Our friend Jack from Atlas in Iowa City recommended this delicious Jamie Oliver recipe for Tender and Crisp Chicken Legs and Sweet Tomatoes. We tried it, and it was so fabulous that we made the dish for my family’s Christmas dinner, which we hosted this year. The flavors are rich, but the dish is fairly light. The thing that bothered me, though, is that none of the vegetables are in season here during the winter and spring. So, I created two other variations of the dish both to accommodate the different seasons and to keep us from getting tired of eating the same thing every week. Yes, I have literally been making a variation on this dish once a week because it’s so easy, tastes amazing, and it makes several servings (4-6). It’s also incredibly healthy because it’s rich with vitamins and fiber. Also, if you prefer white meat, you can substitute chicken breasts for the hind quarters.

Artichoke, Chicken and Olives

• 4 bone-in chicken thighs
• 4 bone-in chicken drumsticks
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 can artichokes, drained
• 8-10 roma tomatoes, quartered
• 1 chopped red onion
• 1 chopped jalepeno
• 1 jar pitted Kalamata olives
• ¼ tsp dried thyme (or fresh)
• 1 head of garlic (broken up, leave cloves whole)
• salt and pepper to taste (a generous amount of each)

Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Season your chicken pieces all over and put them into a snug-fitting pan in one layer. Throw in all the vegetables and olives, then chuck in your tomatoes. Scatter the garlic cloves into the pan and drizzle over some olive oil. Mix around a bit, pushing the tomatoes underneath. Place in the oven for 1½ hours, turning the tomatoes halfway through, until the chicken skin is crisp and the meat falls off the bone.

This recipe makes a lot of broth, so you may want to serve it over pasta or rice.

Seasonal Root Vegetables and Chicken

• 4 bone-in chicken thighs
• 4 bone-in chicken drumsticks
• 3 beets, peeled and chopped
• 2-3 sweet potatoes, chunked
• 1 leek, sliced
• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 parsnip, chopped
• 1 rutabaga, chopped
• 1 head of garlic (broken up, leave cloves whole)
• salt and pepper to taste (a generous amount of each)

Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Season your chicken pieces all over and put them into a snug-fitting pan in one layer. Throw in all the vegetables and olives, then chuck in your tomatoes. Scatter the garlic cloves into the pan and drizzle over some olive oil. Mix around a bit, pushing the tomatoes underneath. Place in the oven for 1½ hours, turning the tomatoes halfway through, until the chicken skin is crisp and the meat falls off the bone.

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This week, Crystal was craving a good brat. I decided to bake her a hot dog bun that isn’t crumbly, is lighter than a hockey puck, and doesn’t take anything away from the brat’s flavor; so I put on my thinking cap.

I remembered seeing a gluten free pastry recently that used egg, sugar and baking soda as a base instead of gf flours, xanthan gum and yeast. So I decided to try a few things, and I have to tell you, this is a darn fine hot dog bun.

Check out the Gluten-Free Hub Facebook page for more photos of the buns, and be sure to become a fan of the page while you’re there!

If you try this recipe, please let me know how it works out. It should work great as a hamburger bun as well, but since it’s so runny when you pour it into the pan, you’ll need a special round baking container.

Egg-based Gluten-Free Hot Dog Buns (makes 4 hotdog buns)

• 4 mini loaf pans (these end up being just the right size for hotdog buns)
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp. water
• 8 tsp. sugar
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 cup potato starch
• 1 tsp. dried oregano or Italian seasoning (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350° F. Whisk the eggs, water and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Mix in the baking powder, potato starch and oregano (the oregano helps mask the residual egg flavor, and adds a nice spice to the bun). Distribute the mixture evenly among four mini loaf pans (it won’t look like much, but trust me, they’ll rise). Bake the mini loaf pans for 16-20 minutes in the oven, or until the tops are golden brown.

These buns are spongy and hold up incredibly well; they never broke apart while eating heavily loaded brats! If you’d prefer sesame seeds, sprinkle them on top of the egg mixture after you pour it into the mini loaf pan.

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Crystal and I have been very busy the past couple of weeks with travel and work, but we’ll be posting more over the next week. As promised, here is my gluten-free Classic American Hamburger recipe (pictured with sweet potato oven fries), to go along with my gluten-free hamburger buns. The secret to this recipe is the potato starch, which helps hold the burgers together on the grill (I used to use bread crumbs). I had heard once to try replacing bread crumbs with corn meal, but we didn’t like the flavor. Enjoy!

