There are many delicious chocolate desserts to serve on Valentine’s Day, such as Chocolate Pudding, Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Brownies, and Chocolate Mousse. But one Chocolate Dessert that is incredibly romantic, absolutely gorgeous, and relatively healthy is Chocolate-Covered Strawberries.

I have offered this fabulous dessert as a Special for subscribers to www.GfreeCuisine. Here is the recipe as a special Valentine’s Day gift to my readers. If you can find the extra-large strawberries with the long stems, this dessert is even more beautiful.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

8 ounces dark chocolate or milk chocolate

1 teaspoon butter or buttery spread such as Earth Balance

1 pound strawberries (about 20) with stems on

per serving: 60 calories; 1 grams protein; 4 grams total fat; 1 grams fiber; 0 grams saturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 1 mgs cholesterol; 3 mgs sodium               

[1] Wash strawberries and pat dry with paper towels. Lay a sheet of wax paper on a baking sheet.

[2] Place half of the chopped chocolate and the butter in a micro-wave safe bowl. Microwave on Medium power until  the chocolate starts to melt. Remove from microwave and stir until smooth, then stir in remaining chopped chocolate until very smooth. If it doesn't melt, return to Microwave in 5 second increments until it does.

[3] Holding the strawberry by the stem, dip the strawberry into the chocolate, twist it slightly, and then lift it out, letting any excess chocolate drip back into the bowl. Lay strawberry on the wax paper and repeat with the remaining strawberries.  Let strawberries stand for 20 to 30 minutes or until the chocolate sets up and then serve.

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

Let the games begin! In the next two weeks we’ll watch two major sports event:  the Winter Olympics and the Super Bowl. I find that if I keep things simple…and plan ahead…I can watch the games, be a considerate hostess, and enjoy the food. In fact, the food is the BIG thing to me during sports parties and I must confess that I watch the Super Bowl primarily to see the commercials. But I’m an avid Winter Olympics fan (and I wouldn’t miss the big opening night),  so I want to make sure I can watch my favorite events and still eat well.

Choose a theme… and then build the menu around the theme so all the foods go well together. I usually choose Italian, All-American, or Mexican themes.  

Italian food is always a hit, so why not serve Pizza. You can pre-bake a batch of homemade crusts (my crust recipes call for a 10-minute prebaking before topping them) and then freeze, tightly wrapped. Or, buy ready-made crusts by Whole Foods or Udi’s, or your favorite GF source. On the big day, greet guests with appetizer slices of Pizza hot from the oven, but then set out the remaining crusts and toppings and let them make their own as the party flows on.  A big mixed greens salad and a vegetable platter and dip complement the pizza. Plenty of wine (or whatever you like to drink with pizza) and a platter of fresh-baked GF cookies  (who doesn’t like GF Chocolate Chip cookies?) complete the meal.

Have bowls of these pizza toppings ready for your guests to use:  GF pepperoni, such as Hormel, browned GF sausage, such as Applegate Farms, thinly sliced mushrooms, finely chopped onions, sliced black olives, very thinly sliced red or green bell peppers, and plenty of cheese. For your dairy-free guests, jars of pesto sauce can be an alternative to cheese. Make Pizza Sauce beforehand or buy one you like and have it on hand, plus lots of napkins so the “chefs” can clean up behind themselves.

All-American food your preference? Keep Chicken Wings hot in a slow cooker, served with your favorite dipping sauce. Provide heaping bowls of Coleslaw and Potato Salad, nestled in bigger bowls of ice to keep them cold. Big jugs of iced tea (and whatever alcoholic beverages you prefer with wings) hit the spot. Peanut Butter Cookies complete this down-home meal.

Mexican themes are one of the easiest ways to entertain and eat. Whip up a hearty Chili or Green Chile Pork Stew and let guests serve themselves from a slow cooker whenever they wish. Set out fresh-baked Cornbread (we like butter and honey for drizzling), some bowls of Guacamole, Corn Chips, and a big pitcher of margaritas, and you’re set. A platter of fresh-baked Brownies (spiked with a little cinnamon for a Mexican touch) should keep the troops happy, long after your favorite team won (or lost).

