Kicking off the Holiday Season with Pies for Simply Gluten-Free

"And they're off!" My grandpa would begin one of his classic jokes. In the fast-paced clip of a horse race announcer, he continued, "It's cabbage by a head, carrot in a bunch. Toothpaste being squeezed out on the rail. 

"And Diaper, bringing up the rear!" That last sentence always came with a special gravitas. 

It was a perennial favorite. We would ask him to tell it to us again and again. Recalling it now, I can still clearly hear his voice.

Those familiar words came back to me yesterday. 

The day after Halloween, and the holiday season is upon us. So often it feels like the gates opening with the crack of a starting pistol as we bear, full speed ahead, towards the Thanksgiving and Christmas.

We got to sample some holiday joy a little early this year, when Stephen and I worked on gluten free holiday pies for Simply Gluten-Free Magazine. From the flour blend and pie crust recipe, to fillings for a cranberry-apple galette and spiced rum and sweet potato hand pies, I got to build these recipes one piece at a time. Finding cranberries in August was no simple matter. (Thank you, Whole Foods, for pulling through on that one.) I didn't arrive at these recipes without some help, either. The filling for the Butter Pecan White Chocolate Mousse came from my Aunt BJ. The result is a family favorite I still remember tasting for the first time. (You might remember her from the Hungarian Goulash post this summer. She is an excellent baker and cook.) 

Part of the joy of the holidays is the sense of anticipation they create. Sharing them today fulfills some of my own anticipation. After testing pie crusts and sampling fillings, those recipes are now displayed on magazine racks around the country, and I finally get to share the tear sheets. I think the images are among the best that Stephen and I have worked on together. 

I hope you enjoy this visual taste of the holiday sweets to come. For the recipes, get your copy of Simply Gluten-Free.

"Real Hungarian Goulash," a New History Project, and Family Recipe No. 4

My great grandmother Virginia Goettl sat at the kitchen table of my parents' Denver apartment when someone started the tape recorder. 

"I was born in 1906 in Europe," she began. "I was a year old when I—"

My grandma, Virginia's daughter Betty, cut in. "Whereabouts in Europe, mom?" 

"I was born in Bosnia... Bosnia was a province of Austria-Hungary that they recaptured from the Turks in the early 1800s," she explained after my hearing-impaired grandpa mistakenly thought she said Boston. 

It was a quiet family evening in August 1982. My parents were there (my mom was seven months pregnant with me) with my grandparents and my dad's cousin Julie. You can hear the sound of plates being cleared in the background as my dad and grandma set out to capture Virginia's story. "Okay, what we wanted to record mostly was about history, about family history..." Betty starts to explain at the beginning of the tape. 

Earlier this year, I borrowed the three tapes they created, and started what I've come to call the "Family History Project." My great grandparents had a life of unplanned adventure after my great grandpa John was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1929. Their story is beyond the scope of a single blog post. 

Those tapes, though, and some of the simple and straightforward statements that emerged from them have shed unexpected light on questions I've had about my family history. 

Since my first family recipes post about kiffels, I've wondered why my "German" family prepared so much Hungarian food. 

We have a cookbook of different family recipes that my aunt collected for a reunion in 1999. All of the ones attributed to Virginia indicate a strong eastern European influence. And it's not just hers, but several of her relatives' recipes for goulash and paprikash, as well as my mom's kiffels, all point to a past situated well outside the borders I grew up associating with my family. 

I don't have all the answers for why my family continually talked about their strong German roots yet were actually located in the southeastern territories of Austria-Hungary. 

But the straightforward sentence, "I was born in Bosnia," explains why I grew up with the hearty and comforting flavors of foods infused with Hungarian paprika. 

It made me excited to try a recipe for "Real Hungarian Goulash," that my Aunt BJ submitted, explaining that her Aunt Helene Kailer made the stew for her after her first son was born. Preparing the simple, tomato-based beef stew connected me to a part of my family's past that I now perceive more clearly. 

I will continue exploring the various facets involved in my Family History Project, examining how a disease led the Goettls from Ohio, through the Deep South, and eventually landed them in Phoenix, Arizona. I can see that path laid out in the food we love, and the recipes we've shared with one another. 

