Christmas Eve Clam Chowder

Christmas Eve Clam Chowder- with bacon!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 package of uncured bacon
• 2 sweet potatoes 
• 1 head of garlic
• 2 celery hearts
• 1/2 large red onion

• 2 bottles clam juice
• 2-3 lb fresh wild clams

• 3c organic whole milk
• 3T heavy whipping cream (or plain yogurt in a pinch)
• 1/4c thyme leaves (stripped)
• Chili powder
• Salt and pepper 

DIRECTIONS:

• Chop sweet potatoes and add to a pot of cool water; simmer until just soft; drain and set aside
• Cook bacon in a large dutch oven until crispy, drain on a paper towel
• Reserve some of the bacon grease for another use (I suggest with eggs!) but leave a fair amount in the bottom of the dutch oven for softening the veggies
• Chop all the veggies into small pieces
• Heat remaining bacon grease in dutch oven and soften garlic, onion, and celery
• When soft, add sweet potatoes and clam juice-- deglaze the bottom of the dutch oven
• Add clams
• On low heat, add milk and cream/yogurt; slowly bring to a simmer
• Season to taste, add thyme leaves
• Scoop into bowls, top with crumbled bacon, more thyme, and black pepper
• Serve with crackers!

GF no sugar Apple Pie

GLUTEN FREE, NO REFINED SUGAR APPLE PIE

INGREDIENTS

Crust

• 3c Gluten Free Baking Mix (Trader Joe's)
• 1.5t xanthan gum
• 0.5t baking powder
• 0.5t salt

• 12T cold, diced butter
• 1c sour cream
• ice water, as needed

Filling

6-8+ (the more, the merrier!) baking applies. I used Mutsu, but Granny Smith are good, too

2T honey

fresh grated ginger

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1t cinnamon

1t vanilla extract

2t tapioca

DIRECTIONS

• Dice butter and return to fridge
• Blend dry ingredients
• Use fingers to crumble butter into dry ingredients; eliminate lumps
• Slowly mix in sour cream
• As needed, add ice water to moisten
• Knead dough lightly
• Divide into 2 discs, wrap with cling wrap, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes
• Roll thinly and drape over parchment-lined pie pan(s)
• Pierce with fork all over
• Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes

• Use a veggie peeler to very thinly slice the apples, discarding pieces that are mostly peel
• Combine apples with remaining filling ingredients
• Layer apples into crust(s), filling every nook and cranny
• Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes, until crust is brown and juices bubble
• Cool at least 1-2 hours before serving

*Makes 1 standard double crust pie/ 2 standard single crust pies/ 1 8-inch single + 1 8-inch double*

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gluten, dairy, and refined sugar free. No inflammatory ingredients, and still actually tasted like normal cookies.

Me and hubs each immediately ate 5... oops.

INGREDIENTS:

-2 eggs
-2/3c maple syrup
-1c coconut oil
-1T vanilla

-3 cups flour (1c blitzed oats, 1c almond meal, 1c GF flour blend)
-1t baking powder
-1t baking soda
-1t xanthan gun
-1/4t sea salt
-1 dash cinnamon

-1 bag dark chocolate mini chips


DIRECTIONS:

-beat eggs in standing mixer
-beat in remaining liquid ingredients

-combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl
-slowly mix together dry and wet ingredients

-slowly add chocolate chips

-cover and refrigerate dough for 15 minutes
-preheat oven to 350 and bake cookies for 10-20 minutes

Makes two cookie sheets full, XO

Mrs. Jackson's Sweet Potato Pie

Our new family Sweet Potato Pie recipe, which Hubs says tastes like his mother's!

Gluten free, reduced sugar, maple sweetened, whole ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

• 1-2 c almond meal or almond flour (I prefer meal for a sturdier crust)
• Pinch of ground ginger
• 1/2 c avocado oil, or enough to moisten the almond meal

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 c butter, softened 
• 1/2 c maple syrup, room temperature

• 3 c pureed organic sweet potato
• 1 can unsweetened evaporated milk (organic at Trader Joe's)
• 1T vanilla extract
• 1/4 t salt

• Freshly grated nutmeg

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375.

