Lasagna Gluten Free or Not

1 pkg gluten-free lasagna noodles OR regular lasagna noodles (8 ounces)

(The rest of the recipe is gluten free.)

1 1/2 lb. ground meat 

(ground beef or a combination of mild pork sausage/ground beef/ground veal)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, diced

1 can diced tomatoes (28 ounce)

1 can tomato paste (6 ounce)

2 teaspoons dried parsley (or fresh)

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 pinch white sugar

8 ounces sour cream

8 ounces of ricotta cheese

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/4 pounds shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Makes one  9x13 inch pan.

Heat a large skillet and sauté the onions until clear.  Add meat and garlic and cook until the meat is evenly browned.  Drain off excess grease.

Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, basil, oregano and sugar.

Increase heat and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened.

In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, sour cream, ricotta, Romano cheese, salt, black pepper and half of the mozzarella cheese.

To assemble the lasagna, spread a thick layer of the cooked sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.  Cover with 1/3 of the lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the remaining cooked sauce, 1/3 of the sour cream mixture.  Repeat this layering 2 more times.

The above recipe is very similar to Grandmaman's lasagna recipe which is basically made up of four parts, with the layers starting with the meat sauce layer and ending with a "very generous portion of grated mozzarella cheese".

To make Grandmaman's recipe gluten free, noodles need to be gluten free and attention needs to be paid to the tomato sauce.  It's best to make your own tomato sauce,  instead of premade pasta sauce.  

Part One-Precooked lasagna noodles (regular, whole wheat or gluten free)

Part Two-Meat Sauce (made of sautéed ground beef, prepared pasta sauce or your own sauce made from your choice of tomatoes (canned, sundried, fresh), tomato paste or tomato sauce, spices, onions, garlic cloves)

Part Three-eggs, cottage cheese, spinach, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper grated mozzarella (sometimes I leave this part out or only include some of it)

Part Four-THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF GRANDMAMAN'S LASAGNA-A very generous amount of grated mozzarella cheese on the top, (sprinkled with parmesan cheese if available) 

Five Spice Roasted Chicken Legs

Marinade

6 cloves of garlic

1 large shallot

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 tbsp agave or sugar

1/4 cup reduce sodium soy sauce (tamari for gluten free)

1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

freshly ground black pepper

6 chicken legs (thighs and legs attached)

Combine the marinade ingredients and blend until smooth.

Place the chicken in a large, resealable ziploc bag or container and pour in the marinade.  Toss the chicken inside the bag to cover evenly with the marinade and refrigerate for 6-8 hours or as long as overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place the chicken on a rack in a foil lined roasting pan.  Create a loose tent over the chicken with foil.

Roast the chicken in the center of the oven 30 minutes: remove foil and continue to cook, basting occasionally until the internal temperature is 165 to 170 degrees F, about 45 minutes longer.

Original Rice Krispie Squares

It doesn't get much better than pyjama day at playschool followed by an afternoon of games, books and rice krispie squares while still in pyjamas.

 While Grandma prepares the kitchen tools, not a big task for Rice Krispie squares, Reegan reads stories to her stuffies and special dolls 

and the boys played The Two Bridges Board Game with Grandpa.

 We made our rice krispie squares gluten free today. 

The only modification needed is using gluten free cereal.  Doesn't get much easier.

Reegan counted 40 marshmallows into a pan and helped to measure 6 cups of cereal into the big measuring cup.  Grandpa tried to convince her to count the rice krispies but Reegan assured him that a measuring cup made much more sense.  

40 regular size marshmallows or 5 cups miniature marshmallows

1/4 cup butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

6 cups of Rice Krispie Cereal

Stove Top Version

Spray a large saucepan with non stick spray.  Over low heat melt butter and add marshmallows.  Cook and stir over medium heat until melted and blended.  Remove from heat.  Stir in vanilla and cereal and stir until well coated. Pour into a 13 x 9 inch lightly butter pan.  I like to use a  square of waxed paper to push the mixture into place. 

Cool and cut into bars.