So, we'll start at the beginning, with the Hungarian food that I grew up believing was German. Here is Aunt Helene's goulash. And, as my mom was careful to instruct me, be sure to get the Hungarian paprika in the red tin! It's the best. 

Real Hungarian Goulash

A note from Aunt BJ: The key is good paprika! Hungarian paprika is sweet and delicious. (Don't use Spanish paprika.)

Ingredients: 
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped (or two smaller onions)
1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
5 Tbs. Hungarian paprika
3 lbs. beef stew meat or a cut up roast
1 can tomato paste
1 1b. bag baby carrots (optional) 
16 oz. noodles (I used Ancient Harvest Quinoa Rotelle to make it gluten free)
Parsley

Directions: 
1. In a dutch oven or stock pot, heat oil to low. Add chopped onion and cook slowly until onions are transparent (about 15 minutes). 
2. Add red bell pepper and continue to sauté until tender (5-10 more minutes), stirring regularly.
3. Cover the onions and peppers with the stew meat, and allow meat to brown.
4. Stir in paprika and tomato paste, and then add enough water to cover the meat. Add carrots (if desired). Cover and let cook over low to medium-low heat for 1 1/2 hours, uncovering the pot for the last 30 minutes so that the stew thickens slightly. 
5. Serve over noodles, and garnish with parsley. 

Family Recipes, Part 3: Breakfast Casserole in Simply Gluten Free Magazine

A warm and crispy hash brown potato shell filled with cheese, eggs, and sausage. In my family, this particular breakfast was a staple of potluck brunches, family gatherings, and, most memorably, Christmas morning. It’s easy—spread the hash browns in a pie plate, layer in sausage and cheese, and then pour in a few whisked eggs on top. The result is an appetite-inducing, eye-pleasing addition to the breakfast table. 

When Simply Gluten-Free Magazine asked us to work on a brunch menu for the March/April issue, this breakfast casserole was one of the first recipes I thought to include. A few phone calls to mom, and I had the details of the recipe sorted. It became my favorite part of a story on hearty brunch dishes that I ended up developing, which also included a potato medley hash and a creamy grits bar (a nod to my adopted home in the South). Working on these recipes gave me a chance to write about one of my favorite ways to share breakfast: a gathering of fellow soccer fans on a Saturday morning to watch English Premier League soccer and cheer on our favorite team, Chelsea FC (Go Blues!). 

The breakfast casserole had the most personal significance to me. Like Mom’s Chicken Soup, it conjures up happy memories. This time, it's Christmas morning and I can instantly see mom behind the stove in the little kitchen of our house in Longmont, Colorado, pouring the egg mixture into the pie plate just before popping it into the oven. Those memories make it a favorite family recipe. It’s also a recipe for classic comfort food. This recipe is durable, satiating, and delicious. And it’s versatile. It will always be a crowd pleasure with breakfast sausage and cheddar, but swap in swiss and use turkey sausage or even ham and it will be equally tasty. For a healthier option, one could do egg whites and toss in some chopped kale or spinach, or make it vegetarian by eliminating the meat entirely. 

It’s the perfect recipe for the cook who loves to experiment. A few ingredients, simple instructions, and a world of possibilities—I’m increasingly convinced those are the elements behind a family favorite that just about anyone can enjoy. 

Now, for the recipe: 

Breakfast casserole that I food and prop styled for Simply Gluten-Free Magazine. Photo by Stephen DeVries. 

Breakfast Casserole 

Ingredients
1 lb. (16 oz) frozen hash browns
1/2 pound turkey sausage, browned
1/2 cup (4 oz) shredded Monterey jack cheese
4 eggs
1/2 cup half and half
1 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
1 Tbs. olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375˚
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and brown hash brown, flipping them once (about 3 minutes on each side).
3. Mold hash browns into a 9-inch pie plate. 
4. Layer turkey sausage on top of the potatoes, then add the shredded cheese. 
5. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, half & half, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture over cheese layer. 
6. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes. 
   

Note: The hash browns do not need to be fully cooked before placing them in the pie plate, and slightly undercooked potatoes will make for a firmer casserole crust.

