Phyllo Crust Apple Pie

This pie is not gluten-free. I made it for the folks who have an abundance of apples from the tree this year. I haven't make this in years but it used to be a favourite family contribution to family dinners. How could I say no? I'm not great at making pie crusts so this is easy way out of that task. And the fact that it is not gluten-free will be good at keeping me from indulging in dessert.  

I've seen gluten-free phyllo pastry in the freezer section at thelocal gluten-free specialty food shop. I haven't tried it yet. Maybe this season I'll try it out with this apple pie recipe.  

Apples

Dried cranberries

Cinnamon

Amaretto

Phyllo pastry

ground nuts (I used walnuts)

melted butter

Portuguese Lasagna

Okay, it is really not called Portuguese Lasagna. Just a little joke there. But it is delicious and that is no joke!  

Start with some sliced potatoes, par-boil them and layer the bottom of a baking sheet.  

You'll also need some cooked salt cod that has been broken into pieces.  

Some thinly sliced onions and shallots.  

Layer and top with diced tomatoes.  Drizzle with olive oil that has been dressed with homemade hot pepper paste, thyme, salt, pepper and garlic. Bake for 45 minutes in a pre-heated over (375 degrees).  

Enjoy!  

Braised Red Cabbage

Thinly sliced onions

minced garlic

fresh thyme

bacon drippings

chopped granny smith apple

apple sauce

apple juice with equal amounts of water

red wine vinegar

brown sugar

red cabbage

parsley

cooked diced gluten-free bacon

Braised Short Ribs

Bison Short Ribs

Fresh Thyme

Minced Garlic

Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

Fennel

Onions

Celery

Beef broth

Seared and then cooked slowly in a low oven for about four hours until the meat just falls off the bone...

Serve with braised red cabbage.  

Spiked Cookies

These are often referred to as Spiked Corn Cookies. In Portuguese they are called Espigas de Mihlo and they are delicious.  There are so many different versions of this recipe. This one found on the Food Network calls for wheat-based flour in the recipe. That is not how my Portuguese Mama makes these delicious cookies. It is all about white corn flour. It is not found in our local grocery store. Instead, we find white corn flour at the Portuguese or East Indian speciality markets. No wheat flour in these babies.

Filling up the glass cookie jar for later.  

This is a hand made cookie press made especially for these cookies. It came from Portugal. Here in North America you can use a pastry bag with a star shaped attachment to make these cookies.  

They are perfect dunking cookies.  

Happy Eats!  

Mmmm, summer time eats

Gluten-free hot dog buns from Lorenzo's

Gluten-free bison sausage from Costco

Gluten-free mustard from the Fork's Market

Zucchini Pancakes

Can you believe that these three (okay, 2 and 1/2) zucchinis amounted to 12 cups of shredded zucchini?  

What is a gal to do with that much shredded zucchini? Make pancakes, of course!

Zucchini pancakes freeze extremely well. Perfect to pop in the microwave for a quick breakfast when you are in a rush. Just top off with some home-made Apple Lemon Jam and you're set!