January 26th, 2015

Meatless Any Day! Spinach Gratin, Casserole, Easy, Recipes Begged, Borrowed & Stolen….Gluten Free, Delaware Beaches Eat!

Meatless recipe….but the day is perfect for a nice hot chili!!

This recipe is totally stolen.  Cannot take any credit for it.  It is a recipe from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa.  It comes out so good and it can be served by itself, or, as a side dish for meat, chicken or fish.  I have served it with a Turducken and I just served it for Christmas Eve dinner with my small standing rib roast from Hickman’s in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

Spinach Gratin and sliced tomatoes on the side…yummy!  It is by no means a low fat, low cal recipe but some adjustments can be made….substitute the butter for something lighter.  The heavy cream can be half and half, and the milk can be low fat, as well.

SPINACH GRATIN

4 tablsps. usalted butter

4  cups yellow onions, chopped

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp nutmeg, grated (I used ground)

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups milk

5 10-ounce packages of frozen spinach, defrosted

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon Kosher salt (optional)

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat.  Add onions and saute until translucent.  About 10 minutes.  Add the flour and nutmeg and cook stirring for a few more minutes, making a roux.  Add the cream and milk and cook until thickened.

Squeeze as much liquid as you can from the defrosted spinach.  Add the spinach to the sauce.  Then, add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and mix it well.  Season with salt and pepper if you want to.

Transfer the spinach to a baking dish, 9 x 13, and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 Parmesan and the Gruyere on top.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Serve and enjoy!!

I made this recipe gluten free.  Please grate your cheeses to make sure there are no additives containing gluten.

July 11th, 2013

Rehoboth Eats, Kasha Pilaf with Roasted Veggies, Low Fat, Easy, Meatless any Day,Outdoor Cooking any Day, Perfect for Summer

I will have to thank Beth for this wonderful recipe.  Serve it as a main meal for any meatless day of the week, just add a salad or sliced summer tomatoes.  Perfect for company if you are cooking outdoors, as well.

The recipe uses buckwheat.  Buckwheat is gluten free.  It is not related to wheat, but to sorrel and rhubarb.  Thought you might want to know.

This recipe can be modified to be gluten free very easily.  First, instead of using Pam, just lightly oil the roasting pan.  Secondly, instead of the commercially sold balsamic glaze, then, just reduce your own balsamic vinegar by placing a whole bottle (I use Pompeian) in a small saucepan and cook it medium low for several hours, depending on your stove.  It will reduce to about 1/2 cup.  Be patient, watch it and don’t let it burn.  I have done that too.

KASHA PILAF WITH ROASTED VEGGIES

13 ounces Buckwheat – cooked according to directions on the box

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

Saute the above veggies and add to the cooked buckwheat.  Set aside.

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.  Oil roasting pan with either Pam or your favorite oil.

Cut:  onion, red pepper, sweet potato, yellow and green summer squash.  I cut about 1/2 cup each, but make it your own and cut more or less.  Place on roasting pan and roast for about 45 minutes.

Mix pilaf and roasted veggies together.

Chill for 4 hours or overnight.

Drizzle with balsamic glaze or your own before serving.  And….Enjoy!!