Kale Kugel

This is based on the Spinach Kugel recipe in The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, which is one of my favorite fall recipes. However, I needed to modify it to work without wheat or cow’s milk, and kale was in season at the farmer’s market, so here’s what I did. I think it would be just as good with spinach. I usually serve it with Tsimmes (recipe from the same source). It would also make a good brunch or potluck dish.

1 large bunch kale (or 2 lbs. fresh spinach)
4 oz. soft goat cheese
1 lb. goat’s milk ricotta (I make it without the butter)
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup gluten-free bread crumbs, divided
1/2 tsp nutmeg (or more, if desired)
1/2 tsp sea salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
Paprika

Cut stems off kale and cut down the leaves. Cook over low heat (adding a tiny amount of water if needed) until slightly wilted (kale doesn’t wilt as much as spinach). Remove from heat and stir in the soft goat cheese until it melts. Stir in spices, 3/4 cup of the bread crumbs, the ricotta, and the eggs. Put into a greased 9×13 glass baking dish. Top with the remaining bread crumbs. Sprinkle with paprika and cover with foil.

Bake at 375 for 35 minutes. Remove foil, and bake for 10 minutes more.

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Spinach and Goat Cheese Enchiladas

I have been wanting spinach enchiladas like some I had at a Mexican restaurant several years ago, but I can’t have the cow’s milk or the wheat, so I decided to try to reverse engineer them. I think these were actually better than the restaurant ones.

Pakistani Dal (Spicy Split Peas and Lentil Stew)

There are lots of recipes for dal (it just means beans), but this is one of my favorites. It is a little bit spicy as written; if you don’t like it spicy, use less hot pepper (but don’t leave it out altogether or it will be bland).

Salmon with Balsamic Dijon Vinaigrette

Salmon has such an excellent flavor that you don’t need much to dress it up. The salmon itself is just cooked with a little sea salt, and then served with a dressing on the side.

Fettucine with Spicy Almond Butter Sauce

This is inspired by a recipe in Food and Wine magazine. Usually, when I think of almond butter pasta, it is an Asian-style pasta, but this is a garlic-y, Italian-style, which is a nice change.

Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

Just in time for you to make it for Mardi Gras, this is one of my family’s all-time favorites. If you don’t like it spicy, use Italian sausage instead of Andouille sausage. Wellshire Farms makes a good antibiotic, sugar, and nitrate free Andouille sausage. Serve the gumbo over rice.

Sauteed Whiting with Parsley & Lemon

We got a great deal on whiting filets ($2/lb), and I was going to use a recipe I usually use for cod, but I decided to use some things we had around the kitchen instead. This was excellent; even my fish-hating older son loved it.

1 lb. whiting filets
1/4 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
pepper
1 Tbsp butter or ghee
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/8-1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced.

Mix together breadcrumbs, cheese, and freshly ground pepper. Dip both sides of fish in bread mixture. Heat butter in a skillet. Cook fish on both sides until slightly browned. Mix together lemon juice, parsley, garlic, and olive oil. Pour over fish and cook until fish is cooked though and lemon mixture has had time to soak into the fish a little (it should be almost cooked through if not already when you pour it over).

This post is part of the Pennywise Platter Blog Carnival.

Boneless Pork Roast with Tarragon Mustard Coating

I had a recipe I was originally going to make, but then I modified it so much that really I only used the sauce recipe from The Irish Heritage Cookbook. The sauce isn’t dairy-free, but I made it for company, and you don’t need the sauce to enjoy the pork. The spicing keeps it from drying out.

2 Tbsp melted butter or olive oil
2 Tbsp apple jelly or apple butter, I used 100 % apple cider jelly
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp lemon juice (juice from 1/2 lemon)
2 crushed garlic cloves
2 Tbsp whole-grain Dijon mustard
Fresh thyme and tarragon, minced (about 3 Tbsp)
Boneless pork loin

Mix all of the spicing ingredients together except the fresh herbs. Brush on the pork loin. Pat the herbs on top of the spice paste. Heat the oven to 300 F. Brown the roast in a little olive oil in a pan, and then put in the oven, directly on the rack with a foil covered pan underneath to catch the drippings (or in a roasting pan). Cook the roast for about 30 minutes per pound, or until internal temperature is 160 F.

Apple-Thyme Cream Sauce
From The Irish Heritage Cookbook

2-3 tart apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (I used Fameuse apples from the local apple orchard)
1/2 chopped Vidalia (or other sweet) onion
2 crushed cloves of garlic
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2/3 cup dry white wine (I used Sharpe Hill chardonnay, a local wine)
2/3 cup chicken stock
1 1/4 cup cream

Combine all sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer about 15 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken. Remove the thyme. Process in a blender until smooth.

Turkey Vegetable Soup

This is based on a recipe in Eating Better for Less, an old cookbook from the 70’s. A lot of information in there is outdated (looking at example prices is crazy), but there are some good basic recipes as well as tips on preserving and other home economic tips.

Turkey Black Bean Chipotle Enchiladas

We usually make a stacked enchilada recipe every year, but I decided with homemade spelt tortillas it was easier to make regular enchiladas. I took my favorite parts of that recipe and created this dish, which is even better than the original, so now we have a new favorite for leftover Thanksgiving turkey. My husband said that these are the only enchiladas that he loves, aside from cheese mole enchiladas, which sadly are off our menu.