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Super “Chili” Bowl Brings Unique Flavor to Game Day Meals
White bean chili scores an extra point with Pure Chocolate Extract

WAUKEGAN, ILL. (January 17, 2012) – Every sports fan knows that the Super Bowl not only involves great football, commercials and an extravagant half-time performance, but the game day grub often becomes the MVP of Super Bowl Sunday.

Chili, along with finger-licking appetizers, sandwiches and desserts, can become a menu that will keep everyone happy — even fans of the losing team. Nielsen-Massey Vanillas Pure Chocolate Extract is a secret ingredient that can take a bowl of chili from mediocre to memorable.

Pure Chocolate Extract offers the full depth of dark chocolate, made from the finest cocoa beans. It can be used to add an extra measure of chocolate flavor to dishes that have a chocolate base or can bring a top note to sauces, chili and other spicy foods. It goes exceptionally well with chile peppers, tomatoes and legumes, making it a great pair to the Hearty White Bean Chili recipe below.

“In my house Super Bowl Sunday means family, friends and food. As the chef for the day, I always use our pure flavors and vanillas to create appetizers, main dishes and desserts,” said Craig Nielsen, chief executive officer of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas.

The recipe below puts a twist on the ultimate Super Bowl dish that will have fans requesting seconds at halftime.

Hearty White Bean Chili

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, medium dice
1 cup finely diced onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup organic chicken stock
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (29-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (7-ounce) can diced green chiles
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons dried organic parsley
1 tablespoon dried organic oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Pure Chocolate Extract
1 (15-ounce) can white kidney beans, drained
1/2 cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until brown. Remove the chicken from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion to the sauté pan and cook until caramelized, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wood spoon to deglaze.

Pour the stock mixture into a large saucepot and add the cooked chicken, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chiles, cumin, parsley, oregano, cayenne pepper and salt. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chocolate extract and white kidney beans. Cook for 10 minutes.

Ladle the chili into soup bowls and garnish with the Parmesan cheese. Serves 6.

Note: Caramelization cooks the naturally occurring sugars in food and improves their flavor and appearance.

Deglaze means to stir a liquid, usually wine, in a sauté pan to loosen the cooked food particles from the pan.

About Nielsen-Massey Vanillas
Throughout its more than 100 year history, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas has earned its reputation as a manufacturer of the finest extracts in the world. The full line of Nielsen-Massey’s Pure Vanilla products include: Vanilla Beans and Extracts from Madagascar, Tahiti and Mexico; sugar and alcohol-free Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Powder; Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste; Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Sugar and Certified Organic Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract and Beans.

Nielsen-Massey Vanillas also has a line of Pure Flavors: Pure Chocolate Extract, Pure Almond Extract, Pure Orange Extract, Pure Lemon Extract, Pure Coffee Extract, Pure Peppermint Extract, Orange Blossom Water and Rose Water. All Nielsen-Massey products are Allergen-Free and certified Kosher and Gluten-Free. The company is headquartered in Waukegan, Illinois, with production facilities in Waukegan and Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.

After spending a little quality time with the girls, I headed out to Alta ski resort with my friend Tim and his son Robby.  I had had one previous skiing experience.  When I was 15, my step-grandpa took me once down the bunny slope then left me alone.  Alone, in the snow, on a mountain, when I was 15?  I spent the rest of the day drinking hot chocolate with my older brother.

Cassandra at Alta

I’m quite a bit more outgoing and adventurous now, so I decided to give skiing another shot.  I had no idea how to even stand on the skis.  I fell twice on the way to the ski lift, but I figured out what I was doing.  We had time for three runs: I made myself fall twice on the first one (I couldn’t turn fast enough, and was afraid of hitting the rocks), but didn’t fall at all the second or third time, and went a whole lot faster.  All in all, I think I did a rather excellent job.  I think it’s the Zumba (and the kickboxing, and racquetball, and spin, and weightlifting…).

After my first run

Skiing made us hungry, so we headed in to downtown Salt Lake City to Biaggi’s.  The thought of Italian was just too appealing for me.

Tim and I are both gluten-free, and Robby decided to order off the gluten-free menu so that we could all share.

Robby got the Grilled Chicken Parmesan, which was covered in marinara sauce, served with gf spaghetti and garlic Alfredo sauce.  You can tell you’re getting the gf spaghetti because they use the green Tinkyada spinach spaghetti.

The chicken and the sauces were excellent.  I found the pasta to be a little overcooked (I prefer mine al dente), but that may have had to do with the sheer number of people there for how early it was in the evening.  Everyone wanted to eat before the Jazz game.

