Quick and Easy Dolly Madison Bars

Dolly Madison Bars, known in our family as Dolly Bars, are a scrumptious dessert treat that my older sister has become famous for. Her recipe is quick and easy and can be adjusted for gluten-free diets. 

This recipe doesn't require very many ingredients and is ready in no time.

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DOLLY MADISON BARS

Graham Cracker Crust:

1 cup regular or gluten-free graham cracker crumbs 

1 stick melted butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

If you are using a metal baking pan, increase the heat to 350 degrees and bake only for 15-20 minutes.

Combine crumbs and melted butter in a medium bowl. Mix well and then place the crumb mixture into a 9x12 Pyrex baking dish. Use your palm or the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crumbs down evenly over the bottom of the baking dish.

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Filling:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup shredded coconut, sweet

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or walnut pieces

1 can condensed milk (13.5 or 14 oz, depending on brand)


Next, layer the chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and coconut evenly over the graham cracker crust. Pour condensed milk all over the filling mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Allow to cool and then cut and serve. 

Filipino Sticky Rice with Banana Leaf (Biko)

Filipino Sticky Rice Recipe, or Biko, is an easy and quick way to make something sweet for special occasions or every day. Our family loves this sweet and delicious dessert.

Filipino sweet sticky rice is a dessert treat that is popular not only in the Pacific Islands and Southeast Asia but anywhere Filipino people get together to share delicious cuisine!

All of these items are readily available at your local Asian market. If you absolutely can't find banana leaves, this dessert can be made without them.

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FILIPINO STICKY RICE RECIPE

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked sweet rice

3-4 cups water

1 13.5-oz can coconut milk

1 small can condensed milk 

1/2 cup brown or raw sugar

Molasses, 1 tablespoon (optional)

1-2 pieces of frozen banana leaves, cut to size of pan

The traditional recipe calls for 1/2 lb. of brown sugar, or half a box. That's a LOT of sugar! I prefer to use less brown sugar because the condensed milk provides plenty of sweet flavor. Molasses is optional but you can add it for its color and nutritional value and to give a hint of rich flavor.  

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Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a Pyrex baking dish with non-stick spray. For this recipe, I used a 9x9 inch baking dish but you can use 9x13 and spread the mixture thinner.

Cut the banana leaves to size so they cover the bottom and up the sides of the baking dish. Set aside.

Pour 2 cups of uncooked sweet rice in a medium saucepan or rice cooker. Cover with enough water so that there is twice as much water as there is rice.  I use the index finger measuring method shown here I've never had to use a rice cooker!

Once the sweet rice comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, then pour the coconut milk into the rice and stir well with a wooden rice paddle or wooden spoon that has been rinsed in cold water. Likewise, add the condensed milk, then the brown sugar. Add the molasses, if used. Stir again until all ingredients are well blended.

With the aid of a rubber spatula, scrape the sweet rice mixture into the baking dish, using the spatula to spread the mixture inside the banana leaves.

Place the baking dish into the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until the top begins to turn golden brown. 

Allow to cool before serving.

Best Ever Red Pesto Sauce with Canned Clams

My homemade red clam pesto sauce always gets raves from family and friends alike. It's quick and easy to make with ingredients on hand.

My classic recipe includes fresh basil and a large can of chopped tomatoes, but I recently tried it with pesto sauce that I had frozen earlier from fresh basil, along with a bit of tomato paste supplemented by Clamato juice. It was delicious, too! For this blog, I've included only the best ever classic recipe.

I use gluten-free pasta in my recipes, and Barilla's is by far the best I have found. It cooks just like regular pasta and has the perfect consistency when done.

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Red Pesto Sauce with Canned Clams

Ingredients:

2 cans of chopped clams, liquid reserved

1 cup fresh basil

2 cloves of garlic, peeled

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

14 oz can of chopped tomatoes

Additional 1 tablespoon olive oil

Barilla's gluten-free spaghetti

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Preparation:

Prepare a pot of water for the spaghetti, add a drop of olive oil to the water to keep pasta from sticking. While waiting for water to boil, open the cans of chopped clams, and remember to drain and reserve the clam juice in another container. Set aside. Meanwhile, add a tablespoon of olive oil to your favorite large cooking pan and add the chopped clams. Stir briefly on medium heat, then turn heat off while you prepare the pesto.

Using a food processor or blender, add the reserved clam juice, the garlic cloves, 1/4 cup olive oil, and the fresh basil. Blend well. Open the large can of chopped tomatoes. If needed, add some of the liquid from the canned tomatoes to the blender or food processor. Add the parmesan cheese and blend again. Pour the blended pesto sauce over the clams in the pan. Finally, add the rest of the canned tomatoes and mix well. Heat on medium heat as you stir the pan and when the sauce bubbles, reduce the heat to low. You may pour a little olive oil around the top of the sauce while it is cooking; eventually the olive oil will become absorbed into the sauce. Continue to stir periodically as the sauce thickens, for about 20 minutes.