Classic American Hamburgers (makes 4 1/4 lb. paddies)

• 4 Gluten-free hamburger buns (recipe)
• 1 lb. lean ground beef or ground chuck
• 2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce (Make sure it’s gluten free! We use the Hy-Vee brand.)
• 1 tbsp. potato starch
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper

Toppings:

• Leaf lettuce
• Sliced tomatoes
• Sliced red onion
• Pickles
• Cheddar cheese
• Ketchup (Heinz is gluten free)
• Yellow mustard (French’s is gluten free)

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl (I use my hands). Cover and let sit in refrigerator at least 30 minutes and up to four hours. When ready to cook, divide the meat into four equal parts and form into 1/2 inch thick paddies. Grill over high heat (450°-500°), about 3-4 minutes on each side, rotating 45° halfway through. Place the cheese slices on the burgers when they have about 30 seconds left on the grill.

Pull the burgers off the grill and let sit for about a minute. Build the hamburger with the toppings and enjoy! Serve with green salad, potato salad, or sweet potato oven fries.

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My grandma used to make this chili for family gatherings in the winter, and it is a family favorite. In fact, my cousin once won a Boy Scout chili cook-off with my grandma’s recipe. I have added extra vegetables and spices because Drew and I like the flavor and added healthfulness.

This is the perfect winter soup. I generally make a large batch and freeze leftovers in individual sized containers for quick meals throughout the winter months.

In the ingredient list below, I recommend a few Hy-Vee brand ingredients because I know that they’re gluten free, but they can be replaced with any gluten-free substitute.

Grandma’s Gluten-Free Chili with a Twist (makes 8-10 servings)

• Hy-Vee Chili Style Beans (30 oz)
• Hy-Vee Tomato Sauce (30 oz)
• Hy-Vee Crushed Tomatoes (30 oz)
• Water (20 oz)
• Lean ground beef (1/2 lb)
• Diced mild yellow onion (1 medium)
• Diced green bell peppers (2 large)
• Diced jalepeno with seeds (2) – optional*
• Chili powder (1 tsp)
• Cayenne pepper (1/2 tsp) – optional*
• Salt
• Pepper

The chili will be made from start to finish in the same large stockpot. First, brown the ground beef in the stockpot. Drain the beef and return to pot. Add the diced yellow onion and cook over medium heat until the onions become translucent. Add the diced green peppers, jalepeno, tomato sauce, water, crushed tomatoes, and chili beans. Stir to combine. Add chili powder and cayenne pepper. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium-low heat for 1.5 hours.

Top with shredded cheddar cheese and serve with gluten-free crackers or blue corn chips.

*Only add optional ingredients if you like spicy food.

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I got the idea for this salad from a friend of mine and it became an instant classic in our home. This is a healthy, high-protein meal, as flank steak is low in fat. The jalapeño in the dressing and marinade gives it just the right kick!

Marinated Flank Steak Salad with Lime Jalapeño Vinaigrette
(serves 4)

Lime Jalapeño Vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/8 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice (from about half a lime)
• 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeño pepper (seeded)
• 1/2 tsp. minced fresh cilantro
• 1/4 tsp. minced garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste

Mix oil with vinegar and lime juice with an emersion blender or whisk until well blended. Add other ingredients separately until mixed thoroughly.

Flank Steak Marinade:

• 1 lb. Flank steak
• 1 jalapeño, minced and seeded
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice (from about half a lime)
• 1/2 cup water

Combine ingredients and pour over steak, gently rubbing the garlic and jalapeño into the meat. Marinate steak for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to four hours in the refrigerator, until ready to cook.

When ready, grill flank steak over high heat for about 4-5 minutes on each side. Flank steak is meant to be medium rare when it comes off the grill, otherwise it will be very tough and chewy due to low fat content. Let sit for 2-3 minutes and slice in thin strips.

Salad:

• Fresh mixed greens (enough for four people)
• 8oz. cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 medium red or white onion, sliced
• 2 tbsp. fresh cilantro leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper

In a large salad bowl, lightly toss the mixed greens with about half of the vinaigrette. Add the tomatoes, onion, and cilantro. Sprinkle a little black pepper on the salad for flavor. Lay the warm slices of steak on top of the greens and serve.

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