Great-Grandma's Custard

Ingredients:

3 C Whole Milk
4 Eggs
2/3 C Sugar
1/2 t Cinnamon
1/8 t Salt
1 T Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Note: When adding milk to other ingredients, stir, don't whisk. Create as few bubbles as possible.

In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium heat, scald milk by heating until just before the milk starts to bubble, stirring frequently.

Remove from heat and allow to cool a little.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, cinnamon, salt and vanilla.

Slowly stir milk into egg mixture.

Pour into small custard cups or ramekins.

Place filled cups in 13x9-inch pan on oven rack. Pour very hot water into pan to within 1/2-inch of tops of cups. Be careful not to get any water in the custard mixture.

Bake about 30-45 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean.

Remove cups from water. Cool about 30 minutes.

Serve completely cold.

Cover leftover cups with plastic wrap.

Custard Pie: To make as a pie, prepare as directed but pour into unbaked pie shell and then bake until done.

Yield: About 8 Servings

Kefir Fermented Bread

Ingredients:

4 C Flour (Whole Wheat, All-Purpose, Bread Flour, Spelt Flour, Rye Flour or a combination)
1/2 T Fine Sea Salt
2 T Honey
2 C Homemade Full-Fat Milk Kefir

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix together flour and salt.

Pour in honey and 1 1/2 C of milk kefir. Add flour. Stir together using a sturdy wooden spoon until dough is sticky but pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add more milk kefir as needed.

On a well-floured work surface, knead dough 5-10 minutes or until soft and smooth, adding more flour as necessary.

Transfer to an oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and leave on counter to ferment 12-24 hours.

Punch down dough. Spray a standard-size loaf pan with non-stick spray. Place dough in greased loaf pan.

Allow to rise in a warm place (or use "proof" setting on oven) until center of dough reaches the top of the loaf pan.

Prehead oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until done.

Remove immediately from loaf pan and allow to cool completely on cooling rack before slicing.

* Adapted from https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/recipe/milk-kefir-recipes/simple-milk-kefir-yeast-bread/

Sticky Garlic Pork Chops

Ingredients:

4 Pork Chops (boneless or bone-in)
1/3 C Brown Sugar
6 Cloves Finely Minced Garlic
1/4 C Rice Vinegar
2 T Asian Fish Sauce
1 T Soy Sauce
1 T Ketchup
1/2 t Black Pepper
2 t Siracha, or to taste
1 t Light Flavored Olive Oil

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, garlic, vinegar, fish sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, black pepper and siracha.

In a zip-lock bag or baking dish, place in pork chops and pour over sauce. Toss several times to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours. Turn every half hour during marination time.

Remove from refrigerator and scrape off excess marinade. Reserve all marinade.

Brush olive oil in a large non-stick skillet. Place in pork chops and cook over medium heat for about five minutes per side.

Remove pork chops to a plate and scrape all reservered marinade into the pan. Reduce sauce until it thickens to your desired viscocity.

Transfer pork chops back into sauce and reduce heat to medium-low. Toss and baste as needed until pork chops are cooked through or to desired doneness.

Serve with extra sauce on top!

* Adapted from https://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2018/01/sticky-garlic-pork-chops-what-do-you.html

Three Cheese and Garlic Scalloped Potatoes (Gluten-Free)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lbs Red Potatoes, washed (not peeled)
1 1/4 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes, washed (not peeled)
1 Yellow Onion, thinly sliced
3 T Butter
6 T White Rice Flour
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 t Dry Ground Mustard
1/4 t Dried Thyme
1/4 t Paprika
Salt and Pepper, to taste
2 C Whole Milk
1 1/4 C Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
3/4 C Gruyere cheese, shredded, divided
1/4 C plus 2 T Parmesan cheese, shredded, divided
Fresh Chives
Fresh Parsley

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Butter a 2-quart casserole dish.

Slice potatoes in 1/8-inch thin slices (using a mandolin slicer), set aside.

Add butter to medium saucepan and head over medium heat. When butter is melted, add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in rice flour and cook 1 minute.

Add cold milk and whisk constantly until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove from heat.

Whisk in dry mustard, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper.

