A few weekends ago I decided I was going to roast a whole chicken. I am familiar with baking pieces of chicken for dinner, as I do this weekly, but I had never done a whole chicken. Ill be honest I did a lot of research. From reading family cookbooks, to referencing TikTok creators like Merideth and Tess who both have videos on roasting chicken and turkey. Tess recently celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving which is what got my wheels turning.

I started by finding out how committed I wanted to be. Did I want to buy a nice big chicken or go the cheapest rout and make room for error… Walmart, it is! I found a whole chicken there for less than $6 and it said “not all Giblets inside” which made me think I was safe for the most part when it came to guts.

Then I had to figure out if I wanted to dry out the chicken as well as how I wanted to season it. I decided to go with what I know and often use when I roast chicken thighs, a simple herb butter rub. I washed the chicken, dried, spatchcocked and salted it and left it in the fridge for 3 hours to somewhat dry out (next time I’ll leave it overnight). In the meantime, I made some gluten free checkerboard cookies which turned out perfect! (check out last post on here for the recipe)

After those 3 hours I turned the oven on to 450 and started butterloading (new word??) the chicken. I used a spoon to get under the skin and then scooped my butter mixture (thyme, salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder and rosemary) into the chicken. I made sure everything was covered inside, on top and upside down. Then I used my hands to really rub it all in. The chicken went back into the fridge till the oven was at the temp I wanted, which was about 10 min longer.

While it was back in the fridge I chopped some potatoes, and white onion. I was going to do carrot as well, but I thought I would start simple. My chicken was on a backing rack so it wouldn’t be sitting on the veggies. I put the potatoes under the chicken rack and placed in the oven for 45 min.

I checked the chicken about 10 times to make sure all was well. And wow it turned out perfect! The chicken was removed from the oven when internal temp was about 155 and I left the potatoes in there to soften up a bit more. After those 10 min of resting was up, I served the potatoes and chicken to my partner and I for dinner. 10/10 and one of the juiciest chickens I have ever had! I don’t think I would change the spices but if I did, I want to try a brown sugar and garlic rub like I have seen done on turkey.

But now that I know how “easy” a chicken is to roast and make taste good, I think this would make an excellent substitute for thanksgiving and or a small gathering for the holidays. What are your thoughts??

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I feel like everyone loves cute cookies. I was scrolling through TikTok this last Friday and I saw that the content creator Tess (@tessmadalyn) had posted a video of her making checkerboard shortbread cookies or as she had called them Norwegian Checkered cookies. (I may be a big fan of hers and i have no shame in that everyone needs role models). She walked her audience through how to make them and the adventures of being a new mom in the kitchen. I thought to myself “I should try to make those”.

I also decided to roast a chicken the same day so imagine a mess of a kitchen, but wow was the end result so cute. I had never made these before, but I had made gluten free sugar cookies, so I pulled up a recipe I had used in the past to make some. the recipe was from Soft Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies | Frugal Farm Wife. I found the cookies to be a bit on the dryer side but NOT CRUMBLY! (I think due to my adjustments not the recipe itself) but perfect for a shortbread cookie with tea.

here is her recipe:

Ingredients

•  2 cups gluten-free flour mix

• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum ( i did not use since my flour already had some)

• ¾ teaspoon baking powder

• ⅔ cup granulated sugar

• ½ cup butter, softened

• 1 egg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1–2 tablespoons milk

• my addition of 2-3 tablespoons of powdered cocoa for brown half

• and an addition of 1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste to vanilla half

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350º

2. In a large bowl, mix flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and sugar.

3. Combine well

4. Add butter, egg, 1 tablespoon of milk, and vanilla.

5. Mix dough until if comes together, adding the second tablespoon of milk if necessary.

6. Dough will be stiff.

7. Squeeze dough together into a ball.

8. Roll out between sheets of parchment paper to somewhere between ¼” and ⅓” thick.

9. Cut into rounds, or with shaped cookie cutters.

10. Place on ungreased baking sheets and place the oven for 7-10 minutes until the edges just begin to brown.

11. Remove cookies from oven and allow to cool until set.

12. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

13. Ice as desired.

14. Enjoy!

To make these into the Norwegian checkered cookies I split the dough in half while it was roughly combined and added 2-3 tablespoons of powdered cocoa to one half. I then split the halves in half so I had 4 balls of dough.

