Fabulous Two-Ingredient GFCF Chocolate Pie Filling

This seems too good to be true but it was a Thanksgiving miracle yesterday. Melt 12 oz. chocolate chips in a sauce pan with 1 can chilled full-fat coconut milk, stirring until all melted and combined. Pour into prepared crust and chill for at least two hours. The texture and flavor were perfect and there was no coconut flavor.

There are many GFCF crusts out there. I just combined uncooked oatmeal, a couple tbsp. sugar, a couple handfuls of shredded coconut, dash of salt, a couple tbsp. Pamela's, and 1/2 cup coconut oil in the food processer. Then I pressed it into a pie dish and baked at 350 for 10-15 minutes . (Cool before adding filling.)

IMPORTANT NOTE: Some instructions say to drain off the liquid from the can of coconut milk after chilling. I didn't do this the first time and it was fine, but the second time it was too runny. To redeem this situation, I melted 1/4 cup coconut oil and stirred it into the pie filling, then chilled it again.

Lentil Soup

I adapted this recipe from the New York Times Cookbook. This is pretty plain-looking but delicious and easy and even
better the next day.

1 lb. package dried lentils
2 ½ quarts water (I just eyeball it. You might need to add more later.)
2 tbsp. oil
About 2 carrots, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
5 gluten-free organic hot dogs, sliced (optional)
2 chicken bouillon cubes (optional)
Fresh ground black pepper
Salt to taste (but I don't use if I'm using bouillon & hot dogs)

In a soup pot, saute carrots, celery, onion, garlic & hot dogs in oil until onions are limp (and until hot dogs are a little browned). Add water, bouillon, lentils, & black pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently about 2 hours. (The lentil package says it only takes 45 minutes, though.)

The New York Times book suggests you puree the soup through a food mill(if you're not using hot dogs) but I usually don't.    

Jeni's Spice Mix to Make Anything Taste Like Sausage

Provencal Spice Mix - Excellent on pork chops or really anything!
From Fine Cooking's Oct/Nov '94 issue #5

Zest of 2 lemons
1/3 C thinly sliced garlic
1/3 C fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 C fresh sage leaves
1/3 C kosher salt
1/4 C freshly ground black pepper

The recipe says, "In a food processor, put in the lemon zest with the motor going, and then add the rest of the ingredients. Process briefly until the mixture is the consistency of wet sand."

Jeni says she has been making this for YEARS and didn't get a Cuisinart until last Christmas. She just always chopped everything up really fine and it worked just as well. It will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks. She keeps any leftovers in the freezer and it keeps indefinitely! She pulls it out any time she wants to flavor something like sausage—be it eggs, ground turkey, etc.

Lisa's Tri-Tip

Tri-tip

2 tsp. rosemary

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. sea salt

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

Lisa served this at her son's wedding reception and it was absolutely delicious! Marinate, then bake at 350 (covered) until internal temperature reaches 160.