At any point in the preparation, once the water is at a full boil, you may add the spaghetti to the boiling water. Stir immediately to separate the strands. Continue cooking the spaghetti until you can lift a strand out of the boiling water with a pasta fork, let it cool and then take a taste test to find out if it is "al dente," meaning it offers resistance to the bite but is not too hard or too mushy. Once the spaghetti is done just right, take a hot pad and remove the pot from the stove to a colander and drain it well under running water to remove the starch. This will prevent the spaghetti from sticking together.

Pour the sauce over the spaghetti, add a little Parmesan cheese or Italian parsley for garnish and enjoy!

Homemade Thousand Island Reuben Sandwich

Going gluten free means that I used to miss out on some of my favorite deli sandwiches, but no more!

I have come up with a way to make a tasty and delicious Thousand Island Reuben sandwich at home. As gluten free bread is not as large as regular wheat bread, these sandwiches are small but satisfying.

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Homemade Hot Reuben Sandwich

Ingredients:

Canyon Bakehouse Gluten Free San Juan 7-Grain Bread, 18 Oz

4 slices gluten-free white or other favorite sandwich bread (Udi's or Canyon Bakehouse are good options)

A few pats of room temperature butter

2 slices Swiss cheese (pre-sliced)

1/2-3/4 c. sauerkraut, drained well

6 slices thin-sliced ham (gluten free-no wheat starch), or pastrami

1/2 to 3/4 cup Homemade Thousand Island dressing (recipe below)

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Homemade Thousand Island Dressing

Mix together in a small bowl:

1 large tablespoon of organic mayonnaise (gluten free is best)

Small amount (2 tsp.) of gluten-free ketchup such as Heinz organic

Dijon mustard (Annie's is naturally gluten free)

1 tsp. sweet pickle relish

Dash of powdered ginger

Set aside the dressing.  Preheat a medium-sized heavy frying pan or griddle and reduce to low heat.

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Meanwhile, butter one side of each piece of bread. Place two slices butter side down on a small plate. Spread some of the dressing on the top side of the bread, followed by the drained sauerkraut. Add one slice of Swiss cheese. Fold three ham or pastrami slices in half, then arrange them on top of the cheese. Next add the cheese again, then spread more of the dressing over the second slice of bread. Put the second slice of bread on top, with its butter side facing up. Repeat with the third and fourth bread slices to make a second sandwich.

Using a large spatula and holding the sandwich down with the other hand, set the sandwiches carefully into the frying pan. Turn the heat up slightly to medium low. 

Cook on one side for 4-5 minutes, until golden brown, then press down firmly with the spatula to flatten the sandwich. Using two spatulas if necessary, hold the sandwiches together flip them over and cook on the other side for another 4-5 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary to avoid burning.

Cheese should be melting out from the sides of the sandwich by this time.

Serves 2 people. 

Delicious with leek-potato soup or a salad.

Best Leek Potato Soup Recipe

I created this recipe with fresh leeks that I had bought at the farmer's market. They have a mild oniony flavor and are really delicious in soup. They're healthy, too!

Leeks provide a mild natural diuretic effect which helps eliminate excess fluid from the body. 

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Best Leek Potato Soup Recipe

Ingredients:
2 large leeks (or 4 small leeks)

1 small white onion

3 tbsp. olive oil


1 tbsp. butter

3 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

3-4 c. boxed gluten-free vegetable broth

3/4 c. half & half (optional)

Salt and white pepper

Old Bay seasoning for extra flavor

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Preparation:

Prepare leeks a few hours earlier or the night before. Cut off the dark green leaves, and save the white and pale green head of the leeks. Discard the green leaves or freeze them to make soup stock.

Leeks contain a lot of dirt, so peel off the outside layers and rinse the stalk under running water until clean. Using a large saucepan with high sides, put the leek stalks in with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and then immediately lower the heat to medium low. Cover the saucepan and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool. You may reserve the leeks and liquid to a covered container and refrigerate overnight.

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*If you have reserved the broth from boiling the leeks earlier, you may cool it and keep on hand as an occasional appetite suppressant/detox drink as suggested in the book by Mireille Guiliano, "French Women Don't Get Fat." Since leeks are a mild diuretic, it is recommended to drink plenty of water throughout the day. 

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When ready to prepare soup, dice a small white onion and sauté in olive oil and butter in a dutch oven or stew pot. Sauté the onion only until clear: do not brown! Meanwhile, peel and cube the russet potatoes and add to the onions in the pan. Stir well, then add the vegetable broth just to cover. Allow to simmer on medium low heat until the potatoes are just soft, about 25-30 minutes.