Tim ordered the Grilled Chicken Pietro, a “grilled chicken breast topped with a homemade sauce of balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, rosemary, garlic and a touch of honey. Served with sautéed portabello mushrooms and seasonal vegetables.”

I can honestly say I’ve never had chicken like this before.  The sauce was a little sweet and a little tangy and vinegar-y.  It was an excellent combination of flavors.  The veggies were cooked just right, in my opinion, a little soft but with a hint of crispness.

I ordered the Chicken Piemontese.  After reading the description, I really had no choice.  “Grilled chicken breast stuffed with imported Italian ham and smoked provolone and Gouda cheeses. Topped with a lemon-basil butter sauce and served with sautéed asparagus and roasted herb potatoes.”

Ummm, yes, please.

The asparagus was just right, the potatoes were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, the sauce was excellent, and there was prosciutto and heavenly Gouda and provolone inside my chicken.   I am definitely a fan of this dish.  In fact, I had a hard time deciding whether I liked this one or the Pietro more.  The Gouda and provolone won me over.

I liked it so much, that I was afraid my brother would steal my leftovers.  I hid them in the back of the fridge and promptly finished them off at 6am. 

No Italian meal is complete without dessert, and Biaggi’s did not disappoint.  Their creme brulee was excellent, giving us just the right amount of smooth filling and crunchy sugar topping to satiate our collective sweet tooth.

Biaggi’s has a number of locations scattered about in 12 states.  What has your Biaggi’s experience been like?

Basically, you take a picture of one of their soup packages in an awesome place, upload it to Kettle Cuisine’s facebook page, and get all of your friends to vote for it.

The winner gets a trip for two to Boston (home of Kettle Cuisine).  How great is that?

In case you’ve never heard of Kettle Cuisine, check out this review of their Thai Curry Chicken Soup.  Otherwise, head over to their facebook page to learn more about the contest.

For me, it’s been since Roben Ryberg made some for me while she was creating recipes for You Won’t Believe It’s Gluten-Free.

Until today, that is.

Melissa took me cross-country skiing today.  It was my first time (I have basically no experience skiing.  I’ll tell you more about that in another post).  I think I did really well on my child-sized skis.  And no, I’m not kidding.

Melissa and I

After cross-country skiing for two and a half hours at Soldier Hollow (site of the 2002 Winter Olympics cross-country events), either up or downhill the whole time, we had really built up an appetite.  Thankfully, I had previously heard about a great place in Heber City to get some gluten-free food (even better was that Melissa had remembered me telling her about it months ago).

Spin Cafe is located on Main Street in Heber (which is, in fact, the main street).  When they handed me the gluten-free menu, and I saw “onion rings”, I was a little shocked.  As a matter of fact, they do not fry anything in their fryer that is not gluten-free.  It looks like everyone gets the gf onion rings.  But I doubt anyone would care.

Gluten-Free Onion Rings of Awesomeness

They were pretty darn awesome.  The breading was thin, delicate, and crispy, with a nice flavor.  Melissa also found them to be tasty and satisfying.  I really don’t think there could be any complaints about these (unless a small puddle of oil disturbs you).

I had a bit of a hard time deciding what kind of burger or sandwich to get, but my stomach eventually made the decision for me.  Three things I love: salmon, bacon, and chipotle.  How could I not get the Seattle BLT?

Seattle BLT

The gluten-free sandwiches come wrapped in lettuce, or for 95 cents more, you can get it on an Udi’s gluten-free roll.  I <3 Udi’s, so of course I got the roll.

I’ve never had salmon and bacon together before, but I think I’ve definitely found my new favorite way to dress up salmon (I know, it kills the whole “healthy” thing going on).  The Udi’s roll was excellent and held up very well with my sandwich.  My only complaint with the whole thing was a little bit of false advertising: the “spicy chipotle mayo” was not spicy.  But, since I’m a Texan visiting Utah, I think I will let it slide.

The fries were also gluten-free, and also excellent.  They’re like one of those brain puzzles, too.  It’s hard to figure out where one starts and another ends, and how to untangle them. 

Seattle BLT and Spinny Fries

If you have room after this feast, I highly suggest getting some gelato.  Almost all of their flavors are gluten-free (just ask!).  I made a little room for some salty caramel and peanuts gelato.  I don’t regret the decision (or the crunches, push-ups, and jumping jacks that followed).

