GF Sides

Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Dip

By in Appetizers, Condiments, GF Sides 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

caramelized onion goat cheese dip

I’ve made my fair share of onion dip. It’s always been one of my faves as far as dips go, and I always seem to be trying something new in search of that perfect go-to recipe. Most recipes I’ve made start out with a wack load of mayo. I love mayo as much as the next gal but there’s something about that, that gives me a little bit of the heebie jeebies – that’s a lot of mayo! Well, this dip is mayo free and is so delicious it immediately jumped to the top of my onion dip list. Now when I get a craving for onion dip, it is specifically for this recipe.

The first time I made it, it was Christmas and all of us ladies were hiding the bowl of dip and sneaking bites because I had obviously not made enough for the entire family and we just didn’t want to share. Finally the Christmas spirit won out and we put it out for everyone to enjoy. But man was it ever hard to give up.

I recently made it again for company and I knew I wouldn’t be able to live with my conscience another moment if I didn’t share it with you. It starts with a base of sour cream, which gets mixed with deliciously rich goat cheese, some deeply caramelized onions and a handful of chives. The flavours are so rich and deep I’m afraid you won’t be able to go back to the mayo stuff (never mind store-bought)!

I have to say that this dip makes one of the best burger spreads I have ever had. I mean caramelized onion and goat cheese on a burger? I really can’t think of a better combination.

P.S. Stay tuned for the homemade potato chips that we served with it. They are super-duper easy-peasy and I can’t wait to share them with you.

Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Dip

For a smoother dip, process in a food processor instead of mixing by hand.

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups diced onion (about 1 medium)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 4 oz. soft goat cheese
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

Add oil to a skillet and preheat over medium-low heat until oil starts to shimmer. Add onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until onion caramelizes and turns a deep golden brown. Set aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile stir together sour cream and goat cheese, mashing the goat cheese with a fork to break it up. Stir in the caramelized onions and garlic along with the chives. Taste and season again with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

Makes approximately: 2 cups

Adapted from Chow.

Hatching Devilled Eggs

By in Appetizers, Easter, GF Sides 7 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

hatching devilled eggs

I’ve got one more quick bite to share with you in case you’re looking for a last minute idea to round out your Easter menu. Devilled eggs are just one of those things that coincides with Easter. All those colourful Easter eggs need to be put to good use! I decided to dress them up for Easter by slicing off the tops and giving them jagged edges to look like a hatching chick. It’s very easy to do but you do need to be gentle as the egg whites are quite fragile. So don’t try to do anything too fancy! I think it’s such a cute presentation and makes a classic just a little more special. Follow the how-to below with your favourite devilled egg recipe or use my lightened up version below.

I hope you all have a fantastic long weekend! Happy Easter!

hatching eggs how to

How to Make Hatching Devilled Eggs

If needed, cut a small slice off of the bottom of the hard boiled egg so that it will stand up straight. Turn it on it’s side and slice off the top portion of the egg. Using a small spoon, gently loosen and remove the egg yolk from both portions of the egg white. Reserve the egg yolks for the filling. With a sharp knife, carefully cut jagged edges into the top and bottom halves of the egg whites. Don’t make the cuts too deep or it will weaken the structure and the egg whites may not hold together when the filling is added. Once all the egg whites are ready, mash the filling in a medium-sized resealable bag until smooth. Snip of the end of the bag and pipe into the bottom halves of the egg whites, cover with egg white tops. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving.

Lightened Up Devilled Eggs

  • 12 hard boiled eggs, shells removed
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
  • 2-3 tablespoon fresh chives, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

Slice eggs in half, remove yolks. Place yolks and remaining ingredients into a medium-sized resealable bag. Seal it up and mash the mixture in your hands until smooth (this part is fun for kids!). Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Snip off the end of the bag and pipe the filling into the egg whites. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to one day ahead.