With each ball you will want to roll them into thin logs…. about a half inch in thickness. Then you will stack them paired black to white, white to black making a checkered pattern.

Make sure you push the dough together so that they all tighten and form a mold. I wrapped them in plastic wrap for about an hour in the freezer to harden together. (I baked a chicken while these sat).

To bake, set the oven to 350.

When the hour was completed, I took a sharp knife and cut out about a half inch cookie. placed them on a cookie sheet and baked for about 9 minutes.

If I was decorating the cookies with a frosting these cookies would be truly delicious and a perfect Gluten free sugar cookie. Truly a 10/10 recipe. But since the design was in the cookie itself, I find them to fall a bit flat. Maybe next time I will add a bit more sugar or vanilla. I think I would like to try different flavors like an orange and ginger combo somehow or an orange and pistachio. .. I’ll keep you all posted.

Thanks for reading! any thoughts as to what I should bake or make next?

Starting with a good base for the season is Perfect Cast-Iron Skillet Chicken Thighs Recipe. This was one of the first recipe’s I learned when I started experimenting with chicken and learning how to roast on a cast iron. Adding a fall flair, I love to put some apple cider vinegar with potatoes, garlic, white onion and carrots before adding the dish to the oven. The veggies bake nicely and it rounds out the dish perfectly.

I truly can’t choose a favorite veggie for the fall season. I love a good winter squash bake with sweet potatoes and red onion, as well as kale chip salads. But a good staple in my kitchen for a weeknight dinner is Brussels Sprouts with Warm Honey Glaze or Balsamic- Roasted Brussels Sprouts.

If you don’t love Brussels Sprouts could I interest you in a cabbage bake? My family has made a version of this dish for years! When I make a pork belly bowl this exact recipe with Kimchi is usually what is paired with it. I’m not a huge fan of the kimchi flavor but being able to control the strength of the dish has worked well for me. With understanding the base of this dish, you can substitute and roast with onions, cauliflower, or apples! I also season it to match whatever else I am making for dinner. (You can roast this at the same time as the chicken thighs!)

Then for the first soup of the season a hardy chicken noodle soup recipe from Bon Appetit. Bon Appetit is a wonderful website to learn how to cook the basics. Truth be told, I learned how to make chicken noodle soup by this recipe. I have adjusted the recipe over the years but once you know how to make a soup in a pot, you can embrace so many other soups. With this chicken noodle soup recipe, I also use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs from Trader Joes. Adding white onion, whole carrots, and celery to the pot keeps this soup under 10$. I use these same steps of the recipe to make Tom Kah soup and other light and brothy soups as well. Bon Appetit has a few (26) other good ones here as well 26 Light Soups that Press the Reset Button.

To finish this October Newsletter off I wanted to share my fall pavlova recipe. I love pavlovas year-round. During summer they are perfect with berries and whipped cream, in the fall I love them with a cinnamon and pumpkin spice mix topped with candied pecans, and in the winter topped with a peppermint chocolate mousse.

My pavlova recipe:

• 3 large eggs at room temperature

• 150grams of granulated sugar

• Pinch of salt

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees

2. Make a quick double broiler

3. Put egg whites in mixer bowl and whisk with sugar and salt while in double broiler till sugar granules are smooth (don’t scramble) about 2-3 min.

4. Pour in Vanilla extract

5. Whisk in stand mixer till stiff peaks form. About 4-5 min

6. Put meringue in center of baking sheet

7. Form a hollow bowl in center of meringue

8. Bake for 2 hours without opening oven door!

9. Cool for at least 1 hour in oven uninterrupted!

10. Remove from oven and serve with toppings.

Make the pavlova as instructed above but before you add it to the baking sheet, gently fold in (fold in the cheese David!) a sifted 2 tbsp of pumpkin spice powder and cinnamon. Emphasis on the sifted as to not flatten the meringue. You don’t want any clumps! Bake for 2 hours – or till done and let it sit in the oven with the door closed for at least an hour till cooled. For my candied pecan topping, I like to follow step 4 of this Pecan Torte with Butterscotch Topping Recipe. Let this butterscotch pecan sit till cool or till desired temp, then add it on top of the pavlova with a whipped cream or just as is. It is perfect for a fall holiday

I must be honest; I did not come up with this myself. I was scrolling TikTok on a random day and came across Tess aka @tessmadalyn making Bon Appetit’s Chocolate Chip cookie. If you are not gluten free, I have the link to that recipe here. If you are glutenfree, don’t click that link! I tried the recipe so you don’t have to, and it’s great, but needs some tweaks for all my gluten free guys and gals. I will break down the steps from my own experience of making these cookies. They WILL be the most perfect gooey and large chocolate chip cookies, as long as you follow these adjustments.  

