Christmas Roasted Crown of Beef

Christmas this year was different in that we were actually home for the big day. My lovely cousin is getting married New Year's Eve eve in South Carolina and my family decided to spend the holiday at our respective homes and meet up at the wedding. This left me with the unusual dilemma of making a holiday worthy meal in our own home. Therefore, I wanted something memorable, different and, most of all, easy! Enter, crown roast of beef.


I was fortunate to get a hot tip on a terrific local market that sells grass fed locally sourced meats at a terrific price, and, as it turns out, Hampton's Market is a little known treasure in Greenwood. I placed my order seven days before Christmas eve and ordered only two ribs since we're a small family of three - with one of us being a picky toddler - figuring that two ribs would be sufficient for a small family dinner and allow for some day after leftovers. As it turns out, I was wrong, very, very wrong. Those two ribs weighed in at five and a half pounds and was something more more like four servings. That said, I prefer to cook double and freeze half for busy weeknight meals. I think that we'll enjoy the leftovers on a cold winter weeknight sometime soon with some fresh roasted veggies - yum!


It turns out that this meal was super easy to make, gluten and dairy free and very, very tasty. It will be first on my list the next time I need a special meal. Try the recipe below and let me know if you agree!


Special Occasion Rib Roast

• 5.5 lb Crown Rib Roast (approximately 2 ribs), tied
• 1 large handful of fresh parsley, leaves stripped from the stalk, minced very fine
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 cup EVOO 
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp fresh ground black pepper

Remove rib roast from the fridge 15 minutes prior to roasting. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Arrange oven racks to the lowest position.

Place the large stems you remove from the parsley in the bottom of a small metal "turkey" roaster (inexpensive, can be purchased at your local discount store). Wipe roast with paper towels and place it in the roaster on top of the parsley stems. 

In a small bowl, mix the parsley, garlic, salt, pepper and EVOO with a spoon until well combined. Reserve a few tablespoons of the mixture if you plan to roast root veggies to serve along side of your roast. If not, reserve part of the mixture for another use. 

Using clean hands, spoon half of the parsley/garlic mixture over the roast and rub over the roast to distribute. Continue process until all of the mixture has been used and roast is well seasoned. 

Place the lid on the roaster and place roaster in the middle of the oven. Roast for 2 hours on 300. Raise the oven temperature to 425, flip the roast over to ensure even roasting and cook for another 15 minutes with the lid off. 

When time is up, remove the roast from the oven and "tent" it to rest by placing the lid on an angle to allow steam to escape of keep roast warm for at least 20 minutes. Carve and serve with your favorite condiment.

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

I love fall (I may have mentioned that a few times). I love butternut squash. I love soup. So, on a rainy, chilly, fall day, I decided to combine three of my favs and try my hand at making butternut squash soup. I must confess that reaching this decision required some bravery on my part as I tried this once before, about 15 years ago, with dismal (i.e., inedible) results. However, I've learned a lot about flavors and combining them over the past 15 years, so I thought I'd give it one more try. I figured if it didn't work this time, I'd give up and move onto something that I knew I could successfully make.


As is typical, when I set out to make something that I haven't made before (or haven't made an edible version of), I read an assortment of recipes to find out how others make it. For this research, I consistently turn to two resources:  1) my somewhat battered, but beloved copy of The Joy of Cooking, and 2) Google. I like to use the cookbook as I have found the recipes in this particular one to be very, very reliable turning out good results time and again for a variety of dishes. I use the internet as I like to have access to the reviews of the recipes posted on common food sites so that I know what works and what doesn't for the home cook. I made this soup on a work day, so did both quickly.


What I learned from my review is that the ingredients for Butternut Squash soup vary widely. There was a version with ground thyme and rosemary. Though I like both, I thought ground sage might be an even better choice, especially if I were to serve it closer to Thanksgiving. There were also multiple recipes that included curry. I've had a hard time finding a brand of curry powder that I like though, so that option was out. In the end, I settled for a mixture of garam masala - much more reliable than curry powder for me - and saffron, complemented with a little ground cumin for some smokey notes.


