Beef Burgundy in the Slow Cooker

My mother has made Beef Burgundy in the slow cooker for years.  To me, this is comfort food!  Here is another adapted recipe from the cookbook "The Best 150 Slow Cooker Recipes" by Judith Finlayson.  Serve with a green vegetable and new potatoes in their skins or mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

8-9 slices of bacon

Medium-sized beef roast, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 lb mushrooms, whole, halved or quartered depending on size

3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

2 onions, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp dried thyme leaves

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup potato flour

1/4 cup brown rice flour

1 1/2 cups gluten-free beef broth or water with a gluten-free broth cube

2 cups dry red wine (I like Yellow Tail Merlot)

1 bay leaf

zest of 1 orange

chopped parsley

Directions

1.  Cook bacon in a large frying pan/skillet with some water to start.  Cook the bacon until crisp.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.  Leave 2 tbsp fat in the skillet.

2.  Brown the beef cubes in batches in the skillet.  Transfer to the slow cooker with a slotted spoon.

3.  Add mushrooms to skillet and cook until tops are lightly browned.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer to  slow cooker.  Sometimes I need to add a tablespoon of butter at this point because the mushrooms have soaked up all of the fat.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Add the carrots and onions to the skillet.  Cover and cook until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.  Increase the heat to medium.  Add garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and cook, stirring for 1 minute.  Add flours and cook, stirring for 1 minute.  Add beef broth and wine and cook, stirring, until thickened.  Stir in bacon, bay leaf and orange zest.

4.  Add mixture to the slow cooker.  Stir thoroughly.  Cover and cook on Low for 8-10 hours or on High for 4-5 hours, until beef is very tender.  Discard bay leaf.  Just before serving, garnish liberally with parsley.

Baked Potatoes in the Slow Cooker

A friend of mine used her slow cooker to make baked potatoes for a barbecue.  I thought it was a great way to bake potatoes without heating up your kitchen and it saves room on the barbecue for steak and other vegetables.  Since then I have made baked potatoes quite a few times in the slow cooker.  My daughter is vegetarian, so she likes numerous toppings like butter, sour cream and chives, or broccoli and cheese sauce.  I like baked potatoes with leftover chili and cheese or daiya cheese for a quick weeknight meal.

Ingredients

4-6 medium-sized baking potatoes
aluminum foil

Directions

Wrap potatoes in aluminum foil and place in slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours until potatoes are fork tender.  When ready to serve, I let people get their own potato from the slow cooker, remove the foil and add the toppings of their choice.

Beef Carbonnade

Beef Carbonnade is just a fancy way of saying Beef and Beer Stew.  I adapted this recipe from "The 150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes" by Judith Finlayson to make it gluten-free.  Beef Carbonnade is similar to Beef Burgundy, which is another one of my favourite meals to make in the slow cooker.  The beer or wine makes the beef so tender and adds flavour to the meat and sauce.  I serve both dishes over mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes with a steamed vegetable like broccoli, spinach or swiss chard.  We also like a salad served with the cooked items to add some freshness.  I made a carrot and apple salad to use some garden carrots.  This is a hearty meal for the cooler days and darker nights that are coming soon!

Ingredients

4-5 slices of bacon, diced

2 lbs stewing beef, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes

4 medium onions, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp dried thyme leaves

1 tsp celery seeds

1 bay leaf

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cracked black peppercorns

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp brown rice flour and 2 tbsp potato starch

2 generous cups gluten-free beer

dash of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

1.  I cook the bacon in some water to start off, to keep it from burning.  In a skillet, heat bacon and water over medium-high heat.  Cook the bacon until crisp.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.  Set aside.  Drain off all but 1 tbsp fat in pan.

2.  Over medium-high heat, brown meat in batches.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a slow cooker.

3.  Reduce the heat to medium.  Add onions to the skillet and cook until soft.  Add garlic, thyme, celery seeds, bay leaf and pepper and cook for 1 minute.  Sprinkle sugar over mixture and stir well.  Add flour and starch and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Add bacon and beer and cook until mixture thickens.  

4.  Pour mixture over beef.  Cover and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours or on High for 4 to 5 hours, until meat is tender.  Discard bay leaf.  Add a dash of crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce if you prefer some spice.  Serve immediately.

Orange Apricot Scones

I love the fall flavours and spices in carrot cake and pumpkin pie.  I was craving some spice in my Cranberry Orange Scone recipe, so I substituted dried apricots for dried cranberries and added some fall spices.  They were delicious with some butter and honey, and a cup of tea!

Variation for Orange Apricot Scones

• Substitute 1/3 cup chopped dried apricots for 1/3 cup of dried cranberries.
• Add 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp ground ginger and 1/8 tsp ground cloves along with the flours.  Epicure seasonings are all gluten-free.  I really like the pumpkin pie spice and chai spice.  Either of these could be substituted for the spices in this recipe.

