Blueberry Crisp

This Blueberry Crisp is a mouth full of joy, tastes better than it looks and totally gluten-free. Recipe found on page 26 in Bread & Wine written by Shauna Niequist.  I learned that serving it ala mode with french vanilla ice cream is the best and you can even eat it cold the next morning with yogurt. I followed the recipe mostly but only used 3 cups of blueberries and baked it in a 2 quart oval baking dish. 

• 4 cups blueberries, frozen okay
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped 
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together oats, pecans, almond meal, maple syrup, olive oil, and salt with a fork.

Pour berries into an 8 x 8 pan, then layer the crispy topping over it.

Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or up to 10 minutes longer if topping and fruit are frozen, until fruit is bubbling and topping is crisp and golden.

Serves: 4 – 6

Homemade Pizza

I did it! I made homemade pizza today. And yes, it's the first time I have ever made homemade pizza and no it will not be the last because it was so delish!

Pizza is the perfect comfort food for those who love pizza during a cold Sunday afternoon when it's officially Spring but feels wintery. It's 2pm and the snow they predicted would arrive today hasn't arrived, so hurrah! 

I used a 7 inch italian herb crust by Rustic Crust and bought their old world pizza sauce and used hormone-free shredded mozzarella from Andrew & Everett, slices of organic roma tomatoes, fresh organic basil and sprinkled some feta cheese at the end after it came out of the oven. 

Oh! I also sprinkled oregano and a few red pepper flakes before I baked the pizza. Next time, I'll use Italian seasoning, instead of just oregano. I baked it for 10 minutes on a pizza stone at 425 degrees and then baked it for an additional three minutes without the stone because I super love a crusty crust. Who doesn't? 

Buen Provecho!

Until next time, 

xx, Ruthie

A Mouth Full of Joy!

My new favorite meal: Chicken Saltimbocca served at Cooper’s Hawk Winery!

My dining experience last night at Cooper's Hawk was outstanding! The atmosphere was great and the service was spot on. My meal was fantastico and the company was great as we celebrated new beginnings, nothing short of joyful.

You’re probably wondering what chicken saltimbocca is, right? Well, for those of you who might be wondering, it consists of thin slices of chicken breast sautéed with prosciutto, provolone, garlic, and sage served in a white wine lemon sauce. Doesn't that sound heavenly? My saltimbocca last night included artichoke hearts, capers, and tomatoes. It was “OMG ah-mazing!” The prosciutto imparts a savory salty flavor that goes oh so well with chicken and adds such a delightful texture to the overall dish.

As many of you might know, I love learning and as much as possible, I try to learn one new thing every day. Seriously, I do. I’m hopeful it will keep me sharp until I’m 100 [Insert smile here]. Anyhow, I learned today that saltimbocca is an Italian word which means “jumps in the mouth.” Saltimbocca is "classically" made with veal, and I'm super glad that Cooper's Hawk chose chicken because I'm not a veal kind of girl. I prefer chicken or fish.  Saltimbocca is most popular in southern Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Greece.

Cooper’s Hawk Chicken Saltimbocca is without question a mouth full of joy and a must have if you haven't tried it. The flavors pop and really do jump in your mouth. It’s was wildly delicious and goes down in this season as one of my favorite meals. Two thumbs up!

Until next time, stay thirsty and buon appetito!

~Ruthie

Roasted Butternut Squash

I’m having a friend over for dinner next weekend and decided on a menu today that will encourage some seasonal eating to celebrate our friendship and to welcome the new fall season. When I say seasonal eating, what I’m really trying to convey is: comfort food. Fall is upon us and my dining choices have already turned into warm and comforting foods. It’s amazing how quickly that shift takes place with the shift in temperature. Butternut squash is a winter squash but its available now and perfect for fall cooking. It has a sweet and nutty flavor and I like that combination.

I’ve decided that the menu for next weekend will consist of an organic lemon-herb roasted chicken, roasted butternut squash with moroccan spices and broccoli with garlic butter and cashews. And for dessert: something pumpkin for sure. I absolutely j’adore all things pumpkin so perhaps a delicious pumpkin pie will be fitting for the season. Chicken for me is like an old friend, someone you’ve known forever and never tire of seeing because their company is always easy and enjoyable.

This fall and winter I’m going to try as much as possible to eat seasonally. Of course I’m not going over board because last time I checked; we don’t grow avocados in Chicago. That being said, I’m not giving up avocados or guacamole. Not now or in any season. I really can’t imagine life without avocados. Yes, I love them that much. Doesn’t everybody??? The wonderful thing about eating seasonally is that food is more flavorful and nutritious and that’s incredibly appealing to me. 

I found a roasted butternut squash recipe on the internet that incorporates a variety of spices. These spices really caught my attention. I've read that roasting concentrates the best flavors in squash. I can’t wait to try this recipe. If you try it, please send me a note and tell me what you think.

Buen Provecho!

Roasted Butternut Squash with Moroccan Spices

4-5 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

2 T olive oil (or slightly less)

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

sea salt, for seasoning cooked squash

Spice Mix (makes enough for 5 batches of roasted veggies):

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. chile powder

1/2 tsp. sweet paprika

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1.) Preheat oven to 475.

2.) Peel butternut squash with vegetable peeler, cut off ends, and cut squash into cubes about 1 inch square.

3.) Put squash in large bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and 1 tsp. spice mixture. Stir well to get oil and spices evenly distributed on cut surfaces of the squash.

4.) Spray roasting pan with olive oil or nonstick spray and arrange squash in a single layer. Roast about 40-50 minutes, turning every 15 minutes or so. Squash is done when it’s soft and slightly browned on quite a few of the edges.  Season with sea salt, and serve hot. 

This spice mix is also great on other roasted vegetables. Fine Cooking suggests carrots, cauliflower, parsnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and turnips.

Salmon Herb Cakes

http://glutenfreehope.blogspot.com/2011/04/salmon-herb-cakes.html

Hello Darlings ...

Please cut and paste the link above into your browser bar. You have to read this post if you're a salmon lover like me. I love this woman, her name is Stephanie and she's a super-star in my book! She's a blogger and shares wonderful gluten-free recipes. I can't lie to you ... I haven't tried any of her recipes but I want to and would love to and MUST absolutely find the time to experiment! Just yesterday, she posted a recipe for Salmon Herb Cakes along with a recipe for home-made tartar sauce to compliment the salmon cakes. Mmmmm ...makes my mouth water as I think about how yummy these salmon cakes are. Reading this post inspires me and motivates me to only buy wild salmon. If you read her post, you'll understand why.

Wishing you peace and wholeness today and always ...

Buen Provecho!

~Ruthie

P.S. When reading through the recipe, please note that GF stands for Gluten-free.