Category Archives: Gluten-Free

Homemade Chips with Melty Blue Cheese and Bacon

YES.

One of my first food experiences when I moved to Atlanta in 2006 was this: Homemade chips plus hot blue cheese dressing plus bacon. Um, YES.

The restaurant that served this has long shut down, but my memory of the deliciousness lives on! I’ve recreated the dish and it is freaking awesome. The key is adding that little bit of bacon fat into the sauce….OMG.

Homemade Chips with Melty Blue Cheese and Bacon

Ingredients

Blue Cheese Sauce

4 slices crispy bacon crumbled (Bake at 400 for about 10 minutes and save 1 tsp bacon fat)
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 Tb butter
1 Tb bacon fat
3/4 cup full fat sour cream
1 tsp brown sugar
1 Tb worcestershire
1 Tb fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese plus more for garnish
chopped scallions to garnish

Chips

Baking potato (peeled and sliced thin)
Canola oil
Kosher Salt

Instructions

For the Sauce

Bake bacon on a rimmed cookie sheet at 400 until crispy, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 tsp of bacon fat and put in a frying pan. Saute garlic cloves in bacon fat and butter on medium heat until lightly caramelized, about 2 minutes.
Add in the rest of the ingredients. Blue cheese will start to melt into the dressing. Top onto chips with additional blue cheese, bacon and scallions to garnish.

For the Chips

Peel a baking potato and slice thin on a mandolin. Soak sliced potato pieces in cold water for 15 minutes and then dry off with paper towels. This will rub off some of the starch so they crisp up easier. (Soaking isn't necessary, but I like the results better that way).
Heat up about 2-3 inches of oil in a large frying pan or dutch oven on medium high heat. When oil sizzles just a bit, (test it out with one chip) add chips in batches. Turn over when browned on one side.
Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with kosher salt.

http://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2013/12/homemade-chips-with-melty-blue-cheese-and-bacon/

OMG.

Quick and Dirty Dinner: Dirty Rice with Smoky Chicken and Sausage

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Quick, Dirty and Delish

Usually after a long day, I love nothing better than trying out a new recipe and unwinding in front of the stove with a little Dateline or 48 Hours playing on my laptop in the background. I know, macabre, right? Creating delicious culinary art while listening to stories about murders and horror? I’m a news reporter at heart and I’m still addicted to real life crime stories!

Lastnight, I was just trying to git’erdone. No true crime, just true tired. I opened the fridge and saw I had leftover chicken we grilled over the weekend that needed eating, some random veggies, sausage and a box of Zatarain’s Dirty Rice. Doneski.

The irony is that my man came home and proceeded to plow through my leftover “everything but the kitchen sink” dinner and declare it tasted even better than his all-time favorite jambalaya. Wha-what? I think dude was just hungry. I also credit his bad-ass grill skills for the smoky flavor of the chicken which really took the simplicity of this dinner to a whole ‘notha level of delish!

Dirty Rice with Smoky Chicken and Sausage

Ingredients

Zatarain's Dirty Rice Mix
2 Tb butter (divided)
1 Tb olive oil
8 oz spicy sausage sliced
1 Tb Grade B Maple syrup
1 1/2 cups grilled chicken diced
2 roasted jalapeños chopped
1/2 onion diced
1/2 cup mushrooms
1 cup spinach
kosher salt

Instructions

Make rice according to package directions (boil 2 1/2 cups water with 1 Tb butter and add rice mix. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer on low for 25 minutes).
Saute chopped onion and mushrooms in 1 Tb olive oil on medium heat for 10 minutes until lightly caramelized. Add in spinach and stir until slightly wilted, about 30 seconds. Toss in a pinch of kosher salt.
In a separate frying pan, melt 1 Tb butter and add sausage. Cook on both sides until done-- about 7 minutes. Stir in 1 Tb Grade B Maple syrup to coat. This adds a nice, sweet flavor to the smokiness of the sausage.
Add chicken and chopped jalapeños to vegetable mixture to warm them up.