Filling adapted from Food.com

Crispy Baked Hash Browns (Freezer Friendly)

By in Breakfast, GF Sides, Gluten Free, Sides 13 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

Crispy Baked Hash Browns (Freezer Friendly)

For me one of the perfect weekend breakfasts is a plate full of hash browns, eggs, toast and bacon with a side of coffee. I”ve tried so many versions of homemade hash browns but they never seemed to turn out crisp enough, or were never quite cooked through and always seemed to be lacking in flavour. I”ve been dreaming of a hash brown recipe that I could make in bulk and store in the freezer so I could use it as a substitute for the ones you find in the grocery store that have so many other ingredients in it that you wonder how much real food is actually in there.

This is it. I found the recipe. It took the brilliant minds of Cooks Illustrated to figure it out for me. Thank you! This recipe works on so many levels. It makes a large batch so you can make it easily for guests or you can enjoy some now and freeze the rest for later. The potatoes turn out super crispy thanks to being boiled in water, along with baking soda, which quickly breaks down the outside, without cooking in the inside, so that it gets a nice crust while it bakes. The baking pan is also preheated in a screaming hot oven so that the potatoes start cooking as soon as they hit the pan, virtually turning it into a large skillet. I also love that it”s basically hands-free once you get it in the oven, meaning that if you are serving it to guests you can focus on other parts of the meal.

The preparation plus baking time definitely doesn”t produce instantaneous results, this isn”t a quick recipe. But my plan is to make it in batches when I have the time and then storing it in the freezer so that it can be instantaneous later on. I prepared mine with dinner the first round, froze the remainder and served them for breakfast a couple days later. It literally took five minutes for them to be ready from the freezer and they tasted just as good as when I made them fresh. That”s even better than the ones you get in the freezer isle.

Crispy Baked Hash Browns

I don”t peel my potatoes because the skin adds more nutrition and I like the flavour, but feel free to peel the potatoes before dicing if you prefer.

  • 3.5 pounds russet potatoes, diced ( 3/4 inch or smaller)

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up

  • 1.5 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon onion powder

  • dash of cayenne pepper

  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil (or preferred high-heat oil)

Place a large rimmed baking sheet on an oven rack set to the lowest position. Preheat oven to 500ºF.

In a dutch oven, bring to boil 10 cups of water, over high heat. Add potatoes and baking soda. Bring back to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Drain potatoes and return to pot; place over low heat, shaking the pot occasionally, until any liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and stir in butter, salt, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Stir together until mixed evenly and potatoes are coated with a starchy paste.

Remove baking sheet from oven and drizzle with oil. Spread potatoes in an even layer. Bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring potatoes every 15 minutes, until potatoes are browned and crispy. Serve immediately.

To Freeze: Allow potatoes to cool fully on baking sheet, transfer to the freezer until frozen. Once frozen toss into a resealable plastic bag. When ready to use, remove as much as needed from freezer bag, cook in a small amount of oil in a pan over medium heat until warmed through (about 5 minutes).

Serves: 6-8

Adapted from Cooks Illustrated Jan/Feb/2012.

Parmesan Walnut Broccoli

By in GF Sides, Gluten Free, Sides 5 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

Parmesan Walnut Broccoli

I”m so bad at serving sides with dinner. For some reason it”s just not on my radar while I”m menu planning. Only once I”m finished making supper do I think, “huh, maybe I should have made something to serve along with this”. Oh well, the good thing is we don”t over eat very often. ;)

I have made this Parmesan Walnut Broccoli many times though. It”s so quick and easy that even if I think to make it last minute it doesn”t put off dinner. Besides my family loves broccoli so I know there”ll never be any complaints when I serve it. Especially when it”s tossed with toasted walnuts and parmesan. Mmm.

This year I even had some broccoli growing in my garden. Nothing”s more satisfying than going outside, cutting some broccoli and whipping up a quick and, virtually free, side dish. “It was me! I did that!”

(That was a Madagascar reference for those who can”t hear my bad imitation. I heart King Julien.)

Parmesan Walnut Broccoli

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 heads broccoli (or 1 large), cut into florets

  • salt and pepper, to taste

  • 1 garlic clove, sliced

  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan

Cook broccoli in oil over medium-high heat until it begins to soften, season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and walnuts; cook until broccoli is crisp tender and walnuts are toasted. Toss with lemon juice, red pepper flakes and parmesan to serve.