When you plan ahead and have everything ready on the big day, all you have to do is tear yourself away from the TV long enough to periodically check on your guests  to make they’re not setting your kitchen on fire and that their drinks are refreshed.  You’ll find recipes for all of these dishes at www.GfreeCuisine.com, if you’re a subscriber). Recipes for Pizza, Brownies, and Chocolate Chip Cookies are at http://www.savorypalate.com/recipes.aspx. May your favorite team or Olympic athlete win!

The holidays are over, the decorations stored away for next year, and so on. Even if Santa brought everything you asked for, there are probably some little items that you can buy for yourself. Consider these items an investment in your gluten-free lifestyle; after all, we prepare more of our own food than most people and anything that makes our job easier is like a gift to ourselves.  These items are small, inexpensive, and easily found in kitchen stores, discount stores, or online.

[1] Lettuce Knife:  Usually reserved for cutting lettuce, this serrated plastic knife cuts pizza, brownies, cake, etc. in nonstick pans without scratching the surface. They’re sturdy, dishwasher-safe, and don’t take up much space.   

[2] Kitchen Shears: Heavy-duty scissors that snip herbs, cut up whole tomatoes in the can, cut pizza, trim pie crust, cut parchment paper into circles… the list is endless. They’re sturdier than sewing scissors and should be dishwasher-safe. I store them at different locations in my kitchen so they’re always handy.

[3] Microplane:  A special kind of grater for Parmesan cheese, lemon or orange zest, and the like. Originally a woodworker’s rasp, someone got the bright idea of using it in the kitchen and it has transformed graters. They come in several shapes and sizes; I prefer ones with a handle. Be sure to store your microplane in its plastic holder because it will grate anything it touches, including your fingers.

[4] Measuring Cups: We all have the standard-sized measuring cups (1-cup, 1/2-cup, 1/3-cup, 1/4-cup) for measuring dry ingredients, but you’ll save tons of time with cups in the non-standard sizes, such as 2-cup, 3/4-cup, 2/3-cup, and 2-tablespoons (sometimes sold as coffee-measures).  When a recipe calls for 2 cups of flour, you measure once with the 2-cup measure, rather than twice with the 1-cup measure; same with the 2/3-cup. If a recipe calls for 2 tablespoons, using the 2-tablespoon cup means measuring once, rather than twice with a 1-tablespoon measuring spoon. This also allows for more accurate measurement of dry ingredients because we risk mistakes each time we fill a measuring cup.  Measuring once rather than twice cuts the risk by 50 percent.  Look for measuring spoons in odd-sizes like 2/3-teaspoon, 1/8-teaspoon, too.

[5] Oven thermometer: Place this thermometer in your oven and read it when your oven is fully preheated to make sure it’s actually baking at the temperature shown on the oven’s temperature indicator. Improperly-calibrated ovens can be a prime source of baking failures because they’re either baking too hot or not hot enough.

Well, that’s my list. What other small, but incredibly convenient gadgets are saving YOU time in the kitchen?

Happy New Year! This is not only the beginning of a new year; it is the beginning of a brand new decade. All the more reason to adopt some lifestyle changes that can improve your health and well-being! Whether you believe in New Year’s resolutions or not, here are suggestions for 2010 that are certain to improve your gluten-free way of life.
    
REGARD our gluten-free way of life as a positive lifestyle, not a restricted diet. View it as an opportunity to explore new foods and flavors. Approach it with a positive, open mind and embrace it as your ticket to good health and vitality.