You need:

·       12 tbsp. butter

·       1 tsp salt

·       1 2/3 cups of gluten free flour (duh)

·       ¾ tsp baking soda

·      1 cup dark brown sugar packed

·       ¼ cup granulated sugar

·       1 egg

·       2 egg yolks

·       1 tsp vanilla extract

· As much chocolate chips as you want, I add about a bag. I say about a bag because I eat a few handfuls before pouring them in. Or a chocolate bar chopped up works nicely. I could also see nuts tasting good in this recipe.

1. Don’t forget to pre heat the oven to 350. Bon Appetite says to set it to 375, but my oven runs hot, and even in other ovens I have found that setting it to 350 just works better for gluten free.

2. Okay! From here you can follow the steps of how to make the cookies from Bon Appetit’s website. But I will also list it out. We need to brown the butter. Cut the stick of butter into nice small cubes so that it melts evenly. Put the 8 tbsp into a pot and melt on medium heat. The butter will bubble, and this is where we need to keep stirring. Don’t stop stirring and keep an eye on the coloring till it turns a dark brown. It is very easy to burn the butter so once it changes color take it off the heat but keep stirring till the butter settles. I like to pour the butter into a bowl so that it can cool faster. Once the butter is slightly cooled put the remaining 4 tbsp into the brown butter. You want to slowly add them and make sure that the butter does not fizz or bubble. If it does, the butter is still too hot.

3. If you are making your own brown sugar perfect, if not, move to the next step. I make my own brown sugar (I know fancy pants) with regular granulated sugar and molasses. I mean what else was I supposed to do with this giant jar of molasses that sits in my cupboard… make carrot cake… maybe tomorrow. I make my brown sugar by adding to every cup of sugar a tbsp and a half of molasses. I mix this in my stand mixer and jar it for my next use.

4. After you have your brown butter made, add your dark brown sugar to the mix along with the 1/4 cup of granulated sugar. I usually make this step in a stand mixer to ensure that it all combines. Once set, add your egg and then 2 egg yolks one at a time. Mix just till silky in texture. After this step go ahead and add the vanilla extract.

5. In a separate bowl (I hate getting another bowl but just do it) add the flour, salt, and baking soda and mix till evenly combined. Then pour flour slowly into liquid mixture. I do bits at a time to make sure there are no flour pockets anywhere and I can scrape the bottom. IF the batter seems too runny add another tablespoon of flour and mix. You want it to be able to hold shape.

6. Then, the showstoppers! The chocolate chips!!! Make sure you don’t over mix… whatever that means, but I know it’s possible and important to keep in mind while baking.

7. Next step I have found is VERY important for the gluten free batch, let them sit in the fridge for at least an hour or more. I like to make these for the next day and freeze them. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Ball the dough with a cookie or ice cream scooper. the bigger the better! I like using one of these so that they make large and consistently sized cookies. This also helps them stay perfectly round.

8. Once scooped and cooled, set a few inches apart on a baking sheet (they will expand) and set on the middle to upper 3^rd of the oven. Bake for about 10-12 min depending on size. They will brown a bit and be loosely set in the middle.

Let them cool for about 10 min on rack and then serve with beverage of choice. <3  

I would love to know how these turned out for all of you!

all of the recipes I have tried if it is not originally gluten free, I add my own twist to make it so. I am a Celiac and I don’t let that stop me from trying delicious recipes like the ones Wishbone Kitchen whips up!

September marks the end of summer. Most places start cooling down and the fall décor is soon to come out of hiding. Tomato season is coming to an end and it’s time for chicken roasts and apple cider. Below are some of my go to recipes from my favorite content creator Wishbone Kitchen aka Meredith Hayden.

I have made these galettes countless times. (and with a gluten free crust!) They are perfect for a weekend brunch or to have for breakfast during a work from home meeting. I LOVE the Heirloom Tomato with an herb goat cheese combo but you can’t go wrong with a pesto and spinach artichoke bake as well.
Wishbone kitchen has a handful of recipes for Heirloom tomatoes. I have tried most of them and my favorites are below.

