Slow roasted tomato sauce

 From Serious Eats: https://www.seriouseats.com/the-best-slow-cooked-italian-american-tomato-sauce-red-sauce-recipe

Ingredients

• 4 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, preferably imported D.O.P. San Marzano tomatoes (see notes)

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 8 cloves garlic, minced (about 3 tablespoons)

• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano

• 1 medium carrot, cut into large chunks (I usually do 2 carrots)

• 1 medium onion, split in half

• 1 large stem fresh basil

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce, such as Red Boat (optional)

• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley or basil leaves (or a mix of the two)

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to lower position and preheat oven to 300°F (165°C). Place tomatoes in a large bowl. Using your hands, crush the tomatoes by squeezing them in your fingers until pieces no larger than 1/2-inch remain. Transfer 3 cups of crushed tomatoes to a sealed container and reserve in the refrigerator until step 4. (Hazel note: I usually just reserve 1.5 cups)

   

   Serious Eats / Diana Chistruga

2. Heat olive oil and butter over medium heat in a large Dutch oven until butter is melted. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add pepper flakes and oregano and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, carrot, onion, and basil, and stir to combine. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over high heat.

   

   Serious Eats / Diana Chistruga

3. Cover Dutch oven with lid slightly ajar and transfer to oven. Cook, stirring once every 1 to 2 hours, until reduced by about half and darkened to a deep red, 5 to 6 hours (reduce oven temperature if the sauce is bubbling too rapidly or the browned bits begin to turn too dark).

   

   Serious Eats / Diana Chistruga

4. Remove from oven. Using tongs, discard onion halves, carrot chunks, and basil stems. Add reserved tomatoes to sauce and stir to combine. Add fish sauce, if using. Season generously with salt and pepper and stir in minced herbs along with additional olive oil as desired. Serve immediately, or allow to cool at room temperature, transfer to airtight containers, and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Sauce can also be frozen in sealed containers for up to 6 months. To reheat, warm very gently in a saucepan with 1/2 cup water, stirring until it all melts and heats through.

   

Caputo Gluten Free Focaccia

 Focaccia

Video here: https://youtu.be/fGQy7KOIu40?si=3jY2zRO_zTwUOkzP

In a stand mixer, add

500g Caputo Fiorglut flour 

10 g instant yeast

475 g cold tap water 

Mix on level 2 for a minute, scrape down, mix another minute. Then add:

18 grams salt. 

Mix on level 2 a minute. Then add: 

25g olive oil. 

Mix on low (level 2) until incorporated. Then put on med-high an mix for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile oil two round 10 inch cake pans (for two smaller breads), or one tall 11 inch springform pan, or something similar. The pan size doesn't really affect the bake time. 

Pour the batter into the pan(s) and use your fingers to spread it out and flatten. I like to use gloves coated in olive oil for this. 

Proof for 2 hours.

Top with oregano, rosemary, and flake salt. poke some divots with your fingers and then drizzle with olive oil. 

Then bake at 450 degrees for 15-23 minutes depending on your pans. Should be golden on top. 

Caputo GF Pizza

Gluten Free Pizza

500 g Caputo Gluten Free flour

8 g instant yeast

400 g warm water (about 120 degrees)

18 g Kosher salt 

26 g Olive Oil

Fit the stand mixer with the paddle attachment. 

In the bowl of your stand mixer place the flour and yeast. Whisk by hand to combine. 

Place in the stand mixer and add the water. Mix on low until combined, scraping down at least once.

Add olive oil, mix on low for a few seconds. 

Add salt, mix on low for a few seconds and then raise the mixer to medium-high and mix for 4 minutes. 

Oil a medium-size bowl, and scrape the pizza dough into the bowl. Using very well-oiled hands, loosely shape the dough into a round. 

Cover the bowl tightly with plastic and place in the oven set to proof mode for 90 minutes until doubled in size. 

Then divide into 2-3 balls, wrap in seran wrap and place in fridge until read to use. Remove an hour before you want to bake it. 