Bake 3-4 large, scrubbed sweet potatoes for an hour until very soft. Peel off skin and puree until smooth. Measure out 3 cups of sweet potato puree and set aside. (use the rest in a soup or sauce or baby food or whatever)

Lightly butter a large pie pan.

Use a spoon to combine as much almond meal and oil as you wish, depending on desired thickness of crust. Mix in a pinch of ground ginger. Press into pie pan evenly and bake for 5-15 minutes; do not over-bake. Set aside.

Beat eggs. Beat in butter and maple syrup.

Beat in milk, vanilla, and salt. Finally, beat in sweet potato puree.

Gently pour over crust. Generously grate nutmeg over the pie.

Bake at 375 for 50-65 minutes, until there is just a slight wobble. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Jack's Mac and Cheese

Hubs has a very, very special place for Mac and Cheese and I have been trying to make him something he finds satisfactory that is also low carb and gluten free... a tricky combination.  But he went back for THIRDS on this recipe, so I took note!  Plus it was the quickest Mac and Cheese recipe I have ever made-- win!

Makes on 8x8 pan, serves 4-6.

INGREDIENTS:

-3 cups of red lentil penne pasta, cooked al dente (Costco sellsTolerant brand)

-1 large head of garlic, minced
-4 large cremini mushrooms, chopped
-1T unsalted butter
-1T extra virgin olive oil

-1/2 lb cheddar cheese, cubed
-1 lb cream cheese
-1/3lb smoke gouda

-1/2c+ milk
-2T+ coconut flour
-1/4t sea salt


DIRECTIONS:

Melt butter in dutch over or very large pan.  Soften garlic and mushrooms.  Add olive oil if veggies look dry.  Add salt, milk, and coconut flour and stir everything together well.

Add cheese and stir regularly to prevent lumps and prevent sticking on the bottom until all of the cheese is melted.

Stir in cooked pasta.  Use spatula to transfer entire mixture to 8x8 pan.  Finish in the broiler when the top is desired brownness.

Can be spruced up with some spices or protein like crumbled bacon.

GF Figgy Pudding

A Happy Christmas English treat!  Gluten free, fruit sweetened, dense, moist, and a bit chocolatey!

Topped with freshly whipped cream and ground nutmeg-

INGREDIENTS and DIRECTIONS

1.5c dried pitted dates, roughly chopped

1/2c dried figs, roughly chopped

2c water

Put all in a medium saucepan and boil over medium heat.  Remove from the heat and stir in: 

1t baking soda

Let cool for 5 minutes, transfer to a blender and puree.

Separately, use a standing mixer or beaters to beat:

1 stick of softened unsalted butter

2 eggs

Use a wooden spoon to fold in fig mixture and:

2.5c gluten free baking mix

1/4c cocoa powder

Pour batter into well-greased pans and smooth the top before baking.  I used 2 small Pyrex ramekins and 2 small tart pans.  I suggest using a large muffin tin to make 10-12 individual puddings.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.  Cool 5-10 minutes at invert onto pan.  Best served warm.  I topped mine with freshly whipped heavy whipping cream and ground nutmeg.  Scoring the tops of the puddings and covering with a thin sauce would also be nice.

Happy Christmas!

Rutabaga Gratin

The photo doesn't do it justice, I swear.  Very creamy and rich with lots of layers!  Tasted just as good as scalloped potatoes!

INGREDIENTS
-2 large rutabagas, peeled, halved, and mandolined
-1/2 leek, chopped
-2 garlic cloves, minced
-1 pint organic heavy whipping cream
-1c vegetable stock
-3c grated smoked gouda
-salt and pepper
-1T butter


DIRECTIONS
-Butter 2 casserole dishes, or one large baking pan
-Brown leek and garlic in half T butter in a medium-sized pot
-Add cream and stock to the pot, slowly bring to a simmer, whisking at simmer for 2 minutes
-Wisk in 1/2c of cheese
-Add salt and pepper to cream mixture
-Ladle just enough of the cream mixture to cover the bottom(s) of the baking pan(s)

-Layer rutabaga on top and add a little more cream between each layer
-At the middle layer, add some extra salt and 1/2c of cheese on the cream mixture
-After the top layer, sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of cheese

-Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes
-To brown top, bake 10-15 more minutes at 375 until vigorously bubbling and browned
-Allow to cool 10 minutes and serve warm