“What’s for dinner?” These three recipes from Wishbone Kitchen are perfect for a weeknight. The Grilled Chicken Parm I make in a wok since I don’t have a grill and it’s done within 10 min! Perfectly crispy and I make this gluten free as well! Serve it up with some noodles and lemon juice or marinara sauce and it’s a filling and perfect dinner.

The Fish Tacos Al Pastor is a fan favorite! I have not tried this one yet step by step, but I have taken inspiration from her recipe to use things I have on hand. The marinade does bring a kick, but with the pineapple salsa (i have made it with peach and lime) its finger licking good! If you have a grill, you can grill the fish outside, so it doesn’t even heat the home or in the air fryer for more of a crisp.

Lastly a staple for myself this season has been her Hot Honey Butter Roast Chicken. I have used Trader Joes bone-in skin-on chicken thighs countless of times with this recipe. Very easy to substitute items and make in the oven or on a cast iron skillet stove top. I often serve with mashed potatoes and roasted carrots on the side (perfect under $5 meal for 2 if you ask me).

Thats what I have for this September’s issue of Seasonal Eats. Follow along for more Celiac friendly tips and ideas as well as some Good Ol’ food to share! XXX

• 1-2 lbs. chicken thighs (I use bone in skin on.)

• 1/4 cup honey

• 1 tbsp red pepper flakes

• 1/2 tsp garlic or garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/8 tsp ginger powder

• 1 head cabbage

• 1 white onion

• 4 tbsp olive oil

For this recipe, I like to dry out my chicken for a nice crispy skin. To do this you want to make sure your chicken is defrosted and then pat dry with a paper towel to ensure all moisture on top is removed. Then place the chicken in the fridge uncovered for an hour or two. After the few hours are done, I like to sprinkle salt on top and bottom and then let rest again in the fridge for another hour. Pat dries any excess moisture in between these steps.

To make the hot honey (If you dont have some on hand) I add the honey, red pepper, sprinkle of garlic powder and a splash of hot sauce to a saucepan. warm it up and mix together, then let it slightly cool before pouring it into a jar.

While the chicken is drying, chop up white onion in thick ribbons. I like to slice my cabbage into disks. This is perfect for baking in the oven and getting crisp edges. turn the oven on to 450 degrease and grab a sheet pan for roasting the veggies.

Drizzle olive oil on a sheet pan and place cabbage disks and ribbons of onion on. I like to use my hands to cover the veggies in the oil. Sprinkle a bit more salt if desired. cook for 30-40 min or until desired texture. I like mine soft in the middle but crunchy and brown on the exterior leaves.

Once the chicken is nice and dry, sprinkle some black pepper and garlic powder on top and bottom and all around. I use a cast iron when cooking chicken or a grill. for this recipe, I make sure my cast iron is hot and properly seasoned. When the pan is hot, place the chicken skin side down. Don’t move or try to pick up the chicken for at least 5-7 min. the chicken will release when it is nicely browned and crisped. You want the pan to be hot for the initial sear but on a medium-high for 5-7 min. When chicken releases, flip and adjust heat to medium-low. Allow to cook for another 7-10 min until the interior temp is 165. Once chicken is done, add the hot honey mixture on top. I like to coat the chicken, in the cast iron, using a brush. Finish the dish off in the oven for about 5 min with the veggies.

Since the chicken cooks a lot faster than the veggies make sure to prep and make veggies first! when I get the chicken going on the first seer, I take the veggies out and drizzle with a bit of the hot honey and garlic combo. Just a light flavor to tie in the chicken and veggies together.

Another fun flavor to drizzle on after everything is plated, is a splash of toasted sesame oil. this adds a bit more umami to the dish without overpowering. this dish is perfect served with a baked potato or rice.

let me know what you think X❤X❤

Over the last few weeks, I have started going to my sister’s house on Sunday mornings for breakfast. She makes the egg scramble and sausage mix, and I make a Breakfast Loaf. But truly, this is more than a breakfast loaf, it has zucchini, carrot and coconut as well as chocolate chips. I have also dabbled in adding oats and pecans or other nuts and fruits as well. It’s a good combo of a moist but light bread for an early morning cup of coffee.