Most recipes called for roasting the squash. I was in a serious time crunch, so skipped this step. However, after tasting the end result of my efforts, which were pretty yummy, I would make time to roast the squash next time as the version I made lacked a deep flavor that I believe roasting will provide. 


I made the soup this time using my 4 qt crock pot and it was super easy. However, it would be just as easy on the stove top and much faster. In addition, though not by design, this soup happens to be dairy free, gluten free and could be made vegan by substituting the chicken broth for a good quality veggie broth. 


This soup is full of lots of good things that remind me of fall:  squash, apples, cider (or in my case today apple juice, but I think cider would give it just a little something extra). In addition, the creaminess of the soup is partly due to pureeing the soup in a blender and partly due to the use of lite coconut milk. 


Give it a try the next time you have some left over squash on hand or need a new recipe to combine some fall favorites. You won't be sorry!


Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Combine the following ingredients EXCEPT for the Coconut Milk in a crock pot (4 quart or larger):

• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and cut into 2" chunks
• 1/2 a small onion, diced
• 3 small apples, skin on, diced
• 1 tbls Garam Masala
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 2 tsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• small pinch of saffron
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 2-3 cups apple juice or apple cider
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 can lite Coconut Milk
• Maple Syrup

Allow to cook on low for 4 hours or high for 6. When squash is tender, puree soup in a blender in batches and add to a soup pot. Once all of the soup has been pureed, add 1 can of lite coconut milk and stir to combine all of the ingredients. 


Taste soup for seasoning and add as much as 3 tablespoons of good quality maple syrup (or more to taste). Make any final adjustments to the seasonings as needed, including garam masala, ginger, salt and pepper, etc. 


Allow soup to cook over medium low heat for a minimum of 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld. If you are making the soup in advance, follow recipe up to the adjustment of seasonings and then refrigerate. Warm soup before serving. 


~Enjoy!

Gluten Free Mac 'n Cheese, Velveeta Style

Second in the line up of my quest to make GF versions of some of my childhood favorites is mac 'n cheese. My mom used to make this casserole on occasion when my sister and I were growing up and we loved it. Since that time, I've learned to default to "real" food - real cheese, real butter, organic milk, vegetarian fed cage free eggs, hormone and antibiotic free meats, etc. which means that products like Velveeta have remained on the grocer shelf rather than finding their way into my cart. Therefore, it's been more than a decade since I've purchased the big block of cheese product. 


Please don't mistake my opening comments to mean that I have gone for a decade or more without macaroni and cheese. That's simply not true. My hubby loves the little blue box and so, consequently, does my toddler. I keep a box in the pantry for the occasional Saturday lunch when I'm short on time or options. In addition, and more inline with my culinary interests, a few times a year I make macaroni and cheese from scratch using good quality cheeses that melt into a sea of cheesy goodness. I've even made "grown up" versions of this dish by combining a variety of "gourmet" cheeses to create a more sophisticated result. All have their place and all are good for their intended purpose. It's this last disclaimer - for their intended purpose - that brought me back to my childhood mac 'n cheese. I noticed recently that Velveeta now comes in a 2% version. When I buy pre-shredded cheese (for convenience) I almost always go for the 2% option, so this new version of the classic caught my eye and left me to wonder if maybe there was a place in my repertoire for this childhood version as well.


One Sunday evening, we arrived home from a weekend in Chicago visiting my hubby's side of the family. It was already 6:00 p.m. and the fridge was bare. I needed something filling to feed my family for dinner and I needed it super fast. My tummy had been bothering me for a few days, so I also needed something comforting and didn't want to take the chance of accidentally ingesting either gluten or MSG, so the old joke of "making reservations" for dinner was out. 


Enter Velveeta mac 'n cheese. A quick call to my mom confirmed what I suspected - that this was a quick recipe. So, list in hand, I was off to the grocery store. In an hour I had a casserole cooling and was ready to dish up the gooey cheesy goodness along side some crisp tender veggies.


After probably 20 years, I have to say that this dish was better than I remembered. Since reviving this casserole, I've come to wonder if being a foodie sometimes gets in one's way. As for nutrition, even with the 2% cheese, it's still a high calorie indulgence, so I would never claim that this is a dish that should be on the weekly rotation at anyone's house. I also would not argue that it's as high in nutritional value as many other options. However, I do think that it's a viable option for those occasions when you need some comfort food or are feeling nostalgic. If you truly feel guilty, serve some steamed broccoli on the side and enjoy!