Stir in 1 C Cheddar, 1/2 C Gruyere and 1/4 C Parmesan.

In the prepared casserole dish, layer half the potatoes and onion slices. Pour half of the cheese sauce over the potatoes.

Repeat with remaining potatoes, onions and cheese sauce.

Top with remaining shredded cheeses.

Spray a piece of aluminum foil with non-stick spray and cover the casserole dish (oil side down).

Place casserole dish on a baking sheet and bake for 60 minutes.

If eating this the same day, remove foil and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. If desired, broil for a couple minutes to brown the cheese. Sprinkle top with chopped chives and parsley and serve

If making this for the next day, remove from oven and allow to cool before refrigerating overnight.

Remove from refrigerator and bake, uncovered, on baking sheet for an additional 1 hour and 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender, sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted. If desired, broil for a couple of minutes to brown the cheese. Sprinkle top with chopped chives and parsley and serve.

Yield: 8 Servings

*Adapted from https://www.thechunkychef.com/garlic-parmesan-cheesy-scalloped-potatoes/

Slow-Cooked Brown Butter Garlic Carrots

Ingredients:

2 lbs Large Carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces on a bias
1/2 C Butter
1 T Honey
2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
Salt and Pepper
Dried Parsley

Directions:

Place cut carrots into slow-cooker.

In a medium saucepan, add the butter and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until butter starts to froth and just turns brown.

Remove from heat and stir in honey and garlic.

Drizzle the browned butter sauce over carrots and toss until coated. Season with salt and pepper and dried parsley, to taste.

Cook on high in slow-cooker for 5 hours.

Check for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Yield: 4-5 Servings

Note: Can be scaled up to make more servings as long as your crockpot will hold it!

*Adapted from https://therecipecritic.com/2017/03/roasted-brown-butter-honey-garlic-carrots/

Key Lime Pie (with Gluten-Free Option)

Ingredients:

Crust:

Prepared Graham Cracker Crust
or
Gluten-Free Pie Crust (also nightshade-free)

Filling:

2 14 oz Cans Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 C Sour Cream
3/4 C Fresh Lime Juice or Fresh Key Lime Juice
Zest from 2 regular limes or 4 key limes

Whipped Cream Topping:

1 C Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 C Powdered Sugar
1 t Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Crust:

If using graham cracker crust proceed to filling instructions.

For gluten-free crust, prepare dough as directed on linked page.

Place rolled dough in a pie pan. Crimp edges and dock thoroughly on bottom and sides. Place a sheet of parchment paper on top of crust and gently fill with pie weights or dried beans.

Bake at 350 degrees F until crust lightly brown and cooked through. If necessary, cover edges with foil to avoid burning.

Remove from oven and gently lift out parchment paper and pie weights. Allow crust to cool thoroughly.

Proceed to filling instructions.

Filling:

Whisk together sweetened condensed milk, sour cream and lime juice in a large bowl or stand mixer. Whisk until thoroughly combined and slightly thickened. With a large spoon, stir in lime zest.

Poor into prepared crust and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Remove from oven and allow pie to cool slightly before chilling in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Proceed to whipped cream instructions.

Whipped Cream Topping:

In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk heavy cream and sugar together until stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla extract.

Spoon or pipe the whipped cream topping onto chilled pie. Top with additional lime zest, if desired.

Serve immediately.

Yield: 8-10 Servings

*Adapted from https://www.momontimeout.com/best-key-lime-pie-recipe/

Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

4 C Cooked (or canned) Cut Green Beans (see note below)

1 10-12 oz Gluten-Free Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/2 C Milk

1 t Gluten-Free Soy Sauce or Liquid Aminos

Dash of Black Pepper

1 6 oz Can Gluten-Free French Fried Onions

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

In an 8x8-inch casserole dish, mix together green beans, soup, milk, soy sauce and pepper. 

Stir in half of onions. 

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until hot. 

Stir. 

Top with remaining onions and continue baking 5 more minutes. 

Yield: 5 Servings

Note: Use one 16 oz bag frozen cut green beans, 1 1/2 lbs. fresh green beans or 2 15 oz cans. If using frozen or fresh, cook beans before using.

* Adapted from Campbell's recipe "Green Bean Bake"