Stir in rice to combine.

http://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2013/12/quick-and-dirty-dinner-dirty-rice-with-smoky-chicken-and-sausage/

I might add some a cup of kidney beans to the mix next time for even more stick-to-yer-ribs effect! Only ish– no leftovers!

Coconut Shrimp with Mango Basil Salsa & Lime Jasmine Rice

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Burst of majah flavah!

This is one of all-time favorite recipes— I’ve made this for crowds of 25+ and for intimate dinner parties. It’s got that sweet heat combo with a a cool mango basil salsa that really adds a pop of fresh (and delish!)

Making the rice with coconut milk and lime also gives it a really authentic Thai flavor….Enjoy!

Coconut Shrimp with Mango Basil Salsa & Lime Jasmine Rice

Ingredients

Salsa

1 mango, peeled and finely diced
3 scallions, sliced
5 basil leaves, julienned
1 lime, juiced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Shrimp

4 fresh jalapenos, diced (keep the seeds for extra spicy heat!)
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 one inch piece ginger, peeled and grated (or 2 TB of tube ginger)
4 Tb dark brown sugar
4 Tb soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
2 Tb Thai Chili sauce
1 lime, zested
1 can of coconut milk
Handful basil leaves, torn
2 Tb vegetable or canola oil
1 tsp salt
1 Tb pepper
1 pound peeled, deveined shrimp (medium to large-- not the little guys!)

Lime Jasmine Rice

1 cup jasmine rice
3/4 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup water
Pinch salt
1/2 lime, zested

Instructions

For the salsa

Combine all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Make up to a day in advance. Keep covered in the refrigerator.

For the shrimp

In a mixing bowl, combine jalapenos, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, Thai chili sauce, lime zest, coconut milk, basil, vegetable oil, salt and pepper. Add the shrimp and marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours, refrigerated.
Heat 2 Tb vegetable or canola oil in a nonstick skillet over high heat. Use tongs or a fork to remove the shrimp from the marinade and place in an even layer in the pan, reserving the marinade.
Cook the shrimp until well browned on each side, turning once, about 2 minutes per side max. Transfer cooked shrimp to a serving plate.
Add reserved marinade to pan, bring to a boil and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Pour over the cooked shrimp and serve with Lime Jasmine Rice and Mango Salsa.

For the rice

Put the rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cover and gently simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 12 to 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in the lime zest. Serve immediately.

http://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2013/12/coconut-shrimp-with-mango-basil-salsa-lime-jasmine-rice/

Killer Chili Garlic Crab Cakes

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Star of the meal!

This is a great meal for entertaining! I’ve cooked this for anniversary dinners for personal chef clients and for my family’s Christmas dinner one year. It’s always a hit.

Hint: Remember to sort through the crab meat to make sure there aren’t any shells mixed in and use paper towels to remove any excess moisture from the crab meat. Watery crab will not hold together well or brown evenly.

Killer Chili Garlic Crab Cakes

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise (not low-fat)
1 fresh garlic clove diced
4 tsp chili-garlic sauce
1 Tb Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
3 Tb olive oil
2 Tb butter
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup celery
1/2 cup sweet onion
2 Tb jalapeño
1 pound crabmeat, drained and coursely chopped
1 large egg, beaten to blend
5 cups breadcrumbs (you can sub gluten-free bread)

Instructions

Mix mayonnaise, diced garlic clove, chili-garlic sauce, Worcestershire sauce, honey, salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice in small bowl. Cover and refrigerate chili mayonnaise.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 Tb butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, celery, onion, and jalapeño; sauté 3 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in crab, egg, 1/2 cup chili mayonnaise, and remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice, then 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs.
Form crab mixture into eight 1/2-inch-thick cakes, using 1/2 cup for each. Dredge cakes in remaining 3 1/2 cups breadcrumbs, turning to coat. Place on baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 1 Tb butter in large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, add crab cakes and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
Transfer to plates. Serve, passing remaining chili mayonnaise separately.

http://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2013/12/killer-chili-garlic-crabcakes/

Maple Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Onion and Bacon

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Can’t. Stop. Eating. These.