GF Velveeta Mac 'n Cheese

• 1 8 oz box Quinoa elbow macaroni - cooked in boiling salted water until al dente
• 2/3 to 3/4 of a 16 oz box 2% Velveeta, cut into 1/2" cubes
• 1 cup milk - I used 2%
• 1 tsp dijon style mustard
• 1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
• 1-2 dashes tabasco sauce
• 2 tbsp butter, softened

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8x8 or 9x9 casserole dish and set aside. 


Cook macaroni according to the directions on the box until al dente - this will take 4 to 5 minutes. Do not over cook and do not rely on package directions for doneness, they are always off. Drain macaroni and pour it into the casserole dish. 


While the macaroni cooks, in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup combine milk, mustard, nutmeg and tabasco, whisking to ensure the ingredients are well mixed. 


Pour the milk mixture over the macaroni. Top the macaroni milk mixture with half of the cheese cubes, taking care to ensure even distribution. Using a large spoon, work the cubes into the macaroni milk mixture so that the casserole is the same depth across the top. Top the macaroni, milk and cheese with the other half of the Velveeta cubes allowing them to remain on top. Dot the top with the butter between chunks of cheese.


Place the baking dish in the oven and allow to bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, stir the casserole to ensure the macaroni doesn't dry out and the cheese melts evenly. Allow the dish to continue to cook for 10 minutes, stir again. After another 5 minutes, remove the dish from the oven. You will notice that the sauce is still quite runny, this will resolve during the rest period. Allow the dish to rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes on the stove top before serving.


Serve along side a green veggie and offer something nutritious for dessert. Broccoli is a natural complement to this dish. Likewise, fresh apple slices are a nice addition and a healthy dessert that pair well with the cheesy goodness.


~Enjoy!

Gluten Free Magic Cookie Bars (a.k.a. 7 Layer Bars)

I have a new goal - to create GF versions of some of my childhood favorites. That means not only comfort foods like mac 'n cheese and my mom's crock pot fried chicken, but also holiday and dessert favorites like Magic Cookie Bars (you may know them as 7 layer bars). Each Thanksgiving, my mom would make a pan of them to take to my maternal grandmother's house where as many as 70 people might gather each year for Thanksgiving dinner. 


As for food, not only did you find all of the traditional Thanksgiving items on the buffet, the menu each year was rounded out by a well established dessert bar. My mom contributed a pan of these delicious little treats each year for as long as I can remember. They were always one of my favorites and I remember one never being quite enough, even with pumpkin pie and my aunt Delores's strawberry filled angle food cake wrapped in a blanket of sweetened whipped cream.  


As for Magic Cookie Bars, I have made them just a few times over the years since. Fortunately, have been able to work out a GF method for making them. The GF version of this recipe can be a bit expensive due to the cost of the cookies that go into the crust. Due to the cost and the calories, make these when you're feeling nostalgic or for one of the upcoming holidays. I promise you won't be disappointed.


Gluten Free Magic Cookie Bars 


For the crust:
1 bag of GF ginger snaps (I use Mi-Del brand)
1 bag of arrowroot animal cookies (I use Mi-Del brand)
1/2 cup butter melted


Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spay. Line the pan with foil down the length of the pan so that when baked you can remove the bars in one piece and cut into single servings.


Place the cookies in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to create a medium crumb. Depending on the size of the work bowl on your food processor, you may have to do this in a couple of batches. If this is the case, just process one bag or part of a bag at a time and combine the crumbs from each batch in a bowl. The flavor of the two cookies together create something that, when baked, taste much like a traditional graham cracker. Add the melted butter to the bowl of your processor or the bowl you're using to combine the crumbs and stir to distribute. Place the crumb mixture on the foil lined pan and pat into place to form an even crust on the bottom of the pan. 


