Easy Maple Syrup

On those frequent occasions when I run out of maple syrup for pancakes or waffles, here's a tasty substitute. It's more watery than the real thing, but it stores in the refrigerator about two weeks, and it's really inexpensive!

You can also simply puree some fruit (just add it to your blender or food processor and thin with apple juice or yogurt) or use fresh berries as a topping for pancakes or waffles.

Easy Maple Syrup

In a 2-quart pot combine:
1 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
1 teaspoon maple flavoring

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer five minutes, until sugars dissolve. Let cool slightly before pouring over pancakes.

NOTE: For a timesaver, double your brown sugar measurement, measuring it loosely instead of taking time to pack it down firmly. This helps recipes go much faster when I'm adding lots of ingredients, and it usually seems to be fairly close to the proper amount.

Also, if you have a hard time finding maple flavoring, check near the vanilla and lemon flavoring. If that fails, ask your store's grocery manager to order some for you.

Yield: 1 cup syrup

Healthy Pancakes

Mix together dry ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
(or substitute 1/4 cup flour for 1/4 cup flaxseed)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar

In a separate bowl, mix together:
1 mashed banana (optional)
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 egg
2 Tablespoons canola oil

Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients and stir just until moist throughout. At this point, add 3/4 cup of your favorite fruit (blueberries are my favorite), and stir. You could also add 1/2 cup carob or chocolate chips (a favorite with the kids).

Heat skillet at medium heat, and spray with cooking spray. Test one drop of batter to make sure the pan is hot. If the drop sizzles, add batter for 2-3 pancakes. At this point, you may need to turn down the stove slightly. Cook the pancakes until the tops form bubbles, then turn. Continue cooking until golden brown. Remove to plates and serve with maple syrup (see next post).

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Mix 2 sticks softened butter or one cup canola margarine in a mixer until creamy. Add 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3/4 cup packed brown sugar. (If you're in a hurry and don't want to take time to pack the brown sugar, just double the amount and add 1 1/2 cups. This is close enough to taste great.)

Add 2 large eggs, mixing well after you add each egg. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring.

In a separate bowl, mix together 2 1/4 cups Gluten free all-purpose flour with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum. If you can't find xanthan gum, Marie Callender's Quick Mix Thickener is a good substitute. It's a mixture of xanthan gum and guar gum and works great as a thickener for gravies and sauces, too.

Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture and mix well. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for one hour. (Gluten free cookie dough cooks very thin cookies unless you chill the dough first. Thanks to my friend, Jayma, for that tip!)

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 8-11 minutes or until golden brown. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool.

Yield: 4 dozen cookies

Note: Dough may be stored in a sealable plastic bag in the refrigerator up to one week. If you have a toaster oven, you can cook 6-8 small cookies at a time instead of cooking the entire batch at once.

Stir-Fried Kale and Collard Greens

Purchase fresh kale and collard greens from your store's produce department.

Wash and dry kale and collard greens. Remove stems, and tear the leaves into pieces. Heat skillet and add 2 Tablespoons sesame oil. Add 1/4 cup chopped onion and 1/4 cup red pepper, and cook 1 minute. Stir in 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes. Add 3 cloves garlic, minced. Stir-fry one minute. Add 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Add greens and stir-fry 2 minutes. Cook 3 minutes, until greens are slightly wilted.

Note: I keep a jar of minced garlic in the refrigerator, because we like it in lots of dishes and use it often.

Quick & Easy Gumbo

If you don't have all of these ingredients on hand, just use what you have. Begin by heating a Dutch oven (pictured below) or a skillet. Add 1 Tablespoon oil and cook over medium heat. Chop 1/4 cup onion and set aside (or use dried onion if you're in a hurry).

Next, brown 1/2 pound sausage or chicken cut into pieces in the oil, cooking through. Add chopped onion when meat is halfway done. (You can use sliced kielbasa, andouille sausage or shrimp instead of or in addition to the meats. I buy the cooked shrimp and add it last, as a time-saver.) Remove the meat, reserving the drippings.

