Rice with Cheese and Tomato ~Meatless

Manitoba has been very hot this summer.  We broke the record this week with 37C on the 23rd.  I've been trying to cook meals that suit this type of weather and this one I inherited from my mother-in-law.  I also remember that this is the first meal my husband cooked for me - well he was my boyfriend then. That was also on a warm summer day at the end of the summer, an August day about 35 years ago. He served it with fresh tomato slices and corn on the cob from the family garden.
Rice with Cheese and Tomato
Ingredients:
2 cups rice
3 cups water
1/4 lb cheddar cheese (I prefer "Old")
1/2  teaspoon salt
1 medium onion, diced
4 large beefsteak tomatoes, diced (or one 7 1/2oz can tomato paste and 7 1/2 oz. water)
Method:
Place rice, water and salt in pot on stove.  Bring to a boil.  Cover, turn heat to very low and simmer 20 minutes until done. Or cook in rice cooker.


save a step and place clean uncooked eggs in with the rice to cook.

Carefully mix in the cooked rice to the tomato mixture.



This is what it should look like with the rice mixed in.

In large skillet, fry the onion in 2 tablespoons oil or butter until golden brown.  Add peeled and diced tomatoes (if using fresh) or 1 small can tomato paste and 1 small can water.  Simmer until soft if using fresh, or simmer 5 minutes if using canned.  Add grated cheddar and rice.  Mix well.  Season with freshly ground pepper.  If you wish to add more protein - serve with hard boiled eggs or devilled eggs.  Other extras could be corn on the cob, or sliced cucumber and carrots from your garden.  This recipe serves 4 in our home.  I usually double it for 8.

Gluten Free Brownies ~ Microwave

This is probably one of the most smudged up cards from my recipe box.  This recipe is made at least 3-4 times a month and is a family favourite.  I usually make it into Chocolate Mint Brownies with the addition of 1/8 tsp. peppermint extract in the batter and in the white frosting.      

Basic Brownies~Gluten Free~Microwave
2 eggs
1 cup sugar (may use icing sugar or granulated)
1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt (I have kept reducing this and usually just sprinkle a bit in)
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup rice flour (I use the fine rice flour found in Oriental Markets usually)
1/2 cup cocoa powder ( I use Hersheys)
1/2 cup coarsley chopped walnuts
Method:
Sift rice flour and cocoa together. Using a hand-mixer beat together eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt.  Do this for 1 minute - this is important otherwise your granulated sugar will be a bit crunchy in your brownies as they bake so quickly. Put your mixer out of reach.  The next step should only be done with a wooden spoon otherwise the texture is no good.  It's true - I've forgotten and used the mixer and they are definitely not the same.  Stir in by hand with a spoon the canola oil, then the sifted rice flour and cocoa mix.  Stir in the walnuts.  Spread the mixtgure into a 9'x9" glass baking dish.  In  a 1000 watt microwave microwave on 80% power for 5 1/2 minutes.  Take out of microwave and put a plate on top so that the center can cook a little further. It is normal for the center to be a bit soft - save that piece for those who like gooey, moist brownies. Let the brownies get completely cold and then frost either with chocolate frosting or with our favourite peppermint frosting.
Peppermint Frosting to make this recipe into Chocolate Mint Brownies.
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup icing sugar
1 tablespoon cream or milk
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
Method:  You may use your handmixer again.  Mix all the above ingredients together and spread on cold brownies.  Chill in fridge while you make the chocolate drizzle.
Chocolate Drizzle
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1heaping tablespoon butter.
Place the chocolate chips and butter in a small glass dish.  Heat on low for a very short time in the microwave - like 10 seconds or so.  Take out and stir.  When you stir the warmed, melted butter into the choc.chips they choc.chips will melt.  If not, microwave on low another 10 seconds.  Drizzle this over the white peppermint frosting and chill again.  Slice into squares.  The brownies can last for a week covered in the fridge or longer in the freezer.  However, they usually do not last that long at our home. Enjoy.

Unstuffed Green Peppers

Ingredients:

2 cups white rice

1lb ground beef

2 large onions, diced

4 cups diced green peppers (frozen or fresh)

4 cups corn (frozen, canned or fresh)
2 tablespoons soy sauce (more if you wish)
1 tsp. garlic powder, optional
Method:
Cook 2 cups rice in 3 cups water on stove .  Place in medium pot, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Or cook in your rice cooker following manufacturers instructions.