Cover the crust with the following ingredients, in any order you prefer:
1 cup butterscotch chips (I use Nestle)
1 cup milk chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli)
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup sweetened coconut


Once you have all of the layers of ingredients on top of the crust, pour over the entire pan 1 14 oz fat free (or regular) sweetened condensed milk.


Place cookie bars in oven and baked for 25 to 30 minutes; checking after 20 to determine doneness.


Remove cookie bars from oven and allow to cool for 2 hours before cutting into single servings. 


~Enjoy

Apples, Cider, Chicken and Rice

I'm sure I've lamented before that fall is our absolute favorite season, more than Christmas, more than summer. My darling hubby's birthday is in the fall, our wedding anniversary is in the fall and our favorite holiday is in the fall - Halloween, of course. The other thing that we love about fall is the food. Turkey and pumpkin pie, apple cider - hot, cold or used as an ingredient in preparing seasonal dishes; how could things get any better?


This afternoon I couldn't help but think about the last of the Adrian Orchard's first press apple cider sitting in our fridge. It's on the edge of being drinkable as it's starting to turn hard, and though hard cider is one of the few things left that I can enjoy, hard cider from my own fridge leaves me with an unsettling feeling in my stomach. So, I decided to build dinner around this favorite of fall ingredients.


I dove into this inspiration head first. Fortunately, the freezer held a packet of chicken thighs, the fridge produced the remaining cider, chicken stock, carrots, celery, red onion and some white wine. In the pantry, I found cranberries, acorn squash and brown basmati rice. After some careful consideration - and a perusal of fall chicken recipes on the internet - dinner became Cider Braised Chicken Thighs accompanied by Flavors of Fall Rice Pilaf and oven roasted acorn squash. 


The result of my efforts were even better than expected. I readily admit that I'm not a very good rice maker, but in this case, the end result was pretty yummy. Additionally, though the chicken only spent 20 minutes braising in the cider, it absorbed just the right amount of flavor. And, well, roasted winter squash, regardless of the specific variety, is delicious on it's own, so combined with the other ingredients rounded out dinner nicely.


I hope you try this menu, it's that good. If you don't have all of the ingredients on hand, sub what you have in your freezer, pantry or fridge. As long as you stick to the fall and apple themes, you'll be golden!


Apple Cider Braised Chicken with Flavors of Fall Rice Pilaf


For the Rice Pilaf, you will need:

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 Cup brown basmati rice, rinsed well and drained
• 1/2 of a small onion, diced small
• 1/4 cup carrot, small dice
• 1/4 cup celery, small dice
• 1/2 a small green apple, small dice, skin intact
• 1/2 a small yellow apple, small dice, skin intact
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 2/3 cup apple cider
• 1/2 cup good quality chicken stock

Place a heavy bottom pot with a tight fitting lid over medium heat. Add butter. When melted, add the rice that has been rinsed and well drained. Stir to ensure the butter covers each grain of the rice. 


Add the onion, apple, celery, carrot and cranberries to the pan, stir to combine with the rice. Allow the mixture to cook until the rice appears to have taken on a golden hue. Add the wine, cider and chicken stock and turn the temperature to medium high. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, stir, reduce heat to low and cover with the lid. Check the progress of the rice after 30 minutes. If the rice is not yet tender, allow to cook in 10 minute intervals until rice is tender, but not mushy. 


When rice has finished cooking, remove the lid and set the pot off the heat. Stir rice and serve. You can top the rice with chopped toasted walnuts if you'd like.




For the Chicken, you will need:

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp olive oil (not extra virgin)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups apple cider
• 1 Tbsp corn or potato or tapioca starch mixed with enough cold water to create a slurry
• 1/2 cup milk or cream or half & half (I used 2% as that's what I had on hand)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a heavy bottom skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and oil. When the butter has melted and the foaming subsides, but before the butter browns, add the chicken thighs that have been seasoned with salt and pepper. Allow chicken to brown, undisturbed, until golden brown. Turn the chicken and allow the other side to cook until brown. Remove the chicken to a plate to rest while you deglaze the skillet.

Pour off all but 1 tsp of the oil and butter and return the skillet to the heat. Add the cider and scrape the golden bits of chicken from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil and add the thighs back to the skillet. Cover the skillet with  a tight fitting lid, foil or a piece of parchment. Place the skillet in the oven and allow to cook for 20 minutes, checking after 15 minutes to determine doneness. Cook until thighs are cooked through.