Bruschetta

Bruschetta with garden tomatoes and herbs.  Is there anything better?  I don't think so.  I often make Bruschetta in the winter with store bought tomatoes and Epicure seasoning.  Bruschetta tastes so much better when it is simple and full of fresh ingredients.  This is one of the recipes that we enjoy during the Fall.

Ingredients

Toasted gluten-free bread/Coconut Bread

good quality olive oil

2 garlic cloves, halved

2 cups plum tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley and basil leaves

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, or to taste (sometimes I add a bit of lemon juice as well)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Toast the gluten-free bread.  When cool slightly, drizzle or brush with some olive oil and lightly rub with halved garlic cloves on both sides of bread.  Arrange on a serving tray.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl.  Let stand 30 minutes, or refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Serve the Bruschetta in a separate dish from the bread, so the toast does not become soggy.

Carrot & Cilantro Soup

With garden carrots being plentiful this time of year, it is a perfect time to make carrot soup.  This dairy free soup uses coconut milk and cashews to make it creamy.  It is based on a recipe from an Alive magazine.  This soup can be made in the slow cooker or it can be made in about an hour on the stove.   It can be prepared when it is convenient during a busy day.  Serve with a salad and some warm gluten-free biscuits or toast.

Ingredients

7-8 medium to large carrots, chopped

5 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock (I substituted a generous 5 cups of water to cover the carrots and 2 gluten-free bouillon cubes)

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp coconut oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 tsp grated fresh ginger (I keep mine in the freezer so it lasts longer)

2 small onions, diced

1 cup raw cashews

1/2 tsp turmeric

dash of paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

1 can of lite coconut milk

1 Tbsp honey

Juice of 1 lime freshly squeezed

generous 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Directions

Put the carrots, water and bouillon cubes (or stock) in the slow cooker.

Heat the sesame oil and coconut oil in a large frying pan.  Add the onion, garlic, ginger, cashews, spices, salt and pepper.  Sauté for 5 minutes.  Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker.  Cover and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 8 to 10 hours, until carrots are tender.  Add coconut milk, honey, and lime juice.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Puree the soup with a hand blender or in a blender in batches.  Stir in the cilantro before serving.

Variations

*You can also make this in a large pot on the stove.  Just add the carrots and the water/stock after sautéing the onions, garlic, ginger, cashews and spices.  Simmer until the carrots are tender.  Then add the remaining ingredients and simmer for a few minutes.  Puree with a hand blender.  Stir in the cilantro before serving.
*I like to freeze the leftovers in small containers for quick and nutritious lunches at work.

Apple & Apricot Tart

One of my husband's favourite fruits is fresh apricots.  I made this cake/tart when the B.C. apricots and apples from a local garden were in season.  This dessert is based on a recipe from the cookbook "125 Best Gluten-Free Recipes" by Donna Washburn and Heather Butt.  This dessert is a bit of work, but well worth it!

Crust

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup arrowroot starch/flour

1/4 cup tapioca starch

1/4 cup white rice flour

1/4 cup almond flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/3 cup melted butter or coconut oil

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1/4 cup plain yogurt or dairy-free plain yogurt

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup sliced almonds

Filling

3 cups grated apples (about 4 large apples)

2 tbsp coconut sugar

1/4 cup honey

2 tbsp arrowroot starch

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups fresh apricots, sliced

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp arrowroot starch/flour

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Glaze

1/3 cup apricot jam (sweetened with fruit juice)

2 tbsp water

Directions

Line the bottom of a 25cm springform pan with parchment paper that is cut to fit.  Grease the parchment paper and sides of the pan.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Combine coconut flour, arrowroot, tapioca, rice flour, almond flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.  In a smaller bowl combine the melted coconut oil, honey, coconut sugar, yogurt and egg yolk.  Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix in the almonds.  Spread the mixture into the bottom of and about 1 cm up the sides of the prepared pan.  Let stand for about 15 minutes.  Then bake the crust for 15 minutes.  Turn down the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the grated apples and lemon juice.  Place in a sieve for 15 minutes and press out any excess liquid.  Combine the apples, coconut sugar, 1/4 cup honey, 2 tbsp arrowroot starch, cinnamon and vanilla in a large bowl.  Pour the apple mixture into the crust and spread evenly with a spoon.  

Mix the sliced apricots with 1 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp arrowroot and arrange on top of the grated apple mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.  Sprinkle the 1/4 cup sliced almonds around the rim of the crust and bake for about another 15-20 minutes, or until the center crust is done (test with a toothpick).

Bring the apricot jam and water to a boil in a small saucepan while whisking constantly.  Reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes or until thickened, whisking occasionally.  Brush the glaze over the apricots.  Chill before serving.  Serve with whipped cream or whipped coconut cream.