As an aside, I saw Michael McLean there (he wrote The Forgotten Carols, my all-time favorite Christmas musical).  If he hadn’t been deep in conversation the entire time we were there, we probably would have gone and said hello.  Interestingly enough, Melissa actually went to school with his children.  Small world, huh?

Check out the Spin Cafe:
220 North Main Street
Heber City, Utah  84032

You see, Melissa, while not gluten-free herself, now has Celiac Disease popping up all around her family: an aunt, a cousin, another sister-in-law, all of whom live in the Salt Lake area.  She has visited Sweet Cake Bake Shop a few times, getting treats for her family members.

Yesterday, while the two of us were out shopping, I felt an urge for some chocolate.  Do you ever get that urge?  Well, I do, and it was coming on pretty strong.  In a completely un-Cassandra-like fashion, I reached for some Junior Mints in the check out line.  Melissa, seeing my movement, said “I was going to suggest we go to that bakery.”

You would not believe how fast that candy was back on the shelf.  Not only did Melissa laugh, but so did the checker.

I was so excited to go there.  I make pretty awesome treats myself (not to brag, just stating a generally-accepted opinion), but it is the fact that I can go somewhere else and there are excellent, SAFE treats for me to eat that makes this so special.  Plus, they are pretty. 

Lemon cupcake with lemon frosting

I had the hardest time deciding what to get.  Luckily for me, they had little samples of the cookies and bars.  So tasty.  But that left me free to get cupcakes.

And I did.

I bought three.  Even though I generally try not to eat a bunch of sweets, I usually fail at it.  That’s why I eat a lot of spinach and spend a lot of time at the gym — so I can indulge my sweet tooth. 

I bought a chocolate cupcake with chocolate chip buttercream frosting and a caramel apple cupcake from their day old stuff.  There was only a very slight difference between the day old and the freshly baked.  If I had not known to look for it (or had I not been myself), I probably would not have noticed at all.

Chocolate with chocolate chip buttercream frosting

The cupcakes were soft and moist, with an excellent flavor and texture.  As you can see, they don’t just stick with the standard flavors.  And boy, were these great flavors.  The lemon one didn’t seem too sweet (it was definitely plenty sweet), but the other too had that nearly-shocking, addictive, bakery-sweet frosting.

I ate half of each of them on the way home.

Then Melissa caught me finishing up the caramel apple one while I was making enchiladas.  What can I say?  I have no shame.

Caramel apple cupcake!!

Sweet Cake Bake Shop does not advertise the words “gluten-free” on the shop front, though the whole bakery is gluten-free.  The majority of their business is actually not gluten-free customers.  That’s a really good business plan, in my opinion.  The gluten-free community is generally very good about sharing their good finds (my blog, for example), but the general population has a tendency to shy away from anything with the words “gluten-free” attached to it.

Their website, however, definitely makes it known that they are gluten-free.  You can find the shop itself in Kaysville, Utah, or you can order online.

I intend to go back on Tuesday, before I head to Idaho.  They currently sell bread on Tuesdays and Fridays.

I’m hoping for one of those Whoopie Pies Melissa told me about.

Sweet Cake Bake Shop
237 West 200 North
Kaysville, Utah  84037

On Christmas Eve, Grandpa built a fire in his fireplace for us. I’d brought along some marshmallows, chocolate, and some Kinnikinnick S’moreables. We had a lot of fun roasting marshmallows and making s’mores.
The Kinnikinnick graham-style crackers are different than “regular” graham crackers, thicker and more dense.  They have a good flavor and generally hold up well.

However, they don’t work too well in the microwave, as the cookie softens up and gets kind of crumbly.  Even so, it’s how I usually make them.  

I decided the other day that Nutella and Marshmallow Creme would also make for good, easy S’mores.

Hopefully I can get up some good blog posts for you soon.  I am actually in Salt Lake City right now (it’s been a week since I started this post on my phone), and will hopefully have some great gluten-free experiences to share with you!

Kinnikinnick sent me the S’moreables to taste and for possible review.

I currently sit in the apartment of a pair of college students, still stuffed to the gills with some of THE best food ever. However, I have friends that think that “cooking from scratch” means something “hard” like a box of macaroni and cheese.

Teaching your children to cook is extremely important, especially when they are living with gluten intolerance and/or food allergies. At the age of 20, one of my friends didn’t know how to cook anything, and lived off of microwave gluten-free meals. She spent as much money on those each month as she did on rent! Don’t worry, we had some “cooking lessons” and she has branched out quite a bit.

