Gnocchi is an Italian word for dumplings. Mainly made with potatoes and white flour. I thought I would up the nutrition and flavor by using pumpkin and whole wheat flour.
Mix the pumpkin puree and apple cider vinegar. Then add the flour 1 cup at a time until it comes together as a stiff dough, it should be about the consistency of dumplings. The amount of flour you use will depend on how much water is in your puree. If you are using canned pumpkin you will probably use much less flour than the recipe calls for. My puree still has quite a bit of water in it and therefore needed a lot more flour.
Let this sit at room temperature for 6-12 hours.
When the 6-12 hours has passed grate some nutmeg onto your dough and kneed it in. The amount of nutmeg will depend on how much of a nutmeg flavor you would like, I used about 1/4 t.
Divide your dough into 4 pieces set 3 aside and take the 4th. Dust the counter with flour and roll it into a snake. You will want it to be about 1/2 an inch. Take the snake and cut into 1 inch pieces set on a floured cookie sheet. Do the same with the other 3 balls.
Now at this point you have a couple of options you can put the cut gnocchi in the freezer and when frozen place in a freezer container and store for later use. Or you can let them sit out for about a half hour to dry up a little and then get ready to cook.
When you are finally ready to cook them get a pot and fill with water. You will want about a gallon of water to cook them. Salt the water and bring to a boil. When the water boils add the gnocchi. They will sink to the bottom. Once they begin to float let them boil about 1 minute longer or about a total of 3 minutes. When done drain.
Now pull out a large saute pan and melt 4 T of butter over medium high heat. When the butter is melted add the gnocchi and saute until they begin to form a golden brown crust on them.
This is a great recipe for using your Thanksgiving leftovers. You can use cooked chicken or turkey, and any cooked rice that you have on hand.
Preheat oven 350 degrees.
In a large bowl place cooked poultry and rice.
In a skillet heat 2T olive oil, saute onion and garlic. Add broccoli and chicken stock, cover with a lid and cook until broccoli is tender. Add broccoli mixture to bowl.
In a separate pot, heat 2T olive and 2T butter. Add 4T flour and stir to combine and make a roux. Add 2 cup of milk to the roux, and cook until thickened (coats a back of the spoon). Stir continually. Add the shredded cheeses and cook until melted. Pour cheese sauce in the poultry/broccoli bowl. Stir until all is combined. Salt and pepper to taste.
Pour mixture into a 9X13 baking dish, and bake for 30 minutes.
A wonderful, hearty comfort food for a cold day! You can use any combination of vegetable you have on hand. You can also replace the chicken with leftover turkey!
The morning before you want to serve this, prepare your topping. Cut cold butter into flour until crumbly, then add milk and apple cider vinegar. Mix well, cover loosely, and let sit at room temperature the rest of the day, until you are ready to use it.
When ready to bake, melt butter for the filling, and saute onion and garlic until soft and translucent. Stir in arrowroot, salt and pepper, then slowly add broth and milk, and let simmer until thick. Turn off heat and stir in chicken and veggies. Pour into a deep 9×13 casserole. Add salt and pepper to topping and drop by spoonfuls over the filling. Bake at 425 25-30 minutes, then let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.
Many flavors going on here. Moist, tender and just amazing. Not as hard as you might think and well worth the effort.
To brine
2-3 days before, begin thawing your turkey in the refrigerator if it’s frozen. You may also prepare the brine keep it cool in the fridge.
Combine all brine ingredients, except for the apple cider vinegar and ice water, in a large pot. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool to room temperature and then add the vinegar. Refrigerate until ready to use.
The night before you want to eat the turkey, combine the brine and ice water in a brine bag, clean 5-gallon bucket or huge stock pot. Slowly lower in turkey, breast-side down into the brine. Weigh down the turkey if necessary to keep it submerged. Cover (or close) and refrigerate for 1 hour for every pound of meat (do not go over this time). Be sure to turn the turkey over once halfway through the process.
When it’s time to roast, remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry. Place on a roasting rack in a roaster.
Pour the boiled water onto the aromatics. Cover and let steep for 5 minutes. Place steeped aromatics into the cavity of the turkey.
Tuck turkey wings under and rub all over the skin with coconut oil or butter.
To Roast
Put the roaster on the farthest rack from the heat source. Roast on 500 degrees for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook for about 2 more hours or until the temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 160 degrees.
Remove from the oven and cover with a large bowl. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
One of the best ways to keep your family happy at mealtimes when making drastic diet changes is to remake old favorites. This dish saves well and freezes well and is easy to make in large batches. Sometimes I change it up by adding green beans or tomatoes or cheese on top.
Boil roast for three to four hours in six cups of water, one bay leaf and two teaspoons salt.
Cut cauliflower into large, even pieces. Place in a pot with 1/3 cup beef stock, cover and simmer on medium low heat for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a large fry pan on medium high add oil and onions, cook for five minutes or until they begin to brown. Add carrots, bell peppers and one teaspoon salt, turn heat down to medium low and simmer for ten minutes.
Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook for two minutes, then mix in two cups stock. Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add black pepper, peas and meat to vegetables. Stir in parsley, reserving some to garnish the top then, check for seasoning and salt to taste.
Remove cauliflower from pot with slotted spoon and place in a blender or food processor with one teaspoon salt and ½ cup butter. Pulse until broken up and grind briefly to make mostly smooth.
Fill a large casserole dish with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon cauliflower mash over meat evenly. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley and serve.
Perfect time of the year to fix this meal. You can use any root vegetables you have. Apples and apple cider provide a pleasant sweetness in this dish.
Heat a skillet with 2 T olive oil. Add meat and brown, remove from pan and place in slow cooker. Chop all vegetables.
Add another 2 T olive oil to skillet and add vegetables. Cook until vegetables are tender, 7-8 minutes. Place vegetables into slow cooker.
Pour apple cider, wine, and clavados in skillet. Deglaze skillet, scraping all the brown bits off the pan. Add sage, thyme, and allspice.
Pour cider mixture over vegetables and pork.
Cook on low for 6-7 hours.
A delicious version of baked beans using Yellow-Eyed beans. Other dried beans may be used as well with this recipe.
The day before, carefully pick over and wash the beans with cold water. Soak the beans in 3 quarts of water with the lemon juice added ~ at least overnight, or up to 24 hours.
Drain and rinse beans. Cover them with more water and bring to a boil. Then, simmer them until when you blow on a few, the skins split.
Drain and rinse the beans and put them into a cast iron dutch oven or a good sized casserole dish with a lid.
Mix together all the rest of the ingredients and stir that into the beans.
Pour in boiling water, just enough to cover the beans and stir again.
Put on the lid and bake at 250 degrees F. for 8 hours. Check them from time to time and add a bit more boiling water if you need to. For the last 30 minutes, take off the lid.
This is a warm and delicious comfort food, which is easily adaptable to personal taste. Enjoy over hot, fresh biscuits!
Melt butter, add sliced onions and cook until soft. Add in sherry and cook a couple of minutes more, then stir in arrowroot and spices, letting it bubble. Slowly add in broth and milk, and bring to a gentle simmer (it will get thick as it cooks). Add in spinach and simmer until desired thickness is reached. About 10 minutes before serving, add in cheese and peas. Serve over piping hot soaked biscuits! Can garnish with parmesan cheese.
This makes ALOT, so feel free to halve if desired.
This meatloaf is Gluten Free and GAPS friendly. Guests who have no dietary needs will think it’s delicious — and never know the difference! It’s easy to make, looks gourmet, and has become a favorite with everyone I’ve cooked it for. Excellent and moist texture makes it an easy winner.
COMBINE the ground beef, turkey sausage, eggs, tomato paste, dijon mustard, fresh parsley and salt & pepper in a large bowl and set aside.
NEXT, sauté the carrots, onion, and mushrooms in a few Tablespoons of butter and pinch of salt.
When vegetables are soft add pressed garlic and cook just until fragrant. I slightly smash the sautéed vegetables with the back of a wooden spoon (or potato masher) so carrots will be more hidden in the meatloaf.
COMBINE the vegetable mixture with the meat mixture, and SPREAD into an 9×9 baking dish.
TOP WITH TOPPING and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
Check center of meatloaf to be sure it is completely done.
ENJOY this delicious meatloaf!
Homemade egg noodles, soaked overnight. These are delicious in soups or cooked alone, drained and served with butter, grated cheese or tomato sauce.
The night before, combine the starter, eggs, flour and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together thoroughly. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature.
In the morning, knead the dough, with a little unbleached all-purpose flour (or sprouted flour) for 2 minutes.
Bring 5 quarts of water to a rolling boil and add 2 Tablespoons sea salt and 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.
Cut your dough into 4 pieces. One at a time, roll them as thin as possible on a floured surface.
Cut the noodles using a pizza cutter. (Alternately, you can use a pasta machine.)
Add them to the boiling water and cooked them for about 4 minutes, (start counting after the last noodles are in the pot) stirring occasionally.
Pour into a colander placed in the sink and drain.
You may cook them in soup, not water, if you wish.
An excellent alternative to pasta night. Cooked spaghetti squash served with a savory punttanesca tomato sauce.
Cut and de-seed spaghetti squash. Place in a large pot of salted water, cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool slightly.
While squash is cooking, add olive oil and anchovy fillets. Saute’ until fillets break down, 2-3 minutes. Add capers and garlic and continue to saute’ for another 1-2 minutes. Add olives and red wine, cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add tomato sauce and bring it to a simmer, reduce heat on low. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Scrape out squash into serving bowl. Place sauce in another bowl. Serve squash with sauce on top. Top with grated Parmesan Cheese.
This is a very simple slow cooker recipe with a wonderful earthy flavor. Puerh tea adds a hint of sweetness to the basic pot roast and compliments the meat and potatoes well. Puerh tea can be purchased at most Asian markets.
Heat the oil in large skillet.
Sear the chuck roast on all sides. Do not cook the meat all the way through.
Place all the ingredients in a 5 quart crockpot.
Cook on high for 6-8 hours or on low for 8-10 hours. Serve warm.