Ingredients: Makes 1 small loaf **

1 cup zucchini

1/2 cup carrot

1/2 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbs molasses

1/4th cup + 2 tbsp sugar

1 egg

7 tbs butter melted (I wonder if it would taste good browned)

1 cup +1tbsp flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch salt

Set oven to 350 degrees. line a baking pan with parchment paper and a little drizzle of oil or the melted butter.

To start, shred or grate your zucchini and carrots till they are nice and small. Then add your wet ingredients to the veggies. Butter, egg, vanilla, molasses and sugar.

In a separate bowl add your flour, salt and baking powder. Mix both together till and pour in your extra’s. This would-be chocolate chips, nuts, coconut flakes, ext.

pour into the pan and cover with aluminum foil. this prevents the top from browning and assists the center to cook along with the outside. Bake for 30 min covered and 15 min uncovered or until toothpick comes out clean or temp is 160-180 inside. let the loaf cool completely while in the pan. when recipes include this step, I take it as a note to maybe make this the night before and let sit to serve the next day.

serve with a cup of coffee or tea. and enjoy

NOTES:

*This does make a small loaf, this recipe can be doubled for larger portion. Bake for 40 min covered and 20 min uncovered.

You are going to need:

• 1 1/2 tbsp unsweetened coco powder

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

• a pinch of cinnamon

• 1/2 cup of milk

• 1/4 cup of heavy cream

This is by no means a light coco recipe, its dark its sultry, it is asking you personal questions on a first date but like… you like it. To a saucepan add your milk and cream on a low heat. Add the coco, sugar and cinnamon, and whisk to combine. I prefer a rich coco and use Guittard's Cocoa Rouge. I use a handheld electric milk whisk for this. Coco is hydrophobic, meaning it does not combine with water. I am no chemist but when whisked vigorously it does mix with milk.

Let sit on the pot and stir gently till it is to a temperature you prefer. Pour into a mug and serve.

This makes 1 serving unless you like it lighter and add more milk. Perfect for a rainy day or when you want a sweet treat beverage.

Let me know what you think! ❤☕

XXX Christina

Every time I went out to eat my stomach would hurt, I would get aches and pains that I could not explain. We ate almost completely at home with mom and dad’s cooking, and mom and dad, I love you, but I am going to hold your hand when I say this, not every meal was a party in my mouth.

Maybe 40% were…… lots of the same, crock pot meals but never a good sandwich bread to have the pulled pork with. “Maybe a lettuce wrap” my parents would say to which I responded with🙄. . . .

To save you from the rest of the sob story we are going to jump to Senior in Highschool me. I was part time home schooled and decided that I was going to learn to cook. When the whole celiac thing happened, I was already making my own eggs, lunches, and helped with dinners. So being in the kitchen was not new to me. Both of my parents worked, and my older sisters had Volleyball practice that ran till 8 at night or something ridiculous like that, and me having done school from home and ran Cross Country after, I was the first one home at 5:00. If I wanted dinner, I had to make it. and I LOVED IT. I had so much freedom to make food that were filling to me. I wanted the noodles and tried to find the best kinds, I wanted to try new recipes!

I remember the first family sized meal I made was Spaghetti with ground turkey. TBH still a fan favorite. I had no idea how to sauté an onion or even correctly chop an onion at this point, but I had YouTube and my growling stomach and nose leading me the way. At this time, I was no Professional, but I made some pretty good food for a 17-year-old.

(skipping over college because who wants the memories… not me) 😒

By my senior year of college, I had truly fallen in LOVE with cooking. The year is 2020… I spent a lot of time at home with a LOT of people. I really embraced baking at this time. I solidified my pie crust this year, my churro obsession, cookies, stir-fries and burgers. This was actually the year I attempted to write a cookbook with no prior knowledge to what the heck goes into a cookbook.

I am now living in Sacramento with my partner Peter. I cook 99% of the meals at home and 2% of those (you can ask my partner) are “not as good as the last one”. Like I said before, I cook 100% gluten free, and I am celiac. I cook what I would consider as healthy and mindful meals that are not bland, boring, or tastes gluten free.

On this blog I hope to share with you my recent finds of good food created by others to whom I will give all the credit and praise because ya girl does NOT gate keep, my own personal creations and recipes, and maybe even a bit of the day in the life. I hope you find something in this you can relate to, laugh with, or learn from.

XXX Christina ❤