I already posted a great sweet potato recipe this week, but I had a couple leftover taters in my kitchen, so I decided to improvise with another version. I like this one even better. OHMYGOD. I couldn’t stop eating them out of the pan! Adding in a bit of Grade B maple syrup gives them a decadent, slightly sweet finish to compliment the savory sage and bacon. OHMYGOD.

Ingredients

2 large sweet potatoes (peeled and diced)

6 pieces of cooked, crumbled bacon

1 medium onion cut into thin rings

1 Tb butter

1 Tb olive oil

1/4 cup brandy

1 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)

2 Tb Grade B Maple syrup

2 Tb fresh sage chopped

Directions: Toss peeled and diced sweet potatoes in boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Bake bacon at 400 for 10 minutes until crispy. Drain and crumble.

Heat up a frying pan on medium heat with oil and butter. Put onions in when butter gets bubbly with 1 tsp kosher salt. Saute for 20 minutes until softened and beginning to brown and caramelize. Add in 1/4 cup brandy and crank up heat for a couple minutes. Then turn heat back down and cook off alcohol, another 15 minutes. Add in softened potatoes and crumbled bacon. Stir in the 2 Tb of Grade B Maple syrup to coat everything. Garnish with fresh sage.

I dare you to try not eating them straight outta da pan. OHMYGOD.

Meaty Monday: Smack Yo Mama (it’s so good) Jambalaya

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A stick to yer ribs kinda meal

This is probably, hands down, JP’s favorite meal. Inevitably, our kitchen is filled with exclamations that go something like this: “OHMYGODPARKERYOUARESOFREAKINGAMAZINGILOVEYOUANDTHISJAMBALAYASOMUCH!!”

Classic jambalaya usually has chicken, but I normally just add shrimp and spicy andouille sausage. My go-to brand is Ragin’ Cajun.

My fave brand of sausage for jambalaya

I make my jambalaya in piece-meal and then combine it all— making the rice, sautéing the veggies, then the sausage, then doing the shrimp last so they don’t get tough. The best part is that it tastes even better the next day– (if it lasts that long!) I serve it with jalapeño cornbread . Prepare to smack yo mama after the first bite…..it’s that damn good!

Ingredients

1 box of Zatarain’s Jambalaya Rice Mix

2 bay leaves

1 onion diced

3 garlic cloves diced

1 green or red bell pepper diced

3 celery stalks diced

1 jalapeño diced

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with chilies (like Rotel) undrained

1 Tb tomato paste

1 Tb srirachi or hot sauce

1 Tb worcestershire

1/4 cup white wine

1 Tb Grade B maple syrup

2 Tb butter

2 Tb olive oil

3 Tb fresh thyme leaves

1 package of andouille sausage

1 pound of shrimp (peeled and deveined) tossed with 2 Tb of spice mix (recipe below)

Spice Mix

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp thyme leaves

2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Directions: Make Zatarain’s mix according to package directions with the addition of the bay leaves and set aside.

Veggies: Saute vegetables (onion, peppers, garlic, jalapeño, celery) in 1 Tb olive oil on medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Add to rice. (I usually put rice in a large saucepan after it’s cooked to make room for the other ingredients). Then, add in worcestershire, tomatoes, tomato paste, white wine, hot sauce and fresh thyme. Let simmer uncovered on low heat until you add the sausage/shrimp and are ready to serve. Stir occasionally.

Sausage: Slice sausage to desired thickness (I do about 1/4 inch) and saute in 1 Tb butter and 1 Tb olive oil on medium heat until cooked through– about 10 minutes. Then add the Grade B Maple syrup to coat. Grade B is the thicker more organic variety than your regular Aunt Jemima. It has a stronger maple taste– combined with the sausage, it’s got a touch of sweet and a whole lotta spicy, smoky and delish.

