Its So taboo; its forbidden!!!

HAHAHA pun intended! In the food world there is this dark purple black little grain called, Forbidden Rice! OMG!!!! What you never heard if it? Let me tell you its beats all other rice out the water... My first experience with the forbidden stuff was a romantic dinner at the Getty center off of the 405 in LA.  It decorated the white plate with great contrast on top of the rice lay duck breast so well seasoned. Really the meal was fantastic I almost weep with joy. Ok not really but it was so good I remember it to this day. Trust me had nothing to do with the company I was with. That life was short lived.
      I little info on the dark gain. As the legend has it the rice was reserved for the emperors of China. It was so well treasured it became to be called the forbidden rice. We may not be an emperors but you will enjoy the rice like if you where one. I has soft texture, nutty flavors and you can not miss its deep rich color.  The rice also high in antioxidants. Similar to the ones found in blueberries and acai. Here is the kick no sugar like the fruits. Let me just say I am a huge fan!!   It has been gray for a few days with some rain. I am on my 3rd use of a chicken this week, but that is a different blog all together.  I am not a soup fan either but its easy so its soup tonight.  But this wasn't your grandmas chicken noddle soup either. Take one roasted chicken store bought is ok too. One huge pot, I love using my 1970's Le Creuset. Boil the chicken in water that almost covers the chicken but let some it it peek out for about 2 hours. Turn the heat down and let simmer the rest of the time. at this time I added 4 whole peeled garlic cloves. 1 bay leaf, black pepper, salt, celery seeds, 2 squirts of sricacha mostly for taste not for heat. While that was bubbling all together. I roasted some frozen broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. This is a step you don't want to skip! adding roasted veggies to a dish it has more favor and earthly-ness. Just trust me.  After the as some good color to it add the veggies to the soup. (The rice takes 30 min to cook) So adjust for serving time.  The soup will darken in color and some of the chicken will look kind of purple... But its is so worth it.
   Did I tell you I hate chicken and rice soup?  The soup tormented me as a kid, I couldn't eat noddles do to allergies and the Campbell's crap is gross.  I turned my nose ups to soup for a long time. I apparently my pallet was more advice than I was at the time. I still claim to tell me Mother," I'm not picking my pallet is different then everyone else's."  I will admit it does make the house smell fantastic.


 

EpiPen

Some times we forget about the out side world when we are always consumed with our own.  Now I have been gluten free for well over a year.  When others have questions, I love to answer and tell them all about it and how good I feel.
    I forget that there are other people that have allergies too and some can be deadly!!!  Lets all not forget about the peanut allergies like I did over the weekend.  I hosted and 80s Prom party at my family's vineyard. The cake I wanted was a gluten free chocolate with chocolate and peanut butter frosting.  I had also made no bake cookies that are mostly chocolate, peanut butter and oats. I had forgot about others when it came to the dessert table! Gosh, I suck!  I was just talking how I always get screwed with it comes to the dessert table. Can I tell you how bad I felt with he was asking me what was in what!  I could never imagine being so allergic to something that I would need to carry and epinephrine pen. If you don't know what it is, its a scary needle that looks like a pen that you jab in your leg to avoid to avoid or treat the onset of anaphylactic shock.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anaphylactic_shock#Diagnosis. 
 People that use these are allergic to bee's, strawberries, shell fish, eggs, and soy who knew right?
    Luckily no one needed a shot that night and we party like its was the 80's minus the coke that is just gross!!! ( That is nothing that I have or would ever do!!!)    I guess my moral of the story is we all drop the ball sometimes. Just knowing, being aware of things and of others can go along way.  






Frosting: Peanut butter and Chocolate frosting
 1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
 1/3 cup unsweetened coco powder
 2 2/3 cup of powder sugar 
 1/4 tsp. salt
 1 tps vanilla
 1/2 cup of half and half 


Blend all above in a large bowl with a hand mixer until smooth 


No-bake cookies 
 2 cups sugar
 4 tbsp cocoa 
1 stick of butter (yes butter the real stuff)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup peanut butter
1tbsp vanilla 
3 cups oatmeal
and wax or parchment paper


add everything but oats. in a sauce pan bring is a soft boil, turn heat off. Add oats, mix, let set for 3 to 5 mins. 
 Take mixture and two spoons, spoon out the size of cookie spoon it onto the wax paper. 

That's a jip

One of the difficultly of being gluten free are potlucks!!! Most of the time its not a big deal you can eat salad and all the veggies and meat you want. But where we really get screwed is at the dessert table.  Its always cup cakes or brownies, two of my favs!( Unless I make them myself and I know they are gluten free) I cant touch the stuff... BOO!!!! So over the weekend my husband and I where invited to a potluck and the first thing that came out of my mouth was I will bring the dessert!!!  Now I wanted to wow people and not just bring the normal old baked goods.  So I saw these cheese cake filled strawberries online, but I never saw or read a how to guide. What does the messy chef do? Make my own and show others how to do the same. So here you go!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEWe1imf6yI&feature=g-upl&context=G22eb1c7AUAAAAAAAAAA

PS they were such a huge hit at this party the next day my facebook feed was all about the cheese cake strawberries, followed by a marriage proposal. LOL I know it was a joke. But really they are that good!

