Roasted Potatoes

I once told my friend that I was a paprika snob. I still think this is true.
When I traveled to Sweden and Germany last year, one of the top 3 food groups in Frankfurt were Ungarn potato chips. In German, it means "chips from Hungary," or "chips deliciously covered with smoked paprika."

I will not admit to buying five full sized bags and trucking them across the Atlantic. They were sold in vending machines in small bags (perfect for getting home late and dragging yourself through the train station to your hotel with no dinner in sight), and in large bags in the convenience stores within the train station.

I really love some good smoked paprika. These potatoes are the perfect vehicle for it, too.

This is one of those recipes that I've made hundreds of times. It shows up as the dinner side probably three times a week. We eat it with grilled meat or veggies, with spicy honey chicken, or some pulled barbecue.

They're heavily spiced, which we love, and crisp on the outside. The inside, however, melts when you put it in your mouth. They're a great, and faster, replacement for oven-roasted potatoes, take very little work after the chopping is done, and perfectly compliment most meat-based meals.

Last Year: Gluten Free Arancini Recipe (Sicilian street food)
Two Years Ago: Gluten Free Menu Plan for 26 Oct 2009
Three Years Ago: Cookie Comparison

Roasted Potatoes

our own recipe

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4 medium sized potatoes, scrubbed and chopped in 1/2 inch cubes

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

extra virgin olive oil

Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil into a non-stick pan. Put it on a back burner on medium high heat, and chop the four potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. They do not need to be peeled, just scrubbed.

When the pan has heated, and the potatoes are cubed, put them in the pan. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika. Do not stir. Leave the seasonings sitting on top of the potatoes, and cover.

Let the potatoes cook for about 10 minutes, then lift the lid. Holding the pan by the handle, shake it from side to side, flipping many of the potato cubes. Again, don't stir to mix the spices around.

Recover and continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat when the potatoes are golden brown on several sides, tender when poked with a fork, and covered with specks of roasted spices. Serve with your favorite condiment: ketchup, Ranch dressing, barbecue sauce, or a homemade aioli.

Healthy Pumpkin Pie

I really love finding innovative recipes, put together by others who need to watch out for certain foods. Let's just say that I sit on the edge of the couch waiting for new posts from Brittany of Real Sustenance, and this week's recipe she published was no exception.

Like most of us, though, this was the first time that I jumped up and made her recipe that same evening. No apathy here.

It was the same day that I headed to the Utah Food Co-op's Monday Market Sale at their warehouse, and so I grabbed a head of California cauliflower while I was out. That, and a jug of local apple cider, some butternut squash, gigantic yams, crisp apples, and delicate local pears. Fall food!

I decided to make several changes from Brittany's recipe, but I want you to know she's the genius behind this recipe. I'm not the one who was able to take a cauliflower and throw it together with pumpkin puree and spices, top it with coconut milk, and magically produce a pie. Not this time.

What are your pumpkin plans? Tis the season!

Other pumpkin recipes in the house:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Dairy Free Pumpkin Frosting (no recipe, just eye candy photos ala best day of my life)
Pumpkin Chili

Dairy Free Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream

Sugared Pumpkin Muffins

Last Year: Gluten Free Pear Polenta Muffins and Kadu Bouranee (Afghan Pumpkin)

Two Years Ago: Oven Roasted Tomatoes Tutorial and Acorn Squash Risotto

Three Years Ago: Garbanzo Bean Chocolate Cake

Healthy Pumpkin Pie: Gluten/Dairy/Egg/Soy Free
adapted from Pumpkin Cheesecake or Pie on Real Sustenance

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I opted to use raw sunflower seeds in my crust, rather than the banana chips. We ran out of banana chips in this house, so I had to come up with something! I made a few other alterations to our taste, and to our pantry, but you can run to Brittney's recipe to see the rest of it. 

I hope you enjoy it! We sure did.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Pumpkin (Dairy Free) Frosting

My friend made the most delicious pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes for our wedding. They are dairy free, sweet and spicy, and the perfect bite for a fall reception.

I don't have the recipe, but I do have a bunch of them left to eat!

Last Year: The 2010 Gluten Free Expo at the Southtowne Center (Sandy, Utah)
Two Years Ago: Dairy Free Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream
Three Years Ago: Brown Sugar and Spice Pumpkin Bars

Rhubarb Pie, Made with Sweet Pastry Dough

The boy had been begging for a rhubarb dessert all summer. This time, I was finally able to deliver! It actually took most of the summer to find some rhubarb for sale!

We were having D over for a BBQ, and he and I went to the store to pick up the ingredients. We found rhubarb at Fresh Market for the first time all summer, and so we both threw some in the cart to make our corresponding gluten free rhubarb desserts. D managed to make some rhubarb crisp (with oats) before I managed to make the pie - he said it was delicious.

I hope you're enjoying these last few days of Indian summer we have hanging around. We spent yesterday at home mostly, and the changing shafts of light jingling through the front window through the leaves on the trees, dancing across the living room wall, was such a rare treat. Full-on autumn is only a few days away, so I'll tuck that image in my mind as I wrap up in my long socks and turn off the air conditioning.

Last Year: Gluten Free Peach Upsidedowner Recipe
Two Years Ago: Grilled Glazed Drummies
Three Years Ago: The Best Gluten Free Stores in Salt Lake, now covered on this page

Sweet Pastry Dough

from Artisinal Gluten Free Cooking, my favorite GF cookbook! by Kelli and Peter Bronski
Two 9-inch tart crusts

6 tablespoons Spectrum Organic shortening
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
dash of salt (since I'm not using salted butter)

Cream together shortening and powdered sugar in a mixer. Add the eggs and beat until the batter is smooth. Scrape down the sides. Slowly add the flour and xanthan gum, mixing only to incorporate. The dough will be the consistency of firm cookie dough.
Divide the dough in half and warp each piece in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll out one piece of dough between two sheets of plastic wrap, one on top and one on bottom. Once the desired size has been reached, remove the top layer of plastic wrap. Then, holding the dough over the pie plat, flip the dough upside down so the unwrapped side of dough lands right in the pie plate. Because you're not worried about gluten in the crust making the crust tough, feel free to patch any holes you may have in the crust.

Then fill the crust with the rhubarb pie filling.

Rhubarb Pie Filling
adapted from this recipe

4 cups chopped rhubarb

1 1/3 cups white sugar
6 tablespoons tapioca starch
dash of cinnamon
1 tablespoon Spectrum organic shortening, divided into small pieces

Slice the rhubarb into small pieces. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine the sugar, starch, and a dash of cinnamon. Whisk to combine. Then, sprinkle half the mixture over the bottom of the pie crust. Then, add the rhubarb slices. Top with the remaining sugar/starch mixture, and dot with shortening bits.

Tip: do not mix the rhubarb pieces with the sugar and starch mixture. Leave the two separate. It helps the crust (especially the bottom) to stay crisp enough while baking, and you still get the wonderful thick sauce you are looking for. So, leave them separate! They'll take care of it on their own.

Go through the same process of rolling out, removing the top layer of plastic wrap, and putting the top crust onto the pie. Crimp the edges of the two crusts together.

Cut small slits in the pie crust as air vents, and bake at 425 for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 for another 40 minutes.

Remove from the oven when the top is golden brown, and the filling is bubbling.