Microwave Version

In a large bowl microwave butter for 30 - 60 seconds on high or until melted.  Add marshmallows, tossing to coat.  Microwave on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until smooth when stirred, stirring after 45 seconds.  Stir in vanilla and cereal and stir until well coated. Pour into a 13 x 9 inch lightly butter pan.  I like to use a  square of waxed paper to push the mixture into place. Cool and cut into bars.

Yummy!

Hong Kong Chicken Curry

This is a perfect "après luge" meal on a cold Alberta winter day.

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 sliced onion

2 tbsp curry powder

8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

1/2 tsp salt

398 ml can coconut milk

2 large carrots, sliced into coins

2 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks

1 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Heat a large wide frying pan over medium high.  

Add oil, then onion and curry powder.  

Cook until onion starts to soften, 3 min.  

Sprinkle chicken with salt, then add to pan.  Stir until coated.

Add coconut milk, carrots and potatoes and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium.

Gently boil, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove lid and continue boiling until liquid is slightly thickened, about 5 more minutes.

Stir in peas and cilantro and cook for 1 more minute.

Serve with rice.

Ethan and Grandpa walk up to the top of the luge as Ethan gives Grandpa
advice on how to get a fast, safe ride.

Tristan tells Grandpa "that was a good ride".

Reegan gives Grandpa a hug.

Papa's Retirement Bread

Oliver, Sadie and Logan decided Papa needed a retirement project et voilà.  Bread making made easy.  Fitting that Papa's Grandpa Long owned the UNEEDA Bakery in Calgary in the early part of the twentieth century.

Prepare the dough one day and bake it the next. Yummy and crusty.  This recipe is prepared in large print to cater to the Papa generation of eyes.

In a large mixing bowl 

add 3 cups of white unbleached flour.  

Add 1 3/4 teaspoons salt (kosher if desired) 

and 1/2 teaspoon yeast.  

Whisk together.  

Add 1 1/2 cups water 

and mix.  

The dough will look like a shaggy mess.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it set for 

12 to 18 hours 

at room temperature. Do not refrigerate.

Preheat the oven to 

450 degrees. 

Then preheat a pan with a lid for 30 minutes.  

We used a corningware pot but a Le Creuset or like pan would be awesome.

Once the pot is in the oven to preheat dump the dough onto a heavily floured surface. Shape the dough and 

let rest, covered with saran, for 30 minutes 

while the pan heats.

Remove the pan carefully from the oven and  carefully drop the dough into the pan.  You may want to have floured hands as the dough may be sticky. 

Put the lid on the pot and 

return it to the oven for 30 minutes.  

Remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes.

This recipe can easily be doubled.  

Some variations for a different taste-

shredded sharp cheddar 

 cranberries, orange zest and almonds

rosemary, lemon zest and gruyere cheese

raisin, walnut and cinnamon

Logan and Sadie help Papa with the stirring and make sure he does everything just like Mom.

Resting bread                  

Papa shapes the dough.

Teamwork

Fresh from the oven.

Oliver can't wait to taste Papa's bread
 when he is a little older.

Time for a little active living to work up 
an appetite for fresh bread.

Salmon with Fennel, Bell Pepper and Olives

A new year visit to Ithaca Falls where water still tumbles over layers of ice ended in a wonderful meal of roasted salmon over fennel and bell pepper. 

1 navel orange

1 large bulb fennel, cored and thinly sliced, 1/4 cup fronds reserved

1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 tablespoons olive oil

4 skinless salmon fillets (4 to 6 ounces each)

salt and pepper

1/3 cup pitted black olives, quartered

Heat broiler, with rack 8 inches from heat.

Grate 1 tbsp. orange zest, then cut orange into wedges.

On a rimmed baking sheet, toss orange zest and wedges with fennel, bell pepper and oil and arrange in an even layer.

Add salmon and season vegetables and salmon with salt and pepper.

Broil until vegetables are browned and salmon is opaque (8 to 10 minutes).

Sprinkle with olives and fennel fronds to serve.

Oven roasted asparagus and a side of rice makes a nice meal.