Reviewing bisquick

I had found some gluten free pancake mix made by bisquick at big lots the other day and it was pretty cheap. Being gluten free sometimes the cost of some products can weigh you down. I was really impressed it was easy to mix; milk, egg and oil. I have had others that have you add sweetener. The pancakes came out a nice golden brown. I prefer to enjoy my pancakes with butter and jam. I cut into them with a fork they were light and fluffy !!! Some of the best pancakes I have had in awhile. Great quick dinner.

Pulled Pork Tacos

I do have a youtube channel as well I am working on post more often. Pulled pork tacos was last night dinner. Please enjoy, and eat good food!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukIar-TMoOY&feature=g-upl&context=G22eb1c7AUAAAAAAAAAA

Rain day

It doesn't rain too often in southern california. But when does I think cabin fever sets in pretty quit. This is where improvising, creativity, and some off the wall humor come in handy. After a long morning watching bad reality tv and a few cups of coffee. I yelled Out I am board. Yes I think some ADD ad set in but it happens. That and I had been trying to convince my husband to clean the kitchen. So I said lets going puddle kayaking! If you couldn't tell I was dead serious. I will say right now I plan on being the same if I ever have kids. 100% sure the neighbors think that we are off our rockers. Plus not everyone just has a kayak laying around for random puddle usage.
Returning after adrenaline rush of ducking cars from the street my husband wants waste more time by doing a blind taste test of all the orange trees on the property. Hell why not. Him and I have the same pallet and was not surprise we picked the same ones.
Those are all things to do on a raining day. Here are a few favorites of mine in the past. Making cookie from scratch. Trying a recipes you have always wanted to conquer. Have a sit down family dinner with no cell phones or outside influences. Have a tea with friends. Bed time hot coco.
As the rest of the day I planned pretty early. I had text my family that lived close by asked if we could all get together and have a family taco night... That is my raining day. Hope yours was just as eventful as you wanted. For a rainy day here is my hot coco recipe. Please enjoy and drive slower when it's wet.

HOT COCO 4 cups milk, 2 full table spoons of unsweetened coco powder, add sugar until your desired sweetness, dash of vanilla, dash of salt. Heat on stove top until powder and sugar liquid and do not boil. It will be plenty hot. Add whip cream or marshmallows. 

Challenges

I have been gluten-free for over year one thing that I really miss is really really knotty bar food. my project for tomorrow is make myself some mozzarella cheese sticks. Gluten-free. I am always up for the challenge. I know I will make a huge mess I don't have a recipe but it will turn out good.

Happy Accidents

Story of my life. I have a hard times planning  because when I do it never goes according to plan. But I am in a pinch and I need to make dinner for my husband and I. I have ready sent way to come time tying to film a segment and again didnt work.  So what I do know is what I have in your kitchen, Chicken pieces, rice, mushrooms, spinach, and some brie.  My first instinct was lets make stuff chicken, but it wasn't fully defrosted. There went that idea. Next thought I can make a sauce. So just popped the chicken in the oven on a cooking stone. Bare chicken no salt, nothing.  Make the rice how every, rice from a box, in a rice cooker or those microwave kind that are done in 3 or 4 mins.
   The Sauce
 You will need a sauce pan, on med-low heat. 3 tbls of butter, 1/3 cup of a dry white wine, let butter melt add  wine and sliced mushrooms, lets it do a simmer for 10 mins or until mushrooms are tender but not over cooked. Add two handful of spinach cover until with lid, let the spinach cook down. when your are ready to serve add 1/3 cup of brie. I cup it up in cubs for it will melt faster and I cut off the crust off the brie. That stuff doesn't melt. but you can eat it.
  Plate the with rice first, chicken, and sauce. DONE and DONE!!!

Today was better then my Birthday by ten folds. I got a huge box from pampered Chef... The box was huge!!! I am a true believer that with creativity and some engineering you don't need a lot of kitchen equipment to be a good cook. But sometimes when your need a cooling rack you need a cooling rack.
So excited to start using all my new toys.

ME

Well I am just learning how all this stuff. So my get to know me blog post got removed by me by mistake. Oppppps it happen! What I hate more is I couldn't tell you what I wrote yesterday, so I will just have to do my best.
    I am a nut out of its nut shell. I am goof in the kitchen, home and in public. I am told that I embarrass my husband all the time.
   Now moving on to the food. I am a freak of nature, I am that weirdo that can go out to eat, make the same dish at home. Read a book and be like I can make that.  Really I don't tell people this.
    Truly just love having fun and don't mind taking a risk or two. I love to talk about cooking, food, fun and life.
A lot of what I remake are from travels and always bring back fond time and laughter.  Life is too shot to hate what eat.  Enjoy dessert once in awhile and take a road trip.  My life my not make senses to any others but its makes perfect senses to me.  I look forward to posting about what I am making, where I am eating, and some times where I am going.  It should be a fun ride.


   The Messy Chef

The basics

I have been sick in the start of the week. When I am sick nothing really sounds that great and nothing ever tastes right. Oh yeah most sick people eat soup when they are sick. I am not that person. I really dislike soup. But and old classic sounds so good. A BLT ok but I changed it just a little bit. Bacon stays the same. Lettuce, over and hello spinach! Better flavor and doesn't have the ribs like lettuce does. Tomatoes, I won't eat store bought they taste horrible and it winter they are not in season. Thank god for avocados. So hit the spot! Ps its whole grain gluten free bread.
Moral of the store classics can be forgotten for sometime but alway come back into style. Make it how you like it and claim it you own.