Shrimp: Toss shrimp (after they’re peeled and deveined) in 2 Tb of the spice mix. Heat up 1 Tb butter and 1 Tb olive oil in a frying pan on med/high heat and let the butter get bubbly. If you add a shrimp to the pan and you don’t hear a *sizzle*– it’s not ready. Wait another minute or so. Don’t crowd the shrimp in the pan– you’ll need to do atleast 2 batches if you’re cooking a whole pound. Add a little more butter and olive oil between batches.

Saute shrimp for 3 minutes on one side and flip– then 2 minutes on the other side. Put your timer on so they don’t go too long and get overdone!

Fold in the sausage and the shrimp to the rice and serve hot with cornbread. Prepare for a par-tay on your palate that Mama would be proud of.

Baked Cod in Parchment with Mediterranean Tapenade

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Substitute in any white fish you like…

Earlier this summer, I had the chance to cook with one of the most inspiring women I know….Deb Shigley is a published author (check out her book The Go-Getter Girl’s Guide) a regular on the Today Show, incredible wife and Mom to 3 (yes, 3 kiddos!) and host of her own cooking blog In Deb’s Kitchen. Together, we whipped up one of my favorite fish recipes, Baked Cod in Parchment paper with a Mediterranean Tapenade. Fish en papillote, if ya wanna get fancy. Watch the video to see the intricacies of wrapping fish, folks….

Ingredients

For each 4-oz cod fillet you’ll need:

A pat of butter

Sprig of Fresh Thyme

Slice of lemon

Splash of white wine

Sea Salt

Black Pepper

Parchment Paper

1 Egg, beaten (to seal parchment paper)

For the tapenade:

2 fresh garlic cloves
1 roasted red pepper (jarred)
2 Tablespoons chopped sundried tomatoes in oil

Handful of green olives
handful of kalamata olives
1 Tablespoon capers

Crumbled goat or feta cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place your piece of parchment paper (about 9 X 12 in.) on the counter or cutting board. Arrange one cod fillet in the top center of the paper. Add a pat of butter, sprig of thyme, splash of white wine and lemon slice on top of the fish and season with sea salt and pepper. Using a pastry brush, paint a line of egg wash around the perimeter of the paper, about 1/2-inch from the edge. Fold paper in half to seal in the fish like an envelope. Starting from the bottom left corner, fold and roll the paper over itself in 1/4 inch sections, continuing along the edge toward the bottom right corner until you’ve sealed the fish in its little parchment paper pocket. Transfer each parchment packet to a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

For the tapenade, place all ingredients except the goat cheese into a mini-processor. Pulse about 15-30 seconds, until blended but still very chunky (if you pulse too long the tapenade will get soupy). Transfer tapenade mixture to another bowl and top with a handful of crumbled goat cheese. Remove fish from its parchment packet when ready and plate. Spoon a few tablespoons of tapenade on top of baked fillet.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chipotle Chili

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It’s an award winner, y’all!

I always come back to this chili recipe…not just because it’s won two awards, (let me just brag for a minute!) but because it’s That. Damn. Good. This week, I sent the recipe to a girlfriend of mine who made it for a potluck party. She promptly declared– and I do quote: “Oh dear God, Parker. I’m not kidding. That’s the best chili I’ve ever tasted! And I live in Texas. I’m giddy with excitement to take it tomorrow!”

I never get tired of hearing ~~applause~~ compliments for my recipes— mostly just because it makes my heart happy to share food, and for me, it’s sharing pure L.O.V.E.

The show-stopper ingredients in this chili are the hint of chocolate (1 Tb cocoa) and the chipotle peppers. Once you brown all the ingredients and combine, you can let it simmer on the stove or in a crockpot on low for about 3 hours, but don’t keep it going in the crockpot all night or it will dry it out. Just put it in the fridge and thin it out in the morning with a bit of beef stock.