OMG! I’m In College
And I Never Learned to Cook!
Mom Offers Simple Tips to Help Students
Prepare Their Own Meals and Eat Healthy

College is supposed to be a place of higher learning that prepares young people for the challenges of taking on a greater role as an adult in a civilized society. While there is no doubt the value of the degrees earned in those hallowed halls, one mom has a striking complaint about it all.

“How can you consider yourself educated and sophisticated if you don’t know how to cook a decent meal?” asked Hollis Ledbetter, author of OMG! I’m In College and I Never Learned to Cook (www.omgcookbooks.com). “Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for higher education for the purposes of being able to earn a living and contribute to the world around them, but I’ve never seen a college course titled ‘How to buy groceries, cook dinner and do your own laundry!’”

Ledbetter, a mother of four children (one still in college, the others all have families of their own), sensed the irony of colleges teaching students to become engineers, lawyers and doctors who – without mom’s help – are still likely to burn down the kitchen while trying to boil water.

“Parents and kids need to know a few key things before the adventure of higher education begins,” she added. “Kids need to learn how to cook and parents need to know how to teach them. Taking a semester of home economics in high school does not equate to knowing how to safely defrost a chicken, carve it, prepare it and cook it so that it actually tastes like something other than shoe leather. It’s one part art and one part science, and they aren’t going to learn either from any class at school.”

Her tips for parents include:

• Just Teach the Basics – You don’t have to teach your children how to make eggs benedict and how to mix the hollandaise sauce from scratch. Boiling water, broiling meats, making pasta that doesn’t stick to the pot like bathroom caulk – these are the basics. Everything else, they should learn on their own.

• Don’t Coddle Them – You’ll save money and they’ll eat better if you encourage them to buy groceries, instead of eating fast food or PopTarts all the time. Hold the line on the food budget you give them and they’ll hold the line on a good diet.

Her tips for kids include:

• Definition of Cooking – Microwaving a Hot Pocket is not cooking. Cooking involves taking actual vegetables, fruits and meats, and preparing them – either by cooking or mixing – to form a snack or a meal. If all you can do is make pre-packaged macaroni and cheese, and nuke a burrito, that’s not cooking.

• Safety – There is a reason why some foods are refrigerated and why some are not. Learn the difference between the two. I guarantee you don’t want to learn the hard way, when you try to put mayonnaise that was left out all night on a turkey sandwich and wind up in the ER.

• Healthy Foods – Here’s a good reason to eat homemade healthy foods. If you buy groceries instead of eating out all of the time, you’ll not only eat better, but you will save tons of money – money that could be spent on that new smart phone, laptop or tablet you’ve been dreaming about. Overall, in a nine-month period, it is easy for a single person to save between $1,000 and $2,400 simply by NOT eating out.

“There is an old proverb that says, ‘If you give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day; if you teach a man to fish, he’ll eat for a lifetime,” Ledbetter said. “Of course, it stops before they mention if he knows how to cook the darn thing. If you can help encourage your kids to prepare their own meals, they’ll eat healthier and be happy in the kitchen for the rest of their lives. And, I think that’s a more valuable lesson than they’ll ever learn in school.”

About Hollis Ledbetter

Hollis Ledbetter is married with four children (one still in college) and six grandchildren. She has worked as a fitness instructor for the YMCA teaching aerobics, pre-natal exercises and woman’s strength training. For the last 17 years, she has worked in real estate and for the last four, she has been writing cookbooks.

I hope you enjoy her post and the accompanying recipe.  And Carol, you had me at Chipotle Cream.

~Cassandra

Gluten-Free, Vegetarian Entertaining for the Holidays

Reprinted with permission from 125 Gluten-Free Vegetarian Recipes by Carol Fenster (Avery, 2011)

There was a time when gluten-free and vegetarian were two terms seldom used together. But today, with roughly 21 million Americans on a gluten-free diet and 23 million saying they follow a “mostly vegetarian diet,*” we are seeing more gluten-free vegetarians. In fact, you may be one of them!

My publisher’s request to write 125 Gluten-Free Vegetarian Recipes was undoubtedly motivated by these statistics, but the timing was especially fortunate for me. I had just been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer and was already seeking plant-based, gluten-free recipes to speed my journey toward recovery, so I knew there was a need. I developed these recipes as I moved through the various stages of healing. In yet another incident of fortuitous timing, the book was published just as I was deemed “cancer-free” by my doctors.

As I wrote the book, I often thought about how hard it is to entertain people with multiple food sensitivities and how avoiding animal products further complicates this situation. However, I was happily surprised to learn just how many wonderful foods a gluten-free vegetarian CAN enjoy and in fact, the foods are so good that ALL of your guests will love them. As you can see from my recommendations from the book below, we have lots of wonderful choices.