Remove skillet from the oven, remove the chicken thighs to a serving tray. Place the skillet back on the stove top over high heat. Allow the cider to come to a boil. Add the milk, cream or half & half. Stir to combine. Add the slurry of starch and water, stir again. 

Remove the skillet from the stove top and pour the sauce over the chicken thighs. Serve along side the rice and roasted squash.

~Enjoy!

Gluten Free Mexican Food - What could be better?

In the past, my darling hubby and I have often defaulted to dinner at any one of our local Mexican restaurants on nights when making dinner at home seemed like a chore. I will even admit that at times, Taco Bell served our purposes. I know, I know.... you've never heard of foodies eating at Taco Bell. However, my darling hubby will be the first to tell you that gourmet food and cheap eats all have their respectable place in one's life. Sometimes you want the 5 year aged Gouda with the well formed salt crystals and other times you want the string cheese from your childhood. 


Going gluten free has made this tradition a bit more of a challenge. Apparently a corn tortilla isn't always as it appears. Taco Bell is the first to admit, via the nutrition information on their company website, that their products are not appropriate for those who are gluten free. I've quickly learned to heed their warning and have found that the more I know about the food I eat, the more my symptoms are controlled. Since controlling them is my immediate goal, I'm making nearly all of our meals at home.


This evening, I was still in my post vacation stupor didn't really feel like jumping into the kitchen to whip up a three course dinner for my loving family. Still, we had to eat, and our beautiful toddler was asking for cheese - her favorite standby for a "snack", which is fine except that it was dinner time. So, feeling the pressure to provide a tasty and somewhat healthy dinner for my family, I again turned to my pantry.


Fortunately, I found there a new package of corn tortillas (that really are made with corn and little else), a can of black beans, a can of "hot" tomatoes with chilies and an onion. In the fridge, I found a pound of mild ground chroizo and a variety of cheeses. Inspired, I created the filling described below and used it to make quesadillas. However, you can use this tasty filling for tacos, one component of a hearty taco salad or add a little taco sauce and create a lose interpretation on huevos rancheros. Finally, I've made a similar mixture in the past, added it to a pizza crust covered with taco sauce and then covered the mixture with a Mexican cheese blend to create a pretty yummy taco pizza. By now, you're probably beginning to understand that this is one simple pantry recipe that you can use multiple ways. It also freezes well, so if you have leftovers and are no longer in the mood for Mexican food, just place it in a freezer bag and freeze for up to six months.


Recipe 
To a heavy bottom skillet - approximately 10" - over medium heat, add the following:

• 2 tsp olive oil (not extra virgin)
• 1/2 lb ground chorizo (or other ground meat of your choice)
• 1/2 of a medium onion
• 1/2 of a medium green pepper (may substitute a colored pepper or a can of green chilies)

Allow mixture to cook until the meat is cooked through and the onions and peppers are soft. Then add:

• 1 15 oz can black beans, drained
• 1/2 15 oz can diced tomatoes with chilies added (mild, medium or hot)*
• 1 tbsp gluten free taco seasoning (I use Simply Organic)**

*Note:  Remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon so as to not make your filing too wet. If you are using the filling for huevos rancheros, you do not need to complete this step and may want to consider adding the entire can of tomatoes.

**Note:  If you use another ground meat - beef, chicken, turkey, pork - you will want to use the entire packet of taco seasoning. I only added a little to this particular mixture as I was using the highly flavored chorizo.

Turn the heat to low and allow the mixture to cook and the flavors to meld for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and use as you wish.


~Enjoy!

Gluten Free Apple Cobbler

Tis the season for fresh apples harvested from the tree only a few hours, minutes or days before we get to consume them, which is not the case for the remainder of the year. I learned this year that different apples come on at different times. I guess if I'd thought about it, I'd have known this, but having never had an orchard this was a new one for me. 