In large skillet on stove brown ground beef, add the onions and the garlic powder.  Fry until until onions are soft.  Add the remaining vegetables and fry on medium low until vegetables are cooked.  Stir in the rice and the soy sauce. Serve with Parmesan Cheese sprinkled on top.  We always eat this with homemade crabapple sauce as a side dish.  A salad would also go well with it.  Serves 6.  If you need to stretch it to serve 8 then cook 3 cups rice rather than the 2 cups.

My Applewood Recipe Box



My much used applewood recipe box... crafted from an old apple tree by husband, Rob.    As you can see - the most favourite recipes can hardly be read due to the finger smudges! 

 Often I get emails or calls from the kids asking for a family recipe. I hunt through my old recipe box for that particular recipe and after squinting through all the smudges on the index cards I type and email it to the kids.  Part of the reason for this blog is to have an electronic family recipe box available to all our children and to share them with others who enjoy wholesome foods . 

Gluten Free Samosas - Yum!!

Tasted  my first Samosas at a little shop off Broadway in Winnipeg.  I was in the store purchasing some ingredients for Kubba around noon and a fellow came in with a large box of hot, fresh Samosas - I just had to try some!  They were delicious!  I wanted to make them gluten free so my husband could have them too so I used my Gluten Free Danish dough recipe that I had developed and found filling recipes online that I modified to suit our tastes.  Our business sells wooden presses for gluten free perogies and pies so I thought I'd use that to form the Samosas - it worked great!


Gluten Free Samosas
Filling:
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups diced potatoes, cooked
1 1/2 cup cooked peas & carrots
5 teaspoons soy sauce gf
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sambal oelek (or more if you like it hotter)
1 tablespoon water
Saute onion and garlic powder in a little oil until onion is soft.  Add remaining ingredients and stir over midium heat until well mixed.  Cool.
Make pastry according to the Danish Recipe.  Form with a Birds Hill turnover press/perogi press or roll out and cut into circles.  Fill one side, fold and crimp.  Bake at 375 F until golden brown.

Gluten Free Cinnamon Buns

This evening after supper I made gluten free cinnamon buns - they are by far the best ones I have tasted. I use to make wheat cinnamon buns on a regular basis for breakfast, school lunches and after school snacks. I love the smell the the yeast dough combined with the cinnamon as they bake in the oven. I started with a basic recipe that I liked the look of and tweaked it as I went along. I'm kind of weird in that I always make changes to a recipe as I go along - even if its the first time I am making it. This has caused problems in that when I make something that is really good I often have not written down the changes and cannot replicate the recipe! After I tasted two (!) of these buns I figured I liked them so much I had better write down what I remembered of the recipe. I know it was a stiff enough dough to knead and to roll out. The family all gave the new recipe a "thumbs up!" 

Gluten Free Marshamallow Fondant

This gluten free fondant is so easy to use.  I used it to decorate the sugar cookies but it is also great for cakes.

• 16 ounces white mini marshmallows - make sure they are made with cornstarch not wheat starch.
• 2-5 tablespoons water
• 2 lbs icing sugar - make sure it is gluten free
• 1/2 cup Crisco shortening. (read notes at bottom of recipe)

Melt marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave or double boiler; put the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds,open microwave and stir, repeat until melted.  This usually takes about 2 1/2 minutes.  Place 3/4 of the icing sugar on top of the melted marshmallow mixture.
Grease your hands generously with the shortening and also grease the counter you will be using.
Dump out marshmallow and sugar mixture onto the greased counter and start kneading the mixture as if it were bread dough.  Keep kneading as the mixture is sticky at this stage.  Add the rest of the icing sugar and knead some more.  If the mixture tears easily then add a little water about 1/2 a tablespoon.  It will take about 8 minutes to get a firm smooth eleastic ball so that it will stretch without tearing. 
Let sit wrapped overnight - you can use it right away if there no tiny bits of powdered sugar. 
Prepare the fondant for storing by coating it with a layer of shortening and wrap in plastic wrap. Store in fridge.
TIPS:

•  to frost cookies just roll out and cut with the same cookie cutter and place over cookie - pressing lightly.  Decorate with decorators icing.
• to place on a cake frost cake lightly with a little icing sugar and water mixture then apply fondant.
• If you have a heavy duty mixer you can melt the marshmallows and water.  Put half of the icing sugar into the mixer's large bowl. Pour melted mixture over sugar and use the machine to knead while you add the remaining sugar.
• I did not use Crisco - just dusted my hands with the icing sugar.