But first, let’s start with a gorgeous, delicious soup that is also very nutritious. Serve it as a main dish or as an appetizer; it’s really cute served in little espresso cups or over-sized shot glasses.

Butternut Squash Soup with Chipotle Cream

Reprinted with permission from 125 Gluten-Free Vegetarian Recipes by Carol Fenster (Avery/Penguin Group, 2011)

Apple juice provides just the right touch of sweetness to balance the spices in this vibrant soup. I love its rich orange color, and the drizzle of Chipotle Cream and sprinkle of chives make it look so elegant.. 

2 cups apple juice
2 boxes (12 ounces each) frozen butternut squash
1 large onion, chopped
2 large garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley, for garnish, or parsley

CHIPOTLE CREAM
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise or vegan mayonnaise
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream or vegan sour cream
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon agave nectar
1/8 teaspoon chipotle chile powder

[1] In a large pot, combine all of the soup ingredients except the lemon juice and chives. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Stir the mixture occasionally to break up the frozen chunks of squash.

[2] While the soup simmers, make the Chipotle Cream: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, agave nectar, and chipotle chile powder. Set aside.

[3] With a handheld immersion blender, puree the soup until very smooth. Stir in the lemon juice and serve hot, garnished with chives and a drizzle of Chipotle Cream. Refrigerate any leftover cream, tightly covered, for a week. Serves 4

Here are some easy appetizers for your vegan and vegetarian guests:
[1] Gazpacho Shooters (cute, served in shot glasses or espresso cups)
[2] Greek Salad Skewers with Greek Salad Dressing
[3] Baked Kale Chips (crisp and crunchy, yet terribly good for you)
[4] Stuffed Mushrooms (another old favorite that never fails to please)
[5] Crostini (the Italian version of toast with toppings; make your own easy French Baguettes and then make Crostini)
[6] Mini Corn Dogs (super-simple; perfect for young and old alike)

Several vegetable and grain-based dishes can be used as entrees or side dishes, depending on the occasion:
[1] Moroccan Millet-Stuffed Acorn Squash
[2] Quinoa Pilaf with Pine Nuts and Dried Fruit
[3] Stuffed Bell Peppers with Picadillo Rice
[4] Onion-Leek Tart
[5] Chili Corn Bread Casserole
[6] Eggplant Parmesan Stacks

Breads are so important to us, so try these mouth-watering choices that are also vegan:
[1] Angel Pan Biscuits
[2] Rosemary Focaccia with Onion Marmalade
[3] Basic Scones with Drizzle
[4] Hearty Bran Muffins
[5] French Baguettes
[6] Breadsticks

Desserts, especially at the holidays, are especially important so try these vegan choices:
[1] Ginger Molasses Cookies
[2] Chocolate Brownies
[3] Almond Vanilla Cake
[4] No-Bake Cheesecake
[5] All-American Cherry Pie
[6] Tiramisu

Whether you are a host or a guest, here are some final tips:

[1] If you are the host, query your guests beforehand about any food sensitivities or preferences. Try to have at least one dish that everyone can eat. If you’re a guest, offer to bring a dish that you can safely eat.

[2] If you are serving a buffet, use place cards to list the ingredients in each dish so guests know which are safe. If it is a sit-down dinner, I always describe the dish to my guests with a comment such as “…and it doesn’t have any gluten or dairy in it.”

[3] Don’t be afraid to say “no, thank you” if you’re served a dish you can’t eat. If you’re the host, honor a guest’s refusal by not pressing the food on them again. I once continually asked a guest to eat a chocolate dessert only to learn afterward that she was allergic to chocolate. I learned my lesson!

[4] When you’re not sure what to expect as a guest, do what I do: eat beforehand. If you’re the host and your guests aren’t eating the wonderful food you prepared, don’t take it personally. They may not wish to draw attention to their situation and your job is to make them feel welcome, regardless of what they do or don’t eat.

Happy Holidays!

*Source: 2008 Harris Poll commissioned by Vegetarian Times.

Crock-Pot is now doing customizable Crock-Pots.  You pick the background and you add a few pictures.

I think this would be especially great for a grandma, with pictures of her grandkids.

I love my Crock-Pots, though I don’t use them nearly as often as I should.  I’ve only got a couple of Crock-Pot recipes up on my blog, but if you want some more, check out A Year of Slow Cooking.  You’ll be floored how many recipes Stephanie has (my favorite is the baked potato soup — we make it all the time).