While the potatoes and onions are simmering, remove the leeks from the saucepan or container, and conserve the leek broth. At this point, you may pour off the broth into a container and save it for a detox* drink. Keep a small portion of the broth with the leeks. Put the now-softened leeks into a food processor and grind until smooth. You may use the extra broth to thin the mixture if necessary.


Once the potatoes are soft, use a potato masher to mash them smooth while they are still in the dutch oven or pot, blending with the onions and broth. Add the leeks from the food processor to the potato mixture. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Stir on low heat.

Add Old Bay seasoning, if desired. Add half & half and reheat quickly just before serving. Do not boil!

Makes 5-6 servings

Homemade Healthy Taco Salad

This homemade healthy taco salad recipe is my own alternative to recipes that make use of taco seasoning from an envelope.

I prefer choosing my own spice mixture to avoid additives like MSG and gluten that those prepared spice packets may contain.

This is a easy and healthy dish for light dinners and potlucks. It really is the best recipe for easy homemade taco salad!

Print as PDF

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Easy Homemade Taco Salad

Beef mixture:

1 tablespoon cooking oil (to keep beef from sticking to pan)

1 pound lean ground beef, browned until crumbly and dry

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 of a 14-oz. can diced tomatoes (take the unused portion out from can and refrigerate in a separate container)

1/2 teaspoon Mexican or regular oregano

½ cup of chipotle pepper sauce (see recipe below)

½ cup prepared tomatillo or other green salsa

Simmer the above ingredients for 20 minutes. Then add: 

1 can of corn, drained well

Dash of chili powder (optional)

Stir in all ingredients and allow to cool.

My recipe calls for Embasa chipotle in adobo sauce—use the brand of your choice. Follow directions below and use only a little bit! It's very hot but it gives a hearty smoky flavor.

Chipotle pepper sauce:

Using a teaspoon, take out 1/2 to 1 tsp of the sauce from the can and mix with 1/2 cup tap water. If you get a bit of the chile, no problem; just mash it together with the water. Discard the big chunks, however.

Set aside to add to ground beef mixture.

Reserve the rest of the can in a small glass Mason jar and keep in refrigerator to use another time.

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Salad mixture:

Place into a large bowl:

2 hearts of romaine lettuce, cut in 1-inch slices

1 small can sliced black olives, drained

2 green onions, sliced thinly

A handful of crushed natural tortilla chips (NOT Doritos!)

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

1 handful fresh cilantro, rinsed, patted dry and chopped coarsely (discard stems)

Salt to taste

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Lastly, sprinkle on top of the salad/beef mixture, and stir from bottom until mixed well:

1/2 cup pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds from Mexican store)

1-2 tablespoon cotija cheese (dry salty cheese from Mexican store—looks like parmesan cheese)

Serve cold on a plate or on a corn tortilla. Top with sour cream or hot sauce if desired. 

Makes about 6-8 good-sized servings.

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Gluten-free New England Clam Chowder with Sausage

Gluten-free New England Clam Chowder with Sausage is my own recipe for white clam chowder but I use my favorite gluten-free flour instead of wheat flour as a thickener.

Cajun or Andouille sausage adds a nice smoky flavor instead of bacon as most traditional clam chowder recipes use.

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NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER WITH SAUSAGE

Ingredients:

½ white onion, chopped coarsely

¼ cup unflavored oil (grapeseed or canola)

2 tablespoons Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour

½ teaspoon salt (or more to taste)

3-1/2 cups vegetable broth

2 cans chopped or minced clams with juice

Cajun or Andouille sausage: ¼ to ½ of one link, finely minced (use more for spicier taste)

1 stalk celery, chopped small

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

1 large white potato with skin, chopped into ½-inch chunks

1 can corn (optional), drained well

½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1 tablespoon butter

¾ cup milk or half and half

Dash of pepper

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You can experiment with adding more gluten-free flour to make a thicker soup, but be sure to add the flour to the oil and onion at the beginning of cooking.

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Instructions:

Pour the oil into a Dutch oven or other medium-sized pot with lid. On medium heat, add the chopped onions and stir until clear—do NOT let the onions brown! Add the flour and salt and stir continuously as it thickens with the onions. Open the canned clams and pour the juice slowly into the mixture and stir as it thickens. Add the clams and stir well.

Add the chopped celery and potatoes, then the minced sausage, and stir well. Add the Old Bay seasoning and parsley. Continue to stir as you add the vegetable broth a cup at a time.  Let it cook, covered, on LOW heat until the potatoes are tender. Add corn, if used. At that time, add the butter and milk and allow to heat, but not boil. Correct seasonings.

Serve hot.

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