Just let it simmer in the crockpot for 3 hours on low, but not overnight.

Ingredients

Lots of ingredients, but so worth the effort!

2 pounds ground beef (sometimes the butcher will label it “chili mix”– the beef is thicker than regular hamburger meat)

1 pound spicy sausage (I use Jimmy Dean HOT sausage)

3 Tablespoons butter

2 medium or 1 large yellow/white onion diced

4-5 garlic cloves diced

2 jalapeno peppers diced (not seeds)

2 cans Rotel tomatoes (original)

1 (6 oz) can of tomato paste

1 can of red beans with juice (Kidney)

1/4 cup honey

4 Tablespoons BBQ sauce

1 Tablespoon Tabasco sauce

4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (diced with seeds), plus 4 Tablespoons of sauce

1 12 oz bottle amber beer

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 Tablespoon Cocoa

2 cups of beef stock (I prefer using “Better Than Bouillon” paste. You boil 2 cups of water and add 2 Tablespoons of the paste and mix.)

2 Tablespoons Cumin

4 Tablespoons Chili powder

1 Tablespoon Garlic powder

1 Tablespoon Onion powder

2 Tablespoons Paprika (Hungarian/spicy is best)

2 Tablespoons Brown sugar

1 Tablespoon Cayenne pepper

1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt

2 Tablespoons Black pepper

4 ears corn on cob, cut off cob

Bunch of Scallions chopped to garnish

Shredded cheese to top

Directions: In a large saucepan, brown chili meat and sausage. Do not drain. In a separate frying pan, melt butter and saute onion, garlic, jalapeno and corn until soft, 5-7 minutes. Add to beef saucepan and stir to combine. Add all the spices to the beef mixture and saute over medium heat until combined…Pour in everything else and simmer for 2-3 hours! Top with chopped scallions and shredded cheese!

Love Jambalaya and Chili? Try my Chili-laya recipe too!

Ready to dive in…

Turkey Cranberry Salad…Leftover Turkey Heaven

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Leftovers won’t last long with this delish salad!

Who wants cold turkey sandwiches for 11 days after Thanksgiving? Not this girl. Your turkey just went to leftover heaven with this fabulous turkey cranberry salad. The secret ingredient is the heavy whipping cream folded in– it takes away that mayonnaisey taste that sometimes overwhelms chicken salad. The result is a salad that is creamy and decadent (and low-carb!) Sounds like the kind of legacy every turkey would want to leave behind, right?

Ingredients

4 cups of fresh roasted turkey chopped

½ cup of full-fat mayonnaise

3 Tb fresh parsley

3 Tb celery diced

3 Tb onion diced

3 Tb fresh cranberry sauce

3 Tb fresh toasted almonds

½ cup heavy whipping cream whipped into soft peaks

1 tsp kosher salt, more to taste

Directions: Mix everything together– fold in heavy whipping cream last. Enjoy!

Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Pistachios and Sage

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Savory, smooth, crunchy and delish!

Who doesn’t love the Southern classic Thanksgiving sweet potatoes with marshmallows and pecans? Since I’ve been trying to ~~keep my ass in skinny jeans this holiday season~~ cut down on sugar, I was inspired to come up with a savory version that cut the sugar without cutting out the flavor. Meet Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Pistachios and Sage…

Ingredients

3 sweet potatoes (peeled and diced)

8oz container of whipped cream cheese

1/2 stick melted butter (4 Tb)

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup heavy cream or half-n-half

3 roasted garlic cloves (roasted in jackets at 400 for 15 minutes, drizzled with olive oil)

Chopped fresh sage

1/2 cup toasted, crushed pistachios

Directions: Boil sweet potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and add the rest of ingredients to your mixer. Blend until smooth. Top with sage and pistachios.