When ready to make pizza, preheat oven as hot as possible (550 usually) with the pizza steel for at least 30 minutes. 

Press out the dough into a circle on parchment paper on top of your pizza peel. Slide into oven with the parchment and bake for 7 minutes, removing parchment after 2 minutes.

Put the broiler on high for 3 minutes in between pizzas to make sure the oven is still hot! Then put it back at 550. 

Repeat parbaking other crusts.

Top each crust with sauce and cheese and slide back on the hot stone. Bake approx 5-7 more minutes but watch it so it doesn't burn. 

Gluten Free Carrot Cake , adapted from Chef Alina

https://chefalina.com/best-ever-gluten-free-carrot-cake/

Preheat to 375

DRY: 

225 1:1 GF flour

2 tsp soda

1 tsp kosher salt

220g granulated sugar

220g brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or baking spice

180g ground walnuts

WET:

226 g carrots (put chunks into cuisinart and pulse until fine)

280g canola oil

4 eggs

Mix dry in one bowl. Mix wet in one bowl. Add wet to dry. Let batter sit for 30 minutes. 

Prepare two 9 inch round cake pounds by greasing and flouring them and then putting a piece of parchment on the bottom of the tin (on top of the grease/floured bottom). 

Place pans in the oven and immediately turn down to 350 degrees. Bake for 35 minutes. 

Frost when cool. Frost in between layers, on top, and on the sides 

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 (8-ounce) package brick style cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• ½ cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 cups (240 grams) powdered sugar (adjust to desired texture)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup

 https://toshistable.com/green-lentil-sweet-potato-soup/

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 sticks celery diced
• 2 carrots diced
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger minced
• 1 tablespoon dried turmeric
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sweet potato cut into cubes
• 1 cup red lentils
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 15 oz can full fat coconut milk

Garnishes:

• Freshly ground black pepper
• Cilantro
• Optional: serve with a bowl of rice or warm bread.

Instructions

 

• Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a dutch oven or large pot. Add the celery, carrots and onion and sauté for 5-8 minutes.
• Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, sage, cumin, salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Stir for 30 seconds to a minute, or until fragrant.
• Add the sweet potatoes, red lentils and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then immediately drop the heat down to low, partially cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until lentils are cooked through.
• Stir in the coconut milk. Garnish with fresh cilantro and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy!

Delicious Banana Muffins (big and fluffy)

 https://meaningfuleats.com/gluten-free-banana-muffins/

• 1 2/3 cups (250g) gluten-free 1:1 baking flour
• ▢1/2 cup (50g) almond flour
• ▢1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢1/2 teaspoon salt

WET INGREDIENTS:

• ▢1 1/2 cups (345g) mashed bananas 4 bananas
• ▢1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• ▢1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
• ▢1/3 cup (75g) neutral-flavored oil I use avocado 
• ▢1/4 cup (60g) sour cream 
• ▢1 tablespoon milk
• 
  

1. Line one 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners or lightly grease with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix with a rubber spatula until just combined and no dry streaks remain. If adding any chocolate chips or nuts, fold them in when the batter is just about mixed to avoid over-mixing.
4. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin. Fill the tins all the way up! Refrigerate the muffins for 20 minutes before baking. Preheat the oven to 425F.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350F and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean and the muffins spring back when touched on top.
6. Let cool for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy

The best brownies

 From https://www.loveandlemons.com/brownies-recipe/

These are the best! 

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar*
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (use 90g one-to-one GF flour for gluten free)
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 3/4 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup canola oil or extra-virgin olive oil**
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 
  

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly spray an 8x8 baking dish (not a 9x9 dish or your brownies will overcook) with cooking spray and line it with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, chocolate chips, and salt
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, olive oil, water, and vanilla.
• Sprinkle the dry mix over the wet mix and stir until just combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan (it'll be thick - that's ok) and use a spatula to smooth the top. Bake for 40 to 48 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs attached (note: it's better to pull the brownies out early than to leave them in too long). Cool completely before slicing.***