Now make a roux. (This is a southern thickener for sauces and soups.) Melt 1/4 cup butter or canola margarine in the dutch oven with the sausage drippings. Add 1/2 cup flour and mix until the flour turns a copper color, similar to the color of a penny. Stir constantly.

Add 6 cups water and mix in any or all of the following:
1/2 cup chopped green or sweet red bell pepper
1/2 cup frozen okra
1/2 cup sliced celery
3 cloves minced garlic
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon Gumbo filé powder
(File powder is Sassafras leaves, crumbled)
1 Tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes (you can simmer up to an hour or for just 15 minutes, depending on your time). During this time, cook rice to go with the gumbo.

Add meat and cook, uncovered, 30 minutes. (Add shrimp just 15 minutes before serving.)

Discard the bay leaves and serve over rice. Top with green onions or grated cheese, if you wish.

Yield: 6 servings

Turkey BLT Sandwiches

When you need a quick lunch, cook some turkey bacon on the stovetop in a frying pan or in the microwave. On the stovetop, cook over medium heat, turning the bacon after 5 minutes. In the microwave, cover a plate with paper towel, then place 6 pieces of bacon on the plate. Cover with more paper towel. Cook at full power for 5 minutes, rotating halfway through. Check the bacon, turning it or moving the outside pieces to the center, as necessary. Cook one minute more, until bacon is done. Set aside.

Toast sandwich bread lightly. Slice tomato thinly. Wash and tear a Romaine lettuce leaf or leaf of kale (pictured) for each sandwich. Slices of avocado are tasty, too, if you have them. Spread mayonnaise or Miracle Whip on the bread. Add a small amount of mustard, if you wish. Tear bacon in half. Layer three bacon halves on one side of the bread. On the other side, layer a lettuce leaf, tomato, and avocado. Place on top of the bacon half. Cut the sandwich in half, if you like.

Serve with grapes or other fresh fruit or veggie sticks or a pickle.

Yield: 4 sandwiches

Kentucky Colonels (Bourbon Balls)

My friend Carol requested rum balls, so this is a close second. You can use either rum or bourbon (or rum flavoring). These candies must be refrigerated after making them.

Preheat toaster oven to 350 degrees. Spread 1/2 cup pecans on a baking sheet and cook 4-5 minutes, until brown. Chop finely. If you like crunchier candy or more texture, add more nuts, up to 1 1/2 cups.

Cream 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter. Add one pound (4 cups) confectioners (powdered) sugar, 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa, and 4 Tablespoons bourbon (or Southern Comfort or rum). Mix well. Mix in 1/2 cup chopped roasted pecans. Shape into small balls, about one inch in diameter. Don't worry about smoothing them at this point. Place on wax paper and store in refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill thoroughly.

Remove balls from refrigerator and roll between your palms to smooth. Roll balls in powdered sugar and/or cocoa (1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa mixed with 1/2 cup granulated sugar) to coat. Or dip in chocolate: melt 1 pound semi-sweet (or Belgian) chocolate on top of a double boiler (this type of pan has water in the bottom pan and chocolate in the top pan so it doesn't get too hot and burn). Dip candy in chocolate, and remove with two forks. Let excess chocolate drip back into pan. Place back on wax paper to chill until firm. Then pipe with white or colored frosting, if you wish.

Place candy in pretty candy cups and layer in a box or tin for gift giving. Place wax paper between each layer and on top, cut to fit the box or tin. Or serve on a plate as shown, alternating candy between rows.

Store in refrigerator in covered container.

Yield: 36 candies

Note: My friend Elaine makes her recipe go further by purchasing fine small chocolate truffles from Costco or Trader Joe's. She surrounds the chocolate candy with her bourbon ball mixture. If you need lots of candy for gifts, this is a good way to extend your recipe, but it's also more costly.