Family Recipes, Part 2: George Washington's birthday and mom's chicken soup

Growing up, I counted my grandma among my biggest heroes. She always had things for us to do, and new adventures to embark upon. From homemade fetticini noodles, to little water color painting sets and embroidering lessons, to kitchen-sink science experiments—everything we did had a little lesson to be learned, a nugget of knowledge to take away. I can see so much of who I've become in the natural curiosity she helped cultivate in me. 

Grandma "running eggs" at their chicken farm in Colorado. She was nothing if not a hard and dedicated worker. 

Among her most outstanding achievements was our annual celebration of George Washington's birthday. Each February, she would turn off her electric lights and we would share a meal lit only by candles and oil lamps. To complete the scene, we would all dress up in 17th-century style. I remember my dad emerging from my parents' bedroom in black sweatpants tucked into white tube socks. He even converted an old hat into a tri-cornered symbol of American revolutionary spirit. As girls, we had it a little easier. We wore whatever long, dress-up dresses we had stashed among our toys, and my mom made little colonial-style white caps for us. (Clearly, grandma had willing and able collaborators.)

Was our celebration of George Washington's birthday a little silly? Perhaps. I suppose the whole idea was birthed out of trips to Colonial Williamsburg, and a shared love for history among my parents and grandparents. As a kid, it was full of imaginative possibilities. No wonder I went on to pursue history full-time. The best part was that grandma never broke character. There was no cynicism in her recreation, no laughing at herself, only a little flair for the dramatic. It lent gravitas to the scene, and made it that much more realistic and significant to everyone else. 

A young me, proudly posing before our dimly-lit colonial dinner table. Apparently, they pulled out all the stops in George Washington's day with blue paper napkins. 

The memories of George Washington's birthday came back to me while making my mom's chicken soup the other day. Since my immediate family no longer lives in Colorado, and my grandparents' farm—the setting for the birthday festivities—was sold 20 years ago, food has become an important link to fond memories of the past. As I smelled the soup on the stove, I thought, "It smells like home." Not our physical house, but the feeling of being at home. If the smell of home exists, for me, it is made-from-scratch chicken soup. 

I don't remember exactly what we ate during the birthday. Considering grandpa's sweet tooth, I have no doubt that a historically inaccurate cake was involved, probably of the chocolate variety. Whatever else was on the table, I'm sure it was hearty, warm, and satisfying—like my mom's soup.  

I love the interconnection between food and memory. I love that tastes and smells can instantaneously transport us through time and space. It makes me wonder what kind of flavors will mark the memories of my life now. What will the early years of our marriage "taste" like? (I have a feeling barbecue sauce will be involved, but that's the subject of another blog post)

So in honor of George Washington's upcoming birthday, and the precious memories I have attached to it, I thought I'd share mom's soup recipe. It cooks slowly, as good things do. Hopefully it will warm your heart the same way it continues to warm mine. 

Mom's Chicken Soup
Serves: 10-12   Time: 3 hours

Ingredients:
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 whole young chicken
8-10 cups of water
1 bunch carrots, sliced horizontally
1 bunch celery, sliced horizontally
1 cup brown rice
1-2 cubes chicken bouillon (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish: 1/2 cup parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Heat oil in the bottom of a large stock pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, and stir regularly until onion is clear — about 2 minutes. 
2. Add the whole chicken (including the skin and bones) to the pot, and add enough water to cover. After water begins to boil, reduce heat to a simmer with cover slightly ajar for 2-3 hours, or until chicken is completely cooked and the meat is coming off of the bone. 
3. With a strainer over a large bowl or large separate pot (I've used a large Dutch oven), pour the prepared broth and chicken out of the stock pot. (NOTE: Do this slowly, so that the chicken comes out last) 
4. Turn stove back to medium heat, and return strained broth to the stock pot. 
5. While allowing the chicken to cool slightly, chop the carrots and celery and add them to the broth. 
6. Skin and debone the chicken. Then return the meat to the stock pot. 
7. Add rice, and allow the pot to simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
8. Add salt and pepper to taste, and/or a chicken bouillon to enhance the flavor. 
9. Top with chopped parsley before serving. 