TRY one new winter vegetable. Go for the dark greens, such as steamed kale or Swiss chard.  Or celery root boiled with and mashed into potatoes? I’m learning new ways to prepare fennel, the anise-flavored bulb that can be roasted or served raw in salads or added to soups.  And, don’t forget those dark green fronds at the end of the bulbs. Save them to add deeper flavor to soups and broths.

ADOPT one new whole grain this month.  Then, try another one next month. How about quinoa, cooked like rice and served as a side dish or as a hot breakfast cereal? Instead of plain corn polenta, replace one-fourth of the cornmeal with whole grain teff. I’m especially fond of whole grain sorghum. If you don’t want to order 30-pound bags from www.twinvalleymills.com, you can order one-pound bags at www.glutenfreemall.com.  I love its chewy heartiness instead of bulgur in soups and tabbouleh.

SUPPORT our gluten-free community with monetary donations or volunteer your time. Most organizations and university research centers operate on limited resources; they’re grateful for whatever you can give.

DONATE gluten-free food to food banks. Shortly before Thanksgiving, I had a plaintive phone call from a lady who lamented the absence of gluten-free food in her local food bank. My heart went out to her.  So, now I package my donations of non-perishable gluten-free food in one bag (clearly marked) so it can be organized along with (hopefully) other gluten-free donations.

INVITE other gluten-free people to your home for a gluten-free meal. Better yet, organize the meal around a cause. I held a “Cook for the Cure” fund-raising dinner a couple of years ago where guests dined at my home and donated to the Susan G. Komen fund for breast cancer.  My own bout with breast cancer last year has revived my interest and I plan to hold more “Cook for the Cure” dinners in the near future.  You can hold a fund-raising dinner for any cause that’s near and dear to your heart.  And, your gluten-free guests will appreciate the opportunity to enjoy a safe dinner with other like-minded guests.

Best Wishes for a Very Happy 2010.
--Carol Fenster

Regardless of how you celebrate the holidays, everyone can use tips to make our wonderful gluten-free foods last longer, look better, and taste great—with the least amount of time on your part. So, here are some tips I’ve gleaned from food magazines and my own experiences that can help you:

[1] Keep Cookies Fresh: All those cookies you got from friends, neighbors, or the annual cookie exchange will stay fresh longer with this trick: Sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar on the bottom of your cookie container and then line it with parchment paper. Layer the cookies on top and close the container tightly. The sugar will absorb excess moisture and keep your cookies fresh for up to 7 days (if they last that long!!!)

[2] Keep Mashed Potatoes Warm: Getting all the food onto the table during the last frantic moments before a big meal can challenge even the most experienced cook. Here is what the pros do: Mash the potatoes as usual (with perhaps about ¼ cup extra liquid) and then place the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water and cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil. The potatoes will stay warm for up to 2 hours, while you take care of all the other dishes.

[3] Use Your Slow-Cooker: Dishes that can stand for a long time on low heat, such as mulled wine or cider, beans, some casseroles, etc. can go into the slow-cooker long before serving time (even if you didn’t prepare them in it) and they’ll stay warm. You can also serve foods from your slow-cooker, freeing up one more baking dish for something else.

[4] Salvage Over-Whipped Cream: If you accidentally over-whip the heavy cream for the pumpkin pies and it becomes grainy, simply add a little bit more cream and whip again just until the graininess disappears.

[5] Keep Bread Warm without Drying it Out: When I bake gluten-free bread, I like to bake it just before the guests arrive and then slice it just before serving to retain its freshness. If the bread has cooled, slice it and pile it into a microwave-safe wicker basket, cover with a cloth napkin, and microwave it on very Low power (about 20 percent) for just long enough to warm it…then serve it immediately. Resist the temptation to “zap” it on High power because that makes it gummy at first, but then very hard as it cools.

[6] Cover Desserts with Cake Dome: Invest in an inexpensive cake platter with a dome and place your layer cake (or pie) in it, covered with the dome. It looks lovely and enticing, yet keeps the dessert from drying out or (worse yet) from pesky fingers that want a sample before dinner.