While on our fall vacation, my hubby told me that cobbler and pie is by far his favorite dessert. He'd said this a number of times before, but happened to be enjoying a bowl of mixed berry cobbler at the Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls, Logan, Ohio, on this particular occasion. Being newly gluten free (GF), I had the flourless chocolate cake, but I truly coveted his cobbler. So, I guess that's why it came to mind today as I was looking through my kitchen to determine what we had on hand in the pantry and fridge that needed to be used up as I set to prepared Sunday dinner.


Fortunately, our toddler happens to love apples and, therefore, as soon as local orchards began to harvest their apples, we were on their door step ready to purchase different varieties along with the perfect apple cider. Our first stop this year was Adrian Orchard on the south side of Indy. We brought home three varieties this first visit and found that some we liked more than others. What to do with those that we didn't care to eat out of hand? Make apple cobbler, of course!


In the past, this would have been a much simpler undertaking, but due to my new GF status, I had to do a little research. The recipe below was derived from a variety of sources, as well as past practice from my own kitchen. If you maintain a gluten free lifestyle, for whatever the reason, it's an easy one and uses things that are often found in a GF pantry. If you don't and just want a recipe that allows you to vary the grains and flours your family consumes, then it's a good one to try. 


As with most GF recipes, the gluten free flours are interchangeable, but do keep in mind that some work better than others in combination. This was my first use of quinoa flakes. I recently learned, through experience, that I can no longer tolerate oats. Or, at least, I have to purchase gluten free oats (which simply means that the oats are processed on equipment that processes only gluten free foods). I love quinoa as a grain, but in past uses have found the flour to have a very distinctive flavor that can permeate the overall flavor of your finished dish. Through this recipe, I found that by using quinoa flakes (like oatmeal, but made from the quinoa grain) and combining them with Almond Flour/Meal (made of ground almonds), the almond flavor offset the undesirable residual flavor from the quinoa nicely. This was also my first foray into using almond flour and I found it to be a nice addition to this recipe. I'm not sure I'd use it in all recipes that I convert to GF, but for baking, it may become a staple. 


GF Apple Cobbler
Prepare an 8x8 glass baking dish by coating it lightly with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place an oven rack on the middle rung of your oven.


Filling
Combine the following in the baking dish:

• 5 smallish apples any variety you like, washed and cored, chopped into 1" pieces
• few pinches of ground cinnamon, or to taste I like Frontier or Watkins
• small pinch of ground ginger
• fresh grated nutmeg to taste or a pinch of ground
• pinch of ground all spice
• 1/4 cup agave syrup you can reduce or eliminate this if your apples are sweet enough; you can also sub the syrup for any other sweetner you like
• 2 tbsp minute tapioca   
• 3/4 cup apple cider, reduced to 1/4 cup
• pinch of salt

Prepare the apples, adding them to the baking dish as you cut them. Add the spices and tapioca, including salt, and mix to combine. Add agave syrup and cider reduction and stir apple mixture once more to ensure even coating. Set aside while you prepare the topping.


Topping
In a small mixing bowl combine the following:

• 1/2 cup quinoa flakes
• 1 cup puffed rice cereal
• 1 cup almond flour 
• 1 cup tapioca flour
• pinch of salt

Add:

• 1/4 cup agave syrup
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp butter, softened

Stir flours, cereal and salt to combine and distribute the salt. Add the vegetable oil and stir again to distribute oil. The flour mixture will begin to look like grains of sand. Add the softened butter and, with clean hands, cut the butter into the flour mixture until large clumps form. 


Retrieve the apple mixture and place clumps of the topping on top of the apples. Pat the clumps of topping to cover the entire top of the baking dish. Your topping will likely look more wet than a traditional crust, but will dry and form a crust when baked.


Bake the cobbler for ~30 minutes, checking after 25 minutes. Adjust baking time as necessary for your oven to create a golden crispy crust. The dish is finished baking when the crust looks like a traditional pie crust - golden and delicious with a nice crispy texture.


Serve alone, warm or room temp, or with vanilla ice cream. My darling hubby also likes his with a bit of whole milk or, gulp, half and half (few tablespoons) if he's in the mood to splurge. Reheat for a few seconds in the microwave for subsequent servings. 


This makes a great fall dessert, a good breakfast or a tasty snack. 


~Enjoy