Serves: 4

Adapted from Martha Stewart.

Cheesy Mexican Corn Dip

By in Appetizers, GF Sides, Gluten Free 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

cheesy mexican corn dip

A couple nights ago I went over to one of my fantastic sister-in-laws’ house and we had a sleepover with our kids. Both of us had been without our husbands for a week and it was time for some adult interaction, with a little dash of craziness (a.k.a. children). As expected, the kids stayed up far too late. Even though we wanted them to go to bed, it was cute hearing the boys talking and playing in their room. It brought back so many memories! And, the fact that we made pizza for dinner and ate pancakes in the morning was just icing on the cake.

I’ve been craving this dip ever since my mom first pointed it out to me on Pinterest, even though I’d never had it before. I was hoping it would live up to my expectations and I figured that a sleepover was the perfect place to try it out. That way, if it was as good as I hoped, I wouldn’t end up eating it all by myself. I was smart to do that, because it ended up exceeding my expectations. I purposely left it at my sister-in-laws, because I knew if I brought it home I would not be able to resist it. And, eating a whole bowl of dip by myself, while tasty, would be regrettable.

This dip is melty, gooey, spicy and packed with flavour. I love how the corn and tomatoes add natural cooling powers. It is so darn good when it’s warm, but surprisingly I even found the leftovers super delicious, straight from the fridge. That is a dangerous thing.

Tread lightly my friends.

Cheesy Mexican Corn Dip

This dip is quite spicy. If you like things less spicy cut back on the chipotle peppers.

  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, minced
  • 1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1.5 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen or canned)
  • 1 small tomato, chopped and seeded
  • 1 green onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped (optional)

Mix together cheeses, chipotle peppers, green chilies, mayonnaise, garlic powder and corn. Spread into an 8-inch baking dish. Bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.

Let cool slightly and then top with tomato, green onion and cilantro. Serve warm.

Adapted from Gina Marie’s Kitchen.

(Sweet Cherries!) Cherry-Berry Jam

By in Condiments, GF Sides, Gluten Free 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

cherry berry jam

My favourite part of food magazines has always been the articles where they choose one theme and go crazy with it. Since it’s one of my favourite things to read, I thought it would be fun to create something like that here, on the blog. So, every Wednesday this month I’ll be posting a recipe that uses sweet cherries. It’s been so much fun creating this series for you and I truly hope you enjoy the recipes as much as I do.

I think the biggest complaint I hear about cherries every year is that they’re so good fresh, they get eaten up before anything can be made with them. That’s why each of the recipes I’ll be sharing use a small amount of cherries – so you can enjoy snacking on them but also have the satisfaction of making something delicious with them.

I have a love of making jam and a special place in my heart for small batch jamming projects. Since I like trying new recipes and ideas all the time, making smaller batches of different flavours is much more my style. This recipe makes two cups of jam – one cup for now and another to throw in the freezer for later. It takes advantage of the delicious summer cherries and berries while still leaving enough to enjoy on their own.

You don’t need to reserve a whole day for this jam; in an hour or so it’ll be cooling and waiting to be popped in the fridge. And, while it’s cooking you can relax while watching the kids jump through the sprinkler – all it needs is a little stir once in while. So stress-free and the results are so satisfying!

P.S. Happy Fourth of July to all you lovely Americans! I’ve got a last-minute dessert for you today, over at Simple Bites.

Cherry-Berry Jam

  • 2 cups cherries, pitted
  • 1.5 cups blackberries
  • 1.5 cups raspberries
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1.5 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 50 minutes to an hour, until reduced to 2 cups or until the mixture passes the jam test*. Allow to cool and then pour into jars or containers, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. Freeze for longer storage.

*Jam Test:

This applies to any jam that is made without using pectin.

Place a small plate in the freezer while you make your jam. Once you think the jam is ready place a dollop on the frozen plate and return to the freezer for two minutes. Remove the plate from the freezer and push through the jam with your finger, there should be a slight film on top that wrinkles as you push. If it’s not ready yet, boil it for a few more minutes and repeat the test.

Makes: 2 cups

Adapted from My Recipes.

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