NOTES: 

• Allowing the chicken to cool slightly before deboning eases the process, and makes the fatty tissue and bones much easier to remove — it will also keeps you from scorching your fingertips. 
• This soup freezes well, and makes great leftovers. My mom always said the second bowl was the best. 
• If you're looking for a little extra kick, throw in some hot sauce for added spice. Trust me, it's delicious. 

Family Recipes, Part 1: Easter traditions and reasons to chart your own course

When it comes to holiday traditions, Easter can be confusing. For many Christians the celebration of Christ’s resurrection stands at the heights of the sacred calendar. Yet most of traditional practices — including the name of the holiday — have pagan roots. Where did the word Easter and its bunny come from? Well, that would be a reference to Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of fertility whose sign was a rabbit.

If you’re a Protestant, you have even less traditional ground to stand on, because following the Reformation, Easter celebrations were rejected as too papal. It was Catholics who established the tenets of the Christian Easter feast. Protestants didn’t come back to the fold, so to speak, until the late-nineteenth century. By that time, they also had the benefit of enjoying candy Easter eggs (Cadbury introduced the first chocolate egg in 1875), jelly beans, and Easter baskets stuffed with treats.* 

While the Easter table might lack the kind of nostalgic grounding in tradition that one experiences at Thanksgiving and Christmas, I find this freeing. For us, Easter has become a time to create new holiday memories and traditions with our friends. Since it takes a two-hour drive or a four-hour flight to spend the holiday with family, I try to incorporate family by including some traditional family recipes on the menu. 

For this year, I’ve adopted the traditional Hungarian kiffel (something we usually eat at Christmas) to our celebration of the resurrection. The kiffel combines cream cheese pastry and a touch of jam for a mixture of savory and sweet that’s hard to resist. This also kicks off a series on traditional family recipes that I plan to continue sharing on the blog. I figure, what better way to explore the history of what we eat, than to delve into the foods I associate with my family history?

Whenever I eat a kiffel, I think of my dad sneaking a few each time he passed through the kitchen and my mom telling him to save some for the rest of us. It makes them all the more special to think about my grandma and great grandma making them before me. While our families will be celebrating Easter across the country, our little Alabama duo will think of them fondly and enjoy a cookie in their honor. It’s not a bunny or an egg — but who said those had all that much to do with celebrating the resurrection in the first place? 

Photos by Stephen DeVries. 

Great-Grandma Yahraus’s Kiffel Recipe (gluten free)

Note: I adapted the recipe below to my gluten free needs. For those making the cookie with wheat flour, see my notes in parentheses.) 

Ingredients: 

• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese (cold)
• 1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter (cold) 
• 2 1/4 cups All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour Blend (2 cups if using wheat flour)
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder (1/2 tsp. if using wheat flour) 
• 1 rounded Tablespoon sour cream
• 1 egg yolk 
• Jam or other filling of your choice (I varied mine between orange marmalade, blackberry jelly, and chocolate chips)

Directions: 

• Sift together flour and baking powder. 
• Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut in cold butter and cream cheese. 
• Working with your hands add in sour cream and egg yolk so that the dough forms a soft ball. Be careful not over mix the dough — if it has a marbled look, that’s okay. 
• Divide into two balls, wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour (can be refrigerated overnight). 
• Preheat oven to 375ºF
• Working one ball at a time, unwrap roll out on a sheet of parchment paper dusted with tapioca starch. Roll out dough until it is 1/8 inch thick.
• Cut dough into 2” squares and place a 1/2 tsp. of filling in the center. Fold into triangles or cylinders. 
• Bake for 10-13 min. (Mine were perfect at 12 min.) 
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

*My information on the history of Easter came from Cathy K. Kaufman’s “Easter” entry in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America (1ed.), Andrew F. Smith, ed., Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. Accessed online at http://www.oxfordreference.com.libdata.lib.ua.edu/view/10.1093/acref/9780195154375.001.0001/acref-9780195154375-e-0280?rskey=iQtsmi&result=7 on 18 Apr. 2014.