3-4 frozen strawberries
5-10 frozen blueberries

I made one full blender of smoothie, which I served 10 in smaller cups.

Enjoy! 

Gluten-Free Oatmeal-Raisin Pancakes!

Homemade Oatmeal-Raisin Pancakes - another fun pancake alternative.  Why?  Because we love pancakes around here, so I'm always playing around with the recipes.  I've actually discovered these are a yummy to-go breakfast.  Sandwich a couple with a little butter and it's like a toast or bagel alternative.  Of course, they are also delicious hot with butter and maple syrup, too!  The thing I really like about this recipe is that the raisins don't get mushy (like what happens in some recipes or breads.)  Yum! Enjoy!

Whipping up a batch of fresh oatmeal-raisin pancakes. I love these huge electric griddles, so I can cook a ton at once! 

Delicious served with dollops of butter and maple syrup. 

Gluten-Free Oatmeal-Raisin Pancakes!

Makes ~20 (I make them all sizes, so this is just a guess)

Whisk together dry ingredients: (it's important to mix dry ingredients first in gluten-free cooking)
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 cup whole rolled oats (GF if celiac or sensitive)
2 Tbsp coconut flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Mix in thoroughly:
2 eggs
4 Tbsp oil 
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
~1/2 cup raisins (more/less, to taste)

Let batter rest while you preheat your skillet to a medium-low to medium heat.   Cook spoonfuls of batter like regular pancakes.  Place cooked pancakes on a platter/plate to serve.

 Delicious served with butter and maple syrup, though I find they disappear without anyone putting them on a plate (they seem to eat it plain, like a delicious piece of cinnamon-raisin bread).

Once cooled, these freeze really well and can be defrosted for a yummy snack or breakfast!  Enjoy!

BBQ Style Topped Salmon

I whipped a couple big salmon dishes together for a recent family dinner, and both were a hit.  This one was a spicier, more BBQ-style topped salmon.  When you brine the fish, I find it keeps it moist and really flavorful upon cooking.  Yum!

BBQ Style Topped Salmon, ready for baking! 

Flavorful BBQ Style Topped Salmon, ready to eat! 

BBQ Style Topped Salmon

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Mix together a saltwater brine:
2 quarts water
5 Tbsp salt

Soak/brine 1.5 lb salmon filet for 15- 20 minutes.   Pat salmon dry and set on foil-lined baking tray.

Mix together in a bowl, then spread on top of salmon:
1/4 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1-2 tsp chili powder
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1-2 tsp minced garlic

Salmon topped with mayonnaise spread - yes, it kind of has a cinnamon-sugar look, but definitely a nice spicy taste! 

On top of mayonnaise spread, place:
1/2 vidalia onion or red onion, thinly sliced
drizzle of favorite BBQ sauce (make sure it's gluten-free)

Ready for baking! (or you can BBQ off-heat aiming for a similar overall temperature in your BBQ)

Bake salmon at 425 F for 20-22 minutes, or until nicely cooked at thickest point. (Thinner cuts may take less time, thicker may require a few extra minutes).

Delicious served with white or brown rice - ideally seasoned with garlic, onions, parsley, squeeze of fresh lemon, salt and pepper during cooking.  

Our Favorite Plain Waffles!

Plain waffle recipe - requested by my sister.  It's been buried within my apple-cinnamon waffle recipe, and I agree it's about time plain, delicious waffles get their own post.  This batch will serve my family for breakfast with a few left over, but I often double (or even triple) the recipe if I want to make extras to freeze for easy morning breakfasts!  Enjoy! 

Fresh, yummy waffles - ready to eat! 

Kristin's Fabulous Gluten-Free Waffles!!!

Makes 18 waffles (...if you consider each square as a waffle. I fill my iron 3x for this mixture)

Whisk together in a bowl: (It's important to mix dry ingredients first in GF cooking)

½ cup brown rice flour

½ cup white rice flour

½ cup tapioca starch/flour

¾ tsp xanthan gum

1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 Tbsp sugar (white or brown sugar work equally well)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp flaxseed meal (optional, but adds a nice nutty flavor and fiber)

Mix separately:

1 ¾ cup milk (lactose-free and dairy-free options work, too)

½ cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

Whisk wet ingredients with dry ingredients just until smooth.  Leave to sit 5-10 minutes. (This allows the batter to thicken a bit.  It will seem too runny at first, just let it sit!)

Batter mixed and ready for cooking!

Bake in your waffle iron according to instructions.  I tend to cook mine a bit longer to get a nice crunchy outside (my preference).  You can also quickly butter your waffle iron to get an extra crunch on the outside, as well.

This is how much batter I spoon onto my waffle iron.

Here they are finished!

Once the waffles are done, place cooked waffles on a cooling rack.  This is important!  This keeps the waffles nice and crisp.  Also, once they cool, it’s easy to pop them in a Ziploc and freeze them.  Re-heat in your toaster oven for a tasty breakfast!

Waffles cooling on a cooling rack (until they're snatched up and eaten!)

Serving ideas:

Serve plain (especially if you used apples), with syrup, with berries, with whipped cream, or with nutella. Enjoy!
x

Tasty Collard Greens

Collard greens are a southern staple, which is why it was rather ironic I began cooking them while living on Prince Edward Island.  This is my favorite method for cooking collard greens. I love the spiciness the jalapeno adds to the dish.  You can use a green or red jalapeno (I like the color).  Collard greens are a nice, healthy green side dish to add to any BBQ style meal. Happy, healthy cooking! Enjoy!

Tasty, spicy collard greens with red jalapeno (or green)

Tasty Collard Greens

Saute over medium heat:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 red jalapeno, diced (remove seeds if you don't want it as spicy - the seeds are the spiciest part of the hot pepper)

Add and mix in:
1 lb collard greens, sliced and diced (with thicker stems removed)
2-3 cups GF chicken stock (homemade chicken broth/stock or Asian mushroom seasoning work well. I also like using a GF bouillon paste)

Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer at a lower heat for ~40 minutes.

Salt and pepper, to taste. 

A great accompaniment to any Southern-style meal, like BBQ Shrimp & Cheesy Grits, Homemade Pulled Pork & Cheesy Biscuits, an easy roast chicken from the grocery store, etc. Serve and Enjoy!

Cooking up fresh collard greens - yum!